How many boom pole sections is too many?

[osa]

43 minutes ago, awadden said:

 

Yes, note that Matt Price was clearing this with airline desks before going through security. Airline practice may be unpredictable, and indeed may have changed since his video was made. Personally, I’m content with putting a pole in my checked roller bag, and I know that the Panamic Mini poles will fit in it.

in 2024 this is still not clear airport to airport. I have been flying a bunch carry-on only lately. Calling it a Fish pole or mono pod seems to work and a mono pod it is authorized for carry-on bags specifically. But it truly is up to the discretion of whoever pulls your bag aside. Total gamble and I feel a bit risky with an expensive boom pole. Oh my aluminum traveler is compact and expendable if it came down to it as I knew I could bill for a replacement in a pinch with those I travel with. I typically will add a second pool in a checked bag or in one of their SKB golf bag cases if Camera Dept I am traveling with Will allow me to

 

[rmac]

Final two 🙂

 

 

I’ve decided that the ability to change mikes quickly is worth the cost. Consequently, I’ve dropped the 2.25m/7’4” fixed tip option (53-5802). That option costs $652.

 

I’ve also added a column to the chart called Practical Maximum Length. This reduces the length of each extension from the handle (2 extensions for 5801 and 3 for 5803) by 5cm/2”.  The objective is to strengthen the boom pole by having some overlap in the extension tubes. The mike suspension and mike will add a bit to overall length.

 

If anyone disagrees with this approach, I’m interested in the reasons.

 

 

[inspire]

2,29m is longer than 1,83m. For me is length (I mean max lenght) rather importan, if we talk about boompole.

You get with it to closer to giraffes (in Zoo 🙃), high flora, waterfalls, etc.

Mine Length is extendable from 106 - 354 cm. But I think 2,29m should be OK length for most cases. When I choose my boompole, length was the main thing, what I compared. After it suddenly dawned on me that actually many things (facility, stability, build, physically light in weight as possible …. )

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

1.83m is VERY short for a boompole.  My travel pole is that long, but it's not good for much more than static interviews or stand-ups.  With the same minimum length, I would choose the 2.29m pole for sure.  I think you'll appreciate the extra 46cm.  It will buy you that much more reach when you are chasing a run & gun subject.

[rmac]

4 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

1.83m is VERY short for a boompole.  My travel pole is that long, but it's not good for much more than static interviews or stand-ups.  With the same minimum length, I would choose the 2.29m pole for sure.  I think you'll appreciate the extra 46cm.  It will buy you that much more reach when you are chasing a run & gun subject.

 

The thing is, I’m not chasing run & gun subjects.

 

You might find it interesting to read this earlier post in the thread, in particular the Panamic article and the website and photo gallery of the subject of the article. The subject, UK production sound mixer Mark Roberts, been using a Panamic 1.83m/6’ boom pole for about three decades: https://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/63188-how-many-boom-pole-sections-is-too-many/&do=findComment&comment=435269

 

Panamic article about Roberts: https://www.panamic.net/2018/03/14/tough-conditions-panamic/

Roberts’s website and photo gallery: http://www.markroberts.hk/

 

If you have time to look at those references, I’m interested in learning your reaction.

 

[Fred Salles]

10 hours ago, awadden said:

 

The thing is, I’m not chasing run & gun subjects.

 

You might find it interesting to read this earlier post in the thread, in particular the Panamic article and the website and photo gallery of the subject of the article. The subject, UK production sound mixer Mark Roberts, been using a Panamic 1.83m/6’ boom pole for about three decades: https://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/63188-how-many-boom-pole-sections-is-too-many/&do=findComment&comment=435269

 

Panamic article about Roberts: https://www.panamic.net/2018/03/14/tough-conditions-panamic/

Roberts’s website and photo gallery: http://www.markroberts.hk/

 

If you have time to look at those references, I’m interested in learning your reaction.

