Avenger FAQ's

Avenger

Every Avenger product is designed, engineered and manufactured in Italy, and the range is developed in consultation with working cine professionals - which is why the line leans towards the demands of motion picture and broadcast sets rather than casual photography. 

What does Avenger actually make?
Avenger is a grip and lighting support brand. The range covers lighting stands, C-stands and Century stands, combo and baby stands, overhead stands and frames, wind-up stands, boom arms and extensions, clamps, grip heads, adapters, spigots and pins, couplers, wheels, bases and columns, plus light control items such as flags, scrims and reflectors. In short: the hardware that holds lights, modifiers and camera rigs exactly where you position them.

Is Avenger the same as Manfrotto? 
They're sibling brands under the same parent company, and both are Italian-made, but they serve different parts of the market. Manfrotto focuses on photography and video support; Avenger is the grip-focused line built for cine, broadcast and studio work where heavier payloads and rougher handling are normal.

Do I have to be a professional to buy Avenger gear?
No. Avenger is built to professional durability standards, but plenty of photographers, videographers, content creators and small studios use it. If you're holding a light with a boom, rigging a modifier over a subject, or clamping gear to something that isn't a light stand, Avenger is the right tool.

Choosing the Right Stand

What's the difference between a baby stand, a combo stand and a C-stand?
Baby stands are the smaller, lighter option - typically a single or double riser with a 5/8" (16mm) baby pin or socket, suited to small fixtures and tight spaces. Combo stands are more versatile: most have both a 5/8" baby receiver and a 1-1/8" junior receiver, so one stand accepts both small lights and larger junior-head fixtures. C-stands (Century stands) have a distinct sliding-leg, offset-column design that lets you position the column over a foot, push a fixture into a corner, or hang weight on the base for counterbalance - the standard choice for flags, scrims and grip heads on set.

Aluminium or steel - which should I choose?
Aluminium stands are significantly lighter, which matters if you're moving between locations or carrying several stands. Steel stands are heavier and more resistant to vibration and deflection under load, and they're the safer pick for tall risers, heavy fixtures and anything cantilevered. Many Avenger models come in both materials - for example the Combo Stand 20 exists in aluminium and steel versions - so if you're torn, the deciding factor is usually how much you're travelling versus how much weight you're holding.

What do the model numbers and heights in the product names mean?
The number in a name like "Combo Stand 35" refers to the maximum height in metres (3.5m), and "Double Riser" or "Triple Riser" tells you how many telescoping sections it has - more risers means a taller maximum but generally a slightly less rigid top section. Where a product is listed with two heights, the smaller figure is the footprint diameter. So "Avenger Baby Stand 45, Steel Triple Riser, Silver – 4.5m" is a steel baby stand reaching 4.5 metres across three risers.

How do I work out how much my stand can hold?
Check the manufacturer's payload rating for the specific model, then account for the fact that capacity drops as you extend and offset. A fixture on the top of a fully raised stand is a very different load case from the same fixture on a boom arm cantilevered out to the side, which multiplies the turning force on the column. If you're planning to boom or offset weight, favour steel, weight the base, and keep within the rated capacity rather than at it.

What is a wind-up stand for?
Wind-up stands use a crank mechanism rather than a friction collar to raise and lower the load. That gives you controlled, low-effort lifting of heavy fixtures - large HMI and LED panels, big softboxes, overhead rigs - without having to muscle the payload up the column. If you're regularly rigging heavy lights above head height, they're worth the extra cost and weight.

What's a Turtle base, and what's the difference between the C-stand versions?
Avenger C-stands come in a few base and column configurations. The Turtle base is a folding, low-profile leg set that collapses flat for transport and takes a removable column, which is why you can buy base-only and column-only items separately. Fixed-base and sliding-leg variants differ in how the legs adjust: a sliding leg lets you move one leg independently to level the stand on stairs or uneven ground, and to slide the leg out of the way when the column needs to sit close to a wall.

Clamps, Grip Heads and Rigging

What is a Super Clamp and why is everyone using one?
The Super Clamp is Avenger's most famous product - a spring-loaded clamp with a hex 5/8" (16mm) receiver that takes both hex and round accessories. It clamps onto stands, poles and pretty much any round tube in range, and it's the entry point to a whole system of grip heads, arms and pins. The standard C1575B has a metal T-knob for extra torque and includes a wedge for gripping flat surfaces. Its capacity is up to 15kg.

Which Super Clamp should I get - standard or heavy duty?
The standard C1575B covers most work and accepts the full accessory range. The C1550 Heavy Duty Super Clamp is a gravity-cast version with a wider clamping range (13mm to 55mm) built for heavier manipulation - the right choice when the clamp is holding serious weight or when you're tightening it down onto something thick.

