HVX200 Mattebox and Follow focus system
 

I am curious if anyone has found and used a good Mattebox and Follow focus system for the HVX200 yet.

I am looking for one and would like to know what is good and what to stay away from.

Also if you have a link to a website where you purchased one and how much that would be extra helpful.

Thanks!
Dan
www.signaturelight.com

Love your on-line demo, Dan. Great compositional eye - I won't have to pontificate to YOU the benefits of color vs. resolution, will I? (laughs)

To answer your question, to date the only company aggressively making HVX matte-boxes (that I know of) is Century Optics/Vocas. In fact, the photos I shot for this forum of the HVX with matte-box (see the image gallery) is that exact system.

However, nobody as of yet has any follow-focus or manual zoom controls that are rail-system mounted - yet. My guess is that C.O. will have theirs completed first.

I've been working directly with C.O. in getting the proper mount for the matte-box rail system (the actual rail-mount I used for the photos was designed for the Z1) and they're about to release the HVX-specific mount soon.

I've looked at other MB systems and the C.O./Vocas "wide" version with sidewings made the most sense from a cost-to-usefulness perspective.

Talk to either Mary or David at Century Optics, they're very helpful.

I had a CAVision for the DVX, sold it. Not too good. Looked at the Vocas and the Chrosziel, bought the Chrosziel. Should be here in a day or two so I'll give you a once-over when it arrives. The official "Chrosziel" rods & baseplate kit aren't formally announced but Rush at EVSOnline.com was able to put together a kit using the Sony baseplate/rods.

Petroff matte box
 

Check out the Petroff matte boxes at www.ste-man.com. T

They make one that's fitted specifically for the HVX200. In fact, here's picture of the matte box with rails, French flag and their follow focus installed. Of course they'll add the side wings for a few bucks more. Here's the URL straight to the picture.

http://www.petroff.ws/Petroff_matte%...nic_HVX200.jpg

Their 4x4 model works fine with the JVC wide lens so it should be all you need for the HDX, even with a wide adapter.

Like the Chroiszel, the French flag and side wings adjust their shapes, and arguably the Petroff's is the cleaner, simpler execution.

They also have a newly re-engineered follow focus that I've just ordered and have yet to try, but the matte box definitely rocks.

Ste-Man also carries the Cartoni fluid heads and sticks, and the Cartoni Focus head is sweet, sweet... hard to beat for these cameras, although it requires a bit of care since the quick release plate does double duty as the balance slider -- I can imagine someone letting a camera drop.

Tip

http://www.cinetechonline.com/ has a matte box and follow focus. Carl makes a nice set-up, but it's pretty pricey. He told me last week he was working on a base plate for the HVX 200 and thought he would have one ready in a couple of weeks.

Barry,
Which matte box did you have? Was it the 4x4 bellows? I've been looking at their 4x5.6 hard plastic box and it seems pretty solid...

Which CAVision? It was the 16x9 hard-front two-stage. Rods were okay, but the main box was too flimsy for my taste. I mean, you get what you pay for, right? It was something like $600, and the Chrosziel is setting me back around $1400 or $1500 (don't remember, it was a big bulk order) so I'm not complaining about the CAVision, I should have expected it to be like it was at that price point. But it wasn't satisfactory and I was able to sell it for close to what I paid for it, so no harm no foul! :)

I was pretty challenged monetarily when I bought mine, but I had little pocketbook seizure and went with the Chrozsiel 450 kit.

Pain is temporary, but my mattebox will be on the next 2-3 cameras I own, so I'm absolutely glad I didn't get anything lesser now...and I had indeed checked all of them out.

Agreed -- I tried to be cheap with the CAVision, but then I was hit over the head with my favorite equipment-buying quote:

"Always buy the best. That way you only cry once, instead of every time you pull it out of its case."