Lighting 101 - Super Clamps
While stands are usually the best choice, they aren't the only way to hold a light in a specific location. And other options take up less room in a lighting kit, too.The favorite of most shooters is the Bogen Super Clamp. It can latch onto just about anything, provided the thickness is a couple inches or less.
The bent arms of the clamping jaws make it particularly appropriate for clamping onto a variety of shapes. Pipes, railing, doors, shelves, tables, tree branches, electrical conduit running up the wall in a high school gym (not too tight...) are all no problem.It comes with a stud that will accept a ball head or an umbrella stand adapter, too. So mounting your light is very easy. They are about $28.00, and every photographer should have at least one.
NOTE: You should know that there are several different versions of the Superclamp to be had. If the version you are looking for is out of stock, ask your retailer which alternative models they have in stock. They come with the stud, without, metal handle, plastic handle, etc. They are all very good clamps.
With the right accessory, they can hold remote cameras too. The Bogen Super Clamp is one very useful piece of gear.
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by David, at 3:53 PM.
19 Comments:
Bogen also makes a slightly more expensive spring clamp that has a stud and a cold shoe on a ball joint. $55 at B&H, and very convenient.
I'm missing something. When looking at the Bogen Super Clamp, model# of which I haven't seen yet, (search at MPE for Bogen Super Clamp netted nothing) I can't imagine how this would hold my Canon 580EX at the hotshoe. There must be some other piece of gear not mentioned. Clamping directly to the delicate hotshoe interface is not a go. I see a comment stating: "It comes with a stud that will accept a ball head or an umbrella stand adapter, too." But unless it accepts a hot-shoe what other piece of gear would one look for?
the clamp is just a clamp you have to get a ball head or umbrella stand adaptor to make use of the clamp
Hi David
I saw this monster pod at PhotoplusExpo this year and I was wondering if this could be used instead of the clamp:
http://www.monster-pod.com/
It would be awesome to mount a flash on it and:
1.if you are shooting a portrait,have a hairlight in a tight office spot
2.if you're shooting a presentation,just stick it on the wall instead of a stand
3.if you shoot outside,stick it on a three bark
4.if you're in a bus,on a bar
....soooo manny more ideas
From their site,they don't advise you to leave it more than 10 minutes,but I guess it all depends on the angle you put it ,texture,how clean the surface is,etc
Did anyone tried this???
Also my bows on your efforts and generosity in sharing your experience.
Hi
I just found your blog and it is great. Just what I needed. I'm making the switch from product photography to editorial portraiture and this is a great setup. I'm a big fan of the less is more approach. I don't need to impress anybody with big heavy lights that they ultimately could care less about. The picture is all that matters in the end.
Pony clamp with a bolt to hold adapters, etc., JB Welded on - about $8.00
Fabulous blog... have finally today got an off-camera setup working with an ebay wireless trigger and am looking forward to putting all this into practice.
Wondering about the Bogen Quick Release Super Clamp, as opposed to the original that you picture here. Do you have an opinion as to which is better? I'd tend to err towards something called "Quick Release", and it looks slightly less bulky, but sometimes a quick release can release when you don't want it to! Any thoughts?
It may help UK readers to know that Bogen = Manfrotto.
See also http://photonotes.org/other/manfrotto-bogen/
Peter Bryenton
www.brypix.com
Yup - Manfrotto are an Italian company who manufacter these. Bogan are simply their US distributors.
I just received the LumoPro version of the super clamp from mpex. Included with it were two small hex head machine bolts and the corresponding hex/allen wrench. These bolts thread into two matching holes on the bottom of the clamp itself. In the picture of the clamp mounted on the door above, you can just make out the threaded holes on the body of the clamp. Any idea what those two bolts are used for?
I have a related question. I have been mounting two strobes in basketball gyms using the superclamps. This works quite well except that the strobe tends to slide out of the hot shoe mount if crowd gets rowdy. Does anyone know of a successful way to secure the strobe to the hot shoe?
re: keeping a strobe in its hot shoe...
Gaff tape? ;)
Just in case I need it, i find it handy to bring a c-clamp along with my super clamp. that way, i can clampy clamp just about anything under five inches. Just attach the super clamp to the rim of the c-clamp and you're set!
I believe they are also referred to as "mayfers" by those movie grip types.
The superclamp is pretty handy but I was a bit shocked by the size (and weight of the thing). Mine is a Manfrotto 035C but shouldn't be much different from the plain vanilla version.
Initially I had a devil of a time figuring out how to attach my umbrella adapter (Manfrotto 026) to it. The trick turned out to be a number 013 adapter.
Still, it’s a bit of a brick to carry. 525g including the 013 adapter...
My brother made his own clamp and it works great you just use a pony clamp bought at any hardware store for around 8 dollars drill a hole in it and find a bolt that will fit your speedlight and there rated to hold up to 50 lbs. Hope this saves some money.
There is a worldwide frustrating stupidity trend with these or other similar clamps: Nobody explains what adapters are compatible to what clamps and light fixtures. No examples on the stores or elsewhere. It is supposed that everybody knows! How stupid this is?
Another very lightweight option is the Joby Gorillapod with the flash shoe adapter:
http://joby.com/products/gorillapod/accessories/
It's amazing what these things will hold on to.
Excellent blog. I am sort of new to SLR photography. Thanks to this blog I'm interested in flash Photography but there are a lot of things still to learn. I went to buy one of this clamps online and found that you need a stub for it. There are a few sizes and prices vary a lot. Can someone give me a hand with this please. I want to mount a umbrella adapter or my camera to it.
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