O-Box WM accessories for use with new Canon 24-70 II - and and a few rig questions?

[Les C.]

For the hopefully soon to be released Canon 24-70 II, do I need:

150mm to 114mm Bellows Ring for O-Box
114mm to 80mm Reduction Ring for O-Box

In what situations would I need those?

Do they provide a bit of protection from light leakage from behind?

I notice that the new Canon lens will expand when zoomed, and I going to have any issues?

What about smaller lenses? Is there a solution for those?

I'm leaning towards getting the Cinevate Durus FF. Any issues with using them together?

http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=103

And, I'm planing to mount them on the Zacuto Studio Baseplate for Scarlet/Epic.

http://store.zacuto.com/Studio-Baseplate-for-SE.html

Any issues with using that?

Thanks!

 

[Max M.]

The new 24-70 will be 82mm so it will
not fit the 80mm ring, so actually you should use a soft donut or a ring from another manufacturer.

Maybe a request to oconnor. I shot on cooke panchro's laat weekend and noticed they had a 87mm front diameter but there is no fitting ring from oconnor. Would be nice if they would bring out a soft donu system, or a 82 and 87mm ring

 

[kylebainter]

For the hopefully soon to be released Canon 24-70 II, do I need:

150mm to 114mm Bellows Ring for O-Box
114mm to 80mm Reduction Ring for O-Box

In what situations would I need those?

Do they provide a bit of protection from light leakage from behind?

I notice that the new Canon lens will expand when zoomed, and I going to have any issues?

What about smaller lenses? Is there a solution for those?

I'm leaning towards getting the Cinevate Durus FF. Any issues with using them together?

http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=103

And, I'm planing to mount them on the Zacuto Studio Baseplate for Scarlet/Epic.

http://store.zacuto.com/Studio-Baseplate-for-SE.html

Any issues with using that?

Thanks!

Best solution I've done with elements that expand is to buy another lens hood and grind/cut the "leaf" sections off so it is flat, then rubber lens donut around that. Works like a charm then!

 

[Les C.]

I'll principally be using the new Canon 24-70 II (on order) and the Canon 16-35.

Am I making a mistake with the O-Box for use with Canon mount still lenses?

I called a well regarded large dealer with questions about ordering today, and he was adamant that the ARRI MBB-2 was the preferred choice for fixed lenses.

 

[Paul Nordin]

Best solution I've done with elements that expand is to buy another lens hood and grind/cut the "leaf" sections off so it is flat, then rubber lens donut around that. Works like a charm then!

I imagine that works OK for long and medium lenses, but will probably result in vignetting with wides.

 

[Paul Nordin]

I'll principally be using the new Canon 24-70 II (on order) and the Canon 16-35.

Am I making a mistake with the O-Box for use with Canon mount still lenses?

I called a well regarded large dealer with questions about ordering today, and he was adamant that the ARRI MBB-2 was the preferred choice for fixed lenses.

Not knocking the MMB-2 as the Arri MBs are all great. BUT, I compared the MMB-2, MB-20II, and OBox with a lot of hands on. And I ended up buying the OBox. That was almost a year ago now, and ive shot 3 features, and tons of commercials with it. Not a single problem. Its holding up very well. For the fast paced shooting I typically do, for hand-held I'll throw my Epic on my shouder and operate with the OBox as my front handles. So its seen some hard use. I have used it mostly with PL lenses, but have also used it just fine with Canon zooms and still lenses.

I easily saved over $1k vs an Arri solution, and I truly am happy with that choice.

 

[Les C.]

Not knocking the MMB-2 as the Arri MBs are all great. BUT, I compared the MMB-2, MB-20II, and OBox with a lot of hands on. And I ended up buying the OBox. That was almost a year ago now, and ive shot 3 features, and tons of commercials with it. Not a single problem. Its holding up very well. For the fast paced shooting I typically do, for hand-held I'll throw my Epic on my shouder and operate with the OBox as my front handles. So its seen some hard use. I have used it mostly with PL lenses, but have also used it just fine with Canon zooms and still lenses.

I easily saved over $1k vs an Arri solution, and I truly am happy with that choice.

Paul - I saw a video where they were jumping up and down on the O-Box WM, so ... even without a lifetime warranty, I got the distinct impression it was very sturdy.

If someone tries to steal my Scarlet, I'll have a handy weapon to use! Maybe it spins like Odd-Job's hat?

What about the bellows with Canon lenses? Do you even use a bellows for those?

Interesting front handles! Do you know if there are any hand grips for the O-Box WM besides the 'official' ones?

You could feed a family of four for a year in South Africa for what one costs! They must be gold-centered ha ha!!

I can't quite understand why the company I spoke with, who sells O-Box and ARRI, was so negative about using the O-Box with still photo lenses?

