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this Mattebox any good?


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Hi, I was wondering if anybody on here has purchased this particular Mattebox and what kind of experiences they've made with it: http://cgi.ebay.de/U-Matte-box-rod-support...oQQcmdZViewItem

It seems a pretty good deal compared to the much more expensive brand models out there. Judging from the pictures it looks like there could be a problem with exchanging the filter holders, since the on-board microphone might get in the way. Also there don't seem to be side flags available for this particular model.

Edited by Jérôme Keller
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Hi, I was wondering if anybody on here has purchased this particular Mattebox and what kind of experiences they've made with it: http://cgi.ebay.de/U-Matte-box-rod-support...oQQcmdZViewItem

It seems a pretty good deal compared to the much more expensive brand models out there. Judging from the pictures it looks like there could be a problem with exchanging the filter holders, since the on-board microphone might get in the way. Also there don't seem to be side flags available for this particular model.

 

Hello ,

this is not a good one if you plan to use it for a long period of time . It's better for you if you buy a cavision mattebox that cost around 300 euros and are much better .I never bought this particular mattebox because i never trusted it .

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To be honest all it's got to do is stop light hitting the lens from odd angles and hold filters in (roughly) the right position. Even that's negotiable. If there's anywhere you can afford to cheap out...

 

Phil

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To be honest all it's got to do is stop light hitting the lens from odd angles and hold filters in (roughly) the right position. Even that's negotiable. If there's anywhere you can afford to cheap out...

 

Phil

That's what I've never gotten about matte boxes... they are so expensive, but essentially they are just barn doors with filter holders...

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Hi,

 

Well, yes.

 

The really nice ones are visibly really nice, when you get to use them. They're easy to use; nothing jams, everything locks in and rotates smoothly; the engineering is nice. There are clear improvements. It's like comparing a ball mouse to an optical one, to use a mutually comprehensible example.

 

But this is one of the (many) areas of film and TV where you really do start paying through the nose for extremely incremental upgrades, and the more you spend, the more you have to spend to get improvements. I own a Van Dieman mattebox, which was very much midpriced - a bit more than that ebay one, though it's clipon not on rods, so the actual quality of the thing is higher. The rotating filter stage is very lovely and click-indexes the filter insertion. But I couldn't see spending much more than that. If I need something that good, I'll rent it.

 

Phil

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Found this quote on another forum:

 

"When you are doing an independent piece and are trying to make potential investors and potential crew members take you seriously, do you really want to be seen with a camera that "looks" like it is a consumer toy?

 

Granted the camera they are using falls in the prosumer/pro category, but still appearences are everything.

 

A good way to beef up the look of a wimpy camera is to add on a bunch of attachments. A huge matte box can be one of them. This way the camera looks bigger and more "professional" (to the untrained) - thus earning more "respect" and potentially that investor who is looking to part with some of his/her riches."

 

So much for what the "real" purpose of a mattebox is :blink:

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  • 2 months later...

To quote Jerome Keller with his message above, yes I agree you need a good study and professional looking mattebox system like the Cavision or if you got the bucks a Chrosziel but the whole "HUGE" mattebox idea with a compact prosumer camcorder actually makes the whole rig just look that much more stupid.. Really, if you going to invest in a system with more intent to impress people than actually use it for it's original purpose, make it look overall, reasonable. There's big, and then there's too f***kin big!!

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