When will Manfrotto ditch the aluminum frames? They are a nightmare - light pings and reflects off them like crazy. Wescott Scrim Jim is a much better product
I agreed on the reflection - especially since the frame is so much thicker than your standard scrim you would find in a Grip Truck. I think if they had the frame as black it would be better. So agreed there, but disagree that the Westcott is much better. I think their price point is far too high for what is offered in their kits.
I have a few of those Skylite frames and man, you really needs to wear gloves when putting these up. The edges where the parts join are super sharp and I cut myself more than once. This is also going to have a negative impact on the longevity as the same edges cut into the rubber band that keeps the frame together. The reason why there are 6 spare clips in the box is that they break *very* easily and are pretty expensive to replace.
@@jmasked5082 I'm from Europe, so I'd probably go with Manfrotto/Avenger like H2006 - different price level though. If you're from US, there may be more smaller brand options, but I don't have any experience with them. If you use the Manfrotto (Lastolite) scrims from this video mainly in studio (and you dont collapse them often), they may be a valid option.
I personally have not had any issues with the edges, nor clips breaking. It travels to set with me all the time. The carrying case however, I cannot attest to its quality. One zipper is already broken, the carrying handle is frayed and the straps meant to hold the frame in place, the glue has already started coming up.
Awesome vid - I have the 2mx2m manfrotto frame but I went with a 6x6ft poly silk from LA raghouse Works really well even with gap around the edges but I just need to find a good solution for a quicker and tighter set up. I bought various bungee elastic ties but none were the right fit - will keep trying.
Thank you - appreciate the feedback. That's interesting - why did you choose to use the poly silk? Does it provide softer light than the standard 2m x 2m? Subscribe if you feel inclined :)
@@matthewdeery I chose the PolySilk just because I wasn't sure how "pro" the manfrotto diffusion would be. Totally just a perception thing. The description on the manfrotto diffusion was just like "1.25 stops" without much more detail regarding the fabric when compared to the great detail LA raghouse provides with their fabric. I may have made the wrong choice or not found the appropriate detail for the manfrotto but the LA rag is working well so far.
@@samuelguce Interesting. And you said you use bungee ties to fasten? And it works well? One thing I do want from the Manfrotto kit is a screen scrim option, where I can cut light by fractions instead of a full stop. Even be able to put over a window in the background so the outside isn't blown out for instance.
@@matthewdeery I tried to use bungees bought from a hardware store but I wasn't able to find the right length/hook size. I'm just using the rope ties and an additional piece of rope on each corner to keep it tight. Yeah that's just it, the Manfrotto fabrics seemed too "one size fits all"
I do. I still love this kit. It is such an asset to have when space allows. I dont mind not having a modular set, because we have smaller sets of diffusion and flags we use when needed.
I actually did not receive those - they were missing from my kit. So I had to email Adorama and Manfrotto just shipped them out to me. And to me, this is my first exposure to the scrim, so I never knew what was a new feature and what was old.
How the **** do you disassemble the frame? I've struggled with this for 1,5 hours now at home and it's somehow twisted wrong the entire time and won't fold. I'm contemplating on cutting the rubber band to be done with it. It's literally hell on earth. I disassembled it yesterday at the office once when I got it. Trial & error was fine. Now I'm doing all kinds of juggling and it just won't buckle.
Ok so the solution: there is no "smart" way of putting this together. There is no secret folding technique for the frame. You just need to stretch the rubber band hard enough for the pieces to fold together. I'm already seeing a 25% wear through the rubber band at some middle sections (that's where the band turns around 180 degrees) after two hours of wrangling. If the band breaks the scrim is still usable, since you can easily put the frame together without it. Just lay it next to a wall and assemble piece by piece. The fabric is very tight with the plastic holders and that will ensure a solid piece of equipment.
