Matthews Studio Equipment introduces The Claw

Matthews has announced the answer for safely mounting Astera Hyperion, Titan and Helios as well as T12 tube lights to standard grip equipment: The Claw.

The Claw is a new generation clamp, designed to solve real on-set issues, by Sci-Tech Award-winning Key Grip Richard Mall with gaffer Jeremy Launais and crafted by the team at MSE headquarters in Burbank, California.

Made of lightweight aluminium with a black anodised finish and weighing in under one-half pound, the system offers the familiar operation of the popular Matthellini Clamp. But in this case, the Claw is purpose-built for delicate tubular lighting fixture and features an attachment insert for a safety strap.

This unique tool brings these popular lights into the grip world, offering ease and compatibility with any common rigging that has a baby receiver. Integral to The Claw is a Matthews 5” long, industry-standard 5/8” Baby Pin. Designed with the mounting pin in-line with the fixture, facilitates low-profile and simple mounting to a 5/8” grip head or Baby receiver. The ¼”-20 threaded receiver allows the pin to be extended using a MicroRod or similar hardware. Adding Claws to a grip kit enables easy stacking of any number of tubes or accomplishing custom designed tube light arrays.

Operation is easy. The Claw’s threaded pin may be activated by rotating its winged handle. Clockwise tightening engages the jaw’s four fingers, clamping them more than 180-degrees around the fixture for a sure hold. The handle is specially sized to eliminate over-cranking— a half turn is all it takes.

For added protection each Claw finger is padded with textured rubber to avoid surface damage and slippage—safeguarding from nicks and scrapes on the tube’s housing. Within the jaw a series of magnets work to keep the Claw fingers in the open position ready to receive a tube.