I need to expand my photography to places where a clip on light won't work. So I need some decent tripod-based, light stands. But they're outrageously expensive!
For instance, I go to Alzo and find a three light kit is $337. What gives? Try as I might I can't imagine one of those fixtures retailing for more than $50. There's nothing to it: some tube steel, a few clips, a tripod made of angle iron, and a reflector. At a guess, $20 in mostly (if not all) off-the-shelf parts. $20 MAX! I used to work for an engineering firm and we could have built a one-off, including design, for $750. Three custom-fabbed units for $1000.
These folks have long-since amortized their egineering costs so the primary cost is materials - $20.
Why are they so damned expensive?
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 2