matte box question
 

Not sure which forum is best for this.

I just bought a matte box for my JVC HD 100UA. When I put the adapter ring on, I see the edges of the adapter ring in the corners of the frame. If I zoom in, I don't see it, but I'd like to be able to zoom out all the way.

I haven't used a mattebox before, but is this normal? I left a message for the manufacturer, but I was hoping to get an unbiased opinion.

Dennis, what you're experiencing is a called "vignetting" where the matte box actually blocks off part of the visable area of the image. I don't know the specifics of your set-up, but its just a matter how far the ring extends in front of the lens, and the angle of view your lens has at full wide. What I'd suggest you do is make some kind of colored ring that is easy to see in your view finder, and is just a little bigger than the diameter of the lens. Then just have someone move the ring over your lens, in and out, so that you can determine the exact point where it is no longer visable. This will at least let you know where you need to be with your adapter ring in order for it not to cut off your frame edges, and you should be able to tell if just a little adjustment will solve your problem, or if you are just going to have to live with zooming in a little bit when you use your matte box.

Thanks CJ.

Is this normal for a matte box? I was considering just sending it back and getting a different model.

I don't want to bad mouth anyone, but it's one of the cheaper matte boxes. So I was wondering if this was a case of 'I paid less, and I got less'.

But if it's a typical issue with matte box use, then so be it.

Well, its not necessarily "normal", but its not uncommon. That's why I was suggesting doing the test, so you could see how far you need to be able to move the matte box back, closer to the camera, to be out of shot. If you're just a fraction of a ways off, then you might want to look at other systems, but if you've got a couple inches that you're going to have to move back, then you might be a bit stuck with it. However, another factor is the size of the matte box. The larger it is, the further away from the edges of the frame it will be, and thus less likely to be in shot. But in your case its the adapter ring that's causing the issue, so its tough. You'd really need to see the adapter ring for a different system before you'd be able to judge wether or not you're going to have the same problem. I know in film school we ran into this problem occasionally when using zoom lenses with our film cameras, and we just pushed in a little. I've got a matte box on the way though, and I too would hope that its not visible a full wide. What matte box did you order? I got the Cavision 16x9.

Dennis, is it the geardear or the indie snap mattebox?

Which matte box and what setup (how many filters?) is it? Undoubtedly someone has specific experience with what you are using and can give precise info on your situation.

It's from www.imagewest.tv. I believe it holds one filter.

When I get a chance I'll see what focal length I'm at to get the edges of the adapter out of the way.

I sent them an email asking for their advice but I haven't had a reply.

Indie Snap deliver the product?
 

All of this in terms of quality is very good, but delivered the product? I have bought and paid with paypal a matte box for canon xha1 on 5 June 2008. I have not arrived. I sent numerous e-mail address to request a tracking number, but nothing, no response. Take advantage of this thread for me to respond by the company and understand the why of this incredible behavior. For fear that my mail was spam in the end, I sent this information with an email address, but nothing. So my question is: get the goods?
My mail is info@giovannilombardo.it - I invite you to answer me.

Giovanni.

It's obviously no good if you're getting vignetting. You might be able to get a wide angle adapter ring, or maybe a clamp on ring (so that the adapter is on the outside of the lens barrel rather than screwed into the front), this will solve it for sure, it's just a question of how wide the front of the matte box is and the front of your lens is.
Steve