Just a tip.
We've got a couple of matte boxes that mount on lenses, not cheap ones either. Trust me, avoid them. Spend the dollars and get a box that mounts on rails. Remember that a good (read expensive) matte box will outlive many cameras. Same goes for FF kit etc.

Bob.

Bob speaks the truth.

Having, and still use with much trepidation, a lens-clamp style matte box and have it "ping-off" from the front, land on concrete with the first ND 0.6 glass - £150=$300 - filter scratch beyond repair : GET RAILS!! I wish I had . . .

However . . when fiddling with my filter trays I can also see an issue with rails getting it the way. Haven't closed that particular logic circle, yet.

If your rails are getting in the way of filters, then you likely need to move the head of the rail towards the rear of the mount. Having a couple brands of matteboxes and FF's, both of them allow for full, immediate access. If your rails aren't threaded on the ends, and you can't move them rearward, then cutting them is the next likely option. They should end where your mattebox begins.

I have been looking at the redrockmicro's and I wondered can you use the same rails for the matte box, for if not I don't see how it all fits to the camera/tripod. For economy I was looking at the Cavision Matte box for the FX1/Z1 at under $700 with rails and French flag. Anyone know this? If you get a redrock system can you use old 35mm still camera lens for HDV? I guess you do and then maybe you forget the matte box and have stacked screw on filters? What works here?

The Cavision matte box.

Stopped by their booth at NAB. I'd strongly recommend not buying without trying and comparing to Vocas or Chrosziel.
To be blunt I'd think you'd do just as well if not better buying a really cheap 'Out Of India' matte box on eBay and doing a little panel beating on it than a Cavision. Having said that any matte box is better than no matte box so long as you take care, the Cavision seemed to have a very strange way of locking the filter carriers into the box that did not strike me as being goof proof.
Also matte boxes on the FX1/Z1 are a real PIA due to the mic. The very serious gent from Chrosziel at the 16x9 stand went to great lengths to explain how they'd redesigned their box so it'd work properly with the Z1. Then again given the price difference between Chrosziel and Cavision, they can afford to do a lot of redesigning.

Bob.

I own a 3x3 Cavision Mattebox and the MiniDV rails and I am very happy with them. I'm able to utilize my Cokin P series filters (Lots of Grads from my still shooting days) with my TRV950's..

I think Cavision is the best value for the money right now - True, it isn't like some of the other more expensive brands, but Jason has done a pretty good job in balancing price and quality.

I was able to get into a mattebox and rails for under $300.00 - that's not such a bad deal.

I'm sure this is a dumb/basic question:
When using a 35mm adaptor with rails, can you use an automatic focus lens? The answer seems apparent that you couldn't... just wanted to make sure as I'm researching lenses. You can use zoom lenses, though, correct?

I assume you're talking about the lens in front of the 35mm adaptor?

If so then no you can't use an autofocus lens unless it's a rangefinding kind of lens or you can disable the auto bit and drive focus manually.
A zoom should be fine but keep in mind most 35mm adaptors do loose a lot of light so you need to factor in having lots of light and/or using fast lenses.

Hopefully by now you're aware that 35mm still camera lenses are not such a good idea for shooting video through. They breath and doing a focus pull is problematic due to the short travel of the focus ring.

The good news is P+S Teckniks will shortly have a set of rehoused Nikon F glass available for just this application. The housing will include gears for FF kit and hopefully decent focus markings. Quoted price was $2,200 per lens which is a bargain.

Bob.

Bob, are these rehoused optics the same optics they were showing on the SI2K? I thought those were Cooke lenses, but did hear rumblings about Nikon something or other. I should have paid more attention; I was really sweet on the cam, so was looking at that. I love the detachable head, thanks for pointing me there.

>>>>Also matte boxes on the FX1/Z1 are a real PIA due to the mic. <<<<

Bob, guess this is obvious but no problem with the Chrosziel if you insert and remove filters out the bottom (rails right back).

Can I go a tid tangential here and ask a more general question? I'm in the market for a Matte box for the FX1/Z1. As FX1/Z1 owners know to use screw-on filters on the standard lens you must discard the hood, and the Sony wide-angle lens has no threads at all. I need (if it exists) a matte box (must have one rotating filter) that works with all three of these lens combinations. The Chrosziel prices scare me and Bobs Indian suggestions look to claim what they can't do. Can someone list some potential models that do what I want. I've looked at some Petroff's but I don't see that they can accommodate the Sony wide-angle at 97mm front. I need change lens and keep the Matt box filters the same. Mic placement not a problem for me as I have my mic on a boom (or velcroed to my hat) to avoid camera clicks.
Michael

Look at the RedRock Micro mattebox if the Chrosziel is too costly.

