Hey, I haven't seen this posted before. I'm looking for a matte box with a follow focus for cheap. If anyone has any definitive information about what's out there I'd love to see it. Here is what I've found:

http://cinetactics.com/mb145a.php

Chris,

For the same reason I bought the Z1 over the FX1 (to get the best I could get for a reasonable amount of upgrade money)....I would apply to a matte box...

The whole cloth + velcro + fold up and stick in your pocket type matte box.....uhhh, it just doesn't fit right with me.

Answer me this.....Would you buy a 2005 Mercedes Benz S500...........with cloth interior and manual windows????

Same way I feel when I see that Mattethingy?? Alongside functionality...."Perception" means allot too. (smile) If I get a mattebox, it will be with Leather Interior and Electric Windows.
*smile*

- Shannon W. Rawls

Call me crazy, but I kinda like it.

Would fit well for the kind of work we do, very fast setups and location changes at the drop of a hat.

Of course, I also got the FX1. I'm not a big leather guy. :)

Shannon, I hear you. But, my funds are depleted since I bought the Z1. I'm going to have to rent the mattebox...which isn't really a big deal.

<<<-- Originally posted by Bryan McCullough : Would fit well for the kind of work we do, very fast setups and location changes at the drop of a hat. -->>>

<<<-- Originally posted by Christopher C. Murphy : my funds are depleted since I bought the Z1. -->>>

Understood by both. (slapping my hand) BAD SHANNON!

*smile*

- Shannon W. Rawls

<<<-- Originally posted by Christopher C. Murphy : Shannon, I hear you. But, my funds are depleted since I bought the Z1. I'm going to have to rent the mattebox...which isn't really a big deal. -->>>

Go for it. Shannon sounds like a classy snob... but a real snob would always pick non-electrical windows and real wood panels.


Carlos

Personally, a nice big box of Sugar Crisp is the way to go! I mix it up once in awhile and switch it up with Frosted Flakes.

Bwhaha, I've no dough left since committing to HDV... spent my last few $$$ buying black spray paint so everyone from afar thinks my FX1 is a Z1...

Okay, just kidding. But my guerilla filmmaker spirit applauds Murphy's resourcefulness - spending oodles on "flaps" - yes it looks nice, but really, on most jobs I do, the client doesn't care if I'm driving them in a Mercedes or on the back of a moped - as long as I get them to the destination...

Yes, I know in this business, perception is key... but right now priority dictates - saving $$$ for better editing system... editing frame-by-frame sucks.

Remember, the lens-mountable Cinetactics MattebLox is even more expensive then the plastic/metal lens-mountable Formatte 500 Mattebox.

So, the 'on a budget' spirit of spending oodles of $$ on flaps don't apply here, cause if you go the cloth/velcro route...you'll be speinding more cash.

Because the FX1/Z1U is anamorphic, you have to buy this model:
http://cinetactics.com/k-mba.php

Which happens to be $87 bucks more then this puppy:
http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/format44.html

For $293 bucks incl. filter holders and huge french flag....wow...that's perfect (especially for indie budgets)

Better photos: http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/FormattMB/

However, good find Chris, because the MattebLox is waaaayy more portable thent he Formatt. Problem is, I just forsee 'vingnetting' happening with the the MattebLox because the filters would be velcro mounted so far away from the lens on our cameras.
Doing a wide shot would almost guarantee that the FX1/Z1U would get the lens focused in the shot.

seem to be.

- Shannon W. Rawls

Shannon,

I get nervous about putting a lens-mountable mattebox on, particularly when you start adding weight of flags. It probably doesn't make sense but being super careful with the lens area is just something that's been beat into my head since high school.

I'm much more comfortable thinking of a bar support system with a mattebox.

Of course if people get the Formatt one and it looks good and doesn't put stress on the lens area then I might consider it. I just really like the idea of bars supporting the mattebox.

Which is partly why the cloth one looked good to me, didn't seem to be much weight there.

