Linco Flora Simple Single Studio Lighting Light Kit
Price: $169.98
Linco#PE9030KS Linco Flora Simple Single Light Kit
Compare to our competitor, out lights are 3 times brighter, yet with just double the price. relatively speaking, it's a good investment. most importantly, competitor's light are unable to provide just enough coverage alone for photograph, purchase Linco's light instead purchase competitor's light which will eventually stored up in a garage corner.Linco products are easy to assemble, ables photographers with great photo results.
Thanks to a newly developed ballast technology we can manufacture fluorescent bulbs that incorporate the ballast in the same housing as the bulb itself instead of needing a separate external ballast device. This technology allows us to create smaller, lighter, and more cost effective fixtures.
The Flora™ Lighting Kit offers the best lighting source to use for both high and standard definition video because of its highly diffused nature. Its hexogen softbox is the easiest-to-use in the world. Less than 3 seconds to install the softbox. There are features:
Reinforced Construction - Completely redesigned hexogen light banks with-stand greater impact.
Space Saver - Off-centered tilting and locking mechanism for saving space and easy.
Soft Grip Handle - Larger soft grip handle for comfortable and convenient handling.
Easy Softbox - Eliminates the needs for rods and other accessories. Deploy instantly.
Enhanced Safety - Fire-resistant Material for reducing fire hazard.
This indispensable Studio Production Tool allows you to safely suspend your LINCO® Flora™ head and Softbox directly above your subject. Position the head up to 8ft high for the ultimate overhead Hair-Light or for difficult positioning of the head.
Its ingenious design allows the unit to convert from this full-sized Boom Stand Assembly or it can be used as a standard vertical heavy-Duty Light Stand.
This support features a 2 section Boom-Arm, and is capable of supporting up to 8-10 LBS safely.
What is included?
1 x Linco#PE9030
Linco Flora Fluorescent Light Bank
1 x Linco#PE3480
Linco Flora 35'' Hexogen Easy Softbox
ID: Linco#PE9030 Linco Flora Fluorescent Light Bank
Qty: 1
Flora®, a light bank with a revolutionary design, delivers powerful illumination. The light bank is suitable for still photography or filmmaking. Comparing to other high wattage light banks, Flora® light bank has several distinguished advantages, including smaller in size, improved rigidity, easy installation, and convenient in moving from place to place. Comparing to other light banks with similar size, the Flora® light bank can install high-wattage fluorescent bulbs.
The body of Flora® light bank is made out of flame-retardant Nylon. High quality nylon is used to extend the lifespan of the product, and to reduce surface cracks through aging and normal wear and tear. The fire resistant nylon has passed several tests that fire will die out within three seconds after the source of fire is removed.
The advantage of off-center tilting design firmly supports the light bank, and allows the light bank to be compact in size comparing to other light banks in its class. The conventional tilting mechanism is relative simple, but has a tendency of surface cracking after a long period of use since the mechanism cannot withstand the combined weights of the light bank and its bulbs. The newly designed off-center titling uses iron parts as its main source of material, which does not only maintain the merits of the old design, but also improves the titling rigidity.
The installation of Flora® light bank and its softbox is extremely simple. Smart design allows users to pop up the softbox with ease and completes the whole assembly for less than 30 seconds.
Constructed with the re-designed hexagon structure, the light bank tends be more resistant to impact. Flora® light bank is capable of withstanding much greater impact that the bank shows no signs of cracks or failure even when it is dropped from the top of a three-story building.
Flora® light bank is designed for ergonomics that is designed with a large soft grip for easy and convenient handling. A larger handle allows users to better adjust and tilt the light bank. With the foaming wrapping around the handle, the design helps the user to grab the handle easily.
No more nuts and bolts necessary when assembling the softbox. Putting together a softbox sometimes can be a daunting task and can frustrate some people. With the redesigned easy softboxes for Flora® light bank, users are not required reading any manual before operating the unit. This foolproof mechanism is so intuitive that users can ready the softbox as if they open an umbrella. High quality reflective materials used inside the backcover offer maximum reflection to the subject. The new (35” diagonal) softbox is also lightweight and small in size.
We try to ship all orders within 24 hours of receipt of your order, Monday through Friday.
We do not process or ship orders on weekends or holidays.
If you haven't received the e-mail invoice in the next businessday or received the products after 10 business days from placing your order,
please contact us. When you checkout, We usually use UPS® Ground or USPS® Priority Mail.
