Here's what they say:

Base configuration

So you want to add more filter stages, etc.? 3 is not enough, eh?

What do you say to everyone else?

Le'go of my Lego!?!

:O)

(it's late... :O)

Seriooously, with say six filters you better have a couple of 20K Brutes lighting up the scene at close range, and shoot at f/2 of course :O)

Now if we could get those 20K Brutes for $500, too. And wall outlets to go with them...

Next year.

(In the meantime, fewer filters :O)

Noooo... 3 filters are plenty for me. AND all rotators too.

Is it clear to you that a "rod-system" comes with it? For $500 - now that WOULD be a bonus!!

Grazie

Redrock makes M2 adapter which is (excuse my language) a piece of shit.
P

Your language is NOT excused. Some very fine films have been made with the Redrock M2 adapter.

Mike Stevens
lenses35.com

I'm with you, it's fine for the money but hardly a serious piece of optical engineering. No doubt many fine movies have been made with it, as have many fine movies have been made without any 35mm adaptors at all on DV camcorders. How they ended up looking on the big screen is another matter.

I'll certainly have a look at this new matte box but that price is so low I really have to wonder what corners have been cut. Matte boxes and the other similar bits like rods and FF gear are an investment. Cameras come and go but a 30 year old Arrie matte box is still worth what it cost 30 years ago and still works on the latest cameras and you can still buy parts for it, not that you're likely to need them.
We've got two Formatte matte boxes and so far on one of them the flag has broken due to poor design and heavy hands and trying to mount them on a Z1 is a nightmare.

Bob.

Is it clear to you that a "rod-system" comes with it? For $500 - now that WOULD be a bonus!!

Not a rod-system. A rod clamp. You provide the rods, this will clamp on to them. Looks OK from the photos.

I'm sure this is no Arri or Crosziel, but for the price you could replace it many times over before you hit the territory of those others.

It baffles the mind why it should be so difficult to design and build a solid mattebox at a fraction of the traditional prices. Those traditional prices have to be rooted in a tradition of selling things at a high price, "because the volume is so low," while at the same time the volume is so low, "because the price is so high!"

To be fair, I think on the volume end not all filmmakers fully appreciated the real-life value of this type of device before.

And building a mattebox isn't 100% like building a 35mm adapter, although if their M2 isn't solid, that certainly signals a need for caution.

I'm sure there were some fine movies made with it but i'm just coming back from yet another production where we worked with M2 and i was once again embaresed how much time we were wasteing only bceuase we decide to save ourselves a few hundred dollars not to rent PS Technics. It was the last time i'm using this "invention." Not worth the "saving."

I'm glad you got something better for 5-10x more money.

The PS hasn't had universal praise either, although the criticism hasn't been about robustness.

Dude, who buys gear nowdays? I rent and then the price difference is insignificant but the time savings and improvemnets in quality of PS over M2 are huge.

No, you stated totally clearly that you were renting.

I just tried to say that I was glad that you felt the PS was better, since I thought it should be better, considering it is five to ten times the price of the Redrock product.

Regardless of whether you bought it, rented it, or got to borrow it for free.

Dude, who buys gear nowdays?

I do - Dude.

I can only think that we must have different needs Patryk. Surely it can't be about standards? Or is that what you are suggesting? It is a very interesting and ascorbic stance you've taken. But I am all ears to hear your comments. Please educate me - Dude?

Grazie-Dude

I'm with Grazie on this one. I own my own gear and thats something I take great pride in. I know my equipment, I tend to my equipment, and I can go on a moments notice. I never have to hear that something I need won't be available till Tuesday because someones got it out. I don't hafta be scrutinized by anyone but myself when I inspect my own gear after a shoot. No late fees!!! Did I mention I don't hafta drive twenty minutes just to pick stuff up and drop it off? I'm open 24/7!!!

Now I understand that there are some toys that while I would love to own are just a bit out of my reach. I definably am not fully stocked by any stretch of the imagination but I do get what I can whenever I can. But 99% of the time I have what I need for any given situation that I might shoot and my gear is packed and ready in a moments notice. Packed the way I like it packed, might I mention, where everything is just where I left it. (one hopes anyway!)

I've been without a cam for a couple weeks now, sold mine to get the Sony EX and waiting for it to come out is killing me, and while I could go rent a camera if I absolutely had to ... I DON'T WANNA!!! hahaha, I want my camera damnit!!! Hope it gets here soon.

- Ray
www.undergroundplanet.com

Mutts! Yes!

Actually it is a bit of both. If I would NEED to hire I would. I want to own - same reasons as yours - the kit I have. I have developed my 'umble biz based on what I can afford. I don't work with a team, but I could if I needed them. I could hire, if I needed too? London here, and the availability and so on is always there. Hiring is an additional cost. A cost I could leverage into the invoice. Having got equipment that gets me and my clients, so far, what they want, is good for me.

My point I'm making is that it is ALL available ALL the time to ALL levels of activity. However, one man's activity may not be another man's - yeah? Nothing ruled-out and nothing ruled-in. I couldn't work any other way? If I need to hire, I will. It doesn't mean I am blind to the option. Others can make up their own minds.

Mutts, you have explained all of the way I work, and precisely why I own my own kit. And the other thing is this .. If I DO want to experiment with my MB and filters and go out and garner and gather footage I can. It's like I am adding to my lexicon/dictionary of shooting. I like doing this. Has it added to my skill-set? I would say so. If one has an itch one needs to scratch it. A day without videoing and challenging my concepts/presets of WHAT I want to do, is another day lost. Shooting for me is like sketching on a sketchpad. Now that is something I will NOT deny myself. Having my own kit allows for this "whim". But these whims of mine often lead onto further business - 'cos I have experimented prior to seeing the next client.

Grazie

It's really about what you shoot. My order for an EX1 was placed some time ago, mainly because I want to scratch the itch when I get it.
But if I was shooting a narrative drama (heaven forbid, really) that's possibly months of planning, a crew, talent and all the other dramas. On top of that to shoot just about anywhere in this city will set you back $500 / day for a permit, studio space even more. Add in insurance etc and even if everyone works for free you're looking at $1,000 / day. You pay this even if your gear dies so renting the top shelf stuff that just works makes sense if that's your game.

On a similar note, from a conference I was at today. Old school cameraman explaining why he still prefers his 35mm film cameras. Because when he looks in the optical viewfinder he sees a glorious image in all it's color and he's inspired. He just doesn't get that buzz from a LCD viewfinder. There was three other cameramen in the panel, all a bit younger and more digitally inclined but all understood what he meant.

Bob.