GearDear

Alecks Purifoy

Alecks Purifoy

Active member
Im looking to buy the GearDear mattebox package, but before i did, i wanted to know if it came with a rod support system or if its compatable with rod supports.

Any one with the system i would love to see pics!
 
It does not come with a rod system, but you can get it with something that attaches to rods. You can also go rod-free (I assume you have to keep it light enough). Haven't got one myself, but I've bugged Gerhard (the builder) about them enough that I should. Others on here actually do, however. And over at the Redrock forums.
 
I bought one and sold it 2 month later. I wasn't that impressed with it and it was incompatible with some of my equipment such as my Follow Focus...also the filter stage are not that great. I have got to say that everytime I have tried to save money and got something cheap I have been disapointed... In all fairness, I should point out that Gerhard was responsive to my problems, and did built a new back free of charge so that I could use it with my follow focus. But whenever a design issue got solved it created an other problem, plus it takes 3 weeks to get here. I think the system will get better, but for now as far as I am concerned it's not ready for prime time.
 
I think the GearDear system is great, not just for the money - I'd stack it up against a Chrosziel any day. I've used the expensive Chrosziel mattebox on several shoots, and let me tell you, it's a fine peice of German engineering. Unless you break it. Then you're screwed.

In a crowd shot we had an extra back into the camera and break the Chrosziel mattebox. It's plastic is so rigid, it broke in all the wrong places. Well that was that. No more mattebox for the rest of the shoot. And a $400 repair bill.

My GearDear, on the other hand, I think would have had a little give, or even came apart (the whole thing fits together like an erector set). Even if it had been damaged, it would have been easy to fix. Or, since it is made up of many parts, only one or some of the parts would have broke, and each part is only $20-50 max.

The material that the GearDear systems are made out of is one of the best suited materials for this kind of job. Lightweight, rigid with some flex, and strong. The price is excellent. And the service is phenomenal.
 
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