Cavision: New model matte box for EX1?

[Jim McQuaid]

Cavision has had "MB4510H2EX1" for the EX1 and folks have reported having to machine off a small amount of material to get it to fit with the LCD folded in.

There is now a new model, "MB4510H2-BFI" which is listed "for the EX1" on Cavision web site. And the old model is cheap at the moment at a major web site / seller.

Can anyone explain the difference between these two models? Does the new one actually fit the camera better?

[Keith Moreau]

I don't have either, and not aware of the differences, but I do have an older 4x4 CAvision matte box. I really like that model because it is a bellows unit which allows me to move from wide angle to telephoto. In telephoto I extend the bellows for better glare reduction. I did do some investigation on the MB4510H2-BFI and it did require the filters to be inserted from below because the EX1's built-in mic overhangs the front of the lens, creating a problem for matte boxes in general, specifically putting in filters, which usually are inserted from the top. That's not possible with the CAvision matte boxes, not sure about other brands.

The issue is getting the matte box close to the EX1 lens without it vignetting and still clearing the EX1 mic. I don't like inserting filters from the bottom, maybe from the side, but to me there is too much a chance for gravity to play a part in it. For top loading units, having to have the matte box detached from the camera before inserting, then attaching it to the camera is also inconvenient. Let me know what you find.

[Jim McQuaid]

Thanks for the insights, but I really need to here from someone who has direct experience with one or both of these current EX1 models....

[George Kroonder]

Why not contact Cavision sales and have them answer your questions directly?

Maybe a good idea to make any purchase conditional on the answers you get.

George/

(Oh, and do report back; we appreciate that sort of thing)

[Jim McQuaid]

Your suggestion to contact Cavision directly is a great one and, I suppose, the kind of thing I should have thought of first!! (one gets used to getting the real lowdown on dvinfo). I will report back if I learn anything useful.

cheers,

Jim McQuaid

[Dean Sensui]

Could you also find out if any of their matte boxes will work with the Sony 0.8x WA adapter?

Thanks!

[Jim McQuaid]

I just spoke to someone at Cavision headquarters.

I was told that the model number ending in "BFI" and the model number I was seeing at my vendor's web site (ending in EX1C) are the same model. In other words, there is only one model of the mattebox for the EX1.

And, like you might expect, there will probably be some vignetting if used with the wide angle attachment lens....

[Tom Van den Berghe]

sorry to re-open this old topic. I'm searching for a mattebox for my sony NEX-EA0.
Just saw a second hand one for sale for 150 euro (about 200 dollar)

Cavision Mattebox + support rod

MB Type: Cavision
MB Productnummer: 4510S

Support ROD RPMD90 + R1568B

I saw there were problems to use the flip out lcd on the ex1 with this mattebox. (maybe it's not exactly the same?)

But I think the LCD from the NEX-EA50 is more backwards located?

If this works, is this a good deal?

[Jim McQuaid]

Can't say about the other camera. I actually had no problem with the Cavision unit and my EX1. It's a decent unit if it fits your needs.