I don't know if anyone here can help me on this, but I'm looking at various matte boxes. I want to purchase it for use on my XL1s, which is my current camera, but I would like to be able to use it on larger cameras as well.

I use an XL1s on my own work, a 610 DVCPro for my day job, and I would like to be able to use it for HD and HDV cameras as well. Obviously I'm not interested in any of the DV matteboxes that companies offer, I know the price will be high, but flexibility is a must.

Do matteboxes offer such flexibility, if I choose the correct one will I be able to fit it to a large variety of cameras with no more than a step down ring?

Thanks in advance for any helpful answers.

Anyone has some advice for Rick?

p.s. Rick, I've moved this thread to our open DV discussion since it is not
limited to just the XL1. Good luck!

I just ordered the Chrosziel Matte box. It is adaptable to different lens diameters via step down rings. As long as the front element of the lens does not rotate during focusing or zooming, you should be able to use it with a variety of cameras.

If the front element of the lens does rotate (or if you want to use a follow focus), you need support rods and brackets and a base plate that is unique to your camera model. So far only a limited number of cameras are supported by Chrosziel, among them the XL1(s), XL2, DVX100 and some other models.

Unfortunately the Chrosziel products are quite expensive.


Hope this helps a bit.

I've been looking at this mattbox:

http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/format44.html

anyone use these? Looks just fine- and the price seems right.

Jeff P

There's a review in the current issue of DV magazine; they liked it. OTOH, there's an old thread somewhere around here from somebody who bought one. They weren't happy with the quality and ended up returning it....

I have been looking at and even sent away for a price list for the line of cavision matteboxes. They have a couple of larger matte boxes intended for ENG cameras and film cameras, does anyone have any experiences with cavision? It would be ideal if I could get one of these larger, potentially 16x9 matteboxes for use on my XL1s with a step down ring for my own projects and then use it on the larger cameras with out the step down ring when I shoot freelance with the larger cameras.

Hey Rick:

E-mail me at Invfraudguy@yahoo.com. I have what you need at a good price.
Chrosziel is the way to go because you can use it for your XL1s and any other larger ENG style camera.

I use a Petroff 4x5 mattebox. Seems pretty good to me. Slightly cheaper than some of the other makes. It was difficult to order with rails here in the UK so I use it with Cavision rail supports.

Vocas makes superb matteboxes, but like Chroziel they cost the earth.