I am in the process of building a set of rails for my camera and would love to get a hold of a matte box - trouble is, I think everyone and their aunt is trying to get a hold of matte boxes. Has anyone seen them at a reasonable used price?

I think it's disgusting how they cost so much. Even $400+ for a lousy bunch of metal flaps with hinges? Is there some expensive hard-to-produce technology about matte boxes I'm missing here?

Yeah Ben, it really bums me out how expensive they are - must be for a reason though. I have a set of rails from a bellows that I might use but juryrigging the matte flaps is going to be difficult so I think I will have to buy something. I know they had a FoamCore tutorial on how to make a matte box for the DVX - if I can find it I will post the link - but I wanted a matte box with aluminum because it would support the lens alot better, but who knows!?

BTW - Ben you video on 'common sense' was great. I found it extremely funny.

Here are a couple of DIY jobs :

http://www.moorefilms.com/loser.htm
http://www.desktopcreations.com.mt/dtc_shade/

and
http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/archive/index.php/t-18985.html
For the templates.

Ben,

Did you ever find a source for cheaper matte boxes?

Nope. No such thing apparently.

However...

My school got new lights so I'm taking the barn doors off of the old ones and using them. Hehe. I'll let you know how it works.

I made 1 from 2 sheets of plastic bought in a model kit shop. Cost £3, £2 for glue and 10 minutes to measure. Fixed on with velcro dots.

I was thinking more along the lines of matte box with rails set-up, so you can adjust the focus with more stability.