If you need other shipping method provide below please contact us:
Shiping Methods
UPS® Ground
If you located in Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii please contact us for shipping cost first.
Some areas of the United States cannot receive upgraded services.
We are not responsible for Next Day Delivery or Priority Shipping for these areas.
Canadian orders will be shipped by UPS.
Customers are responsible for all customs and import duties collectible at the point of delivery.
Please let us know if you prefer to use your own UPS account.
Product Review (#8308) - THE PRINCE OF CHEAP IS BACK, David Griffin
THE PRINCE OF CHEAP IS BACK!
This time with a product review of some basic gear that you'd better watch out for !
When buying a lighting kit - what's the very last thing new photographers consider? Light meter? No. Weight? No. Backpack or bag to carry your kit in? Nope. I got it... THE LIGHTSTANDS!!! I know for a fact when I purchased my first kit of lighting about 8 years ago the very last thing I thought about was the stand. Just so long as the lights had "a" stand was good enough for me. Now 8 years later after breaking down four light stands I've come to demand a bit more.
Now that I'm firmly educated (and don't want to topple anymore el cheapo lights with 15lbs beauty dishes on them, because most lights don't survive The Prince!), I'll give you some help. When getting a light stand or choosing a lighting kit.... several things should be considered: max open height, max load, stand weight, closed length, and build material. Stepping back a bit, the light stands I inherited with the kit just weren't meant to last.
The were adequate but not the best (maybe not even in the top 20). Enter Linco Inc. (The company that brought you Britek - same company who I got my first flash kit from cause I was broke as a twig off of a tree).
I was sent a few free stands to test and "beat down" a few stands and give an honest opinion of them. Enter the Linco 8308 Heavy Duty Light Stand. Here's my assessment. The stands were not really what I was expecting. I expected the same subpar lights stands that I got with the original kit. Adequate but nothing at all spectacular. I was told that they had been vastly improved over the Britek brand and were more refined. Lets see. First thing to catch my eye were it had a list of features (It isjust a stand right?):
‧ 3 Year Warranty (already worth a look)
‧ Simple Leg Locking Joint System.
‧ 30% Smaller
‧ 8ft Max Height
‧ 19lbs Max Load
Okay, I see someones gotten tired of people talking about them! They stepped up there game. Of all these features "3 year warranty", "8ft Max Height" and "19lbs Max Load" scream try it to me!!! Sitting down with them I noticed they were already much more thought out than the previous Britek iteration of "The Lightstand". A lot sturdier in looks as well as function!!! (A plus indeed.) I took the stands out on 3 trial runs (with my backup just in case disaster ensued). I started throwing around all sorts of combinations. Britek HS-200 with 60" translucent umbrella in the wind with sandbags holding down the stand. The test was to see how much flex the stand gave at max extension (minus 3 inches). Though the stands did show some flex due to the nature of the pressure exerted on them form a virtual 5ft sail and a 4lbs weight they did hold up REMARKABLY WELL! Its similar to loading the stand with far more weight than its rated for... IN BEACH WIND MIND YOU!!! That's usually a serious torture test for a light stand. "Bend it like Beckham" and see what you end up with!!!
[First Test: Rigidness ] [Results] = Exceeded Expections????
Now onto the next assessment I put it through. Portability. The stand weighs around 4lbs (give or take about 4 ounces). Its closed length is around 34 inches. Math that out 36 inches turn into 8ft.... PRETTY DAMN COMPACT if you ask me!!! That means when you need considerable height to weight to carry around... It's a very - very good option.
[Second Test: Portability] [Results] = Very Good???
Now onto my final assessment. Are these things practical in a studio environment? This is the biggest test. Flat out, will these things stand up to constant opening, closing, scrapes, falls, bumps and all the rigors of an active studio. My first shoot with them - in my Batcave (garage studio) them they got opened and closed dropped (intentionally) and kicked a bit with a weight on them and they stood up very well. No bends no bruises. Just a few cuts and paint abrasions. The second test was at Seal Beach in Sunny/Windy Southern California. This was the wind n bend test. The final test was to drag it out to my bud studio in DTLA where I let him rough them up (after he promised me I'd have to buy him a new flash if they broke his units from sudden collapse). (Keep in mind the same light stand had been used for each test). Lightstand returned without an additional dent or scratch! No complaints. Hmmm...