 

Hi. We all work differently and it of course depends on your practices and type of work but what I see on his website in photo number 4 is that his boom is too short for the way I would want to work on that shot. 
My advice would be to either rent or get your hands on a medium size boom and practice. In order to know what size suits your own preferences you must practice. 
My preference goes to the VDB size L for its versatility, working both for documentaries and feature fims (as second or backup boom along a longer one), and it fits a Pelicase Air 1615. 

[rmac]

7 hours ago, Fred Salles said:

Hi. We all work differently and it of course depends on your practices and type of work but what I see on his website in photo number 4 is that his boom is too short for the way I would want to work on that shot. 
My advice would be to either rent or get your hands on a medium size boom and practice. In order to know what size suits your own preferences you must practice. 
My preference goes to the VDB size L for its versatility, working both for documentaries and feature fims (as second or backup boom along a longer one), and it fits a Pelicase Air 1615. 

 

 

Hi. Roberts’s photo gallery link is right beside the “about” page link at the top of his website. Photo #4 shows him and another member of NBC’s Today Show team at the Winter Olympics. I’d like to suggest that you read the Panamic article and look at the gallery. Then you’ll understand why I’m not interested in a “medium” 3.9m/12’8” 6-section pole, which is what your VdB L-QT is. That pole doesn’t meet any of the criteria that I stated in post #1, including collapsed length. It won’t fit in the bag that I check at airports.

 

If you look at the link I provided to an earlier post in this thread, you’ll see that one of the things that I find attractive about the Panamic poles is that they can be mounted in vertical orientation. This is discussed in the Panamic article and is shown in Roberts’s gallery. As I said in that earlier post, the VdB poles share this characteristic. VdB poles are also less expensive than Ambient, K-Tek and Panamic poles, but the VdB M-QT and S-QT didn’t make my short list for the reason explained earlier in the thread. In the length range that I’m talking about, I’ll take a 3 or 4-section pole over a 6-section pole.

 

 

[rmac]

This comes down to whether I have the courage of my convictions 🙂 I'm pretty sure that the 6’ Panamic will meet my needs. I see the 7’6” as insurance. As The Documentary Sound Guy says, the collapsed length of the two poles is the same. The weight difference isn’t much (30g/1oz). Maintaining what I call the Practical Maximum Length in the chart 6 posts up may be easier if I go with the 7’6”. The insurance cost? Adding a fourth pole section, which I’d just as soon avoid, plus US$178.

[Fred Salles]

Sorry Awaden I was referring to the photo nb 4 of the slide show on his home page (bbc india). 
And I did not imply you should choose an L size VDB. Merely stating that we all have different practices and that from your practice will come the choice of the length that suits you, not the other way round. 

[rmac]

9 hours ago, Fred Salles said:

Sorry Awaden I was referring to the photo nb 4 of the slide show on his home page (bbc india). 
And I did not imply you should choose an L size VDB. Merely stating that we all have different practices and that from your practice will come the choice of the length that suits you, not the other way round. 

 

I use an older 8’9” K-Tek Klassic that this pole is going to replace. I included links to the Panamic article and the website, referring specifically to the gallery, because they are illustrative of what I need and am looking for. One of the things that I’m interested in is the ability to set up the pole vertically. If you had in mind the VdB M-QT, it was considered (see the chart in post #7). Despite the fact that there are a number of things that I like about the VdB poles, I’ve decided to go with Panamic.

 

From your earlier post:

Quote

My advice would be to either rent or get your hands on a medium size boom and practice. In order to know what size suits your own preferences you must practice. 
My preference goes to the VDB size L for its versatility, working both for documentaries and feature films... and it fits a Pelicase Air 1615.

 

Thanks, but It’s bad enough that I’m dithering between the two Panamics, without going backwards 😊

[rmac]

Dithering over 😋

 

The post 9 above explains what I mean by Practical Maximum Length.

 

The prices are Gotham and Trew list. Canford’s website says that the pole is in stock, so delivery may not take long.

