I've never been a fan of using a mattebox for my shooting style. I think they're expensive,makes the rig unwieldy and adds to setup time on set. With that said I found myself in need of one after switching my camera since all my lenses are different diameter and it's not cost efficient to get different ND filters for every lens. Having used some cheap matteboxes in the past I knew that you have to spend a certain amount or else you might as well not buy one at all. So imagine my surprise when I stumble on the DP3000 Mattebox made by Fotga for only $126 including shipping! Against my better judgment I decide to give it a shot, and was pleasantly surprise. Here's my review for those who might be interested in a budget option
The mattebox itself is made mostly of plastic while the arm, sideflags and hinges are made of metal. It's definitely not as heavy as say a Redrock which is a nice plus, but it's not the lightest thing out there either. It comes with 2 4x4 filter trays (also plastic), one of which is rotatable. The general construction is solid although the screws at the various mounting points feel a bit cheap. I worry that they would strip and be useless after extended use.
One thing that I really like is how easy it is to do height adjustments. Simply loosen two ratchet screws and raise the mattebox up or down. Smooth and very quick.
On the same topic, I wish they had use the same ratchet system for the swing away arm like other manufacturers do. Right now you have to loosen a screw on top of the hinge for the swing-away to work, then lock it back up. Definitely not a smooth process and the screw is definitely gonna get worn down after extended use.
There's also 2 small 15mm rods that goes on to the side that are included, although I didn't show it here and won't be using them as they get in the way of my monitor. They also include donuts of various sizes for your lenses.
Overall I feel that for $126, it's a pretty darn good value. Fotga ships pretty quickly and it arrives at my door in just five days. If you're someone who uses a mattebox day in and day out and expects them to take a beating, I don't know if this would be the best choice for you as I don't expect these to stand up to the rigor of a long production; but then again there are many choices on the market at a much higher price range that will do the job. However if you're like me and only uses a mattebox when you need to (in my case more for filtration than for light control) then you probably aren't looking to spend $500+ on a mattebox, then this is a pretty good deal especially since it's an all inclusive package.
The mattebox itself is made mostly of plastic while the arm, sideflags and hinges are made of metal. It's definitely not as heavy as say a Redrock which is a nice plus, but it's not the lightest thing out there either. It comes with 2 4x4 filter trays (also plastic), one of which is rotatable. The general construction is solid although the screws at the various mounting points feel a bit cheap. I worry that they would strip and be useless after extended use.
One thing that I really like is how easy it is to do height adjustments. Simply loosen two ratchet screws and raise the mattebox up or down. Smooth and very quick.
On the same topic, I wish they had use the same ratchet system for the swing away arm like other manufacturers do. Right now you have to loosen a screw on top of the hinge for the swing-away to work, then lock it back up. Definitely not a smooth process and the screw is definitely gonna get worn down after extended use.
There's also 2 small 15mm rods that goes on to the side that are included, although I didn't show it here and won't be using them as they get in the way of my monitor. They also include donuts of various sizes for your lenses.
Overall I feel that for $126, it's a pretty darn good value. Fotga ships pretty quickly and it arrives at my door in just five days. If you're someone who uses a mattebox day in and day out and expects them to take a beating, I don't know if this would be the best choice for you as I don't expect these to stand up to the rigor of a long production; but then again there are many choices on the market at a much higher price range that will do the job. However if you're like me and only uses a mattebox when you need to (in my case more for filtration than for light control) then you probably aren't looking to spend $500+ on a mattebox, then this is a pretty good deal especially since it's an all inclusive package.
