!!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

hey everyone,

k my questions prolly gonna be worthless to anyone who doesn't own a Formatt 500 Mattebox, so if you don't have one, sorry to waste your 10 seconds reading this.

here goes:

i have heard that if you have a 72mm screw-on UV filter on top of the Leica lens that it creates a separation between the mattbox and dvx that causes VIGNETTING when the camera is zoomed all the way out. (i.e. you can see the mattebox around the edge of the picture)

my question is this: to those who have noticed the VIGNETTING, do you think the use of a Slim-line SCHNEIDER OPTICS 72mm screw-on would get rid of this problem? on its description it says that its for wide angle lenses, and it makes sense to my current conception of the problem that a slimmer filter might do the trick.

of course i have no idea how thick the standard UV lens is compared to this slim-line model, nor do i have a mental image of how drastic the VIGNETTING is, so that's why i'm asking for your help.

the plan as of this afternoon was to buy a 4x4 UV filter and just keep it and the mattebox on at all times, but i think i could picture a few situations where this could cause trouble, one for instance if the mattbox+dvx doesn't fit into the bag i'm getting, cause that would turn the idea into a crappy one pretty quick i'd say.

so for anyone who has expirience with this sort of thing, and can shed some light on it before i order all my gear, i'd gladly be your slave for a month, maybe in like my next life or something, or possibly even in this one if i can survive midterms+finals+shooting my short, but don't count on it. yes college sucks, everyone that's not in it feel good about yourselves now.

but seriously, sorry this ended being so long and thanks to anyone that can help.

signing off,
Joey "the hotstepper" Lopez

p.s.
don't really call me that ;D
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

I am considering getting the Formatt 500 as well. The vignetting concerns me too but if it means zooming in a little, then so be it. (Just move the camera back a little too ;D)

Not sure about the Slim-line. It might help a little. Good luck!
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

I think there is some confusion. The challenge with the Formatt mattebox is that you have to load the filters from the bottom. You can't rotate the filter tray for top loading because the built-in mic gets in the way.

A solution was proposed that you could use a step up ring to move the mattebox away from the mic. This would allow the filter tray to clear the mic and, therefore, you would be able to top load the filters

This was tried and the early experiments had some vignetting. A special step up ring (72mm-85mm) is necessary if you want to top load the filters with no vignetting. I got the correct step up ring from Formatt UK for about $85, I think. A clamp on adaptor is also needed to make this solution work.

If you don't mind loading your filters from the bottom, you don't need to spend the extra money. You shouldn't get any vignetting with a standard UV filter and mattebox.
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

You shouldn't get any vignetting with a standard UV filter and mattebox.

yep, absolutley no problems with mine. The ladies loves a big matte box. ;)
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

sweet, sounds good.

by the way, bluespider, its not the size of the mattebox that counts, its the diameter of the step up ring. cause if you think about it, didn't all these vignetting problems start because people were using the wrong size adapter to stick on it? unless you were talking about something else. ::)

joey



p.s.
if size were really the thing, i think i'd get a mattbox with poles on it so i could extend it a few extra inches, you know what i mean?! cause i think we'd all love an extra inch o--

sorry, i'm done now.

it's really early here.
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

Jopez:

Please stop trying to crack jokes. You are not funny and i don't appreciate the lude humor. By the way have you heard the one about the prostitute, the pornstar, and the donkey.
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

haha, sup doug. i was wondering if you ever got on here any more.

yo if you read this before i get a chance to talk to you, you gotta buy a rain cover for your camera, to keep sand from messing it up.

hope you haven't sent out for the lenses already.
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

Does anyone know where to buy the Matte Box, 72-85mm step up ring, and clamp on adapter at? Part numbers?


Thanks
 
Re: !!!Formatt 500 Mattebox!!! Vignetting???

just to get back on track... your schneider slim line UV wont work with the Formatt.. as there are no threads on the front of the slimline UV filters... so there is nothing to screw the mattebox too.
 
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