GH4 Best Clip on Matte Box for the Olympus Pro 12 to 40mm f2.8 Zoom Lens

V

Vardalos

Well-known member
I’m looking for a scaled down 4X4 or 3X3 Clip On Matte Box for my Olympus Pro 12-40mm f2.8 Zoom Lens, something light weight that does the job but isn’t over kill. Your comments will be appreciated.
 
Are you really wanting the best as your title describes, or did you have a budget in mind you would like to stay within?

Also will you be using it with slide in filters or mainly as a shade for your lens?
 
David,

I'm looking for the best value in a clip on Matte Box that does the job and "Looks Cool" keeping in mind that it will only be used on 2 Olympus Pro Lenses a 12-40mm f2.8 and a 40-150 f2.8. I may wish to use it with slide in filters but it's principal use is a good looking shade for my lenses. So far this one looks like the best bet for the money. http://www.genustech.tv/collections/matte-box-lite
 
Not sure about the looks cool part, as I kind of think flames look cool, but if filters are not a priority my go to when I need a lens shade instead of my matte boxes are Mamyia RB lens hoods. I use the 77mm size, and have the tele version and the wide version. They are inexpensive, fully functional, and can be used with screw-on filters.
 
Another option might be this one The Cavision MB385PW Wide 3X3 Matte Box, it's lighter but I wonder about vignetting with the Olympus at 12mm.
 
I also "vote" against matte box use in m4/3 format. David W. Jones remarks concerning the Mamiya 77mm rubber lens hoods are right on the mark. I shot with Mamiya RB67's from the 1970's until I retired in 2000, every lens had a 77mm hood on it and I never had one cause me any kind of problem, they are some of the sturdiest built.

On some of my "native" m4/3 lenses I use adapted 52mm collapsible lens hoods (Lumix 25mm f1.4 especially) and find they are far more effective in shading the lens than a matte box in most cases.

I advise the OP forget about the "cool look" factor, the only one who will really notice and think it is "cool" will be himself. A deep enough rubber lens hood will look efficient and businesslike and will get the job done.
 
At 80+ I mostly rent equipment these days and the DP that’s my best customer works with agency clients that like to see professional looking equipment. Hence my comment about something that looks cool. Personally I always use the hoods that come with the lenses I buy or like some of you a folding rubber hood.

With the above in mind I think I may settle with a Rubber Matte Box like this one, http://cavision.biz/MB385PW.aspx at 0.6 lbs. it probably wont put too much stress on the lens when it’s extended. BTW, this is a picture of my GH4/Olympus 12-40 Rental Camera.

View attachment 106846
 
I have that Cavision Wide-Angle Mattebox somewhere in my 'archives'. Was going to have Schneider cut 3x3" NDs but the information the dealer gave was incorrect, & it never happened. As DPStewart pointed out it's extremely hard to find good 3x3" filters, especially ones only 3mm thick.

The Cavision didn't vignette the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8, but I never tested Olympus' 12-40mm f/2.8
 
Bern,

I’m glad to hear that the Panasonic 12-35mm didn’t vignette, how did you feel about adding the weight of the Cavision Wide Angle Matte Box to the 12-35mm. Were you even slightly concerned about that?
 
Vardalos said:
At 80+ I mostly rent equipment these days and the DP that’s my best customer works with agency clients that like to see professional looking equipment. Hence my comment about something that looks cool. Personally I always use the hoods that come with the lenses I buy or like some of you a folding rubber hood.
Click to expand...

In that case what you need to look for is a bellows lens hood that can be extended as needed to provide the depth to effectively shade longer focal lengths (or even just the telephoto end of the zooms you use) and collapsed to accomodate wide angle optics without vignetting.

The weight of such would likely require the mounting method be rails.

Such an arrangement would look as professional as pretty much anything else your client sees.


Vardalos said:
With the above in mind I think I may settle with a Rubber Matte Box like this one,
Click to expand...

The one you linked to is wide angle only and will provide little or no effective shading.

With my Mamiya RB67 system I had the bellows lens hood for it and used it quite often. The rails for it (the hood itself mounted to a 77mm adapter ring that went on the lens) were marked for extension to work with the various lenses. I liked it, it provided very effective shading, and I even used it as a matte box by mounting various masks and vignetters to the front.

Something along this order might work: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/766976-REG/Cambo_99212100_Matte_Box_Flexible_Hood.html
 
Vardalos said:
I’m glad to hear that the Panasonic 12-35mm didn’t vignette, how did you feel about adding the weight of the Cavision Wide Angle Matte Box to the 12-35mm. Were you even slightly concerned about that?
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly weight didn't seem an issue, but I'm out-of-town for the next few weeks so can't check.

Another option is to get a Cavision, or Century Precision Optics, Lens Hood & use 80mm Step-up Rings from Duclos, or Cordvision, to attach it to the lenses. The 80mm step-up rings have 77mm threads so filters can be attached. I mounted 77mm Xume Adapters to the rings so I can quickly swap filters.

Can't remember if the Cavision lens hood needs a lip removed to use the Xumes but if so it was easy as the part is plastic. The Century Precision Optics lens hood definitely needed modification & the aluminum required a bit of grinding with a Dremel.

The Century Precision Optics lens hood is better made the Cavision's, but also much more expensive

http://www.cavision.com/lenshoods/LH80.htm

http://www.ducloslenses.com/collections/step-up-rings/products/80mm-step-up

http://www.cordvision.com/cine-rings-and-caps/
 
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I have the cavision 3x3 on rails. What makes it work is the LockCircle Slider Base. One little knob to turn to slide it with the zoom.
 
If my business was rentals like yours is, I would likely offer the camera stock with the Mamiya RB-1 RB-2 collapsable lens hoods, in my run-n-gun package.

And then purchase something like this matte box as an additional rental item, in my cine package at a higher price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/839017-REG/Movcam_MOV_301_0201_MM1_Matte_Box.html
It does everything that an ARRI MB20 II does at a much much lower price. And as a bonus, it looks like an ARRI MB20 rather than reeking of cheap low cost plastic matte box.

If the rental of your cine package takes off, then purchase a few filters to go along with the matte box, as an additional rental item in your filter package.

I'm not sure what your business model is like, but building your rental fleet with items that bring in additional income is a good thing in my book.

All the best!

Dave
 
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