The Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand is a lightweight support with an impressive load capacity. A clever design feature called QSS (Quick Stack System) allows the stand to fold flat, enabling several stands to be clipped together to save space in the studio or on the road.
The Alu Master has a 5/8" (16 mm) "Baby" stud and features air-cushioning to ensure a soft decent of fragile equipment when the locking knob is loosened.
| Minimum Height | 48.8" (124 cm) |
| Maximum Height | 12' (3.65 m) |
| Closed Length | 42" (106.6 cm) |
| Footprint Diameter | 41.7" (106 cm) |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Maximum Load | 19.8 lbs (9 kg) |
| Attachment Size | 5/8" (16 mm) |
| Accepts Wheels | No |
| Air Cushioned | Yes |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Most Liked Positive Review
Manfrotto 1004BAC Light Stands Rock!
A couple of years ago I bought four 13' Manfrotto 3078 light stands to support my Profoto Compact 600R monoblocks. I recently acquired two more Profoto Compact monoblocks - this time the 300R, and...Read complete review
A couple of years ago I bought four 13' Manfrotto 3078 light stands to support my Profoto Compact 600R monoblocks. I recently acquired two more Profoto Compact monoblocks - this time the 300R, and went to B&H looking for two more 3078 stands because I had such good luck with them. Being a creature of habit, I was disappointed to find that Manfrotto had discontinued the 3078 and replaced it with the 1004BAC. Under duress, I ordered two of the 1004BAC stands for my new Profoto monoblocks and boy was I blown away! They've added air cushoning to them, so the stand doesn't just collapse under the weight of the light when you loosen a collar. Also, they've come up with this amazing "fold flat" design that allows the stands to be stacked on each other, requiring a lot less apace in my light stand bag. Now for the bad news . . . I like my new 1004BAC stands so much that I want to replace my old 3078 stands even though there is nothing wrong with them!
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Most Liked Negative Review
Air Cushioned, what a joke
The AC option on this stand isnt very reliable.
AC is meant to slowly lower your light unit but with this stand it slams down!
If you care for...Read complete review
The AC option on this stand isnt very reliable.
AC is meant to slowly lower your light unit but with this stand it slams down!
If you care for your flash unit or whatever you shoot with, dont buy this stand.
Reviewed by 41 customers
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I found out about this product on an online audio recording board as a solution to finding a microphone stand tall enough for ORTF orchestral recording. It works great! Finally a solution to this problem! I have only had the stand for a few weeks, but I have used it during two live concerts with some pretty heavy large condensers at the top and it works amazingly. It folds down compactly and is easy to use. I use it in conjunction with the LifeSaver Sand Bag for extra security so it doesn't topple over. I could not be more pleased so far, especially for the price.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I use this with a Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 and a Nikon SB-900 speedlight to provide back lighting at wedding receptions. I wanted a tall and durable stand that I could feel comfortable leaving at the side of a dance floor during receptions. This stand is great. It's lightweight and easy to transport while being built with excellent construction that lets me feel confident it's not going to break if somebody bumps into it.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I use this stand with an Einstein E640 and 30x60 softbox (combined weight 12 lbs.) and it is sturdy! Even when I accidentally bumped the stand it did not tip over! Plus the stackable design is great if you have more than one stand and need to get them into a trunk or for storage in small studios.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I am involved in recording classical and semi classical music and this light stand allowed us to get microphones up to 12 ft above the performance area. The unit cann hold one mic or two on a spreader bar but is easily trasportable from venue to another. Weight bags are critical as the mics are worth many times what the stand is!
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
It feels good, looks good, works good.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Wish these, I got 3 of them, would have been the first stands i ever bought! These are tank tough yet are light. Do yourself a favor and forget those cheap Impact stands and get theses!
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
very sturdy construction, easy to deploy and store. I'm very happy with this product.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
These stands are very well made, heavy duty. Always happy with Manfrotto equipment. I bought two of these and like how they will connect together for storage. They are long when collapsed(42"),but that was expected being a 12' stand. AC is nice. Will probably order one more.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
love the compact stackable design sturdy
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I was blown away when I got these stands...nicely built and sturdy. I first used them on a wedding and the height was a plus. I was able to bounce my flash on the ceiling easily after extending to maximum height.
The stands are steady and I love the way they stack together. It saves space in the bag.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Let me tell you, this light-stand is so good that it's even better than my Fluid head Sanford & Davis tripod! (I use it for video)
It's not that heavy, very VERY good built, love the air cushion, slides smoothly. Very precisely designed. I was worrying about it tipping over since I have a big 45" umbrella with a Canon 580 EX II flash but- no problem at all, even in the wind. This thing is worth EVERY BUCK!
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Very solid and well made, just like all of my Manfrotto products. Great for holding heavy lights.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
stacks, a little heavy though, does the job,
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Light, easy to carry, sturdy and strong. Great for heavy room lights or just plain height. Great value for the price and I love the stacking feature that take up almost no room in the bag. Three stands fit in the same space as one.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Great price. Stand goes very high and does the job. Might be a good idea to be weight on it just to stabilize especially when at its maximum height.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
[...] I was really happy with how light and sturdy this stand was and of course the fact I can raise it to 12'.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Great stand for the money!!!
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
Picked up this stand to work along with several other 9' models as it designed to have the same size base and 'clicks' together with the others for clean, easy storage.
It's solid, reliable and good looking (for good measure). The pressurized air system makes for safe raising and lowering which is so critical with a stand that goes this high. I don't have to worry about it slamming down if not tightened right or bearing all the weight when lowering a heavier strobe.
Worth every penny.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
This stand is well designed and well made. I especially like the air dampening in the column. These stands should last a long time unless you are extremely abusive to your gear. I plan on buying more. They also stack conveniently.
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Comments about Manfrotto Alu Master 3 Riser 12' AC Stand (Black):
I really like this stand. It feels really sturdy and is very easy to take on location. It is a bit on the heavy side but for my needs, this is just what I wanted. I wouldn't see myself hiking this stand to a remote location shoot though.
I only had one problem with this stand and it was a VERY aggravating one. First day I took this out on a shoot the bottom coupler came right off the stand completely. Apparently the coupler is held on my an allen screw that pushes a small metal piece against the metal tubing.
That's all fine and dandy but when I'm on a location shoot and my stand falls apart, thats a problem. I didn't have the right size allen wrench to fix the stand on the shoot so I had to tighten it as much as I could with a screwdriver.
I've learned my lesson and will always have an allen wrench with me when using this stand but honestly I didn't expect the screws to be that loose and to just fall apart on the first use.
Manfrotto is known for making crazy awesome stands so it really surprised me that they allowed this stand to make it out to a customer and have screws that loose. Luckily, I was holding the stand in another place when this happened. Otherwise my $800 lighting gear would have come crashing down to earth.
My advice... buy this stand but make sure all the screws are tight before you put anything on it.
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