[Final Test: In Use] [Results] = Just as good as his other high end brand name stands????
Okay - okay. By now you may have noticed that I seemed surprised by each result.... Well honestly, I am! I was expecting something just barely acceptable and would be giving the unit a $#!t-job of a review! But the truth is, I'd be hard pressed to find a stand that is simpler and much better than these. I was a bit impressed. My only real quirks was that the knobs for the locking mechanism for each section is made of plastic. (How big is this? I'm not sure, I twisted those things with the intent of breaking them and didn't do it. I'm no punk, I Kettlebell and have an iron grip! I know I put great pressure on the knobs!). Also, I'd like the top bolt to be larger than the std ? video size. Why, if the stand falls I can easily see its threaded screw slamming the ground and breaking. Another thing is Linco went with a plastic ant-slide foot. Though cleverly designed, I believe they should've went with something like a very durable rubber (but hey the economy is bad - and I aint payin $179.00 for any "stand" that don't have the letter "C" in front of it!)
[Assessment Completed][Results] = Linco has made a lightstand that is strong, tall and pretty reliable... I'd say if you want to keep your lights from turning on there heads too often, look at your stands as investments and put this stand into serious consideration! After this new product, I think I'll be a bit more eager to see what else Linco and company has to offer for the Frugal photographer! Price...Uhhhh.... For the protection of my lights... for the sanctity of my mind.... ONLY $39.95! Perfect price for the Prince of Cheap!!! Bottom line, Linco is on to something by raising the quality up! (Hmmm, now all we have to do is get the bastards to make us a a 22" Beauty Dish and they'd get some serious shooting time!)! Just remember, a light stand doesn't do it all. A light stand is only as dumb as the user not smart enough to supply it with enough sandbag (or some other) weight to maintain a firm position on the ground! Shoot responsibly! NO MORE EXCUSES, GET TA SHOOTIN!
I'm David Griffin a.k.a. The Prince of Cheap , you can find me at http://www.davidgriffinphotography.com and read some of my free lighting articles at http://www.studiolighting.net
Linco Inc. Back with Versatile Triple Crossbar Backdrop System!
Can someone tell me what's going on? Linco Inc. (formerly Britek) must be going through some major changes... for the better! Recently I reported on the serious "uptick" in equipment quality that they sent me in there newest light stand offerings. Now, about 60 days later Its happened again! This time it's a Triple Crossbar backdrop holder! Okay now lets get this part over-with. My initial thoughts were... WTF am I going to do with a triple backdrop holder? As the Prince of Cheap I am a firm believer in saving some dough and making due till you have an overflow of dough. Linco sent a kit to me to test and see what I thought about it. Judging by the last Linco product I previously tested - heavy duty light stands #8303, I didn't hesitate to check out and say what was on my mind for these.
SUMMARY:
EXCELLENTLY DONE! Linco Inc. has obviously taken the Britek vision and gave it the quality increase that should've been done years ago. It may have been a serious "difference- maker" with the Britek brand itself and could've made them a serious flash player had this kind of changes been made about 10 years ago! The Triple Cross Background holder is actually a testament to the upgrade that Linco Inc. is pushing downward through their product line! This background support was able to withstand a serious fall and wasn't shaken or stirred the least! IMPRESSIVE since I was using it outdoors in the wind with 20lbs. of barbell weights at the bottom as well as holding a 10"x12" white background. Not a feat that many manufacturer want to hear about their test gear going through. The gear proved to be highly reliable and tough as nails.
Assessment:
The Triple Crossbar system of the 4145-H-3 is a cleverly developed system consisting of two special brackets that go over the tops of their heavy duty light stands.
The brackets hold three heavy duty 12ft long (adjustable down to about 6ft long) crossbars. The clips that hold your backgrounds are special bungee type clamps with Velcro snaps on one end and very rugged mini-gator clips on the other end. Sound "rinky-dink" right? WRONG! I've tested it in the outdoor wind of my backyard and can honestly say the clips help firmly onto the fabric of the background! While using the Linco Inc. system I experienced a disaster. I didn't stabilize the backdrop with enough weight and the breeze was strong enough to make it topple! Did I worry, only a little. Did anything break.... No! The heavy duty aluminum stands and brackets held surprisingly firm. Since I was shooting in full California sunlight allowing the sun to light the Linco Inc. white background and had a fairly strong breeze I knew having an 6x8 tall background was asking for a fall. I got it and it survived. The overall weight of the system is what one could expect with a three background holding system - HEAVY! At about 20lbs it's a bit taxing to carry around. Setup takes about 5 minutes to get up and running. Complicated to put together? Not at all!