FWIW, I've had the Mattblox for my XL-1 for a little over a year. Got it during a holiday special for $210/inc shipping. I can attest to the fact that it is nice and light. It's really nice when you've got a heavy converter stacked on the front of an already front heavy cam. I can heartily recommend it based on quality of construction and quick configuration changes.

I realize it's a bit more expensive for the Sony cams but note there are two different offerings. One ana kit is actually cheaper than the 2 filter.com kit. The other more expensive ana kit has several filter holders and other goodies included.

Just my .02 worth.

regards,

-gb-

More Photos: http://www.mvsvideo.co.uk/equipment_formatt.htm

Chris, do you have a sponsor that sells this? i need to get one.

- Shannon W. Rawls

Hey Guys,
I have the mattebox in question, I was unsure at first but it's a great piece. It is very very well made and it sets up in snap. I love how adjustable it is. The over-sized french flag was a life saver on my latest shoot. Because of it's design it can be moved it just about any kind of way you could ever want. I would say it's a good purchase and looks great on the cam as well.

My 2 c,
Thanks,
Eric James

Eric,

Which one do you have? The Matteblox or the Formatt one?

Either way, I'd love to see some pics of your setup.

Matteblox :)

Cool.

I'd really love to see some pics of this on your cam. I'm still really interested in this but haven't heard/seen any reviews from actual FX1/Z1 owners.

I'll try to get some up late tonight or tomorrow.
Thx,
Eric James

Hi Chris
Have a Matteblox, a Formatt and a Chrosziel.
Here's my two cents.
The Matteblox and Formatts both screw into the lens.
The Matteblox will take the rectangular end of my anamorphic adaptor
Both are light.
I use them for different purposes (actually, for different cameras - I have 35mm, S16 and DVXs)
The Chrosziel is part of a 15mm rod system that doesn't hang off the end of the lens. I have a follow focus mechanism also mounted here.
This is ideal for controlled situations off a tripod or jib where one can get multiple takes, have rehearsals, etc.

The Formatt I find is more useful for lighter rigs, e.g. on a car mount, etc., where the follow focus isn't required - but I can't use it with my anamorphic adaptor.

So if I use my anamorphic adaptor I'm more or less stuck with the Matteblox. Not that it's any worse than the others. On a Steadicam/Magiqcam, it's the lightest (and therefore the best) one to use. The long flag is especially useful here, since my Magiqcam shots are usually performed in varied and variable lighting conditions.

The Matteblox doesn't have a rotating filter holder so if you're using a polarizer you'd be in trouble (for instance when shooting into the front seat of a car through the windscreen). Well, you can rotate it first, then stick/velchro it down, I guess. Haven't tried it myself. Prefer to do the adjusting looking through the lens.

Cost wise, it's Formatt, Matteblox, Chrosziel, in that order. The first two are cheaper by a long shot. I bought all three online for way less than shop price. Just waited around until one came up on ebay or my local bulletin boards that was too good to pass by.

I don't have the DVX Chrosziel, BTW, the one that needs a $150 shave of the anamorphic lens "hood" to work, just a regular 4x4 one I have off my flim cameras. Seems to work just fine. I guess that the 4x5.65" Panavision filters would work better with 16:9 but that's a whole can of worms I don't want to get into until someone else pays for me to buy it.

Actually, the lens hood off my DVX works fine, and the 72mm filters are cheaper than the 4x's to boot.

So mainly I shoot with that, or the Matteblox if I'm using the 16:9.

Get this: if I'm out shooting by myself, 98% of the time it's the standard lens shade, camera hand held, maybe a light tripod. Camera mic mostly, headphones maybe (5-15% of the time). I have a Cinebag that has the Matteblox, a short shotgun mic, headphones, filters, etc., etc, and really, I have to admit that most of it just sits in the bag, which sits in my truck while I have the camera out in a light bag, and am shooting with it.

