Matte box recommendation

[QuickHitRecord]

I just picked up the updated Cavision 3x3 matte box to use with my GH2 (website image below; pictured here with a T2i):

[img]http://www.cavision.com/pictures/T2i/MB3485&T2IWITHLEDP.JPG[/img]


It's a compact, fully-featured swing-away mattebox for about $350 that is compatible with high quality filters that seem to go for 30-40% less than the 4x4 filters. Cavision had to modify their swing away to work with this smaller matte box but it works well. I also ordered the 52mm to 85mm Deep Offset Step-Up Ring (AR85M52), and extra filter trays. Here are some first impressions:[list]
[*]Quality is okay but not spectacular. I would never stand on one of these things like they do in some of the tests. It's a bit plasticy -- on par or slightly better than the DMatte.
[*]I am concerned about build quality of the hinges that attach the flags to the matte box. They consist of plastic shafts that house long tightening bolts. It feels to me like that kind of plastic that may crack easily with repeated use or age. I have removed them for the time being because they add a lot of bulk.
[*]The filter trays that come with the matte box are very lightweight plastic. I am not sure that I'd trust them with my expensive Schneider 3x3 filters (which fit perfectly). However, the extra filter trays that I ordered separately are aluminum and feel much better in my hands. I'll be using them primarily and keeping the plastic holders as backups.
[*]The rear rotating stage kept getting stuck the first couple of times that I used it (I think that there was a stubborn ball bearing in there somewhere). But after I broke it in, it works very well and turns pretty smoothly.
[*]The swing away is all aluminum and feels well-built. It works well in this setup. The 15mm bracket that hugs the rods sits 2.5" or 3" behind the matte box, meaning that I am attaching my Edelkrone FocusOne Pro follow focus [i]in front[/i] of it. I am very glad that I have this follow focus with this matte box, because with its one point of contact I can slip it onto one of the rods and then slide it underneath the matte box before righting it.
[*]With the deep offset ring, this matte box does NOT vignette with my SLR Magic 12mm on my GH2.
[*]This whole setup will be greatly improved with a sleeve (i.e. "nuns knickers") to keep it light tight. Cavision is working on one but I may rig together something myself in the meantime.
[/list]
Though the build quality could be better (especially the flag hinges), this matte box is the perfect size for the GH2 and any other DSLR. I have always felt that 4x4 matte boxes were too big for small cameras. I have assembled my kit to be lightweight and functional with nothing extra, and this matte box fits right in. Here are some snapshots:

[font=inherit][size=3][img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/gallery/album_14/gallery_18451_14_40366.jpg[/img][/size][/font]

[font=inherit][size=3][img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/gallery/album_14/gallery_18451_14_113892.jpg[/img][/size][/font]

[font=inherit][size=3][img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/gallery/album_14/gallery_18451_14_143404.jpg[/img][/size][/font]

[kirk]

Looks fine to me (but I get by without a rig, so my vote doesn't count :-) But the whole rig looks way too front heavy on the tripod... should be balanced much further back IMHO...

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='kirk' timestamp='1350589099' post='19941']
Looks fine to me (but I get by without a rig, so my vote doesn't count :-) But the whole rig looks way too front heavy on the tripod... should be balanced much further back IMHO...
[/quote]

You are right about that. I have some plans for this rig. I'll be flipping the baseplate around and adding a riser and shim so that the swing away base can slide back [i]over top[/i] of the baseplate.

[galenb]

Nice! At first when I read the thread title I thought you where asking for matte box recommendations. ;-) The whole time I was reading I kept thinking, "well this one seem fine to me?" I have to confess that I've never really fully understood the use of matte boxes. I mean, holding filters and blocking light from hitting the lens seem to be the main advantages right? But I can just use screw on filters and use flags to block the light right? I always thought matte boxes where used to hold actual holdout mattes painted on glass. Am I missing something?

By the way, you have one of the objects I lust after: SmallHD monitor! Mainly because I love their implementation of focus peaking. Sadly, I won't be getting one till I get a new camera. The GH1 doesn't have the ability to send a signal out the HDMI while shooting. :-(

Cheers!

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='galenb' timestamp='1350597648' post='19949']
Nice! At first when I read the thread title I thought you where asking for matte box recommendations. ;-) The whole time I was reading I kept thinking, "well this one seem fine to me?" I have to confess that I've never really fully understood the use of matte boxes. I mean, holding filters and blocking light from hitting the lens seem to be the main advantages right? But I can just use screw on filters and use flags to block the light right? I always thought matte boxes where used to hold actual holdout mattes painted on glass. Am I missing something?

By the way, you have one of the objects I lust after: SmallHD monitor! Mainly because I love their implementation of focus peaking. Sadly, I won't be getting one till I get a new camera. The GH1 doesn't have the ability to send a signal out the HDMI while shooting. :-(

Cheers!
[/quote]

Thanks, Galen. As someone who shot with Fader NDs for years it took me a while to realize why I needed a matte box on my DSLR. I came across this little clip:

[media]http://vimeo.com/26687398[/media]

Basically, a fader is made up of a circular polarizer rotated against a linear polarizer so you are always polarizing your subject to some degree, and not necessarily controlling the angle of light that you blocking since most people just screw them on until they are snug and won't fall off. It became evident to me that a lot of my very flat-looking portrait shots looked that way because I had unknowingly polarized out the natural reflection that comes off of human skin.

I thought about that, and also the fact that I am shooting through this glass -- it had better be just as high quality as the lenses that I shoot through it. It was a painful but necessary purchase, but now that it's over, I can focus on other things!

[galenb]

Oh what the... I never would have guessed! It makes so much sense though. Yeah, you are totally polarizing with ND filter... Man, I never even thought about how that might affect skin... Oh and those eye reflections that everyone loves. So, the regular non-fader ND's don't have this issue then. Okay, that's good to know. So you're mainly just using a matte box for holding 4x4 filters. I see.