Finding the perfect light stand is a challenge for any photographer. There a a gazillion options out there which makes it all the more difficult to find THE light stand. I have tried many of them in the 15years that I have been a photographer. While many of them worked and did what they were supposed to do, none of them did it perfectly. Some were small and flimsy. They worked great during a calm day, but as soon as the wind picked up, over they went. Others were large and sturdy, but became bulky to carry around. None of them did well on uneven ground like hills and stairs.
As many who follow our photography know, we travel all over the world to photograph our clients. I need a light stand that will travel well and wont require a golf bag case to fly with it. I need a stand that will hold up in windy locations. I need a stand that can be placed on uneven terrain and not fall over. I dont have the space to carry sandbags. I dont use an assistant. I need something that works and is easy to use by myself.
I had the opportunity to try out the newest stands from Savage. They are the multiflex stands (https://savageuniversal.com/products/light-stands-accessories/multiflex-light-stand/). In short, these stands are AMAZING. They are the best light stands I have ever used and they are the last light stands I will ever need. These things simply work.
I took these stands to Greece and Ireland (as well as several sessions I did locally). I have both the 6’ stand and the 10’ stand. To be honest, the 10’ stand is a little too big to take when I travel. I need something that fits in a standard checked bag, so I dont need to pay oversize bag fees, as those get expensive when going overseas. I wanted the 10’ stand to work, but its just a tad bit too big. However, the 6’ stand fits perfectly and at 5.5lbs, its not the lightest stand, but its light enough to give me plenty of weight left over (most flights limit bags to 50lbs before additional bag fees are charged).
While I was disappointed that I would be left with a stand 4’ shorter than what I wanted, I found that the 6’ stand was tall enough for most applications that I used it for. Most of the time, I use the stand in an elevated position in relation to my subject. Even with the 6’ limitation, I was able to get the light above the subject most of the time. The only time it became an “issue” was when the subject was elevated (on a wall, on a hill, etc) and i couldnt get the stand above them. But that is certainly not a deal breaker. In reality, you can get them a little bit taller than 6’ when you adjust the legs, but they are listed at the 6’ height.
Perhaps the most important feature of Savage Multiflex stand is the individually adjustable legs. Each leg can be adjusted to be able to be used in uneven terrain. There is a single leg that can have the angle adjusted as well. This gives a lot of flexibility on where you can use it. Other stands I have used have difficulty when it comes to uneven terrain. You have to carefully place them to keep them upright. There are some places those stands are useless (like areas with large rocks), as you cant get them to sit just right.
The Savage Multiflex stand solves that problem. Since each leg can be adjusted individually, it can be placed anywhere you can imagine. In Greece, I placed it on steps and on large rocks. In Ireland, I placed it on hillsides in high wind, on castle ruins and other places a regular light stand would be challenged. On local sessions I have placed it on the side of sand dunes, on walls, on football stands and many other difficult areas. In every single instance, I was able to keep the center column of the stand perfectly upright, even in strong winds.. as task that other stands couldnt handle.
The last benefit to the stands I want to talk about is their wind resistance. I have never had a stand that handles the wind as well as these stands do, especially with larger modifiers. Since the legs can be adjusted individually, the stands can be placed in such a way as to counter the wind. If the wind is blowing from the left, I can “lean” the stand into the wind. But more importantly, they have the ability to have a wide footprint. This allows the stand to have a wide base to keep it sturdy in windy conditions. Since this is adjustable, you can make the footprint more narrow for use inside during a wedding reception, sports team pictures, etc where you dont need a wide base.
Overall, these are the most diverse light stands that I have ever used and the last light stands that I will ever need. Below are some images/video of the stands as I put them through their paces.
