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-   -   Stupid, stupid, STUPID matte box prices! (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/open-dv-discussion/30075-stupid-stupid-stupid-matte-box-prices.html)

Simon Wyndham August 5th, 2004 12:28 AM

Well guys it's funny you should mention making my own and then selling it because that's exactly what I am considering!

I know someone who machines spare parts for classic cars, so I'm going to see what he might be able to do .

Making sure it doesn't vignet on most cameras shouldn't be a problem since my 16:9 lens is pretty darn big.

The most interesting thing about doing this will be that I'll see exactly how much the manufacturing of one of these things really costs!

Josh Bass August 5th, 2004 02:05 AM

Ah, yes, but besides 16:9 adapters, think of fisheye, wide angle, etc. I had this EXACT problem with a DVX100a and the century .6x wide angle adapter, used with a 4x4 Cavision matte box. They swore up and down if I had the bellows all the way collapsed, it wouldn't vignette even with the zoom all the way out, and they were wrong.

The only option would have been to upgrade to a 6x6 box. . .and those sumbitches be expensive. So, go for it, but keep an eye that issue. You could make a KILLING if you could pull it off.

Oh, and how bout cheap 3x3 and 4x4 glass filters while you're at it. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 apiece.

Giroud Francois August 5th, 2004 06:38 AM

cokin is making cheap plastic filter holder you could embed into an home made mattebox. I have made some with balsa (very light wood for modelling) and carton sheet and black spray paint.
It cost almost nothing and still looks very pro.

Nick Hiltgen August 5th, 2004 07:34 AM

Josh I'm told that a lot of places out there will cut glass to 4x4 and 3x3 (and 4x5.65) lengths I think the expense of filters comed in when you try and add diffusion and nd and all of that fun stuff. but if you want just an opticla flat filter for protecting your lens, 5 bucks (ish) would cover it.

Oh and there is a chrosziel mattebox on ebay right now that is supposed to handle all of the rpoblems youa re mentioning.

::note:: I also think matte box prices are rediculously over priced but it seems like the cheaper ones (sub 500) are pretty bad, so what can you do?

Simon Wyndham August 5th, 2004 08:56 AM

I noticed the Cokin filter system before, and I have one of their filter holders for my really old hi-8 camera. It's too small for my Optex 16:9, but I had thought about modifying one to make a mock up/proto-type.

One of the hardest things is working out how to make the rotating filter holder.

Bill Ravens August 5th, 2004 09:04 AM

it's amazing what one can do with aluminum sheet and gaffers tape. No vignetting problems, either...LOL.

OK, so it looks like sh*t...but, it works.

Simon Wyndham August 5th, 2004 09:42 AM

But absolutely no good whatsoever for holding filters in front of a big lens!

Joshua Starnes August 31st, 2004 03:01 PM

Have you gotten any farther on your matte box project?

Simon Wyndham August 31st, 2004 03:27 PM

Hi, yeah, I did make a cardboard mockup of one to test out it's ability to shade the lens. Though so far I have been unable to come up with one that is a managable size but still manages to flag the lens to a decent degree. I am pretty much coming to the conclusion that a native 16:9 camera may be the only way to go!

Bryan Beasleigh August 31st, 2004 05:09 PM

Try the Cavision, reasonable quality 3x3 will cost you $250 and a 4x4 approx $500.
www.cavision.com

You can also do a search, i know i written reams about them myself

Now if you take a good look at the complexity of the product and factor in it's limited market you should understand. Everyone including you want to be properly reimbursed for your time. Now heaven forbid that we cannot buy quality camera gear at wally world pricing.

Gear such a good tripods, filters, mics, mixers and even matte boxes cost a fair bit, but if done right it's an investment for many years of trouble free use. When you finall sell the product, you can often recoup almost what you paid for it. Now crap will wind up in the dumper in short order but quality equipment is always a long term investment.

I chuckle when someone works overtime on a holdiday getting double bubble or more then cries about paying for quality merchandise.

We'll always have our hewers of wood and weekend engineers that will either knit a bellows or construct a softbox with 2x4's and 6" spikes. It's almost a rite of passage. thankfully I'm beyond that now. I'm an old fart and i buy what i want even if I have to sell the wifes car (beas winks knowingly)

Simon Wyndham August 31st, 2004 05:19 PM

$250 isn't too bad. But some of the prices for the others were waaaaaaay overboard. I don't have any trouble paying for quality stuff. God knows I've spent enough on basic stuff this year just to keep up with technology and to offer a better service. But with some of the Matte boxes on offer I just couldn't see where that money was going to. Even a basic sunshade seems to cost the earth from some places.

Now a full matte/filter holder I can understand more so in terms of mechanics in being able to offer a rotational filter holder etc. But just a simple sunshade for example shouldn't cost the earth. Similarly I'm at pains to understand why the filters themselves cost the earth. For sure it's a limited market. They price themselves out of it!

Dylan Couper September 1st, 2004 10:19 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Simon Wyndham : But absolutely no good whatsoever for holding filters in front of a big lens! -->>>

Simply tape the glass filters right onto your lens hood!
I've seen it done on pro shoots, honest!
Seen the aluminum foil (ok, blackwrap really) and tape been used too.

Ken Tanaka September 1st, 2004 11:13 AM

That's no joke, actually! Still photographers using rectangular filters (ex: ND grads) and lacking a drop-in holder use gaffers tape all the time. It looks butt-ugly but gets the job done.

Bill Ravens September 1st, 2004 01:59 PM

whaddaya think they make gaffers tape for?

Thomas Smith Jr September 1st, 2004 02:55 PM

Getting their gaf on?


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