Off Camera Flash stands and adjustable heads advice please

[steveatesh]

So, following advice from here I am asking Santa for a new speed light flash unit and wireless trigger and fingers crossed his (santa still is a he isn't he?) little elves will be beavering way in their Amazon workshop as I type. So Far so good.

However, the only thing I have to use as a stand at the moment is a spare tripod - very light but not very high compared to a proper lightstand.

I also need a head of some description which will allow attachment of the Speedlight and wireless receiver to the stand and hopefully accommodate an umbrella , just in case I get one of those too.

Really have no idea here so looking of advice please on a suitable head and stand. Budget is not too big, say around £50 for the stand and around £10 or so for the head?

A quick look at Amazon plus up this Make Photo R for a stand:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Phot-R®-Professional-...

and for a head:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Phot-R-Professional-Univer...

Well within budget but are they basically rubbish (Too cheap?),

Also the Manfrotto 1051:

http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/manfrotto-1051bac...
which is more money but obviously has the brand.

Or anything else please that you suggest?

[Simpo Two]

I came across this yesterday, which is certainly different - turn your speedlight into a mini-studio flash!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ILED-S-Type-Bracket-Holder...

Your first link looks fine for a lighting stand.

[silobass]

Simpo Two said:

I came across this yesterday, which is certainly different - turn your speedlight into a mini-studio flash!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ILED-S-Type-Bracket-Holder...

Your first link looks fine for a lighting stand.

Bought one myself the other day, seems OK but I'm just starting out at off camera flash anyway. This is the one I have, with the softbox

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IM6LKQM?psc=...

Bought this flash stand, it's only for holding a flash, figured I don't need to spend too much on it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0011363NS?psc=...

[andy-xr]

Any light stand will do, just find something to weight it with because an umbrella on it if you're out in the open will disappear pretty quickly and take your flashgun with it

Usually a camera bag on the bottom will sort it.

If you don't need over 78cms high for instance, this one's £21 http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-interfit-cor759...

But, if you're using a flash as your main light source, you might need it higher up, depending on how you want to light and where you want shadows to fall, this one's £30 and goes to just under 200cms, or just over 6 foot high http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-bowens-handy-st...

If you're using an umbrella you might also need an umbrella mount that goes on top of the stand, then you attach whatever your light is to that. Some have it built in

The other thing to think about, if you're using an umbrella for example, put it inline with one of the legs rather than between them, just incase

[steveatesh]

Thanks everybody, some good suggestions there. Thank goodness they are not going to break the bank