Smith-Victor ST24 Shooting Table Review

• Review

by Bryan Carnathan

When shooting products and other small items, a shooting table such as the Smith-Victor ST24 Shooting Table is really nice to have. The white opaque Plexiglas is curved at both ends of the table for no-seam results even when shooting at the same level as the product. Lights can be positioned as desired around the table - including below and behind. Small lamps can even be clamped to the table itself.

Don't want a white background? Lay the background material of your choice over the table. Black velour makes a nice alternative. In the end, post-processing is reduced to a minimum.

The Smith-Victor ST24 Shooting Table's build quality is OK but not great. The black-finished square steel tubing is not bad. The thumbscrews that fasten the framing together are not bad - except for several that broke in my hands under relatively light pressure. Apparently there was a defect in them. Smith-Victor was quick to replace these - and the broken ones still worked with a hex key wrench. All put together, the stand has some minor play in it. It gets the job done just fine.

The Smith-Victor ST24 Shooting Table's Plexiglas itself is very nice with no defects. It is held in place by channels at each end and rotating clips in the middle - a workable but not great setup. Multiple camera lenses will cause the Plexiglas to sag slightly. Slight sagging is not a problem if you are shooting a single item. If you are lining up multiple heavy items - such as lenses - they will tilt slightly toward the center.

The 24" x 24" (610mm x 610mm) base size of the table makes it large enough for most small product work but small enough to store.

The Smith-Victor ST24 Shooting Table is part of a complete system that includes a clear module (mounts on top of the base module), a riser, a floor stand and a light arm. The price is not bad for a shooting table, but I wouldn't classify it as a great value. Post processing needs are reduced.

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