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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Scarlet Tactical Cage vs. VF Full Metal Jacket

They don't strike me as that different, but I like the FMJ system better. One the ribs work as nano-rails, the 15mm light weight mount is far superior to the clutch system's, Lastly Red wont custom anodize their system VF will anodize the FMJ system whatever color you want and put your name or logo on it. Our Epic and scarlet packages have the FMJ which is anodized Red with our logo on it. It's a great way to brand our gear. Also the Red on the Black Epic body looks Great.

Stephen Wheeler
Daufenbach Camera
Specializing in RED, Digital Cinema, & 3D
www.daufenbachcamera.com
(O) 312-226-0042
(C) 312-933-9199
(F) 312-284-5892
 
Andy White said:
Interesting - can you elaborate a bit more on the height issues with the Clutch and the FMJ'd Scarlet/Epic?
Click to expand...

Sure, you see, when you're using a RED cage system all the ribs are attached to the sides of the camera and at the bottom of the camera you have this mounting plate, that goes inside the quickrelease platform, and that platform itself is in the heart of the Clutch, cause you connect the 19mm universal mounts directly to it and insert rods there, therefore they're on the same level in terms of height. You then add your follow-focus and mattebox to these rods that stick out of the quickrelease platform.

Now let's imagine that you have a fully "FMJ'ed" Epic/Scarlet that you want to put on the Clutch. The FMJ cage requires you to attach a bottom plate to the camera in order to use ribs on the sides. This bottom plate is something like 7-9mm thick (I don't have the exact measurements, so those who know them feel free to correct me), so essentially your camera becomes 7-9mm higher, therefore, your follow focus gear should go higher (it's not a problem if you have an FF like O'Connor CFF-1 with an adjustable gear, but may become one when you use a standard FF with a gear that's non-adjustable), but what's more important, due to this height difference your mattebox ends up lower (it's still sitting on the rods that are sticking out of the quickrelease platform, remember) which may introduce problems with making different lenses work with a mattebox. The mattebox will just sit lower than your lens by that 7-9mm.

However, if you really like the FMJ you can buy their 15mm Standard Bracket that will allow you to mount rods directly on the FMJ bottom plate, RED has a similar solution — Modular Assault Plate Pack. Although these solutions are dedicated to creating a lightweight setup with those "mini-rods" and are not a substitute to a 19mm studio setup that the Clutch basically is.

Hope that my explanation is clear.
 
Last edited:
FYI. The Full Metal Jacket Bottom plate spaces the EPIC/Scarlet to work with existing Red One hybrid base plates including the older original base plates. Everything we make serves a purpose.
 
vincelucero said:
So does this mean using the FMJ raises the EPIC on RED's DSMC QUICK RELEASE PLATFORM PACK by 6-9mm? Guess that negates the shim needed for the Element Technica Hybrid as noted.
Click to expand...

By the looks of it, yeah, I'd say that's about right.
 
Stephen Wheeler said:
They don't strike me as that different, but I like the FMJ system better. One the ribs work as nano-rails, the 15mm light weight mount is far superior to the clutch system's, Lastly Red wont custom anodize their system VF will anodize the FMJ system whatever color you want and put your name or logo on it. Our Epic and scarlet packages have the FMJ which is anodized Red with our logo on it. It's a great way to brand our gear. Also the Red on the Black Epic body looks Great.

Stephen Wheeler
Daufenbach Camera
Specializing in RED, Digital Cinema, & 3D
www.daufenbachcamera.com
(O) 312-226-0042
(C) 312-933-9199
(F) 312-284-5892
Click to expand...



can you post some photos?
 
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