Anyone using motion picture matte boxes for hoods?

[EricWHiss]

Hi,
Just curious - got this 55mm pcs PQ lens for the Rollei (Hy6, AFi, 6000) but no hood. This lens has a bay 104 hood mount, but no filter threads.    I could just buy the Rollei hood for this lens but its a whopper and at $350 has me looking for alternatives.  The hood is made of rubber and has a compartment to insert filters into - at least the one I saw.    In the studio the hood isn't really needed, and actually I haven't seen much flare with the shots I have done outside so it might not be as a big a problem as I think.   I was told by one shooter that he used a motion picture matte boxes with french flag instead of the rollei hood.  Seem like a good idea since it will probably also take the square slide in filters. Just wondered if anyone is doing this and if so what worked.  Seems like there is a big range in price - some are $139 on the bay and some are like $2k  what's the difference?
Thanks,
Eric

[klane]

Too big for the rollei compendium?

[EricWHiss]

Too big for the rollei compendium?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=213328\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yeah that's only for the bay VI lenses ....  The 110/2, 180/2.8, 50/2.8, 55mm pcs, 90/4 macro are all 95mm filter thread with bay 104   so one setup would work for all those.  I'm not positive all the others are bay VI -  I know the 40/3.5 is a 67mm thread and has its own hood too.    Maybe they make one for the 104 too? Never saw it mentioned.  Maybe Hasselblad makes one?

[James R Russell]

Hi,
Just curious - got this 55mm pcs PQ lens for the Rollei (Hy6, AFi, 6000) but no hood. This lens has a bay 104 hood mount, but no filter threads.    I could just buy the Rollei hood for this lens but its a whopper and at $350 has me looking for alternatives.  The hood is made of rubber and has a compartment to insert filters into - at least the one I saw.    In the studio the hood isn't really needed, and actually I haven't seen much flare with the shots I have done outside so it might not be as a big a problem as I think.   I was told by one shooter that he used a motion picture matte boxes with french flag instead of the rollei hood.  Seem like a good idea since it will probably also take the square slide in filters. Just wondered if anyone is doing this and if so what worked.  Seems like there is a big range in price - some are $139 on the bay and some are like $2k  what's the difference?
Thanks,
Eric
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=213232\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Good matte boxes are not cheap, starting at around a grand.  Then you add flags, rods, plate, spacers.

Good ones are well built the filters fit in well and they will last, cheap ones are like cheap anything, they won't last long.

The upside of using a matte box is it's completely adjustable, fron depth to positioning of the flags.

The other up is it looks very substainial and professional.

The downside is they are big and don't fold down, so they'll take up 1/4 of a 35mm case minimum.

They also take a while to set up, and since the rods underneath support them, the standing camera position and hand under lens focusing will be difficult.  they also will not balance that well with a still camera, though the rods and plates are adjustable.

The number one issue will be people are going to think your shooting video.   Any camera with a big box will look like a video camera so be prepared for the blowback, or the look people have when you say  "hold it, don't move".

JR

[ynp]

I was told by one shooter that he used a motion picture matte boxes with french flag instead of the rollei hood.  Seem like a good idea since it will probably also take the square slide in filters. Just wondered if anyone is doing this and if so what worked.  Seems like there is a big range in price - some are $139 on the bay and some are like $2k  what's the difference?
Thanks,
Eric
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=213232\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I use a Formatt matte box with glass filters , the box is light and you can use in without  video camera rods, it is more convenient  to use matte boxes of Formatt type on lenses with internal focusing. I use the matte box to put ND filters for Live View with Sinar back.
My set with a clamp on adapter and two screw in rings, 2 ND and 2 gradient filters was bought new at $1,200.00
Yevgeny

[James R Russell]

I use a Formatt matte box with glass filters , the box is light and you can use in without  video camera rods, it is more convenient  to use matte boxes of Formatt type on lenses with internal focusing. I use the matte box to put ND filters for Live View with Sinar back.
My set with a clamp on adapter and two screw in rings, 2 ND and 2 gradient filters was bought new at $1,200.00
Yevgeny
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I've never used the format, thought I had a small compedium bellows from them which was ok, but the build quality was not that great.   The century I have for the standard def cameras and it works ok, though not as well designed as the
Chrosziel matte box [a href=\"http://16x9inc.com/products/chrosziel/ac-415-02f110.html]http://16x9inc.com/products/chrosziel/ac-415-02f110.html[/url]  which has side wings also.

The century people in Van Nuys are helpful and if you in Southern California they will spend time you you for your configuration.

For stills, I've used Lee shade forever, though lately the last few have had real build issues as the spring mechanism just comes apart, without heavy use.

I really would like to see Century, or Chrosziel make a system for stills, as with the flags and wings it is a very elegent way to block flare.

JR

[haefnerphoto]

I used to use matte boxes when I'd shoot 8x10 and Velvia.  We didn't have the ability to alter the image.  I had several thousand dollars in 6x6 glass grads of every color and ND possibility, hardline and softline.  Now I don't bother since I can be much more accurate with post processing.  The 8x10's and filters are long gone, sold to someone in Scandinavia that is part of a large format club.  My point is that they aren't necessary, save the expense.  Jim

[EricWHiss]

Thanks for all your suggestions and info.  The lee compendium seems like it will do the job pretty well, maybe not as well as one of the motion picture matte boxes but much cheaper and more portable.    I guess I don't use a lot of filters either but sometimes a polarizer and maybe a ND filter.  

EPd,  Thanks and please do keep on F&H about this.  I'm not even positive the hood for the 55mm PCS does much to stop flare anyhow due to its shape (though I understand hoods for wide shifts are tricky), and it would be really great to have a bay 104 matte box for all those lenses.