Thanks, Ed, for sharing information and your personal experience about this topic. I bought a kit consisting of 3 muslin backdrops, 2 stands, and 4 pieces of sectional cross bars about 2 years ago on eBay. The cost was about $80, I've since got a few more backdrops including a roll of 50 yard seemless paper backdrops (after watching your demo in some of your shoots). I do not travel with the kit. And i usually take the backdrops down soon after the shooting (my wife doesn't want any backdrop left there.) The cross bars lock well. To unlock a section, i need to push the springed nut down from the hole and pull the section out. They seem to work well. No sagging. No accidental slipping. Thank you again.
Hi mate, thanks for sharing your experience, do you happen to have a link or a specific name to search for? I'm looking to get a backdrop/stand and it seems the one you got might be similar to what I need. Thanks!
Thanks for your videos. As a newbie, I am just starting to put together a portable studio. Your videos take the clutter out of a lot of very techie people that work in camera shops!
Two strap wrenches from a hardware store would likely give you a non-marring grip strong enough to unlock the sections and inspect them. One strap wrench could stay in your kitchen for jar opening, the other in your tool box.
I got tired of flimsy crossbars and just use a piece of schedule 80 conduit spanning 2 C-stands now. It's not very portable, so it's relegated to use in my home studio, but it certainly isn't going to break. For most location work I use a collapsible background on a light stand(headshots so no need for paper to reach the floor or beyond) or a natural background.
I've used straight-up metal pipe in the studio, so I think that's the best way to go if you can manage it. But yeah, a natural background on location -- often framing or blurring to not draw attention to it -- is my go to these days.
I do not have a backdrop stand yet. But obviously PROMASTER is no pro at all. Why would they sell cruddy stuff, with the exception of the telescoping background pole? My suggestion to stuck poles is to spread a tiny amount of petroleum jelly inside the tubes with your fingers before connecting them. I think this will work from getting stuck. And to the stuck poles, spray WD-40 on where the background poles connect to each other, wipe dry, then try to unstuck it. After you remove the pieces, wipe the tubes well with some dry cloth, apply petroleum jelly lightly inside the tubes with your fingers to prevent the background pole pieces from getting stuck again. I would also recommend what background stands/poles that you would buy if you were us and why?
interesting vid, Ed! I've been looking for something portable (or just for my home setup). I've always been wary of Promaster "brand," especially when I enter any National Camera store and their employees always push ProMaster (even above better/more reputable brands).
Generally, I’d go with the Manfrotto. But I got it in my head that I’m not paying too much for what I’m using less and less these days. Going too cheap is almost always a mistake. Thanks for the comment, Tom! I’ve noticed the Promaster push too. Must be a high margin brand.
I would buy a collapsible but after recently doing 2 portrait jobs on site I cant be arsed dragging a whole setup kit and just tell them to visit my studio
I only use backdrops a dozen times a year at the most and I have 3 cheap imported backdrop set ups which have worked for me. I know I bought a second set to hang tracing paper in front of my lights. I’ve no idea why I bought a third, but it must have been a good idea at the time, and all three together only cost about £70. However, I very rarely photograph those annoying bipeds that can sue if anything drops on them, and vases of flowers rarely get involved in litigation. I’m very influenced by Tim Layton's channel at the moment hence the vases of flowers (a channel I highly recommend but that’s way off topic). For a portrait photographer like yourself, they are a crucial part of your workflow and it’s imperative that they are sturdy and safe. You also need them robust and stiff, I know from experience just how difficult it is the edit out creases. It’s also very much part of your professional presentation that you turn up with decent quality reliable equipment. Just looking at yours they look far better quality than mine and should work much more efficient than the experiences you’ve had. This is especially so with the second that looked a strange and unreliable design from the get go. I truly hope this last set up works for you. As always a brilliant and very informative video, especially for anyone thinking of buying a portrait backdrop for the first time. Thanks Ed.
Ed Verosky Yeah, usually quite short videos and he uses a very large format. I think his images are amazing, not just because of the size, but also in their simplicity and he really gets the best out of HP5+ and FP4+.