What's the viability of having a heavy duty portable background system you ask? Think of doing a series of images on location and need a strong background that can withstand a good fall because you'll have it in a high traffic area? What if you can actually setup at the beach and have a wild idea to use the stand to hold a super sized scrim? This kind of durability in a background system should be considered. How about the image series I did below using only the Linco Triple Crossbar system and they're standard white background, some weight, the Linco Inc. supplied white backdrop, a light panel to send some fill light a light meter and my camera... NO STROBES.... All natural light? Do you think Linco Inc. is onto something? MOST DEFINITELY! Good Job Linco Inc.!
Figure 1 Image of System in use outside!
Figure 2 Image series created with Linco Inc. Triple Crossbar Background system.
Product Review (#8308) - Professional Photographer, Bruce
Personal Review
Bought this Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand as an addition to my lighting kit and found it to be sturdy, attractive and well-made. It's compact size and weight really attract my attention, all 3 stands fits perfectly in a bag, so you have extra hand to carry your lights. Most of the photographer prefer light weight flash stands, but this lighting stands not just able to hold your Flash mount, it can hold up to full size commercial use flash lights. Yes it's that strong. For the most part, it is a very well built stand. It's solid aluminum in the legs, which makes it great for easy carry around. Quite light, weighing in at only 4.4 pounds. Sure, you can get a lot of different stands for cheaper, extend higher, and hold more weight, but the biggest advantage of the Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand is portability and weight saving. This is very important if nature is your studio. Because of the portable design, the 8308 Compact Light Stand may not quite feel as sturdy as a regular sized stand, but that is not to say it is not sturdy in build. The 8308 can definitely take abuse from daily usage and keep up without any problems. Also keep in mind that because the 8308 is lighter, you will need sandbags or some type of weight to tie down the stand on a windy day with an umbrella. Because this stand is smaller than a regular sized stand, you are limited to small than 46″ umbrellas; any larger and you risk constant (and expensive) tip overs. For the most part, I have not found I needed a larger umbrella than a 46″. For the most part, when you purchase a knock-off or copy cat, it's never as good as the original, but Linco managed to build a stand that is equal to, if not slightly better than the more expensive light stands.
Daily Usage
With a single Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand with a Canon 550EX attached to a Photoflex Shoe Mount Multiclamp and a shoot thru umbrella all triggered by a pair of pocketwizard , it is a very versatile kit that handles 90% of various lighting situations for photographing with harsh sunlight to photographing in a dark room. Plus everything is light and portable making it a very good light travel kit. For indoor location work this stand really makes life easy and allows you to move your setup quickly for on-the-fly portraits. You can place the stand in a corner or off to the side and when you need it you can just grab it, lift it up and move through a crowded room or across a dance floor, placing it down on the floor and continue shooting instantly, all without having to put your camera down. I really like this light stand and highly recommend it for wedding and event shooters. Event photographers are always looking for ways to make life simpler and for those that work without an assistant this is a blessing.
Linco Inc., headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California, is a professional wholesale and retail company of studio lighting equipment. Linco products include flashlights, halogen lights, fluorescent light, and support systems like background support, booms, and light stands. We offer full repair and parts replacement service to all of our roducts.
Our guarantee assures that you will get an unbeatable price. Our goal is to offer the best studio lighting equipment at the most reasonable price to all customers.
For any questions, please feel free to contact our offices at 877-835-4626. If you need to returns or exchanges, please get the return and maintains number first. Or you can email to us ([email protected])
Mailing Address & Toll free/Fax & Office hour
Linco.inc®
12704 Marquardt Ave. Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Toll Free: 1-877-835-4626
Fax: 1-562-404-0852
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Please have information ready before you call:
Invoice Number: If you are an existing customer, invoice number from the past purchases can help us answer inquiries faster.
Model Number: If we need to identify a light, try to have an existing light handy, get the model number behind the light.
Back Order
We will ship your order as soon as the item(s) become available.
Your credit card won't be charged until we ship.
In the unlikely event that we can not get the item within a few days:
We will notify you via email or phone with the specific information.