Michael, you can use the hood with the 72mm threaded filters. I prefer the FX1 hood for shooting sailing stuff on the water (quick to shut) and I use that with a circular polarizer. Otherwise I have a UV filter in place to protect the front lens surface. I looked at various matt-box options but in the end remembered that I've never been disappointed by buying quality. However regrets have followed compromise, such as buying the FX instead of the Z1. There is a Chrosziel with fittings for the FX/Z1 (base, rails and hood transition piece) and the box mates well with the normal lens and with the wide angle attachment installed. The problem Bob mentioned is that the built-in mic hangs forward and interferes with top access to the filter trays. Rather than slide the hood forward to let them clear the mic, I take filters out the bottom. The matt-box is needed for graded filters and for using filter groups, but you can use single filters with the standard FX hood. The other facility of a matt box is using french flags to prevent stray light striking the lens, but you're not likely to use those if you're doing anything hand held.

Serena: I use mainly the Sony circular polarizer and you can not use the Sony hood with it because the turning ring. Pity, because the stock hood is really nice and good looking. I might try a modification - nothing to loose. The hood would make a good start for a home-made shade come filter holder but I also want a circular polarizer on the Sony wide angle which doesn't have a thread so it looks like I'm forced into having a Matte box. Thank you for putting me straight on the filter loading. I had thought the problem was the french flag blocking the mic hot shoe.

Michael,

True you can't turn the polarizer with the hood attached, but do you need to? The plane of sky polarization is fairly constant (while the amount of polarisation varies significantly) but it's true that for other things (such as glass reflections) you do have to adjust. Shooting sail racing I set and leave and the result is fine.
I thought you meant that the Sony hood didn't allow room for filters (which appears to be what you said). But yes, a good matt-box is better; good being the operative word. The redrock micro mentioned by Spot looks good on their website.

As far as I know, no, they didn't have any of those lenses on the cameras at NAB. THe full camera had a Zeiss Digiprime 20mm on it, in front of the P+S B4 adaptor.
The mini I didn't notice what the glass was but it was on a PL mount, probably a Superspeed.
That camera sure is sweet and there's so many lens mounts available we're kind of having difficulty deciding on glass. I'd love a Cooke S4 zoom but they're twice the price of the camera.
The rehoused 35mm glass goes on a different P+S mount that's around the $4K mark. No spinning glass, just some form of relay lens. Nice option, relatively cheap glass and 35mm DOF.

Bob.

Just a word of caution re matte boxes and the Z1 with a WA lens.
You probably need Panavision sized (4 x 4.5) filters if you're going out really wide. The usually 4x4 filters will not cover you.

The chap from Chrozy did say something about their new matte box letting you fit the filters in from the bottom but at 45deg, didn't pay too much attention but it might have been to clear something under the camera.
Also it's not just the polarisers you need the rotating stages for, the grad filters can also need rotating and a fair amount of travel.
Chrozy do make a realtively cheap box that mounts directly onto the lens. When you get fedup with that you can buy more bits to mount it on rods.
As Serena said this gear is expensive but sure doesn't disappoint, I've seen an old badly dinged up Arrie matte box sell for over $2K at auction, if only video cameras held their value like that this game would be a lot cheaper. I think that's one reason film will hang in there for a long time.

Bob.

The Crosziel takes 4 x 5.65 inch filters (as well as 4 x 4 and dimensions between).

....."I thought you meant that the Sony hood didn't allow room for filters (which appears to be what you said)"

Serena: I don't want to get pedantic but that IS what I said and IS what I meant, regarding the Sony circular polarized filer. It's not that you can't turn the circular polarized filter with the FX1 hood, it's that the hood will not pass over the filter turn ring. You can't use the hood at all if you have the Sony filter! Other makers circular polarized filters may not have the raised turn ring like Sony does.

I have my name on the list for a reservation on the RedRock Matte box. It's not available yet and I don't have a price.

Ah, I see. No such problems with Hoya filters.

So Serena, the Hoya filter goes under the stock hood eh. Thanks for letting me know that. You learn so much after the fact in this game. My biggest mistake with my FX1 was going with all Sony lens and filters etc. If only I had got the Century wide-angle with a thread and a Hoya filter! Maybe I need talk to B&H about a trade-in. While I'm here and I have you ear Serena, have you sourced a telephoto converter for the FX1? I'm looking for suggestions.