Check out www.cavision.com as well. Their prices are fairly good and people have been saying positive stuff about them.

I found their site a while back, Dylan. Cool that they're in Vancouver.

If any of those film hoods or matte boxes fit the Xl1s it could be useful outdoors.. especially this recent bout of raging sunshine, eh?

Keith, they make a setup for the XL1 in a few different styles. It looks good and is fairly cheap (pfft.. relatively of course:).

Man I want a matte box so badly... Just cause they look so good on the end of an XL1.
<sigh>
Maybe if we're getting all kinds of lens flares Sunday I'll HAVE to buy one. :)
Actually I was thinking about going over to Cavision to check out there stuff in preson. I don't know how many places carry them, but I don't think it's alot. I know Leo's doesn't. Maybe Chris can point the forum's sponsors towards them.

Haha.. be wary of buying things just for the look.

But yeah, filming that paintball stuff with the hood on it.. hey.. extra protection! :) haha

If you go to CAVision let me know how it went.

Actually, you must have seen my thread on that Promax Steadytracker. I was thinking, if it worked well, that would be nice to film paintball with. But probably not usable with the Xl1S without support.

And then I remembered how paranoid I am right now without insurance on the cam.

Dylan, if you are primarily shooting in available light, most of the time you may not notice a difference with the mattebox if flare protection is your primary concern. Shooting exteriors in backlight, especially in morning or late afternoon when the sun is low is where you will be grateful for that eyebrow on the mattebox! However, if you are using filters a mattebox is the only way to go.

Doesn't matter, I can't afford one anyway. :)

That is a good point you make Charles.

Keith, I did check out the steadytracker. It does look good, but probably only good for short, scripted shots. I'm still planning on getting a Glidecam or reasonable faximily, but I've got a few other things to fit into the budget first.

<<<-- Originally posted by Dylan Couper :
Keith, I did check out the steadytracker. It does look good, but probably only good for short, scripted shots. -->>>

Well, I think scripted shots is the only way to go if we were doing a short or feature :)

I read in this month's "Film Comment" of some crazy Russian film which is ONE EXTENDED STEADICAM SHOT. That guy must have been quite an athlete.

Yes, we've had a bit of buzz about that film in the Steadicam community. It appears that they used a Sony 900 24p camera and recorded direct to an outboard hard drive. I'm curious to see it, although I've seen so few shots that hold enough interest without cutting for even 10 minutes, let alone 90.

The website for the production is http://www.russianark.spb.ru/eng/

Thanks for the link!

I like the Lee Video Hood a bit better than the mattboxes since the bellows allow for a little more flexibility. Anyone know of others with the bellows?

I've seen people convert the Hasselblad bellows lens shade. I think Tiffen, a while back, had a bellows shade. Their current one is a matte box. Ambico used to have one, but that goes way back. Sorry I can't thnk of any others.

Jeff

Alright, gentlemen, according to my B&H catalogue (this is not to promote B&H, Chris, it's just that they happen to have a much more comprehensive catalogue then ZGC, whom I love and would marry if it were a person -- I asked them for a catalogue and they sent me a little brochure!) there is a Century Optics .65 wide angle converter that promises full zoom capabilities, listed for $399. Anyone know about this?

The only .65 i can find in the Century price list (if your gonna sell it, ya gotta have a price) is for the GL1, some Sony, some JVC, but all smaller lenses. If B & H says it's for the XL1 I bet its a misprint.

Jeff

Ah, perhaps that's the key. It never said it was XL1s compatible.