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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 :)

The Clutch

How does it compare to the ET Mantis? Anyone tried both?


I made a combination out of the two. Personally, I prefer the camera directly on my shoulder.
 
I haven't had the chance to use a rig similar to the clutch and after playing around with my Scarlet, I realize that I need something to get more steady shots. I have a couple of complete newbie questions.

Does using the clutch give you silky smooth steady shots?
Can you get a steady moving shot while walking with the clutch?

Thanks in advance for any information.

-Mike
 
I haven't had the chance to use a rig similar to the clutch and after playing around with my Scarlet, I realize that I need something to get more steady shots. I have a couple of complete newbie questions.

Does using the clutch give you silky smooth steady shots?
Can you get a steady moving shot while walking with the clutch?

Thanks in advance for any information.

-Mike

Not really, If you think of it that would be the end of dollies, steady cams and all the rest. But it does make your epic / scarlet brain into a nice shoulder cam.
 
Does using the clutch give you silky smooth steady shots?
Can you get a steady moving shot while walking with the clutch?

The Clutch is good for control and saving your spine. Strength and practice can dampen the transference of your body movements to the camera, but 'silky smooth' requires higher end gear as Bjorn says.

And that gear is awesome! As is The Clutch.
 
I haven't had the chance to use a rig similar to the clutch and after playing around with my Scarlet, I realize that I need something to get more steady shots. I have a couple of complete newbie questions.

Does using the clutch give you silky smooth steady shots?
Can you get a steady moving shot while walking with the clutch?

Thanks in advance for any information.-Mike

Hand held, or rather, shoulder supported shots, are just that, and will all ways have that quality and those drawbacks. They can be very smooth, but it takes 3 things: #1: A perfectly balanced camera with a low centre of gravity and good handgrips. #2: Lots of practice. #3: Talent...#1 can be achieved very simply...Camera base as low as you can(lens at eyelevel)and you should avoid any kind of chestpad iMO. You should be able to let go of the handles, the rig still stayning balanced...use a piece of cloth or small towel,. as a shoulder pad #2: 22 years ago I practiced insulating my lower body movements from my upper body, by holding a cup of scolding hot coffee with my thumb and index finger walking up and down stairs...#3...#2 Will soon tell you..
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. The information is very useful.
 
It's an awesome bit of Kit... very well made in fact.... but probably about 2-3 grand to expensive for the masses.
It's half the price of and actual Scarlet, you can actually buy 2 x Canon 5ds with lenses for that... and at the end of the day, its just a bunch of aluminium brackets, with not a single electronic part in it sitting on your shoulder. Take the camera of it and it becomes a...bunch of aluminium brackets.

I'd love to see more people buy RED accessories, because they are very good. But just short of 5k for a thing that sits on your shoulder... ?.. you have to really think.

Some things in the RED store are so cheap.. other things are like NOT.... Like a RED MOTE... CHEAP!!!... The SCARLET.. CHEAP! A RED MAG card !!!!.. NOT!

I'm not wineing... I've bought almost everything RED has made X3... but for the not so well to do out there, its a big stretch to purchase a bracket that cost half as much as your camera.

Even though there is a shit load of profit in these parts, ( I know this because I know dudes in China knocking alot of this stuff out) .. Sometimes its best to bring the price down to reality to make people want to by the camera in the first place.

People do put things in perspective these days... I know I did when I was getting in PRO cameras many years ago.

I'm only rambling on because I'd like some of the less endowed to enjoy the RED experience.

And at the end of the day, I don't own RED, Its a business and should make money.... why not. :) so what I say doesn't mean diddle squat.



Have I told lately, how much I love my EPIC. :)
 
Yeah... Wish I could afford one... even the gunner is not an option at the moment. Here's to hoping. I'd rather spend my money at RED than a third party seller, but some things will just have to wait.. Quite some time. Lots of other stuff is almost as expensive. Shoulder rigs from 1500 to 5000 are pretty normal if you're not buying from a Chinese noname.
 
Love my CLUTCH. Worth every penny IMO. When you're supporting a $30,000-$100,000 camera, a solid $5,000 rig isn't all that unbelievable. Count in R&D, parts, manufacturing time, margin... it all adds up.
 
True. But a 15.000 scarlet setup ... I wouldn't mind adding it to my inventory if I could. But a 1.500-2.500 rig just fits the bill somewhat better. Guess I'll jut have to wait.
 
The thing that convinced me to buy it was that I didn't have a lot of the core camera support bits (19mm rods, quick release etc.). Red support gear I was looking at tallied up to $2200-$2400ish, the extra wasn't a lot more than dropping $2K on an ET...

Not advocating one way or the other, but this is how it played for me.
 
The thing that convinced me to buy it was that I didn't have a lot of the core camera support bits (19mm rods, quick release etc.). Red support gear I was looking at tallied up to $2200-$2400ish, the extra wasn't a lot more than dropping $2K on an ET...

Not advocating one way or the other, but this is how it played for me.

Me too.
 
I have a Clutch and bought it "out of the gate" with my Epic package. I'm SO GLAD I did too! It's flat out awesome. I tried the Gunner at Reducation recently, it was nice too... both have their place. I agree... if you have TWO quick release plates, you can go from sticks to Clutch in seconds. That's awesome!
 
I've just received the clutch today from RED, but as there exists no user manual, I have to figure out how things work... As of now, I have the following question and hope somebody can help: someone wrote that the rig should be balanced so it stays on the shoulder without holding the sticks. I can't figure out how this should work, as all heavy parts including the brain are positioned on the front side?
 
It's an awesome bit of Kit... very well made in fact.... but probably about 2-3 grand to expensive for the masses.
It's half the price of and actual Scarlet, you can actually buy 2 x Canon 5ds with lenses for that... and at the end of the day, its just a bunch of aluminium brackets, with not a single electronic part in it sitting on your shoulder. Take the camera of it and it becomes a...bunch of aluminium brackets.

I'd love to see more people buy RED accessories, because they are very good. But just short of 5k for a thing that sits on your shoulder... ?.. you have to really think.

Some things in the RED store are so cheap.. other things are like NOT.... Like a RED MOTE... CHEAP!!!... The SCARLET.. CHEAP! A RED MAG card !!!!.. NOT!

I'm not wineing... I've bought almost everything RED has made X3... but for the not so well to do out there, its a big stretch to purchase a bracket that cost half as much as your camera.

Even though there is a shit load of profit in these parts, ( I know this because I know dudes in China knocking alot of this stuff out) .. Sometimes its best to bring the price down to reality to make people want to by the camera in the first place.

People do put things in perspective these days... I know I did when I was getting in PRO cameras many years ago.

I'm only rambling on because I'd like some of the less endowed to enjoy the RED experience.

And at the end of the day, I don't own RED, Its a business and should make money.... why not. :) so what I say doesn't mean diddle squat.



Have I told lately, how much I love my EPIC. :)

You have Mark. And we all do.
For me (privately) anything is a stretch... :)

For me (representing whatever) a lot isn't.

I see both sides of that equation...
 
Gian, I don't have a Clutch currently (going to pull the trigger any time now on that) but I did try it on at NAB. I found that it was heavy in the front if you didn't snug up the pads against your body really well. Once it sits on your shoulder comfortably and the pads are tight then it should move with your torso without holding the grips. Become one with the machine!
 
Does anyone know what the parts list is for this setup?

Looks like a more compact run and gun alternative to Gunner.

Thanks!



Jarred, will the shoulder pad be sold separately, love the setup you showed in another thread.
When will the wedge be available in the store ?

thanks
Manuel
 
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