You can wait for the back ordered item(s) to become available, or you may cancel orders.
Damage in Transit
We are experts at shipping light units. Every order is carefully packaged to avoid breakage.
We use recyclable and biodegradable packaging whenever possible; including starch based compostable packing peanuts.
Occasionally, damage may be occurred during the transit. In most cases, only a portion of the package will be broken. If the carrier attempts to deliver a damaged package, please accept the package. Contact us by telephone immediately for credit or replacement of the damaged portion. Replacement will be shipped at no cost to you.
Change or Cancel
When you complete the online store checkout, no further changes can be made online. For future reference, please print your receipt out or write down your confirmation number. If you need to change or cancel your order before it's shipped, please contact us by phone. No cancellations or changes can be accepted via voicemail or fax; please make sure you speak with a live customer service representative. Have your order confirmation number when you call. Once the order has been shipped, we cannot cancel or change it; however you will have the option to return or exchange the order.
Coming soon!
Payment Option
Major Credit Card We accept:
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Our eBay store conducts secure credit card transactions by Pay Pal®. Prices are in U.S. dollars and subject to change without advance notice.
Warranty coverage
Warranty coverage
Your Warranty begins on the date of your invoice, and is in force for one year. Without this invoice, the warranty will not be valid. Bulbs are not covered under this warranty. If you receive a broken or defect bulb, it will be replaced, but you must notify us within 3 days of receiving your order. No bulbs will be replaced after 3 days.
Sales tax
Outside California
If your shipping address is outside California, no sales tax is charged on any order. Applicable taxes are the responsibility of the customer.
California Residents
We have a physical presence in California. When we ship orders to residents of California, we are required to collect the applicable state, county and local sales tax. By state law, 9.75% California sales tax will be collected at checkout
General Return and exchange Policy
If you are not satisfied with your purchase of a product, please call 1-877-835-4626 for a RMA number request within 7 days of the receipt of the product. You may return or exchange unopened items or items in its original condition within 30 days, when you return or exchange, please include a note with invoice number. After 30 days, no return or exchange is allowed. We do not take responsibility for your items' missing during return shipping.
Returns
Items should be returned in their original packaging. We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error, otherwise, shipping costs are not refundable and 15% restocking fee will apply after 30 days of your receipt of the product. Partial Refunds will be issued for any item that has obvious signs of use. Refunds will be issued within 7 business days after we receive your returned items. Credit card refunds normally appear on your next billing cycle.
Exchanges
If you received a faulty item and need to exchange it for the same item, please contact us to request a replacement. Shipping is paid by us if the exchange is a result of our error. Otherwise you will pay for shipping fee. If you would like to exchange an item for a different one, please return the original item to us and place another order for the item you wish to purchase. You do not have to wait for us to receive the original item before placing the new order.
Click images below for comparison!
Without installing any accessories, the 1000-watt halogen light directly shoots at the model, revealing the radiance and of the model's skin and shininess of her hair. The contrasts between brighter and darker areas are highly noticeable. The shadow cast by right bangs and eyebrows can be spotted very easily.
When installing the silver photo umbrella to the 1000-watt halogen light, we notice that the overall brightness of the photo is reduced. By comparing the photo that uses the silver umbrella and the one without, one can notice that the area covered by light has expanded and the color temperature is also changed due to the silver material used in the umbrella (the higher the color temperature, the more bluish the image is.) Another reason that the photo results in higher color temperature is because the light is more condensed. As a result, the light projected to the model's skin gets denser, increasing the color temperature. Please notice that, with the use of silver umbrella, the shadows cast by the bangs and eyebrows are not as clear as they used to be, comparing to the photo that shoots without the use of silver umbrella.
When installing the gold-silver photo umbrella to the 1000-watt halogen light, we notice that the overall brightness of the photo is reduced. By comparing the photo that uses the gold-silver umbrella and the one without, one can notice that the area covered by light has expanded and the color temperature is also changed due to the gold-silver material used in the umbrella (the higher the color temperature, the more bluish the image is.) Another reason that the photo results in higher color temperature is because the light is more condensed. As a result, the light projected to the model's skin gets denser, increasing the color temperature. Please notice that, with the use of gold-silver umbrella, the shadows cast by the bangs and eyebrows are not as clear as they used to be, comparing to the photo that shoots without the use of gold-silver umbrella
With the use of transparent umbrella on the 1000-watt halogen light that directly shoots through the umbrella to the model, the overall brightness of the picture is reduced. The area covered by light is slightly increased is because of the use of translucent umbrella; however, the color temperature does not have any noticeable changes. When looking at the shadow casting on the model's face, much of the shadow has either disappeared or less vivid.
