The 9 Best overhead Light Stands (2023 reviews)

The neewer extension arm is capable of outshining several other stand featured in this list in overall features. This is a sturdy, well constructed c-stand. It can be used as a plain light stand (of course), a boom stand for overhead lighting, or a reflector stand. The stainless steel framing makes it weighted down so it's very secure and stable. Nice springs loaded into the piping to keep from slamming your hands or fingers when loosening the grip.

The bar is solid and the mounting heads are excellent and sturdy. The 1/4'and 3/8'threaded arm makes it multifunctional and versatile for all to use in their photography.

Why We Like This:

Extremely well made, strong, sturdy, and easy to set up
Several settings for the arm allow versatility
Very well made product, robust and firm, and the best
Excellent stand heavy duty and stable

Best With All Century: Flashpoint overhead Light Stand

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This is a very solidly built professional light stand. The main stand stem has a junior pin bottom that slides into the turtle base with a baby junior pin top so you can place a light right on the stand. It is so heavy and adaptable that it can be used for duties other than holding a light. The padded grip is nice, and feels luxurious compared to the old Avenger stands.

The C stand frame allows multiple photography light stands to be used nearby, and the lower leg to slide under objects, maximizing studio space efficiency. It allows you to connect the boom part of the stand to a studio flash unit. The turtle base (Which require both hands to open, you can't just roll them open off the leg) are standard size and very sturdy. This stand is built to last and offer the best stability possible.

Why We Like This:

Will hold a lot of weight on the boom
Springs inside to prevent unintended slamming of gear
Perfect stand for recording studio work

Best For panel Light: Dazzne overhead Light Stand

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If you often find yourself scrambling for appropriate and satisfactory stand, dazzne overhead light stand is your solution. This C-clamp stand for a desktop is the perfect solution to add lighting for Zoom or Live Stream where you have a tight space like a desk against a wall or in a corner. It is perfect for an a7iii coupled with a pretty big led light on top. It can firmly hold your devices.

This stand is only designed for mounting with the enclosed clamp. It is suitable for video recording, film shooting, live streaming, photography lighting, etc. It is great way to get a camera or some lights higher up on your desk. The base/clamp is quite versatile. The stand secured well to the table and is compatible with the light.

Why We Like This:

Perfect solution for a desktop in tight space
Sturdy, and a pretty solid height
Cant hold much weight (eg, teleprompter) without bending
Rock solid construction and easy to set up

Best For setting up A hair Light: Neewer overhead Light Stand

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The neewer overhead light stand's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This is a heavy duty stand that reaches an easy 20 feet straight up if you need vertical lighting. Its solid locking capabilities ensure the safety of your lighting equipment when in use. The boom allows you to place a light directly over your subject matter for great separation and light control. The silver sheen to the material gives a contemporary, professional, trendy look to the equipment. The whole set is also easy to take apart just by undoing one knob. The included sandbag is a nice add-on suitable to counterbalance reasonable loads.

The construction quality of itself is very advanced, the tightening knob is 100% finished and very durable. It's wonderful for a studio set up and easy enough to take on location for interviews that don't require any walking around.

Why We Like This:

Perfect if you're filming a kitchen/food preparation scene, or a piano-playing shot from overhead
Very well built and great locking mechanisms
Lightweight, but solid and very well made

Best For Flash: Meking overhead Light Stand

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These are perfect for you who have a similar setup over and over and don't want to put away and setup lighting stands every time or have stands cluttering your floorspace. This part is solid and well-made. It comes with 3/8, 1/4 adapter screw to apply to different flash and base has eight holes, with the supplied screw mounted on the wall. It is easy to shorten as the clamping device is removable.

This product has not max load weight, it depends on the quality of the ceiling and whether the stand is fixed to determine whether the light stand can hold without flexing, thank you. They work great, both the wall mount for the light and the pole mount using electrical conduit mounts and a couple 1/4 20 bolts. It's sturdy, and with the right screws and mounting, it's very sturdy. The stand is fixed to determine whether the light stand can hold without flexing, thank you.

Why We Like This:

Holds a good amount of weight
Is perfect for mount your camera
Great alternative to a bumpy desk camera
Easy enough to take the light off and reattach to original tripod when needed

Best For Lightweight gear: smallrig selection overhead Light Stand

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If you are currently in the market looking for a popular stand for your daily purpose, you cannot go wrong with the smallrig selection overhead light stand. If you need an extendable, solid desk mount table stand, this is the one to get. This mount is really solid and high quality. It uses screw rings with compression fittings to tighten down the pole as it is raised. It is great for lightweight gear like fill lights. The vice clamp that secures the stand to the desk allows for a decent range of desktop thicknesses.

This thing extends from about 12" up to over 30" above your desk so it has great range. This stand is sturdy, well built, and will last for years. It is easier to clean without leaving any fingerprint.

Why We Like This:

Weights only 15oz / 430g, easily to carry around with you
Lightweight, easy install, solid when in use
Clears up a bunch of space, is super robust, and easy to adjust

Best For Youtube unboxing videos: Gltire overhead Light Stand

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Next on the list, we've got yet another stand that manages to win our hearts. It's the gltire overhead light stand and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient stand you can buy. This is a sturdy rig that offers some flexibility for your overhead imaging needs. It has a design that is a very simple setup with screws and angled brackets to help support this rig so it does not topple over. It is great for putting right around the cutting board, the mixer, etc. It is great for uber quick setups and additional fill light.

The built-in light is fairly bright at the highest setting and the color is close to daylight coloring. There's even a phone clip and some velcro straps included. This helps you do unboxing very easily and has enough space for most things to be shown under it. It is very easy to assemble.

Why We Like This:

Excellent camera rig for top-down shooting
Excellent for stills and hand dolly shots
One of the new comers and featured product

Best With microphones: smallrig overhead Light Stand

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The smallrig overhead light stand is capable of outshining several other stand featured in this list in overall features for the price point. If you just need one horizontal arm of fixed length, this mount will hold your DSLR camera or projector safely and securely up to 2.2 lbs. It is composed of aluminum alloy materials and is made of plastic materials. It is compatible with many cameras, microphones, and lighting. The clamp at the bottom is heavy duty. The quality is top notch and it includes a small nylon bag for transport.

The arms itself are metal but the locking collars and base mounts are all plastic. It is great for mini projectors, lighting, camera work, and so many other things. It comes with a carry bag too.

Why We Like This:

Perfect kit for consumer/prosumer weight equipment
Is impressively solid and doesn't sway or vibrate
Very sturdy even for an slr camera

Best For picture: Studiofx overhead Light Stand

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The studiofx overhead light stand's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. It fits nicely in its box. The little sand bag has a grommet in it to hang it from a hook on the boom as a counter balance. It can hold a hair light out of the way of the camera's view. It’s essentially pre-assembled and you just need to swivel the handle bars to rotate the arm and stand in to position. The reflector opens as easily as an umbrella.

The boom extends enough that the bottom of the light, pointing down, is about 7’ above the ground. There is a white fabric diffuser you can velcro over the light.

Why We Like This: