What kind of Matte Box are you using for your DSLR??

[Michael Carter]

Analyze why you might want a matte box?

Oh, glad to.

1) Blocking light from the lens

My matte box does a fantastic job of that, with great flexibility, eliminating flares what would otherwise need a flag and a stand to supress.

2) Use large filters

Excels at that as well.

3) To impress clients / other people on set

That's often a huge time and hassle saving issue for me. With clients who rarely do video (or never have) not having to take 30 minutes to explain "why I'm using a still camera" is wonderful. Shooting things like music videos, where the artist has scraped every last penny together, it's very helpful that they see a nice big rig. I don't think the "impressive" factor is silly or should be overlooked with many clients. But clients I've worked with for ages, clients who understand I provide images, not gear - there's still a matte box on my camera for those shoots.

I don't know how still photographers ever managed to take good pictures without attaching their cameras to rails and putting matte boxes on the front of them!

This forum generally deals with motion shooting - they are very different disciplines and I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. (It comes off as sarcasm with a hefty subtext of "I'm really very very new at this and I'm going to dismiss gear that I can't afford". That of course is my perception of a statement that doesn't otherwise make much sense in the context of this discussion).

I will say that when my Nikon still camera was being serviced, I did plenty of product stills with my DSLR rig, turned on its side on a camera stand - and I loved having the FF and the matte box on it. Very useful way to do product stills. I'd never shot beverage cans with a polarizer - really helped dial in the amount of flares on the metallic parts.

It's a relatively safe bet that if you're using a camera that costs between $600 and $2000, you probably aren't going to spring for a whole collection of $300 4.5" x 6" filters.

I sometimes shoot with a Nikon super 8 film camera that cost $100 and has a dynamite lens. I have no problems sticking a $200 filter on it. 4x4 filters are plentiful in the $200 range, and great quality used filters can be found as low as $40.

No matter what you spend on a camera, you're going to spend it again and again over a career. Good quality filters are a buy-once proposition.

The reason pros use them is because they have a series of cinema lenses that are all the same length, and they can use their rented collection of $300 a piece filters with all of their lenses. Additionally, the matte box provides a little bit of shade for the lens if you have bright lights nearby.

I'm a "pro", and my lenses vary greatly in length. That's why my matte box is on rails (as well as the fact that some of my glass has rotating front elements during focusing). The monumental understatement of "a little bit of shade" leads me to believe you've never actually used a quality matte box.

And for what it's worth, I grabbed a $350 Indian matte box with the plan of using it until my next B&H trip in NYC (my daughter's a student in Manhattan) where I'd get hands-on with the big boys. But the thing's been a real trooper and I have no need to upgrade it for now. Really killer piece of gear.

I really feel like most DSLR shooters just buy these things to look cool. Save your money until you really just can't live without one.

I did my first DSLR shoot with screw-on filters, various hoods and a mess of adapter rings. Never again. I'd say "can't live without one" sums it up pretty well. Jacking around with a sack of parts is just the last thing I want to do on a set.

 

[robotsound]

OK guys, these are all excellent points. I stand corrected.

 

[mrchirster]

Exactly my thoughts! I have a matte box and prime lenses but i mostly do video journalism. so a matte box is not really handy especially if you carry around the equipment all day and sometimes change lenses every few minutes!but a matte box and a set of tiffen 4x4 nd's are my friend for all the filmic work i do!

Oh, glad to.My matte box does a fantastic job of that, with great flexibility, eliminating flares what would otherwise need a flag and a stand to supress.Excels at that as well.That's often a huge time and hassle saving issue for me. With clients who rarely do video (or never have) not having to take 30 minutes to explain "why I'm using a still camera" is wonderful. Shooting things like music videos, where the artist has scraped every last penny together, it's very helpful that they see a nice big rig. I don't think the "impressive" factor is silly or should be overlooked with many clients. But clients I've worked with for ages, clients who understand I provide images, not gear - there's still a matte box on my camera for those shoots.This forum generally deals with motion shooting - they are very different disciplines and I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. (It comes off as sarcasm with a hefty subtext of "I'm really very very new at this and I'm going to dismiss gear that I can't afford". That of course is my perception of a statement that doesn't otherwise make much sense in the context of this discussion).I will say that when my Nikon still camera was being serviced, I did plenty of product stills with my DSLR rig, turned on its side on a camera stand - and I loved having the FF and the matte box on it. Very useful way to do product stills. I'd never shot beverage cans with a polarizer - really helped dial in the amount of flares on the metallic parts.I sometimes shoot with a Nikon super 8 film camera that cost $100 and has a dynamite lens. I have no problems sticking a $200 filter on it. 4x4 filters are plentiful in the $200 range, and great quality used filters can be found as low as $40.No matter what you spend on a camera, you're going to spend it again and again over a career. Good quality filters are a buy-once proposition.I'm a "pro", and my lenses vary greatly in length. That's why my matte box is on rails (as well as the fact that some of my glass has rotating front elements during focusing). The monumental understatement of "a little bit of shade" leads me to believe you've never actually used a quality matte box.And for what it's worth, I grabbed a $350 Indian matte box with the plan of using it until my next B&H trip in NYC (my daughter's a student in Manhattan) where I'd get hands-on with the big boys. But the thing's been a real trooper and I have no need to upgrade it for now. Really killer piece of gear.I did my first DSLR shoot with screw-on filters, various hoods and a mess of adapter rings. Never again. I'd say "can't live without one" sums it up pretty well. Jacking around with a sack of parts is just the last thing I want to do on a set.