With installation of a softbox, the 1000-watt halogen light projects the light directly to the model. We notice that the use of softbox basically maintains the overall brightness of the model, or possibly slightly enhances the brightness. Under this controlled environment, neither the light coverage nor the color temperature has any significant changes. Again, the shadow casting on the model's face, much of the shadow has either disappeared or less clear. The use of softbox is the best choice when it comes to maintaining the light intensity and brightness.
When a 1000-watt halogen light is equipped with a barndoor, the user can use the light as a fill light and direct it to take out the undesired shadows.
Items must be returned within 30 days . Refund will be given as Money back. Refund policy details: Items should be returned in their original packaging. We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error, otherwise, shipping costs are not refundable and 20% restocking fee will apply after 14 days of your receipt of the product.
Partial Refunds will be issued for any item that has obvious signs of use. Refunds will be issued within 7 business days after we receive your returned items. Credit card refunds normally appear on your next billing cycle.
We try to ship all orders within 24 hours of receipt of your order, Monday through Friday.
We do not process or ship orders on weekends or holidays.
If you haven't received the e-mail invoice in the next businessday or received the products after 10 business days from placing your order,
please contact us. When you checkout, We usually use UPS® Ground or USPS® Priority Mail.
If you need other shipping method provide below please contact us:
When buying a lighting kit - what's the very last thing new photographers consider? Light meter? No. Weight? No. Backpack or bag to carry your kit in? Nope. I got it... THE LIGHTSTANDS!!! I know for a fact when I purchased my first kit of lighting about 8 years ago the very last thing I thought about was the stand. Just so long as the lights had "a" stand was good enough for me. Now 8 years later after breaking down four light stands I've come to demand a bit more.
Now that I'm firmly educated (and don't want to topple anymore el cheapo lights with 15lbs beauty dishes on them, because most lights don't survive The Prince!), I'll give you some help. When getting a light stand or choosing a lighting kit.... several things should be considered: max open height, max load, stand weight, closed length, and build material. Stepping back a bit, the light stands I inherited with the kit just weren't meant to last.
The were adequate but not the best (maybe not even in the top 20). Enter Linco Inc. (The company that brought you Britek - same company who I got my first flash kit from cause I was broke as a twig off of a tree).
I was sent a few free stands to test and "beat down" a few stands and give an honest opinion of them. Enter the Linco 8308 Heavy Duty Light Stand. Here's my assessment. The stands were not really what I was expecting. I expected the same subpar lights stands that I got with the original kit. Adequate but nothing at all spectacular. I was told that they had been vastly improved over the Britek brand and were more refined. Lets see. First thing to catch my eye were it had a list of features (It isjust a stand right?):
‧ 3 Year Warranty (already worth a look)
‧ Simple Leg Locking Joint System.
‧ 30% Smaller
‧ 8ft Max Height
‧ 19lbs Max Load
Okay, I see someones gotten tired of people talking about them! They stepped up there game. Of all these features "3 year warranty", "8ft Max Height" and "19lbs Max Load" scream try it to me!!! Sitting down with them I noticed they were already much more thought out than the previous Britek iteration of "The Lightstand". A lot sturdier in looks as well as function!!! (A plus indeed.) I took the stands out on 3 trial runs (with my backup just in case disaster ensued). I started throwing around all sorts of combinations. Britek HS-200 with 60" translucent umbrella in the wind with sandbags holding down the stand. The test was to see how much flex the stand gave at max extension (minus 3 inches). Though the stands did show some flex due to the nature of the pressure exerted on them form a virtual 5ft sail and a 4lbs weight they did hold up REMARKABLY WELL! Its similar to loading the stand with far more weight than its rated for... IN BEACH WIND MIND YOU!!! That's usually a serious torture test for a light stand. "Bend it like Beckham" and see what you end up with!!!
[First Test: Rigidness ] [Results] = Exceeded Expections????
