Thanks for the matte box link. What I like about it is the HD version will fit the lens on my JVC 550 (82 mm.). Prices are definitely right too :-)

I mentioned this to a buddy and he sent me a link for a similar product from Cinetactics. This one is different in that it's a matte farbic lined lens hood with an adjustable/removable french flag.

Mike

It looks attractive. I see that all the load is taken by the lens and I wonder about this outdoors in wind. The filter stages can't be rotated independantly, and rotating the whole matt box is unusual. Usually the box and flags are fairly close to the edges of the FOV, when rotation would make them intrude. Your remarks on these points?

I just heard of these French Flags recently. Does the name come from the French surrendering by waving a white flag?

These devices seem very complicated. What's the purpose of the barn door looking flaps? Seems like a lot of bulk for just putting a filter in front of a lens. I must be missing something.

True. A matt box is a universal bit of kit in serious productions. So called because it was first used to hold matts in front of the lens for such in camera tricks as split screen and combining painted scenes and actual scenic items (including actors). It also keeps lights from the view of the lens, so cutting lens flare. The filter stages enable quick changes and positioning of graded filters without removing the matt box and the rotating stages provide additional facilities for aligning filters such as polarizers or aligning graded filters with an horizon. The french flag is a movable "flag" that can be positioned as necessary to cut flare. Obviously the matt box must also keep light off filters.
In reference to your other comment, remember Vietnam?

The word "flag" is also used to indicate a "tab", which in this case is used to block unwanted sidelight.

The "French" part most likely indicates that this item was invented in France. After all, France was quite the pioneer in motion pictures in the late 19th century.

In 1895, Louis Lumière invented the "Cinematographe", the first portable motion-picture camera with built-in film processing unit and projector, with this he was also the first to charge more than one person to watch his movies simultaneously, i.e. he was the world's first movie theater owner.

(Edison's Kinetoscope, invented a few years earlier, could only accommodate one paying customer at a time...)

Regarding white flags, were you thinking of when France handed over Indochina (aka Vietnam) to the U.S. taxpayers (and their sons)? Sounded pretty smart to me :O)

Jim H...Matte Boxes keep out stray light rays from entering the lens from the sides. Those light rays bounce around inside the lens and reduce contrast. That means you get a "flat" image without contrast.

Serena...
Haven't had the need to rotate more than one filter at a time but then that's a price/feature/value decision.: $250 for one filter rotation or $1600 for two filter rotation.

I wouldn't use these Matte Boxes in a real strong wind above 25 MPH for the reason you mention.

The Matte Box does not negatively affect the FOV on the PD-150 or the DSR-250.

"Haven't had the need to rotate more than one filter at a time"


Well, using grads you might very well wanna angle and slap a diagonal highlight back WHILE rotating the pola. Neat trick I do - I only have one rotator too - is to carefully slacking the MB to camera clamp and carefully rotate the WHOLE shebang - easy! Re-tighten IMMEADIATELY! Could be foolish, but being careful - yeah?

Once you've experienced double rotation for landscapes, it WILL grab yah. Oh yes!

Grazie