DV Matte Box at DVinfo.net

Graeme Nattress · November 11th, 2003, 11:35 AM

As promised I've taken a few quick photos of the PDX10 with my new Century Optics DV Matte Box and 0.65 wide angle.

http://homepage.mac.com/gnattress/PhotoAlbum7.html

I'll try and post some images showing how the wide angle looks as soon as we get some good weather!

Graeme

Charles King · November 11th, 2003, 01:07 PM

Hey, nice setup. Like it alot. I take it the camera is pressed against the matte box, right?

Maybe everyone should post their different camera setup as well.

Graeme Nattress · November 11th, 2003, 01:26 PM

The matte box has a rubber disc (different sizes are provided for different cameras) which fits tight up against the camera - in this case the wide angle, but it could be either of the two sun shades you get with the camera.

The weather's pretty miserable here or I'd go out and shoot some more test material with the camera as I've been ever so impressed with the quality of it so far.

Graeme

Charles King · November 11th, 2003, 02:24 PM

I figured so. Great setup. I'll post my setup soon.

Boyd Ostroff · November 11th, 2003, 02:50 PM

Very sexy :-)

One thing I'm curious about... looks like you've shifted the whole camera quite far forward on the tripod head. Do you really work with it that way? Isn't it front-heavy?

I got a Varizoom Pro-L controller awhile ago (the one that looks like a big block of aluminum) and it sort of throws things out of balance the other way. I am using a Miller tripod that doesn't allow as much shift in the mounting plate as your 501.

With a camera as light as the PDX-10 each little accessory affects the balance of the whole rig a lot!

Graeme Nattress · November 11th, 2003, 02:57 PM

Unfortunately until I get a tripod spacer, that's the only way that it fits on the tripod! The support bars get in the way of putting the quick release plate onto the head. So that's something else to be aware of.

I also have a GlideCam V8, but I've not got it set up for the matte box yet, but I reckon it will fit on ok as it's quick release plate can be used from the back or the front.

Graeme

Paul Frederick · November 11th, 2003, 07:12 PM

Graeme,
Do you have to take the microphone off to change filters? It looks like you would from your pictures. Is that the 4x4 matte box? I'm a little confused on how it mounts to your tripod and why you can't balance it very well? Is there no way to slide the tripod plate on the bottom of the bars?

Graeme Nattress · November 11th, 2003, 07:52 PM

You can take the mic off, or just rotate the filters and take them out diagonally. The tripod doesn't allow the quick release plate to be mounted from the front, only the back, and that's why I have it set up with the plate mounted far back. You can place the plate on lots of positions on the base of the bar mounting plate, but it's the head of the tripod that's causing the problem.

Graene

Bryan Beasleigh · November 14th, 2003, 08:42 PM

Those past two posts explain why i didn't buy the century. Unfortunately there is no perfect matte box or support system. of the lot of them the Vocas/Century is one on the better ones though.

I wound up going with a cavision simply because they offered the most diversity so far as mounts and adapter plates.

November 11th, 2003, 11:35 AM	#1
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	DV Matte Box As promised I've taken a few quick photos of the PDX10 with my new Century Optics DV Matte Box and 0.65 wide angle. http://homepage.mac.com/gnattress/PhotoAlbum7.html I'll try and post some images showing how the wide angle looks as soon as we get some good weather! Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

November 11th, 2003, 01:07 PM	#2
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Hey, nice setup. Like it alot. I take it the camera is pressed against the matte box, right? Maybe everyone should post their different camera setup as well. __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

November 11th, 2003, 01:26 PM	#3
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	The matte box has a rubber disc (different sizes are provided for different cameras) which fits tight up against the camera - in this case the wide angle, but it could be either of the two sun shades you get with the camera. The weather's pretty miserable here or I'd go out and shoot some more test material with the camera as I've been ever so impressed with the quality of it so far. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

November 11th, 2003, 02:24 PM	#4
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	I figured so. Great setup. I'll post my setup soon. __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

November 11th, 2003, 02:57 PM	#6
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	Unfortunately until I get a tripod spacer, that's the only way that it fits on the tripod! The support bars get in the way of putting the quick release plate onto the head. So that's something else to be aware of. I also have a GlideCam V8, but I've not got it set up for the matte box yet, but I reckon it will fit on ok as it's quick release plate can be used from the back or the front. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

November 11th, 2003, 02:50 PM	#5
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Very sexy :-) One thing I'm curious about... looks like you've shifted the whole camera quite far forward on the tripod head. Do you really work with it that way? Isn't it front-heavy? I got a Varizoom Pro-L controller awhile ago (the one that looks like a big block of aluminum) and it sort of throws things out of balance the other way. I am using a Miller tripod that doesn't allow as much shift in the mounting plate as your 501. With a camera as light as the PDX-10 each little accessory affects the balance of the whole rig a lot!

November 11th, 2003, 07:12 PM	#7
Paul Frederick Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: WestChazy, NY Posts: 291	Graeme, Do you have to take the microphone off to change filters? It looks like you would from your pictures. Is that the 4x4 matte box? I'm a little confused on how it mounts to your tripod and why you can't balance it very well? Is there no way to slide the tripod plate on the bottom of the bars?

November 11th, 2003, 07:52 PM	#8
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	You can take the mic off, or just rotate the filters and take them out diagonally. The tripod doesn't allow the quick release plate to be mounted from the front, only the back, and that's why I have it set up with the plate mounted far back. You can place the plate on lots of positions on the base of the bar mounting plate, but it's the head of the tripod that's causing the problem. Graene __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

November 14th, 2003, 08:42 PM	#9
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Those past two posts explain why i didn't buy the century. Unfortunately there is no perfect matte box or support system. of the lot of them the Vocas/Century is one on the better ones though. I wound up going with a cavision simply because they offered the most diversity so far as mounts and adapter plates.