If you’re looking for an affordable C stand to mount your expensive camera or lighting system, you don’t want to trust just any type of C Stand. You want to choose an option that is solidly built and reliable for long-term use. Today we’re going to be looking at the Cameron CS-10 C Stand from Henry’s.
Price
The Cameron CS 10 C Stand from Henry’s retails for between $200 to $200 CAD depending on which promotions are running. This C Stand is very similar to the Flashpoint C Stand being sold by Adorama, which retails for around $130 USD. In terms of pricing, this is a pretty low price when compared to other brands like Kupo and Matthews.
Build Quality
This is where the C Stand surprised me the most. It weighs around 18 lbs when fully assembled with both grip heads or knuckle heads, the boom arm, main column and the base. It is rated for a max capacity of 30 lbs, and when you lift this stand up or try to move it, it is definitely capable.
The stand doesn’t feel cheap, and the metal portions are all heavy. Everything connects very securely when tightened, and there is no play or drift after tightening the main column to the base or the extension or boom arm to the main column. Henry’s reports that this C Stand is chrome plated.
The main column has a foam grip, which is a nice feature to get a firm grip when moving or repositioning the c stand. The base of the stand is very rigid and takes some effort to swing out each section until they click into place securely. Once they are in place, it is not possible to knock them out of place by mistake by kicking the stand when passing by.
This C stand also has spring-loaded risers, which prevents the main column arm risers from just slamming down by mistake if you are not holding them when you loosen the knob – a good backup in case you forget to hold the riser section while loosening.
C Stand Specifications
Here are some useful specs when deciding if this C Stand will support your lighting or overhead shots and video needs.
Total Weight: 18 lbs (fully assembled with both grip heads / knuckle heads attached)
Weight Capacity: 30 lbs
Minimum Height: 57 inches or 4¾ feet
Maximum Height: 129 inches or 10¾ feet
Extension arm with 1/4″ thread size on one end, and 3/8″ thread size on the other end
2 Risers
Removable base from main column for tear-down
2½” Grip Head size
C Stand Unboxing & Setup
The Cameron CS 10 C stand comes with a turtle base that can collapse flat for easy transport. It also comes with the main column that has the two risers for extension, the extension arm, and 2 grip heads or knuckle heads. It does not come with a baby pin, unlike the Flashpoint C Stand from Adorama.
Setup is quite easy because each section fits into each other without the need for any additional tools. Simply unfold or expand the base, then insert the main column into the base and tighten to the base using the turning knob on the base. Lastly, attach the grip or knuckle head to the top of the main column and tighten using the turning knob, then slide the extension arm through the grip head and tighten using the grip head’s turning knob, and you’re done!
Camera Mounting Options
The great this about this C stand is that you can mount your camera to it right away without spending anything extra.
Simple Camera Mounting
Simply screw in the bottom of your camera to the 3/8″ mounting thread, which is located on one side of the extension arm (the other end has a 1/4″ thread size). Once the camera is screwed onto the extension arm, you just have to make fine-tuning adjustments to the arm’s angle and rotation to ensure that your camera lens is shooting straight down.
Additional Camera Mounting With Accessories
Now, if you like your camera to have a quick release adapter on the bottom of your camera for quick tripod use like I do, you may want to look into another mounting option instead of removing the quick release plate reattach every time.
For my setup, I keep the quick release plate on the bottom of the camera, which is attached to my tripod head (unscrewed from the tripod legs), then the tripod head is attached to a Smallrig clamp using a 1/4″ to 3/8″ thread adapter. I know this setup sounds complicated, but I wanted to attach a tripod head, so I can articulate the angles without having to play around with the c stand arm. Take a look at my youtube video to get a better idea of what this looks like.
Check Out My Cameron CS-10 C Stand Review On Youtube
You can see that I have rated this c stand with a perfect 100% score, which is rare for me. However, for the price of this unit, the solid and heavy build quality, the spring-loaded risers, the grip of the knuckle heads, and the stability that it provides, I count not see any downsides or cons. If I had to be picky, I would have liked if it came with a baby pin for mounting lights, but since that isn’t a priority use for me, I can’t really complain.
Guys, get this c stand if you are trying to decide between other brands like Matthews or Kupo. You will not be disappointed.
Let me know in the comments below if this review was helpful, or if there are any features that I did not address. Thanks!
