One of the most annoying things about setting up lights is the constant need to adjust the stands. You know, you set up your light to where you think you need it and then realize it doesn't work quite the way you wanted it to, so you have to adjust the height a little, as well as the angle of the boom, and pretty soon you've spent ten thousand hours tightening and loosening tension knobs. 

But Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter has come up with a solution to this tedious process. In the video below, see how he combined a microphone arm and your everyday light stand to create the ultimate articulating lighting setup for LEDs that, in my humble opinion, is pretty damn ingenious. 

Before we get into how Pike put this thing together, it should be noted first that a setup like this isn't going to work so well with lights that are much heavier than the one used in the video, which is a Falcon Eyes RX-18T that weighs in at a little over a pound. That weight restriction might be a bummer, but remember, these kinds of flexible LED lights tend to be extremely lightweight.

Now, in order to replicate Pike's setup, you'll need:

  • A rolling light stand
  • Rapid Baby adapter (1/4")
  • A microphone arm (RØDE PSA1)
  • Ball head
  • 2x washer/wing nuts

This setup gets a little pricey at around $270, but the most expensive item on the list, the rolling light stand, can probably be replaced with a cheaper non-rolling stand or something you already own. Also, be sure to get some sandbags to throw down on the legs to keep everything secure!

What do you think about Pike's mic arm light stand? Let us know down in the comments.

Source: DSLR Video Shooter

lighting
Cinematography & Cameras