Manfrotto 425B Black Mega Boom

The Manfrotto 425B Mega Boom is a geared telescopic boom arm that extends overhead from a heavy stand. It holds a light or microphone over the action with nothing on the floor, which makes it useful for overhead keys, hair lights and soft sources on a small set.

You extend it with crank handles, which gives smooth, repeatable control of the reach, so the light can be placed accurately and left there. A 28mm (1 1/8 inch) socket at the top takes a standard light head or a mic holder, and the boom mounts on a suitable heavy stand. Because the load capacity drops as the arm extends, put heavier fixtures on the shorter reach and use sandbags on the stand base.

The boom extends from 50cm to 320cm. It carries 30kg at minimum extension and 6kg at full extension, and weighs 15kg. Closed it is about 2.1m (7 feet) long.