can i use a 4x4 matte box if i shoot 16:9 with XL2

[Dale Guthormsen]

Here is another question: How do you place the attachment with the post?? I hav e some to post on the under water/over land group and it would be real handy to know!!

what a great idea to use the charger!!!! Wish I thunk that sometime back!! Great tip!!!!

[Kelly Harmsworth]

Thanks for the reply Chris.

Originally Posted by Chris Owen

Hi Kelly. No question is dumb if you don't know the answer :)

A mattebox is an "extended hood" that helps to prevent reflections and unwanted light from hitting the lens. They are also used to hold square filters. A mattebox with a french flag on the top can really help in keeping unwanted light off the lens when the source is bright and above the camera (outdoors they are great). Indoors, your lens hood is typically sufficient to handle the job.

[Devon Lyon]

I also shoot exclusively in 16:9 and have used the Chrosziel 4X4 with no problems. Works perfectly.

[Rainer Hoffmann]

I even use the Chrosziel 4x4 matt box with the 3x wide angle lens in 16x9 mode. No problems so far, except that it is a bit tricky to insert the filters because the FU-1000 gets in the way (the 3x lens is much shorter than the 16x manual or the 20x auto lenses). I haven't used the color viewfinder with this combination yet.

[Ian Stark]

Originally Posted by Jack Barker

I do it all the time as I also shoot exclusively in 16:9. Have a look:

Jack, is that a Formatt box you're using? I have one which I used with my XM2 but of course the adapter rings are the wrong size for the XL2. I've contacted Formatt but had no reply yet as to what size I need. I guess it's the 72mm adapter?

Is it a good tight fit on the XL2? I was never convinced about the fit on my XM2 (with either the standard 58mm or the 80mm adapter for the w/a lens) and I have this morbid fear of the box falling off and destroying a couple of hundred quids worth of filters (and shattering my professional veneer in the process!).

Cheers.

Ian . . .

[Jack Barker]

Ian,

Yup, it's the Formatt FM 500 with 72mm adapter. Because it's held in place by a single set-screw that seats right behind the lip of the adapter, it doesn't appear to want to go off on its own, but it will rotate, since the screw doesn't sit in a pre-made dimple or hole. I don't think this is a problem, and I also worry more about the filters than the box myself.

Over at DVXUser, they concluded that the only way to mount it on that cam was upside-down, as the microphone impedes access to the filter stages. There are quite a number using it that way, and i haven't read any reports of 4x4s sliding to their doom.

I like the box a lot. It's very big and very light.

[Ian Stark]

Hi Jack,

Thanks for that.

Have you thought of drilling a dimple or hole into the barrel? Kidding . . .

The mic position problem is exactly the issue I had on the XM2 unless I kept the wide angle lens on. To be honest, I don't often expect to use the on board mic on the XL2 so I think I can overcome that issue by just removing it - and what a shame it would be to lose the flag by mounting it upside down!

Yeah, I like my Formatt as well. From a shallow point of view, it made the XM2 look like a really pro piece of kit. Not sure how I can improve on the XL2 though. Monster cam!

Cheers.

Ian . . .

[Jack Barker]

Some misunderstandings.

The set-screw is chamfered at the end, like a sharpened pencil. The outer edge of the adapter is chamfered all the way around. When you tighten the set-screw, the two chamfers come together to hold the box in place, so my reference to a 'dimple" was misleading.

The problem with the microphone is a DVX100/HVX200 problem only. It doesn't occur on the XL2. The "mounting upside-down" was my mistake. On A DVX100, the box is mounted in the normal way (flag on top), but the filter stages allow for insertion from top and bottom (have a look at yours), and on that particular cam, bottom insertion is the only option, so the flag stays where it belongs.

A good looking matte box can give any camera that look of "Pro".

[Ian Stark]

Aha, see what you mean - and of course I was only kidding about drilling holes!!

Have a great day.

Ian . . .

[Nick Weeks]

Originally Posted by Jack Barker

Ian,

Yup, it's the Formatt FM 500 with 72mm adapter.

I like the box a lot. It's very big and very light.

Jack, I'm interested in purchasing this Matte box from B&H because of the super cheap deal... but I'm worried that it feels cheap and flemsy. Is it pretty sturdy?

Also, how adjustable is the french flag at the top, can it be tilted at a different angle?

Thanks

[Jack Barker]

Nick - the flag swings through 135° - from fully closed (down) to 45° above horizontal, and you really don't need to open it more than that.

As for "sturdy" – well, let me see. It's made from light aircraft aluminum, and has all the right folds and creases to make a lightweight metal rigid. But it is aluminum, so if you're shooting in a situation where it might get knocked, expect to get dings in it. The filter stages are plastic, but well made and surrounded by thicker aluminum. Otherwise, it's sturdy enough. If it were any sturdier, you would probably have to use a rods system, rather than hanging it on the XL2's long lens.

But think about it. You've got a $350 matte box sitting on the end of a $3,500 camera, and holding $2-400 worth of glass. You're not going to toss that around.

[Nick Weeks]

I figured if it breaks or is flimsier than I need, $350 is almost disposable and I can invest in a better unit, but for now this keeps me in budget :). I definitely won't be shooting in any rigorous activity (mostly weddings & documentaries) so knocking around shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the info