 

[ICD Films]

I used to use mattboxes. Then I realized only kids use them, and I grew up.

Seriously though any cheap stuff from China/India works excellent. SAVE YOUR MONEY and buy good FILTERS instead. Yeah, glass filters. I laugh my ass off seeing all these people buying a 1k mattbox & using cheap plastic filters.

 

[vision_filmz]

Matee boxes are not needed. Not a fan of them at all, also an essential thing that is really important during shoots is a polarizer filter. Controlling the light and reflections with that quality glass in my opinion is one of the most important things. Sure if you had all of the time in the world with a perfect setting, dolly, tripod etc. then a matte box with rails assistant would be great, but for quick shots where you have to keep it moving it just doesn't really work.

 

[Jordan Scott Price]

Matee boxes are not needed. Not a fan of them at all, also an essential thing that is really important during shoots is a polarizer filter. Controlling the light and reflections with that quality glass in my opinion is one of the most important things. Sure if you had all of the time in the world with a perfect setting, dolly, tripod etc. then a matte box with rails assistant would be great, but for quick shots where you have to keep it moving it just doesn't really work.

You have to remember that your shooting needs and style may not be akin to everyone else's.

I use a matte box all the time and it never slows me down. It holds filters and shades the sun - it does its job nicely and was well worth the money spent. It's adjustable in every direction for working with any camera, from a DSLR with tiny Nikon lenses to an F3 with fat primes. Not saying you should start using one today, but rather that others see and utilize nothing but the benefits of having one.

I don't always have a qualified AC, but when I do, I don't have to think about the matte box or how it could slow me down. The adjustments are taken care of with each lens/filter/flag/etc. while I'm working on setting up the shot.

They are a staple on productions for a reason, but it doesn't mean everyone will need one for what they do. The thread, however, was about which to recommend.

I used to use mattboxes. Then I realized only kids use them, and I grew up.

What is this even contributing?

 

[gonzo_entertainment]

My 2 cents is that I'm not going to waste my money on a cheap one.
I get by with screw on filters and hoods for now. Because I don't use cinema glass the varying diameters of my lenses would make it more of a PIA than it's worth. That being said, if I was shooting Cine glass and hand $1K to spend on a nice mattte box, I'd certainly love to have one.

I don't get the "small form factor" either. It had exactly zero to do with going DSLR, in fact I don't especially like it, prefer a little more heft in the camera.

 

[Alex H.]

I get by with screw on filters and hoods for now. Because I don't use cinema glass the varying diameters of my lenses would make it more of a PIA than it's worth.

One of the benefits to the matte box is a single set of filters that will work with any lens behind the matte box. With screw-on filters, either you buy a set for each thread diameter (at which point you may as well be purchasing 4x4 filters and a matte box), or you buy one set for your largest lens and deal with step-up adapters for the smaller lenses (at which point you're having to switch step-up rings every time you swap lenses).

If your shooting style doesn't call for a matte box, the single set of filters with adapter rings is really the best way to go. Personally, I have found that using a matte box makes my life much easier.

 

[gonzo_entertainment]

One of the benefits to the matte box is a single set of filters that will work with any lens behind the matte box. With screw-on filters, either you buy a set for each thread diameter (at which point you may as well be purchasing 4x4 filters and a matte box), or you buy one set for your largest lens and deal with step-up adapters for the smaller lenses (at which point you're having to switch step-up rings every time you swap lenses).

If your shooting style doesn't call for a matte box, the single set of filters with adapter rings is really the best way to go. Personally, I have found that using a matte box makes my life much easier.

Well, as I said, I would like to have one, but I'm not going to buy a $150 POS. When I have the budget to get a decent one I'll probably bite the bullet and do it. It's just down the list right now. I don't even own any type of shoulder rig, borrow one on the rare occasion I need one, so a few higher priorities at the moment. Until then in extreme situations a PA with a copy of the script makes a pretty decent french flag.

 

[Jordan Scott Price]

Until then in extreme situations a PA with a copy of the script makes a pretty decent french flag.

Because I don't use cinema glass the varying diameters of my lenses would make it more of a PIA than it's worth.

You can get step-up rings and 80mm OD lens rings for cheap, which will provide a standard 80mm front to all of your lenses that fits a matte box perfectly. (I included a nice crappy picture of my lenses.) I have the Shoot35 CineBox, which comes with 82mm bellows, so the lenses fit in there nice and snugly - perfect light seal!. To use the box with cine lenses (most recently CP.2 PL's), you just remove the bellows with an included allen wrench.

I've used a few different matte boxes on all kinds of cameras. My favorites are the O'Connor O-Box and the Shoot35 CineBox.