@@KaarloMedia I really have not had any of the issues you are mentioning here. Maybe you got a bad kit? Or maybe once it is tangled it gets worse and worse? I will admit it's not the easiest tube frame to put away, but it's never been so much a struggle it's take me more than 10 minutes to break down from full scrim to fully packed away. I have even worked with grips or PAs who have never used the frame before be able to break it down with relative ease. Both assembly and disassembly I have never had issues to the point I would describe as hell on Earth. Like I mentioned in the video, I can have the frame built in less than 3 minutes. Even faster now that I have been doing it for so long. Not sure what's going on with your kit. I have also been using the frame for well over a year and barely see any wear on the bands.
@@matthewdeery Now that I figured out how to stretch it together, it's fine. And even alone it's about 5min to set up / take down. The ends of the pipes are very roughly cut, so they are biting into the band slowly but surely. Also, were your pipe frames greasy and dirty when you got the kit? I've been wiping it down multiple times with toilet paper, but they're still greasy and my fingers are black after handling the frame for 10min. The ends of the pipes are so roughly cut that small metal flakes are littering the area it's used.
Well thats good. I can get it set up quicker and have gotten better over time. Mine did not come dirty or greasy, so no cleaning required. Maybe you got a bad kit? The ends of the pipes I will agree have hard edges - I have scraped my hands on those edges a few times.
Nice to hear your opinion on the different brands. All my kit is manfrotto and elinchrom, and ease of set-up is really important for me.
Ease of setup is so crucial, especially when you dont have a crew and time is short.
Great video Matt looks real professional and very informative.
Really appreciate that! Thank you!
Thanks for the breakdown Matthew! I'm looking into picking one of these up soon, so this was very helpful.
Thanks Brandon! I appreciate that!
Zzza
Thanks Gavin.
I'm looking forward to using this!
"That lighting looks nice!"
Looks really nice!
it is a great tool!
When will Manfrotto ditch the aluminum frames? They are a nightmare - light pings and reflects off them like crazy. Wescott Scrim Jim is a much better product
I agreed on the reflection - especially since the frame is so much thicker than your standard scrim you would find in a Grip Truck. I think if they had the frame as black it would be better. So agreed there, but disagree that the Westcott is much better. I think their price point is far too high for what is offered in their kits.
Thanx
I am glad it was helpful!
How is it holding up? I heard those plastic clips break like the wind...
Zero issues. There are several replacements included, haven’t used one yet.
I have a few of those Skylite frames and man, you really needs to wear gloves when putting these up. The edges where the parts join are super sharp and I cut myself more than once. This is also going to have a negative impact on the longevity as the same edges cut into the rubber band that keeps the frame together. The reason why there are 6 spare clips in the box is that they break *very* easily and are pretty expensive to replace.
I have noticed the edges - thankfully I haven't had any issues by being careful putting them together.
Do you recommend another frame?
@@jmasked5082 I'm from Europe, so I'd probably go with Manfrotto/Avenger like H2006 - different price level though. If you're from US, there may be more smaller brand options, but I don't have any experience with them. If you use the Manfrotto (Lastolite) scrims from this video mainly in studio (and you dont collapse them often), they may be a valid option.
I personally have not had any issues with the edges, nor clips breaking. It travels to set with me all the time.
The carrying case however, I cannot attest to its quality. One zipper is already broken, the carrying handle is frayed and the straps meant to hold the frame in place, the glue has already started coming up.
Awesome vid - I have the 2mx2m manfrotto frame but I went with a 6x6ft poly silk from LA raghouse
Works really well even with gap around the edges but I just need to find a good solution for a quicker and tighter set up.
I bought various bungee elastic ties but none were the right fit - will keep trying.
Thank you - appreciate the feedback. That's interesting - why did you choose to use the poly silk? Does it provide softer light than the standard 2m x 2m? Subscribe if you feel inclined :)
@@matthewdeery I chose the PolySilk just because I wasn't sure how "pro" the manfrotto diffusion would be. Totally just a perception thing. The description on the manfrotto diffusion was just like "1.25 stops" without much more detail regarding the fabric when compared to the great detail LA raghouse provides with their fabric.
