FAQ
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<summary>Question: How far does the arm extend?</summary>
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Answer: **Up to 910mm (about 36 inches)** of arm reach. That's enough to position a camera directly over a 60-80cm wide desk surface, covering a standard food-plating area, calligraphy pad, or product flat-lay. The articulating segments let you fold the arm out of frame when not needed.
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<summary>Question: What can it hold? Will my mirrorless camera + lens fit?</summary>
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Answer: **Maximum load 2kg.** Comfortably handles: phone, GoPro / Insta360 action cam, mirrorless body + small prime (Sony A6700 + 16-50, Fuji X-T5 + 23mm f/2, ZV-E10 + kit). Borderline: full-frame compact mirrorless + small zoom (R8 + 50mm). NOT recommended: pro full-frame bodies + telephoto zooms (5kg setups), large DSLRs like 5D Mark IV + 24-70 f/2.8.
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<summary>Question: How does the desk clamp work? Will it fit my table?</summary>
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Answer: **68mm C-clamp** — fits standard desk edges, IKEA tabletops, kitchen counters, side tables, photography work surfaces. Fits desks up to 68mm thick (about 2.7 inches). Won't fit very thick farmhouse tabletops, butcher-block kitchen islands, or no-edge surfaces (no overhang).
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<summary>Question: What's the mount on top — does my F38 / Uka plate fit?</summary>
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Answer: Standard **1/4"-20 screw**, which means F38 base + plate, Uka base + plate, Arca-Swiss base + plate, and any quick-release with a 1/4" thread can be attached on top. Recommended workflow: leave an F38 or Uka base permanently on the TH04, then your camera (with matching plate) snaps in and out for fast setup.
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<summary>Question: Does it have a phone clamp included?</summary>
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Answer: **No** — the mount is 1/4" screw only. For phone use, add a separate phone clamp with a 1/4" thread (Ulanzi ST-27 or any compatible clamp). Adding a phone clamp + LED light combo turns TH04 into a flexible top-down phone rig for cooking content / tutorials.
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<summary>Question: How rigid is the arm at full reach? Will it sag?</summary>
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Answer: The spring-loaded articulating mechanism keeps the arm rigid at extension when loaded under 2kg. **Minor sag is normal at 910mm full reach + 2kg payload** (~5-10mm droop). Reduce reach by 30-40% and the rigidity becomes essentially indistinguishable from a fixed boom. For ultra-stable food cinematography, position the camera 600-700mm out rather than at full 910mm.
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<summary>Question: Does it fold for storage / travel?</summary>
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Answer: Yes — the arm folds into a compact L shape. Stores flat against a wall or in a drawer. Foldable design is intentional for studios where the overhead rig only comes out for specific shoots and otherwise needs to be out of the way.
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<summary>Question: How is this different from a Manfrotto 244N magic arm?</summary>
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Answer: **Manfrotto 244N** ($110-130) is a friction-arm style with single locking lever — needs a separate clamp to mount, single fixed length (~33cm). **TH04** ($99.99) includes the desk clamp, has 910mm reach, foldable design, and spring-loaded positioning instead of friction-only. TH04 is purpose-built for desk-overhead workflows; 244N is more general-purpose rigging on existing C-stands.
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