 

Gotham and Trew don’t show it on their websites, but Canford makes a carry tube. I haven’t decided whether to order it: https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/53-379_PANAMIC-BOOM-POLE-CARRYING-CASE-Telescopic-600mm-to-1000mm

 

I want to thank the people who commented. When I receive the pole, I’ll post my impressions,

[inspire]

Yes, take the carry tube as well. You need it! You can put into it 5 straps for fixing cable(s) to the boom pole. Carry tube is nice addition! I thought that it is included, but if not then you need it as well.

[rmac]

2 hours ago, inspire said:

Yes, take the 

carry tube as well. You need it! You can put into it 5 straps for fixing cable(s) to the boom pole. Carry tube is nice addition! I thought that it is included, but if not then you need it as well.

 

I do plan to have something to transport the boom pole in. It may be just one of my fly rod tubes. I’ll see what my vendor suggests. The Panamic tube isn’t expensive, and is probably reasonably well made. The said, I could cut some PVC pipe to the exact size required for quite a bit less 🙂

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

30 minutes ago, awadden said:

The said, I could cut some PVC pipe to the exact size required for quite a bit less 🙂

Yup, I've done exactly that for a quarter of the list price.  The carrying strap is the only hard part.  I've come to really appreciate the value of a solid case for all my equipment.  The Canford tube does look like a good one though.

[Bouke]

10 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

The carrying strap is the only hard part. 

How is that hard? You can buy handles at any hardware store / flightcase stuff site, and use rivets to get 'm on.

[EnotsMedia]

Just FYI ….for boom pole carry cases. (I’ve air travel checked them many times as

well) 

https://mtncork.com/collections/straight-cases
 

Small business, Made in the USA …custom sizes, color and can even add a logo if you fancy…last 3 I purchased were each about $40. (2’, 2.5’, 4.5’)  (USD). Absolutely well built. I add a bit of Gaff on the bottoms just to protect /

make it last longer. 

 

2” straight tube is what you want. 
 

 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

4 hours ago, Bouke said:

How is that hard? You can buy handles at any hardware store / flightcase stuff site, and use rivets to get 'm on.

Getting a strap that is truly ergonomic and that weights the case properly for carrying takes some time and experimentation.  I reused a strap from an old camera bag, but it constantly falls off my shoulder because of how I've attached it.  It's not practical for carrying it long distance with other cases.  Ideally, I need a strap that has the shoulder pad farther up (so it actually goes over my shoulder, and that is contoured and textured so it doesn't slide down.  I'm sure it's doable, but it's not as simple as I'd hoped.

[Bouke]

My bad, in my days I had wheels for close to anything, and most of it was bulky case like stuff.

 

[rmac]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:03 PM, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

... I've come to really appreciate the value of a solid case for all my equipment.  The Canford tube does look like a good one though.

 

The Panamic pole should arrive this coming week. I ordered the case as well. It didn’t cost that much more than other options. I’ll post initial impressions of both. 

[VASI]

3 sections is ideal to me, like the new Ambient Slim and QS.

[inspire]

My own is included in the picture: one is short and have four parts, longer have three. I have not actually used the short, because it is a part of the tripod and this is generally used for other purposes like as a recorder holder. 

[rmac]

20 hours ago, VASI said:

3 sections is ideal to me, like the new Ambient Slim and QS.

 

Just thought I’d note that Ambient describes the QP Slim as a 4-section pole. As discussed in the Gotham Sound video below, it was apparently developed due to Allen Williams and others calling for a pole that has a smaller diameter handle, and fewer sections, than Ambient’s current QP 5-section poles. The discussion starts at 0:19:

 

 

 

[VASI]

6 hours ago, rmac said:

 

Just thought I’d note that Ambient describes the QP Slim as a 4-section pole. As discussed in the Gotham Sound video below, it was apparently developed due to Allen Williams and others calling for a pole that has a smaller diameter handle, and fewer sections, than Ambient’s current QP 5-section poles. The discussion starts at 0:19:

 

 

 

 

That's correct. In my POV, the last part of boompole (or the first one) I don't count it, because will exist anyways. 😁