{"id":2899,"date":"2009-05-05T18:52:26","date_gmt":"2009-05-05T18:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/philipbloom.co.uk\/?p=2899"},"modified":"2009-05-08T03:24:42","modified_gmt":"2009-05-08T03:24:42","slug":"using-a-matte-box-on-the-gh1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/philipbloom.net\/blog\/using-a-matte-box-on-the-gh1\/","title":{"rendered":"Using a Matte Box on the GH1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is it possible? Well yes it is…but there is a problem if using the stock lens as it changes length when you zoom making Matte Box use a real pain. Primes? No problem? Zooms that don’t change length? No problem. But as most of us will use the stock lens that causes a challenge…<\/p>\n

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Whilst at NAB I picked up a set of rails and a new Matte Box from Genus<\/a>. Although more designed for video cameras (it works a treat with the EX1\/3) I wanted to try it out on the the GH1. This is a really affordable set up…most Matte Boxes and supports cost a lot of money and are often out of the price range of the keen amateur orindie film maker, but they really are essentially in many situations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Genus set up has managed to balance cost and build quality and doesn’t weigh much. Are there better Matte Boxes and supports out there? Of course, there is always something better (and much heavier!) But this has to be the best budget set up I have come across.<\/p>\n

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The Mattebox is very solid and well made but really light, as are the rails. Due to this light weight I was able to loosen the knobs on the side of the rails just enough so when I zoom in and out the Matte Box moves with it…I have a 62mm ring screwed onto the front of the lens and this fixes in solidly onto the Matte Box making this utterly doable. It’s not ideal…in an ideal world \u00a0I would want a lens that stays the same length, but we don’t live in an ideal world and the way this rig from Genus is set up and the amount it weighs make this an ideal solution. Of course you could just use a clip on mattebox which this cane be with the right ring, but then if you change lenses you need a different ring for each lens…<\/p>\n

You do need a quick release plate from manfrotto to make this work though as you can see in the pic below…<\/p>\n

Check out some more pics below to see it working with different lengths..<\/p>\n

I am picking up some filters in LA later this week and will try them out on this rig.<\/p>\n

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