What's a grip head for?
A grip head holds an arm or a light shaper - scrims, flags, floppies, cutters, dots - and locks it at the angle you set. The Avenger D200 2.5" grip head is the industry standard: it uses a non-slip brake pad disc for locking power, fits the Avenger C-stand range, and has a secondary M10 hole so you can fit the locking handle from another spigot if a C-stand isn't nearby.

What does "baby pin" and "5/8 inch" mean in practice?
5/8" and 16mm are the same thing — the standard baby spigot diameter that almost all small and mid-size lighting fixtures, grip heads and accessories use. You'll see both written interchangeably across Avenger's range and in our product listings. A "baby pin" is a 5/8" male stud; a "baby receiver" or "socket" is the matching female hole. Junior fittings are 1-1/8" (28mm) and appear on larger fixtures and combo stands.

How do I connect a grip head to a Super Clamp?
Use a snap-in pin. The E600 connects the grip head to a Super Clamp and it's aluminium. The E600C is a variant of the same function. This is the standard chain: clamp onto something solid, snap in the pin, mount the grip head, add a grip arm, and hang your flag or scrim off the end.

Do I need to buy the pieces separately, or is there a kit?
Both options exist. There's a Grip Kit available that includes a grip head, arm, Super Clamp, snap-in pin and a grip kit bag, which is the efficient way to get started with grip work. If you already own some components, buying individually lets you build exactly the setup you need.

What can I clamp onto that isn't a light stand?
Anything solid with a suitable diameter and a surface that won't be damaged by the clamp's jaws - scaffolding, truss, pipe, doorframes, shelving, beams, table edges. The wedge included with the C1575B widens the range of flat surfaces it will grip. The Pelican Gaffer Grip clamp is designed for heavier location work, with a clamping range up to 80mm and a 10kg payload. Whatever you clamp to, check that the structure itself is rated for the load and isn't something you'd be damaging by doing it.

What's the light control range for?
Flags, scrims and reflectors shape and cut light rather than holding a fixture. They mount on the same grip heads and arms used for fixtures, which is why grip kit and light control go together. Spare part covers for scrims and flags can be ordered by adding an "R" in front of the order code - for example the spare part cover for item I600B is RI600B.

Spare Parts, Servicing and Warranty

What's covered under Avenger's warranty?
Avenger products are warranted to be fit for the purpose for which they have been designed, and to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. The validity period of the Standard Limited Warranty is defined by the applicable law in the country or region where the product is sold - in Australia that means your rights under the Australian Consumer Law sit alongside the manufacturer's warranty.

How do I get a spare part?
Identify your product's model number first - it's printed on the product and appears in your order details. Each Avenger model has a published exploded-view diagram showing every available component with its part number, so you can order the exact piece rather than guessing. Avenger operates an official international spare parts and service centre stocking thousands of genuine parts with worldwide dispatch, and repairs through it are guaranteed for six months. If you're not sure which part you need, contact us and we'll help you identify it.

Can worn or bent parts be repaired, or do I replace the stand?
Most Avenger stands are repairable rather than disposable - columns, bases, legs, collars, crank handles, spigots and wheels are all available as individual parts, so a damaged section usually doesn't mean a new stand. Repairs and servicing are handled through the official service centre.

Which parts wear out first and should I keep on hand?
Wheels, spigots and crank handles are the common consumables on Avenger stands, and grip head brake pads and clamp wedges are the small items worth spares of if you're working regularly. Carrying a spare snap-in pin, wedge and a couple of spigots costs very little and saves a shoot day.

Buying from Maxxum

Does Maxxum stock the full Avenger range?
We carry over 240 Avenger lines across stands, clamps, grip heads, adapters, couplers, wheels, light control and accessories. Our full Avenger range is browsable by type - C-stands, baby stands, combo stands, overhead stands and frames, wind-up stands, clamps, grip heads, arms and extensions, bases and columns, pins, couplers and accessories. If something you need isn't listed, ask us - we can source product not shown on the site.

How quickly can I get Avenger gear?
Orders placed before 2pm on a business day are dispatched same day. We ship Australia wide. If you're on a deadline for a shoot, call us on 03 9314 4979 and we'll confirm stock and timing before you order.

Who do I contact with a technical question about an Avenger product?

Call us on 03 9314 4979 or email sales@maxxum.com.au. As the Australian distributor we can answer questions about payload limits, compatibility between components, what adapters you need to mount a specific fixture, and which stand suits a given light.