Your opinion on follow focus, matte box and LCD monitor
 

I am in the market for a follow focus rig, a matte box that holds at least two filters (one of which can rotate) and an LCD monitor (something around 7 inches +/-). I have seen some rigs that have handle attachments to the support rails and was curious about that to.

I have heard names like Chrosziel and Cavision batted around and I just wanted to get some feedback as to which brands make the best equipment. Obviously I am not looking to buy all from one company either. Any help that you guys can be would be greatly appreciated.

Follow focus suggestion
 

Joseph,
The gear you need to use depends on the camera you have, the work you do and obviously your personal shooting style. I have used FF form Cavision, Arriflex and Chrosziel and I ended up making my own. It will be available about 5 weeks from now, but you can check out the prototype and what it does here:
http://dandiaconu.com/available_products.htm
Do not be fooled by the introductory low price. I will have the whole list of acessories (whip, white marker donut and marker and more) on the same page soon.

Hey Dan,

Can you tell me if your follow focus will work with the XL2 standard, 16X manual and 3X wide lenses and with a Cavision Mattebox. Here is a picture of my setup with 16X. Thanks

http://www.geocities.com/downhillmania/Picture062.jpg

Yeah sorry for lack of details. I would be using a Canon 16x manual lens. The follow focus, mattebox and LCD monitor would be used for commercials, industrial videos, and weddings primarily.

I am also going to use it for short films or for lower budget features. I am getting into music videos and documentaries as well. As you can see I am getting into a lot of stuff.

And before you ask or assume, I have been a camera operator for a few years now. I am not that green, but I am wanting to expand my resume and now I get enough work shooting other people's stuff I want to get more of my own out there.

Perfect match for the set-up. I will have to check the size of the 16X and 3x lenses (assuming you will want to gear them)/(against my gear size), but if you have the gears (just did not mount them yet), then by all means YES. You can do the same; check the diameter of 16X and 3X; if they are smaller or equal to 20X, my gears will mount on them.

lcd monitor
 

Regarding your monitor question... While shopping for an onboard
7" inch lcd with 16:9 I became frustrated by the high prices. Then
I switched shopping venues and found some very affordable monitors
sold for cars ("portable video"). You'll need to buy a 12 volt / two
pound battery, but if you're doing tripod work, just use the battery
as a tripod weight.

I'm not clever, just poor!

To be honest price isn't a factor (unless they want 3k for a freakin monitor). I have seen most for aroound $600 which is doable. Right now I am just trying to collect as much info on these three items as possible. I have heard Chrosziel makes a good follow focus and matte box, and Panasonic a good LCD monitor.

What I really want is feedback from owners of different follow focus units and matte boxes (the kind supported by the 15mm rails not the clamp on kind) and I am also looking for any support rail system that has some sort of grips for handheld camera shots.

Hey Joeseph,

For what you want, handels included Id check into the Cavision system.
Here are the prices I got from Gabriela at Cavision when I bought mine. I even bought the filter kit which is worth the money IMO.
Hope this helps.

Dear Travis,

The 4x4 matte box works with the Canon XL-2 in 16x9 mode and with the 3x
wide angle in 16x9 mode, as well.

Please find the configuration for the 4x4 bellows matte box:
- MB413B-2 (4x4 matte box) price: USD 395.00
- ARR1385 (rubber adapter ring) price: USD 10.00
- AR85-72 (conical ring) price: USD 35.00
- RS-15IIM (15mm rods support) price: USD 190.00
- RSPC (plate) price: USD 28.00
- MBF-5P (french flag) price: USD 50.00
- RS15HD (dual handgrips) price: USD 89.00 - optional
- HCM4 (protection case) price: USD 10.00


**All our prices are listed retail in US Dollars and FOB Vancouver, Canada.

FF opinions
 

are there any matte boxes that work in both 16:9 and 4:3 for both a manual 16x lens and a 3x lens that are not simply clamped on to the front of the camera? If not, what is my closest option? I just have a weird thing about clamping stuff to a $5,000 camera. I would just as soon use support bars (since it will have a follow focus anyway.