I may have made the wrong choice or not found the appropriate detail for the manfrotto but the LA rag is working well so far.
@@samuelguce Interesting. And you said you use bungee ties to fasten? And it works well? One thing I do want from the Manfrotto kit is a screen scrim option, where I can cut light by fractions instead of a full stop. Even be able to put over a window in the background so the outside isn't blown out for instance.
@@matthewdeery I tried to use bungees bought from a hardware store but I wasn't able to find the right length/hook size.
I'm just using the rope ties and an additional piece of rope on each corner to keep it tight.
Yeah that's just it, the Manfrotto fabrics seemed too "one size fits all"
Do you use the other Manfrotto fabrics? The blackout is high quality and I am sure much quicker to attach.
do you prefer Manfrotto to Westcott now?
I do. I still love this kit. It is such an asset to have when space allows. I dont mind not having a modular set, because we have smaller sets of diffusion and flags we use when needed.
Miraculous that in a 12 min video on a scrum you somehow haven’t shown the connectors to the stand - the only new feature
I actually did not receive those - they were missing from my kit. So I had to email Adorama and Manfrotto just shipped them out to me. And to me, this is my first exposure to the scrim, so I never knew what was a new feature and what was old.
Hey Matt, any idea if you can use other diffusion that stops a different level of light other than 1.25?
I am sure you could tie diffusion around the frame in traditional fashion. Otherwise I am unsure
How the **** do you disassemble the frame? I've struggled with this for 1,5 hours now at home and it's somehow twisted wrong the entire time and won't fold. I'm contemplating on cutting the rubber band to be done with it. It's literally hell on earth. I disassembled it yesterday at the office once when I got it. Trial & error was fine. Now I'm doing all kinds of juggling and it just won't buckle.
Ok so the solution: there is no "smart" way of putting this together. There is no secret folding technique for the frame. You just need to stretch the rubber band hard enough for the pieces to fold together. I'm already seeing a 25% wear through the rubber band at some middle sections (that's where the band turns around 180 degrees) after two hours of wrangling.
If the band breaks the scrim is still usable, since you can easily put the frame together without it. Just lay it next to a wall and assemble piece by piece. The fabric is very tight with the plastic holders and that will ensure a solid piece of equipment.
@@KaarloMedia I really have not had any of the issues you are mentioning here. Maybe you got a bad kit? Or maybe once it is tangled it gets worse and worse?
I will admit it's not the easiest tube frame to put away, but it's never been so much a struggle it's take me more than 10 minutes to break down from full scrim to fully packed away. I have even worked with grips or PAs who have never used the frame before be able to break it down with relative ease. Both assembly and disassembly I have never had issues to the point I would describe as hell on Earth. Like I mentioned in the video, I can have the frame built in less than 3 minutes. Even faster now that I have been doing it for so long. Not sure what's going on with your kit.
I have also been using the frame for well over a year and barely see any wear on the bands.
@@matthewdeery Now that I figured out how to stretch it together, it's fine. And even alone it's about 5min to set up / take down.
The ends of the pipes are very roughly cut, so they are biting into the band slowly but surely. Also, were your pipe frames greasy and dirty when you got the kit? I've been wiping it down multiple times with toilet paper, but they're still greasy and my fingers are black after handling the frame for 10min. The ends of the pipes are so roughly cut that small metal flakes are littering the area it's used.
Well thats good. I can get it set up quicker and have gotten better over time.
Mine did not come dirty or greasy, so no cleaning required. Maybe you got a bad kit?
The ends of the pipes I will agree have hard edges - I have scraped my hands on those edges a few times.
@@matthewdeery I'm starting to lean towards a bad kit 😄. Thanks for the convo, good luck with your productions / work!