Cavision

[Josh Bass]

I was looking at Cavision's sunshade style, 4X4 rotating matte box, and I had some questions about it. John Anthony from Cavision and his one word answers to my emails have not clarified anything, nor has the information on the company's website. I know some people here have used this gear, and I read, I believe, all the posts regarding it. Still, I want to make sure.


I like the the handgrips, but I want to hold off on them until I get my pistol grip bracket dealy for my PGL, and see how that works.

If I"m using the box with my manual lens, I don't need, the rods, correct? People have mentioned that when the front element of your lens rotates, that means you need the rods. Someone else said that for the 16x manual lens, you don't need the rods. Is this correct? If so, I'm assuming the front element you refer to is not the focus ring.

How many different adapter rings am I looking at if I want to use the box with the manual lens sans .6x Century wide angle converter, with the converter, and with the plain ol' stock lens?

Lastly, is it possible to mount the PGL in place of one of the handgrips?

[Chris Hurd]

Josh, I must say you buy gear faster than anyone I know.

I'd hold off on the pistol grips if I were you. The VariZoom PG-L is a pistol grip... that's what the "PG" stands for. The bracket, when it arrives, should do exactly what you want.

The 16x manual lens does not have a rotating front element (the very front piece of glass), which is a good thing because you can use a clamp-on matte box.

Some lenses which do have rotating front elements, such as the older 14x manual lens, require a rod assembly to hold the matte box in place, in front of the lens.

A clamp-on matte box should be okay as long as it isn't too heavy, so that it doesn't put a weight strain on the front of the lens. Hope this helps,

[Adrian van der Park]

If you have 16x manual, no need for support rods for mattebox only.

However, if you want to use the handgrips from cavision, then you need the rod system. rods are also good for supporting heavy wide angle and anamorphic adapters and taking stress off of lens mounts.

I don't know how you'd use the varizoom with handgrips though, since I don't have one to test with.

As for clamp rings for using mattebox with WA, depends on the front diameter of your WA. I don;t know off hand what the 4x4 MB has, but I think it's 100mm, or around there.

[Josh Bass]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I am buying a lot of stuff, but I don't think I'm going nuts. I feel I need a certain number of tools to get me through most situations, and I'm just trying to acquire them quickly so I can stop acquiring stuff. A nice shoulder support, a good boom mic, an external monitor, a wide angle converter, etc. I'm trying not to get anything silly that I won't use often (like the ebow for my guitar). The reason I feel I need a matte box is because youc can't use the lens hood with the Century converter, and I almost did go with the $200 Century sunshade, but then I figured "and what if I need filters sometime soon (not the screw-in type). Rather spend the $500 now then have to go and spend it later, after spending $200 on a sunshade. The Pananvision camera will just have to wait, though.

P.S. I am aware that the Century sunshade does hold filters, but I was told by Chris (ZGC's, not Hurd) they're a weird size. Someone else on the forum here also expressed doubts as to its effectiveness as blocking lens flare. If anyone has cheaper suggestions than the Cavision, I'm open. It looks like it's either that one or the Image 2000. They're about the same price. The Cavision comes with a french flag and a few other goodies for its cost, though.

[Daniel H. Buchmann]

josh,
I'm in the same boat sorta. I have the XL1 with stock lens and the century .06 WA converter, and am shopping around for a matte box. Do you know if the cavision 4x4 will support the 16x stock lens? Also, have you seen any prices on filters for that matte box?

[Adrian van der Park]

yes, the cavision mattebox works with the stock 16x IS lens.

[Josh Bass]

I'm sorry, don't anything about filter prices. Try looking on ZGC's site--I thought maybe I'd seen some on there. I could be wrong. WWW.ZGC.COM

[Josh Bass]

Boy howdy, I think I just had me an epiphany. It is not a .6x converter, but a .6x ADAPTER. This means, no zoom. The 8x zoom is with the stock lens on autofocus, which makes sense since I lose focus every time, I zoom, and the only way to stay in focus would be to refocus, which is what autofocus does.

Chris (once again, the female one) did tell me that you could zoom without the autofocus, but she is apparently mistaken. This still does not explain why at its widest setting, the lens is in focus without the adapter, and out of focus with the adapter, until I ajust the back focus. I'm going to play with back focus tomorrow, and see what happens.

[Chris Hurd]

No doubt they have a decent return policy providing you were careful to keep it like new, and retain the packaging, etc. I'm sure they will take it back.

[Josh Bass]

I'm sure. I'd like to keep it, but if it doesn't work, then oh well. I adjusted the back focus using the fancy method listed somewhere previous, and still the adapter was out of focus when put on. Century was closed because it was Columbus Day, which I was unaware of. How, you ask? All part of the Josh Bass experience.

[Josh Bass]

Here's the skinny, if anyone else is in my situation. With the manual lens, you adjust the macro focus after putting the adapter on. I cannot believe I didn't think of this.