What I HAVE to have:

Camera (DVX)
Stills type shoulder camera bag containing:
My custom checklist card that I made up for setups & white bal
Tapes
Batteries
Lens blower (small can)
Piece of well washed (auto store) chamois leather (to wrap/clean camera)
Raincoat for camera (I use the generic Portabrace one, always carry it)
Camera mounted, rechargeable 8" mini fluoro tube (home depot) lamp
Matteblox (if shooting 16:9)
Light tripod with sling (Bogen 501/3221, maybe)

That's about it.

The big rigs are usually there to impress higher playing clients. (Don't forget, the bigger the camera rig, the more the camera crew to set up and operate that rig, and the bigger the budget.

This part of the budget isn't always visible on screen, so here's my rule of thumb: if I can just shoot it with the standard kit, auto focus, auto iris, and not be the wiser, then that's all I use, no matter who's watching.

If the camera rises or moves, then I add equipment. If the focus racks in a complex manner, I add more equipment. If I see lens flare and I don't want it, I add a shade. (BTW, usually that shade is a half or full flag off a C stand, and not attached to the camera at all)

And so on.

Put the money where you can see it, is what I say.

Learn to use one piece of gear at a time so you're really good at using it, before moving on to the next.

Expand your gear collection as you need to use it. For me, I like to plant a little investment seed in buying core gear, then work the gear and have it support itself (i.e. pay for its own maintenance, etc) then have it grow and expand and beget little gear...

Over the years you'll have probably everything there is to get anyway, one way or another, but there will be a difference, and it's a big one:

it's about the boys, not the boys.

HTH
Cheers
Chris

350 dollars for a cheap piece of cloth and velcro and we're actually grateful. This is why Titanic cost as much as a space mission.

You know, you're right.

I didn't pay anything like $350 for mine. And wouldn't.

They're just asking for someone else to come along and out-compete them, or, just make one themselves.

Just like Burt Rutan, puts a man (an older private pilot, who, incidentally, wouldn't even make the NASA induction program) and a ship that burns environmentally friendly fuel into space on the budget of half one of the Titan's rocket booster guidance systems...

This is the country for commerical competition.
This is definitely the forum for home grown innovation.
Anybody handy with an industrial sewing machine?

Cheers
Chris

http://www.expertmagic.com/images/matteblox.jpg

I no longer have my digi cam so I couldn't take any new ones(got stolen)

I'll try to borrow a cam to take some better pics of the mattebox. This was the ONLY photo I could find, sorry about the outoffocus-ness.

Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Eric James

Is that an LCD hood on there as well?

What are you using for that?

It's a Hoodman H400 and it's by far the best extra piece I've purchased. It really helps even in dark areas where you wouldn't normally think. It just helps with framing because it's keeps everything separate from the real world. Very much like an eyepeice viewfinder does. Oh yea and it's cheap too.

My 2 c,
Eric James

p.s. it's not me in the above pic, but my appentice who is learning his very first things on an HD camera (Lucky Him)

Hi Eric,

I will firmly second your findings with the hoodman, I have been using one for my Z1 & will never turn back !

I have made one more addition to the LCD, I went out and purchased a £5 ($5-10) magnifier (the kind designed for game handhelds - ie Gameboy Advance SP).

I then made minor modifications to this (at £5 each I can afford to!) by filing down the supports (a few mms only) so that it sits securely with a couple of elastic bands.

It makes a perfect v/f 'diop', fitting snuggly within the hoodman and adding little weight, making the rear v/f pretty much redundant !

This particular magnifier came from "Gamester" (Starter Pack), the link below shows it pretty clearly..

http://www.radicauk.com/product/74220.htm

But I am sure most any GBA SP magnifier can be adapted to do just as good a job. It really does improve the feel of the LCD, somehow adding 'depth' and helping to verify focus without any need for squinting. Plus if you're using any kind of shoulder mount it acts to relieve eye strain when the LCD is close up.

(Thanks to the XL2 designers for my inspiration for this!)

All this for less than $10 - talk about bang for buck !
Dave.