Ed Verosky I think you’ll enjoy, especially as you’re a photographer who mastered film long before digital came along. The images from your youth were brilliant. Paul C Smith is another great channel, both digital and analogue. He’s a guy from New Zealand and very talented.
Maybe you should have tried some wd40 to unjam the crossbar. Leaving heavy paper rolls up for long periods is not good. I have used promaster lens caps but for things like background stands I wouldn't trust their quality. Love your videos.
Wish I could have replied sooner but I just discovered you. But to all those looking for a good background support B&H has an Impact pro kit on sale: Impact Pro Backdrop Support Kit (12.9' Width) www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1154354-REG/impact_bg_ps440_pro_backdrop_support_kit.html I've had this one for 2 years now and no problems.
Why is every single backdrop support system a piece of sh1t? I've been looking all over Amazon and they ALL say that the product either ARRIVES broken, or breaks within 3 uses!!! WTF!
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Thank you for sharing your experience. This means a lot.
The world needed this video. Awesome! Thanks!!
Thanks, Ed, for sharing information and your personal experience about this topic. I bought a kit consisting of 3 muslin backdrops, 2 stands, and 4 pieces of sectional cross bars about 2 years ago on eBay. The cost was about $80, I've since got a few more backdrops including a roll of 50 yard seemless paper backdrops (after watching your demo in some of your shoots). I do not travel with the kit. And i usually take the backdrops down soon after the shooting (my wife doesn't want any backdrop left there.) The cross bars lock well. To unlock a section, i need to push the springed nut down from the hole and pull the section out. They seem to work well. No sagging. No accidental slipping. Thank you again.
Ah, excellent. I like the idea of something actually "locks" (holds in place). This Promaster one just doesn't at all. Glad yours is working!
Hi mate, thanks for sharing your experience, do you happen to have a link or a specific name to search for? I'm looking to get a backdrop/stand and it seems the one you got might be similar to what I need. Thanks!
amzn.to/2bYFld5. And the link to the new cross bar if needed is above in the description.
Thanks for your videos. As a newbie, I am just starting to put together a portable studio. Your videos take the clutter out of a lot of very techie people that work in camera shops!
Thank you.
Two strap wrenches from a hardware store would likely give you a non-marring grip strong enough to unlock the sections and inspect them. One strap wrench could stay in your kitchen for jar opening, the other in your tool box.
Thanks. Needed this
Great video. Thank you for the recommendation!
At 3:11 what is the little piece that goes on top of the baby pin to adapt it for the smaller diameter of the crossbar?
I got tired of flimsy crossbars and just use a piece of schedule 80 conduit spanning 2 C-stands now. It's not very portable, so it's relegated to use in my home studio, but it certainly isn't going to break. For most location work I use a collapsible background on a light stand(headshots so no need for paper to reach the floor or beyond) or a natural background.
I've used straight-up metal pipe in the studio, so I think that's the best way to go if you can manage it. But yeah, a natural background on location -- often framing or blurring to not draw attention to it -- is my go to these days.
I do not have a backdrop stand yet. But obviously PROMASTER is no pro at all. Why would they sell cruddy stuff, with the exception of the telescoping background pole? My suggestion to stuck poles is to spread a tiny amount of petroleum jelly inside the tubes with your fingers before connecting them. I think this will work from getting stuck. And to the stuck poles, spray WD-40 on where the background poles connect to each other, wipe dry, then try to unstuck it. After you remove the pieces, wipe the tubes well with some dry cloth, apply petroleum jelly lightly inside the tubes with your fingers to prevent the background pole pieces from getting stuck again. I would also recommend what background stands/poles that you would buy if you were us and why?
interesting vid, Ed! I've been looking for something portable (or just for my home setup). I've always been wary of Promaster "brand," especially when I enter any National Camera store and their employees always push ProMaster (even above better/more reputable brands).
Generally, I’d go with the Manfrotto. But I got it in my head that I’m not paying too much for what I’m using less and less these days. Going too cheap is almost always a mistake. Thanks for the comment, Tom! I’ve noticed the Promaster push too. Must be a high margin brand.
