MCS Cage Adds Versatility to Your Cinematography
The Master Cinema Series platform cage takes nearly every aspect of your camera and turns it into a movie-making machine. In fact, the Letus MCS cage works great for essentially every kind of filmmaking scenario. Whether you love your Canon 5D, shoot weddings with a Sony FS-100, shoot music videos with your Canon 7D, or captivate audiences with your Sony F3. Or, ramp up to 120 fps on a Red Epic, or crank your ISO up to 20,000 on the new Canon C300.
MCS Cage Camera Versatility
This platform was not engineered for 7000 hours and battle-tested in the field to only serve DSLRs. Rather, it was designed to transform any digital film capture device into a system like Panavision and Arriflex.
Look at all of the cameras coming out. They are a plastic body with a lot of buttons. You can’t attach anything to them. You can’t rig them. They are not cinema ready. So, what Letus and I have done is give every camera a versatile cage to attach whatever is necessary to turn your camera into something that looks and feels like a 35mm motion picture camera.
The cage gives every camera assistant a place to put an on-board focus monitor, MDR for remote follow focus, cinetape, etc. Once you mount the cage to the camera, you’re set to roll. Moreover, there are plenty of gear companies that manufacture baseplates, handles, rods, etc. However, they were not designed as well as the MCS to serve as a platform for your camera.
Motion Cinema Series System
The MCS system gives you high-speed baseplates for quick conversion, high-end 3-stage matte boxes with anti-reflection tray, and rota polarization. Furthermore, it consists of Panavision gear technology in a follow focus, EVF extension/leveler technology, handles that don’t slip, and handles to grab the camera as the pros use.
- The Red Epic/Scarlet Cage gives the camera points to rig and accessorize.
- Check out Cinema 5D Article
- The Canon 1DX is a DSLR with amazing features. This baby caged will take you by storm!
- The Sony FS-100: Caged and ready for action!!
Sony FS-100: Caged and ready for action!!
Canon C300 Cage and Shoulder Cam configuration
The MCS platform is priced to ignite your creativity; to throw gasoline on your flame. So, nothing compares to it in price, design, or quality. Please come into Revolution Cinema Rentals for a test drive.
Schedule 1-on-1 Video Call with Shane Hurlbut, ASC
Looking for mentorship in the film industry? Schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with Shane Hurlbut, ASC today! This is where you can get expert advice from an industry professional on your career or a particular project.
About Filmmakers Academy Cinematographer Mentor Shane Hurlbut, ASC
Director of photography Shane Hurlbut, ASC works at the forefront of cinema. He’s a storyteller, innovator, and discerning collaborator, who brings more than three decades of experience to his art. He is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers, the International Cinematographers Guild/Local 600, and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Hurlbut frequently joins forces with great directors: McG’s Netflix Rim of the World and The Babysitter, plus Warner Bros. We Are Marshall and Terminator: Salvation; Scott Waugh’s Need for Speed and Act of Valor; and Gabriele Muccino’s There Is No Place Like Home and Fathers and Daughters. In addition, credits include Semi-Pro; The Greatest Game Ever Played; Into the Blue; Mr 3000; Drumline; 11:14, which earned Hurlbut a DVDX nomination; and The Skulls. Notably, his television credits include the first season of AMC’s Into the Badlands.
…and gonna be picking up a couple of the MCS rigs for the Cali shoot. Been spreading the word too on Cinema 5D and saw another positive review on it as well besides mine.
These should be the defacto standard for digital cinema rigs, regardless of the sensor if you ask me.
KahL, I cannot thank you enough my friend. Thank you for the reviews as well as the support. I think Letus and I knocked it out of the park. I am in Azerbaijan right now and I just shot a live boxing match with it, delivered perfectly.
Nice design, hope to put my hands on a rig soon.
craigc, thank you so much for your support.
Hi Shane, I’m thinking about getting some of your MCS Rigs for our 5D/7D/T2i.
Is there some way of addressing the problem of HDMI plugs getting loose or breaking on camera side?
I’m pretty sure it already happened to you… ;-)
In my opinion that’s one of the weakest points on all of those cameras.
Kevin Schmitt, yes that is the camera’s weakest point and yes I have damaged many, but we have a HDMI clamp that attaches to the cage to help that problem. Order away, you will not be disappointed.
Kevin Schmitt, Yes, we supply an HDMI clamp for the cage. Works perfectly. Not on the website but you can order it.
