The Matthews Claw is a nice rigging solution for mounting the Astera Hyperion, Titan, and Helios, as well as T12 tube lights to standard grip equipment.
The Claw has been designed to offer intuitive operation and a solid hold while protecting the tube from slippage, over-squeeze, and scratching.
It is made of lightweight aluminum and weighs in at 7.5 oz / 212.6 g. The operation is similar to that of a Matthellini Clamp, but in this case, the Claw is purpose-built for tubular lighting fixtures.
The Claw offers compatibility with any common rigging solution that has a baby receiver. Integral to The Claw is a Matthews 5” long, industry-standard 5/8” Baby Pin.
It has been designed with the mounting pin in line with the fixture, to facilitate 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.
The Claw’s threaded pin can 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.
For added protection, each Claw finger is padded with textured rubber to avoid surface damage and slippage. Within the jaw, a series of magnets work to keep the Claw fingers in the open position ready to receive a tube.
The Claw comes with a black anodized finish and features an attachment insert for a safety strap.
Price & Availability
The Claw will begin shipping in October 2021 for $89 USD. In the coming months, Matthews will also offer the Veeboxx portable soft box enclosure to integrate with The Claw.