Thanks for making this
Thanks for watching!
I've had years of crossbar problems - I gave up and bought a handful of tubing from the local hardware ship - look no joins...
Super helpful. Thanks!
Helpful. Thanks.
I just use a alloy curtian rod drilled 3 holes to get 2 different paper widths on it waaallaa saved $$ as it is always setup in my studio
Nice! Not super portable but I rarely take backgrounds out with me anyway. Thanks, Andrew!
I would buy a collapsible but after recently doing 2 portrait jobs on site I cant be arsed dragging a whole setup kit and just tell them to visit my studio
I only use backdrops a dozen times a year at the most and I have 3 cheap imported backdrop set ups which have worked for me. I know I bought a second set to hang tracing paper in front of my lights. I’ve no idea why I bought a third, but it must have been a good idea at the time, and all three together only cost about £70. However, I very rarely photograph those annoying bipeds that can sue if anything drops on them, and vases of flowers rarely get involved in litigation. I’m very influenced by Tim Layton's channel at the moment hence the vases of flowers (a channel I highly recommend but that’s way off topic).
For a portrait photographer like yourself, they are a crucial part of your workflow and it’s imperative that they are sturdy and safe. You also need them robust and stiff, I know from experience just how difficult it is the edit out creases. It’s also very much part of your professional presentation that you turn up with decent quality reliable equipment. Just looking at yours they look far better quality than mine and should work much more efficient than the experiences you’ve had. This is especially so with the second that looked a strange and unreliable design from the get go. I truly hope this last set up works for you.
As always a brilliant and very informative video, especially for anyone thinking of buying a portrait backdrop for the first time. Thanks Ed.
Thank you, Mark. The Tim Layton channel, is that the one with large format and darkroom topics?
Ed Verosky Yeah, usually quite short videos and he uses a very large format. I think his images are amazing, not just because of the size, but also in their simplicity and he really gets the best out of HP5+ and FP4+.
@@markharris5771 Oh, nice! I'm going to watch some for sure. Thanks for the tip.
Ed Verosky I think you’ll enjoy, especially as you’re a photographer who mastered film long before digital came along. The images from your youth were brilliant. Paul C Smith is another great channel, both digital and analogue. He’s a guy from New Zealand and very talented.
Can you leave on tripods socket?
shouldn't leave paper on bar for extended periods will usually result in strips of darker and lighter paper showing up. Take down after each use.
In my case, I’ve noticed it can bow the long rolls too. You’re right. Take those rolls down and store them vertically.
My Gear link was broken for me
Thanks. It's been fixed.
Maybe you should have tried some wd40 to unjam the crossbar. Leaving heavy paper rolls up for long periods is not good. I have used promaster lens caps but for things like background stands I wouldn't trust their quality. Love your videos.
Now you tell me! LOL. Thanks, Leonard. I've got to remind myself to spend where it counts. :)
Wish I could have replied sooner but I just discovered you. But to all those looking for a good background support B&H has an Impact pro kit on sale:
Impact Pro Backdrop Support Kit (12.9' Width)
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1154354-REG/impact_bg_ps440_pro_backdrop_support_kit.html
I've had this one for 2 years now and no problems.
nice video
You can use Matthews or Avenger Arms, JUST BE SURE THEY'RE BLACK TO AVOID REFLECTIONS !
If you had ought the Bogen / Manfrotto Crossbar, it uses a set-screw to tighten / loosen an expansive cam to
" permanently " hold the tubing together.
PAPER ROLLS ARE 9 FT. CLOTH ROLLS 10 FT. YOU JUST HAVE TO ADJUST !
I FORGOT PAPER ROLLS ARE ALSO 12 FT, BUT MOST ROOMS CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THEM.
STUDIOS CAN, BUT REGULAR ROOMS CAN'T !
Why is every single backdrop support system a piece of sh1t? I've been looking all over Amazon and they ALL say that the product either ARRIVES broken, or breaks within 3 uses!!! WTF!