View Full Version : What rails system / matte box are people running?


Peter Ford
January 16th, 2012, 12:01 PM
I was hoping to get a shoot35 system - i really like their kit, but according to their website their matte box is too small for CP2's

What matte box / rails systems are people running - anything anyone would recommend?

Doug Jensen
January 16th, 2012, 01:05 PM
O'Connor O-box with their universal baseplate, O-grips, and CFF1 follow-focus.
Red Rock rods.
Zacuto EVF
Bereky plate

Ned Soltz
January 16th, 2012, 01:26 PM
Zacuto Universal Baseplate (already had one) with Zacuto rails and Zacuto back cheeseplate for Anton Bauer battery mount. Petroff mini follow focus. OConnor O Box for Mattebox. Also Zacuto shoulder pad and Shape handles.

Morton Molyneux
January 16th, 2012, 11:15 PM
O'Connor O-box, Bereky plate and rods, Cinevate follow focus

Charles Papert
January 17th, 2012, 12:03 AM
Out of curiousity, Doug, Ned and Morton, are you using the rear bellows on your O-Box? I'm finding that the rubber flange constantly detaches itself from the solid ring--not a great design. Also,one of the red filter tray tiedowns is so recessed (and small) that most people including myself have a really hard time operating it. Otherwise, a decent piece of gear for the price.

Alister Chapman
January 17th, 2012, 01:04 AM
Genus Elite Matte Box with Genus uni-plate, but I really like the new MTF base plate if your only using it for a matte box and rails. It needs a rail support to the rear if you want to hang stuff off the back end.

Paul Ream
January 17th, 2012, 03:47 AM
Mine sounds very similar to Ned Soltz!

Zacuto Universal Baseplate (already had one) with Zacuto rails and Zacuto back cheeseplate for V-Lock battery mount. Genus follow focus. Genus Mattebox. Also Zacuto shoulder pad and Shape handles.

Found the Shape handles work perfectly.

Doug Jensen
January 17th, 2012, 06:49 AM
Out of curiousity, Doug, Ned and Morton, are you using the rear bellows on your O-Box? I'm finding that the rubber flange constantly detaches itself from the solid ring--not a great design. Also,one of the red filter tray tiedowns is so recessed (and small) that most people including myself have a really hard time operating it. Otherwise, a decent piece of gear for the price.

Charles, I completely agree about the locking screws being very hard to get your fingers on. I have given feedback to O'Connor about this and hope they will come up with a better solution.

I don't use the rubber flange because I don't need it, but I also understand what you mean about it not staying attached. That was frustrating at first but then I found I didn't even need it at all with the Sony lenses or Zeiss CP lenses. For my Cine-Xenar lenses (that do need a flexible seal because they extend and retract as I focus) I use a rubber Red Rock donut that solves the problem perfectly.

I really like the build quality and the size of the O'Connor system, but it is not perfect.

Ned Soltz
January 17th, 2012, 07:47 AM
I have had some issues with the rubber bellows attachment on the O Box. I have an old Lomo 37-140 zoom (very nice images, actually) which extends slightly. If I am not perfectly lined up with the mattebox opening and the lens extends, it can dislodge the rubber bellows. Otherwise, it really has not been an issue for me. The locking pins are a problem. But all in all for the money it is hard to beat.

Something else that is pretty essential for F3, IMHO, is the Berkey top plate. The F3 handle is so weak that I wouldn't hang anything on it and the Berkey plate just looks like a natural part of the camera. Really well done.

If I didn't already have the Zacuto plate, I would have bought the ElementTechnica, but the Zacuto more than does the job.

Ned