Looks like I’ll be picking up a few items from your MCS parts bin to replace broken pieces from my current rig. As soon as the C300 ships, I’ll be picking up a complete MCS system.
Great work Shane.
Eric Diosay, That is great news. Thank you for all of your support and kind words about the MCS series, appreciate it HUGE!!!!
ordered some MCS parts! looking forward to use it..!
Hi Shane,
You mentioned in the comments about an HDMI clamp, but I can’t find that on the Letus site. This clamp is not released yet, correct?
Also, slightly off topic, but have you used the new Letus follow focus? How do your AC’s feel about the new model vs. what they’ve been using?
Thanks for your unending enthusiasm.
Art, yes the HDMI clamp is coming. The Letus follow focus is the best out there. My AC’s love it because it has X, Y and Z axis control, no other delivers this. Then you add the Panavision gear box in there and it is smokin’
Just saw the trailer for Act of Valor in a Vancouver theater! Looks Amazing!
Cedric Yu, Hey man, Haven’t heard from you in awhile. I am so glad you liked it. The extended trailer version is on line and kicks ass. Much more of the story. Here is the link.
Emailed Letus the other day about a D7000 cage and was pleased to hear back right away that one is coming very soon. Us Nikon guys need some love too! Fantastic to hear Shane mention there’s an HDMI cable clamp coming as well. Those two things basically guarantee I’ll be using the MCS stuff very soon! The cages work with baseplates other than the MCS v-lock plates right?
Alec, yes we are all about trying to deliver the beat product along with Rockin’ customer service. I am glad you had a great experience. Yes the cage will work with other baseplates but once you use ours there is never going back.
Hi guys…
i really want to go to a cage system, my one concern is that i have so much invested in my current rig… my matte box and follow focus are chrosziel and it seems like the cage will put my lens hight too high for the mattebox (which is a swing away mounted to iris rods…
is there a way to make the cage work with my current set up?
Thanks
Anthony
Anthony Ladesich, please contact Aaron at Letus Direct on the Mastercinemaseries.com website and we will get you all fixed up.
how do these rigs attach to a tripod when shoulder pad is attached
steven lyons, the shoulder pad rips right off with velcro which is embedded into the baseplate. Smooth as silk.
Shane I would like to congratulate you for the MCS series…amazing rigs and something that really makes me respect your work even more is the way you defend your beliefs…You keep on filming with the Canon DSLR´s even with all the evolution in the market…While others move from camera to camera you keep faithful to your DSLR´s and their gear. I wouldn´t choose anything else if I could…I hope that Canon sees what you are doing and values your efforts and expertise in developing their equipment.
Keep up the good work so I can learn some more :-)
Finally someone getting the gear right, congratulations Shane and Letus.
My only problems with the gear are that I want to buy the shoulder pad right now but know I’m buying the full shoulder kit later this year. I’m also trying to work out if I can use my RRS quick release somewhere practical on it!
Cheers,
Toby
Toby Angwin, Thank you so much. I feel we have gotten it right, and I feel that this should be the goto platform that everyone shoots with no matter what camera you use to create with. Our Baseplate is so cool and versatile, once you use it, RRS never will play again.
Ah the will live on bolted to the side of a helmet or the plate I can screw down in some nook or cranny on set for C cam. I see a dovetail I can screw to either side of your cage being handy…
Great system’s,
Designed by a cameraman for cameramen/women.
BTW is there a release date for AoV in the UK?
And thanks for ALL the great info on your site.
I just bought all the kit available for building ShoulderCam, MacCam, and ActionCam (dont need the StudioCam system). Dealing with Letus has been an amazing experience. At times, when I felt I might be “left to the wolves” Letus was true to their word to take good care of me – something I expect when buying high end hardware. They have not disappointed me, and the system is really going to help in bringing my filming to another level.
The hardware, and the people behind that harware (Shane, Hien, James), is no doubt the best choice one could make for this kind of kit. We picked MCS not because of price, but because we wanted the BEST.
Thanks for taking good care of this gentle soul with a lifetime of still photography behind him, but just now entering the world of the moving picture :-)
Mont
Shane,
While using the “Movie Making Machine Man Cam” configuration, I notice you go Left /Right (left hand forward, right hand back handle). I know this is a preference issue, but can I ask why it is your preference? Anything to do with stability, fatigue etc?
Mont, gives me stability and weight. My Man Cam rig weighs about 6-8 lbs. This helps with all the rolling shutter vibrations.