Jump to content

K-Tek Articulated Boom Pole, worth it?


kao664

Recommended Posts

Hello all,

     I am gathering my sound gear together so I can become a sound man for film and tv. I've been boom operating for the past year and am trying to get gigs in shorts and small film projects. I plan to work alone as a sound mixer and boom operator and am very curious on getting K-tek articulated boom pole (http://www.ktekbooms.com/audio/boom-poles/klassic-articulated-poles/). My question is has anyone tried it or owns it and have any feed back on how well it preforms or likes and dislikes about the pole. This is going to be my first boom pole and I don't mind spending the a lot now if I plan on using it for the rest of my career.

 

Thanks 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am an older soundie and for me the articulated pole is perfect.  I find myself resting the end on my hip and with the articulation I am able to reach into the scene with less discomfort.  For MOS you can extend the pole fully click the short end to 90 degrees and rest the pole on the ground and still be out of the shot!   I do own other straight poles, but the K-tek is my go to boom pole.  I do wish it had another 2-3 feet of reach.  Another problem is the fact when it is open but not extended it is a bit more unwieldy.  I carry a 6' vdb for occasions when I can mount the pole on a stand and space is tight.  The 6' works well in those times.  Over time I have become accustomed to it.  It is fun when someone the job says, I have never seen a pole like that, so they are a bit rare.

 

YMMV

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Articulated boom has been invaluable to me so far. So much so that I need to send it in for repair. Why is it so invaluable...well you essentially in most cases it works as a portable C-Stand. You can plant the base on the ground and boom people without having to actually hold the weight...great for bag work...like OTF's on the street or food shows where you do on the street or even sudden interviews where you can't run to grab your C-Stand...invaluable.   Things to watch out for. I found that the teeth on the articulate part although they look sturdy any additional weight when in an articulated position can grind the teeth down and cause it to slip...or letting it drop in the air into position puts undue stress on the joint teeth and they will break.   Great value and addition to any kit...I am buying two just in case...cuz holding a boom pole traditionally is out of style lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is *not* advisable to invest a lot of money into specialized equipment if you don't know what kind of jobs will actually come to you. I'd rather start out renting the things you need for a given job, especially when it comes to "trick" tools like that articulated boom.

 

 become a sound man for film and tv. ...  I plan to work alone as a sound mixer and boom operator

 

In film, it is *never* advisable to work alone. Ideally, you're a three-person sound crew. The mixer's job is to mix, the boom op's job is to boom, and both jobs need both hands. So the utility's job is to keep the other two's backs clear.

ENG or reality, in contrast, usually means working alone, and being a pack mule too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or just add this one to a normal pole:

http://www.ambient.de/en/products/ambient-recording/boompoles/accessories/qds.html

 

Specialised (niche) equipment is what this jobs all about, ambient (de) make excellent products in this sense.

Reading the above testimonies has got me thinking i may add a QDS to my shtick :-)

 

dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed that most users of the articulated pole tend to be more of the one man band/eng style sound mixers. Back in my freelance days I used one for sound effects gathers. It was great for getting under cars and over fences. I don't know if I've seen an articulated pole on a tv or film set. So, it kind of does depend on what type of work you are doing. The nice thing about the articulated pole is that it folds down nice and small for when you are traveling with it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...