Adorama has a new series of heavy duty, lightweight light stands that they call the AutoStand. They sent me one to try out and I’ll try to give you a good sense of what it’s like so you can decide if it’s right for you. They come in seven and nine foot heights. If you’re considering the Flashpoint AutoStand, review my thoughts and learn more about it at Adorama.com here.

The first thing you’ll be looking for, if you’re in the market for a Flashpoint product, is the low price. These are affordable products and that is usually the first selling point. So, if it’s so affordable, does this light stand hold up? Is it going to break after I throw it in and out of my car fifty times for a busy year of shooting? Well, it is indeed affordable at about $80 for a nine foot light stand. That is quite tall, and it does feel pretty sturdy, too.

 

 

It’s a light stand, so it’s a pretty basic piece of kit. You just want something that is going to be nice and tall, fold down small, and not break your back or your wallet. This is a solid alloy stand with just enough size to feel substantial. It’s not going to beat a Manfrotto or comparable stand that retails for more than twice as much; however, it is the real deal. It’s all metal, it opens and closes smoothly, and the plastic wing nuts clamp down just fine. Keep in mind, it is a pretty big stand. Not heavy, just nice and large. It folds down to 40″ but it’s not a tiny little cheap travel stand, if that’s what you’re looking for.

There’s really not much else to say. It’s a good product at an affordable price. They also throw in a little bag to sweeten the deal.

 

 

Photos: Adorama (top), David Ryder (middle, bottom)