Now onto the next assessment I put it through. Portability. The stand weighs around 4lbs (give or take about 4 ounces). Its closed length is around 34 inches. Math that out 36 inches turn into 8ft.... PRETTY DAMN COMPACT if you ask me!!! That means when you need considerable height to weight to carry around... It's a very - very good option.
[Second Test: Portability] [Results] = Very Good???
Now onto my final assessment. Are these things practical in a studio environment? This is the biggest test. Flat out, will these things stand up to constant opening, closing, scrapes, falls, bumps and all the rigors of an active studio. My first shoot with them - in my Batcave (garage studio) them they got opened and closed dropped (intentionally) and kicked a bit with a weight on them and they stood up very well. No bends no bruises. Just a few cuts and paint abrasions. The second test was at Seal Beach in Sunny/Windy Southern California. This was the wind n bend test. The final test was to drag it out to my bud studio in DTLA where I let him rough them up (after he promised me I'd have to buy him a new flash if they broke his units from sudden collapse). (Keep in mind the same light stand had been used for each test). Lightstand returned without an additional dent or scratch! No complaints. Hmmm...
[Final Test: In Use] [Results] = Just as good as his other high end brand name stands????
Okay - okay. By now you may have noticed that I seemed surprised by each result.... Well honestly, I am! I was expecting something just barely acceptable and would be giving the unit a $#!t-job of a review! But the truth is, I'd be hard pressed to find a stand that is simpler and much better than these. I was a bit impressed. My only real quirks was that the knobs for the locking mechanism for each section is made of plastic. (How big is this? I'm not sure, I twisted those things with the intent of breaking them and didn't do it. I'm no punk, I Kettlebell and have an iron grip! I know I put great pressure on the knobs!). Also, I'd like the top bolt to be larger than the std ? video size. Why, if the stand falls I can easily see its threaded screw slamming the ground and breaking. Another thing is Linco went with a plastic ant-slide foot. Though cleverly designed, I believe they should've went with something like a very durable rubber (but hey the economy is bad - and I aint payin $179.00 for any "stand" that don't have the letter "C" in front of it!)
[Assessment Completed][Results] = Linco has made a lightstand that is strong, tall and pretty reliable... I'd say if you want to keep your lights from turning on there heads too often, look at your stands as investments and put this stand into serious consideration! After this new product, I think I'll be a bit more eager to see what else Linco and company has to offer for the Frugal photographer! Price...Uhhhh.... For the protection of my lights... for the sanctity of my mind.... ONLY $39.95! Perfect price for the Prince of Cheap!!! Bottom line, Linco is on to something by raising the quality up! (Hmmm, now all we have to do is get the bastards to make us a a 22" Beauty Dish and they'd get some serious shooting time!)! Just remember, a light stand doesn't do it all. A light stand is only as dumb as the user not smart enough to supply it with enough sandbag (or some other) weight to maintain a firm position on the ground! Shoot responsibly! NO MORE EXCUSES, GET TA SHOOTIN!
I'm David Griffin a.k.a. The Prince of Cheap , you can find me at http://www.davidgriffinphotography.com and read some of my free lighting articles at http://www.studiolighting.net
Can someone tell me what's going on? Linco Inc. (formerly Britek) must be going through some major changes... for the better! Recently I reported on the serious "uptick" in equipment quality that they sent me in there newest light stand offerings. Now, about 60 days later Its happened again! This time it's a Triple Crossbar backdrop holder! Okay now lets get this part over-with. My initial thoughts were... WTF am I going to do with a triple backdrop holder? As the Prince of Cheap I am a firm believer in saving some dough and making due till you have an overflow of dough. Linco sent a kit to me to test and see what I thought about it. Judging by the last Linco product I previously tested - heavy duty light stands #8303, I didn't hesitate to check out and say what was on my mind for these.
SUMMARY:
EXCELLENTLY DONE! Linco Inc. has obviously taken the Britek vision and gave it the quality increase that should've been done years ago. It may have been a serious "difference- maker" with the Britek brand itself and could've made them a serious flash player had this kind of changes been made about 10 years ago! The Triple Cross Background holder is actually a testament to the upgrade that Linco Inc. is pushing downward through their product line! This background support was able to withstand a serious fall and wasn't shaken or stirred the least! IMPRESSIVE since I was using it outdoors in the wind with 20lbs. of barbell weights at the bottom as well as holding a 10"x12" white background. Not a feat that many manufacturer want to hear about their test gear going through. The gear proved to be highly reliable and tough as nails.
