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For those who don’t already know 3 Legged Factor, I’d recommend you get acquainted. It’s a British-based firm with actual design aptitude and meticulous consideration to element, making a few of one of the best tripods for photographers, one of the best journey tripods and one of the best tripods for videographers available on the market. The heavy-duty 3 Legged Factor Winston 2.0 tripod equipment is my finest ever 3 legged pal. Extra not too long ago, the corporate has began exploring different avenues, releasing glorious but extremely cost-effective helps just like the Digicam Desk Mount System, camera-specific and common L-brackets, and helpful Wrapz to maintain your treasured equipment secure and comfortable. They’ve now turned their consideration to creating considered one of one of the best gentle stands and, true to kind, have give you one thing places a brand new twist on conventional fare.
3 Legged Factor Luna: Specs
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Max peak |
200cm / 79″ |
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Min peak |
56cm / 22.1″ |
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Load capability |
5kg / 11lb |
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Weight |
944g / 2lb |
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High mount |
5/8″ receiver, 1/4″ & 3/8″ screw |
3 Legged Factor Luna: Worth
What value a light-weight stand? They begin fairly low cost and you may get a pair of Amazon Fundamentals Aluminum Gentle Stands for round $35 / £36. For one thing extra heavy-duty and properly completed, the Elinchrom Lighting Stand prices $50 / £54 every, and the Manfrotto 5001B-1 Nano Gentle Stand is available in at $89 / £69. That makes the three Legged Factor Luna look fairly dear at $150 / £130 however, in contrast to the entire different gentle stands I’ve talked about, it’s carbon fiber relatively than aluminum and is greater than a one-trick pony. I reckon it’s really superb worth.
3 Legged Factor Luna: Design & Dealing with
Consider a high-quality carbon fiber tripod leg and that’s what’s on the core of the Luna gentle stand. I can’t say I’m shocked as a result of 3 Legged Factor is at all times an organization that likes to ‘suppose completely different’ and it has a complete lot of experience with regards to tripods. So, right here we’ve bought one thing similar to a 4-sectrion carbon tripod leg serving because the central column of this gentle stand, however inverted in order that the widest part is on the backside relatively than the highest.
The sections of every telescoping carbon column part measure 25.5mm, 22mm, 18.5mm and 15.5mm, in response to my digital vernier calipers. That’s really somewhat chunkier than the leg sections of the 3 Legged Factor Punks Corey 2.0 journey tripod, which has a most load score of 14kg / 30lb. With its single column, the Luna gentle stand has a most payload score of 5kg / 11lg, which ought to definitely suffice for the overwhelming majority of studio flash heads, LED gentle panels and different choices.
To increase and lock the column sections, the Luna makes use of 3 Legged Factor’s time-honored twist-action clamps. That positively works for me, as they want minimal rotation to free them off and lock them once more. The underside clamp is for releasing and locking the three spreading legs that kind the bottom of the stand. The higher three clamps are for the extending column sections. It’s doable to seize the entire clamps in a single hand and loosen or tighten them in a single gesture, when the column is retracted.
Serving to to present a sturdy footing, the diameter of the carbon tubing for the 3-section spreader is 19mm and the legs have a size of 54cm / 21.5” every. This provides a large most radius that makes the stand much less prone to topple over, even when utilizing heavier lighting gear. I like that the legs fold upwards over the middle column to cut back the stowage measurement. Because it seems, the stand folds down to only 56cm / 22.1″ in size, however achieves a most working peak of 200cm / 79″. That’s not fairly as beneficiant as in lots of different lights stands. For instance, the Elinchrom Lighting Stand extends to 235cm / 92.5” and even the Amazon Fundamentals Aluminum Gentle Stands lengthen to 213cm / 84”.
Down on the backside, there’s what seems to be a neat set of rubber ft for a grippy connection to easy flooring. There’s greater than meets the attention, nevertheless, because the rubber pads pull off to disclose steel spikes, extra ideally suited to be used on free floor and mushy surfaces.
Including a complete chunk of versatility, a extremely neat trick is you can undo a locking screw on the backside of the middle column and detach it utterly from the stand. You possibly can then use it as a freestanding growth, for no matter takes your fancy. Choices embody a microphone, an LED lamp for illuminating inaccessible locations, an motion digital camera, and even utilizing the growth as a selfie stick.
One other neat trick on the finish of the pole, or on the high of the stand for those who desire, is the mounting connection. Catering to only about any and each want, it really works as a regular 5/8” spigot for attaching studio flash heads and different lamps with typical mounts. There’s additionally a 3/8” threaded protrusion for attaching the likes of lamps and even tripod ball heads or 3-way heads. The bit I actually like is that the three/8” thread is spring-loaded, so you possibly can press it all the way down to reveal a 1/4” thread, suiting a variety of cameras, flashgun tabletop stands and different equipment that use the smaller screw thread. Lengthy story quick, you possibly can mount just about something and all the things on this stand (or growth).
3 Legged Factor Luna: Efficiency
Low-cost gentle stands can usually really feel flimsy. At their most working peak, it will probably seem to be you’re actually pushing your luck when mounting the likes of a flash head and softbox on them, or a big LED panel with heavyweight batteries hooked up to the again. It’s nearly such as you’re simply ready for the stand to topple over and to your costly lights to come back crashing to the bottom. I’m actually happy with the three Legged Factor Luna, in that it feels rock-solid and super-stable even at its most working peak. That’s enabled not solely by the robust carbon fiber tubing and magnesium alloy parts, but in addition by the big radius to which the three leg sections can lengthen.
The compact carrying size could be very welcome, and the stand comes full with a light-weight drawstring bag. Ideally, I’d have preferred somewhat additional most working peak nevertheless it needs to be nearly ample for lighting tall portrait topics once they’re standing, from a barely downward angle. For reference, right here’s a snapshot of me subsequent to the stand.
Not only a gentle stand, the Luna works very well as a growth arm, with a fast and straightforward conversion between stand and growth. That provides nice versatility for content material creators and makes the Luna a extremely helpful little bit of equipment.
The spigot and different thread sizes allow fitment of a variety of lights and different equipment, as proven above and under.
3 Legged Factor Luna: Verdict
I’ve by no means been capable of get excited a couple of gentle stand, till now. I actually like the luxurious carbon fiber and magnesium alloy building of the Luna. I additionally like that it folds down good and small for carrying round, and that it reaches a good (if not overly beneficiant) most working peak. Higher nonetheless, I really like its versatility, and that it effortlessly converts right into a growth. It really works a deal with not only for lights, but in addition for supporting a mic, digital camera, motion digital camera and extra in addition to. If 3 Legged Factor made an non-obligatory adapter for utilizing it as a guitar stand, my pleasure can be full 😉
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Options |
It has all of the options I want in a light-weight stand, with the additional bonus of changing right into a growth. |
★★★★★ |
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Design |
Like an inverted tripod leg, it’s a intelligent design that’s superbly crafted from carbon fiber and magnesium alloy parts. |
★★★★★ |
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Efficiency |
From small to tall, it has rock-solid dependability and glorious efficiency. |
★★★★★ |
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Worth |
It’s undeniably dear for a light-weight stand however its high quality, versatility and efficiency make if superb worth. |
★★★★ |