Assessment:
The Triple Crossbar system of the 4145-H-3 is a cleverly developed system consisting of two special brackets that go over the tops of their heavy duty light stands.
The brackets hold three heavy duty 12ft long (adjustable down to about 6ft long) crossbars. The clips that hold your backgrounds are special bungee type clamps with Velcro snaps on one end and very rugged mini-gator clips on the other end. Sound "rinky-dink" right? WRONG! I've tested it in the outdoor wind of my backyard and can honestly say the clips help firmly onto the fabric of the background! While using the Linco Inc. system I experienced a disaster. I didn't stabilize the backdrop with enough weight and the breeze was strong enough to make it topple! Did I worry, only a little. Did anything break.... No! The heavy duty aluminum stands and brackets held surprisingly firm. Since I was shooting in full California sunlight allowing the sun to light the Linco Inc. white background and had a fairly strong breeze I knew having an 6x8 tall background was asking for a fall. I got it and it survived. The overall weight of the system is what one could expect with a three background holding 
system - HEAVY! At about 20lbs it's a bit taxing to carry around. Setup takes about 5 minutes to get up and running. Complicated to put together? Not at all!
What's the viability of having a heavy duty portable background system you ask? Think of doing a series of images on location and need a strong background that can withstand a good fall because you'll have it in a high traffic area? What if you can actually setup at the beach and have a wild idea to use the stand to hold a super sized scrim? This kind of durability in a background system should be considered. How about the image series I did below using only the Linco Triple Crossbar system and they're standard white background, some weight, the Linco Inc. supplied white backdrop, a light panel to send some fill light a light meter and my camera... NO STROBES.... All natural light? Do you think Linco Inc. is onto something? MOST DEFINITELY! Good Job Linco Inc.!
Personal Review
Bought this Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand as an addition to my lighting kit and found it to be sturdy, attractive and well-made. It's compact size and weight really attract my attention, all 3 stands fits perfectly in a bag, so you have extra hand to carry your lights. Most of the photographer prefer light weight flash stands, but this lighting stands not just able to hold your Flash mount, it can hold up to full size commercial use flash lights. Yes it's that strong. For the most part, it is a very well built stand. It's solid aluminum in the legs, which makes it great for easy carry around. Quite light, weighing in at only 4.4 pounds. Sure, you can get a lot of different stands for cheaper, extend higher, and hold more weight, but the biggest advantage of the Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand is portability and weight saving. This is very important if nature is your studio. Because of the portable design, the 8308 Compact Light Stand may not quite feel as sturdy as a regular sized stand, but that is not to say it is not sturdy in build. The 8308 can definitely take abuse from daily usage and keep up without any problems. Also keep in mind that because the 8308 is lighter, you will need sandbags or some type of weight to tie down the stand on a windy day with an umbrella. Because this stand is smaller than a regular sized stand, you are limited to small than 46″ umbrellas; any larger and you risk constant (and expensive) tip overs. For the most part, I have not found I needed a larger umbrella than a 46″. For the most part, when you purchase a knock-off or copy cat, it's never as good as the original, but Linco managed to build a stand that is equal to, if not slightly better than the more expensive light stands.
Daily Usage
With a single Linco 8308 Compact Light Stand with a Canon 550EX attached to a Photoflex Shoe Mount Multiclamp and a shoot thru umbrella all triggered by a pair of pocketwizard , it is a very versatile kit that handles 90% of various lighting situations for photographing with harsh sunlight to photographing in a dark room. Plus everything is light and portable making it a very good light travel kit. For indoor location work this stand really makes life easy and allows you to move your setup quickly for on-the-fly portraits. You can place the stand in a corner or off to the side and when you need it you can just grab it, lift it up and move through a crowded room or across a dance floor, placing it down on the floor and continue shooting instantly, all without having to put your camera down. I really like this light stand and highly recommend it for wedding and event shooters. Event photographers are always looking for ways to make life simpler and for those that work without an assistant this is a blessing.
Linco Inc., headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California, is a professional wholesale and retail company of studio lighting equipment. Linco products include flashlights, halogen lights, fluorescent light, and support systems like background support, booms, and light stands. We offer full repair and parts replacement service to all of our roducts.
Our guarantee assures that you will get an unbeatable price. Our goal is to offer the best studio lighting equipment at the most reasonable price to all customers.
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