He was also very negative about my choice of the Zacuto Studio Baseplate for the Scarlet/Epic (which he carried)

http://store.zacuto.com/Studio-Baseplate-for-SE.html

and thought I should use all Wooden instead. Both seem to have expandability advantages to me, but the Zacuto has so many rods that come out from the side and back and front.

I'm just trying to get my head around any possible problems before I purchase. Thanks!

Best solution I've done with elements that expand is to buy another lens hood and grind/cut the "leaf" sections off so it is flat, then rubber lens donut around that. Works like a charm then!

Kyle - Have you done that with the O-Box? What's the widest lens you can work with? I'm 4K now, but trying to think down the road for when the Dragon arrives.

 

[Paul Nordin]

Hi Les,
That vendor wouldn't be Abel Cine would it?!
Don't get too hung up on this. At the end of the day, your MB is something that shades the lens from direct light, holds filters, and for many narative operators, is a hand-held handle. Personally, although I love the German engineering thing, I really dont need matteboxes to last a lifetime (in my case another 40 years if I'm lucky). I like new shit. And in 5-12 years, I and my rental clients will appreciate me selling off my scuffed up mattebox for a new shiney one with yet un-imagined bells and whistles and configurations. So that's my "lifetime" By then I'll be shooting a two-pound servo stabalized 12k Red Galaxy camera. And it will probably need things that a new front-of-camera mattebox design would benefit from.

OBox is a very good mattebox. Superior IMHO to all the lesser 3rd party boxes (Chrosziel, Red Rock, Zacutto, Cinevate, Genus, etc.). Only ones that are above are a lot more money, and with the exception of those that allow angleing filters, and swing-away opening, they really don't do the job much better.

The ONLY criticism I have for the OBox is the side-wings are kind of lame. they don't have a leafed design to fill-in/mesh perfectly with the top/bottom eyebrow. But that's not a big deal to me most of the time, and when it is, there are easy solutions.

I have a pretty complete kit for my OBox. OBox, 2-filter trays deep, plus circular filter holder in rubber bellows, 19mm rod adapter, OGrips.

Again: There is ZERO problem using the OBox with still lenses.

I use a neoprene donut on the lens to block any backlight, since my Illumina lenses have a diameter that OConnor does not make a matching gasket for. That works perfectly. Same strategy for Canon lenses.

I fully agree with your sales rep with regard to recommending Wooden baseplate over Zacuto. I've used Zacuto stuff a lot, but thier designs are DSLR oriented, and ususally heavier and over engineered. Wooden has a great design which is appropriate for a camera which can work with small Canon still lenses and huge cinema zooms.

As far as wide-lenses, the OBox is fine with my 18mm.

 

[Les C.]

Hi Les,
That vendor wouldn't be Abel Cine would it?!
Don't get too hung up on this. At the end of the day, your MB is something that shades the lens from direct light, holds filters, and for many narative operators, is a hand-held handle. Personally, although I love the German engineering thing, I really dont need matteboxes to last a lifetime (in my case another 40 years if I'm lucky). I like new shit. And in 5-12 years, I and my rental clients will appreciate me selling off my scuffed up mattebox for a new shiney one with yet un-imagined bells and whistles and configurations. So that's my "lifetime" By then I'll be shooting a two-pound servo stabalized 12k Red Galaxy camera. And it will probably need things that a new front-of-camera mattebox design would benefit from.

OBox is a very good mattebox. Superior IMHO to all the lesser 3rd party boxes (Chrosziel, Red Rock, Zacutto, Cinevate, Genus, etc.). Only ones that are above are a lot more money, and with the exception of those that allow angleing filters, and swing-away opening, they really don't do the job much better.

The ONLY criticism I have for the OBox is the side-wings are kind of lame. they don't have a leafed design to fill-in/mesh perfectly with the top/bottom eyebrow. But that's not a big deal to me most of the time, and when it is, there are easy solutions.

I have a pretty complete kit for my OBox. OBox, 2-filter trays deep, plus circular filter holder in rubber bellows, 19mm rod adapter, OGrips.

Again: There is ZERO problem using the OBox with still lenses.

I use a neoprene donut on the lens to block any backlight, since my Illumina lenses have a diameter that OConnor does not make a matching gasket for. That works perfectly. Same strategy for Canon lenses.

I fully agree with your sales rep with regard to recommending Wooden baseplate over Zacuto. I've used Zacuto stuff a lot, but thier designs are DSLR oriented, and ususally heavier and over engineered. Wooden has a great design which is appropriate for a camera which can work with small Canon still lenses and huge cinema zooms.

As far as wide-lenses, the OBox is fine with my 18mm.

Paul - I won't name the vendor, but ... at least the individual I spoke with was, in addition to being very negative about the O-Box for still lenses, also very negative about RED [not standard, all kind of problems] and said I should return my Scarlet as he wouldn't own any RED cameras. As I've just had it a week, I certainly got a warm fuzzy feeling from our conversation - and a few hours later, I've finally stopped sweating blood ha ha.

Glad to hear O-Box WM is going to work. Where did you get your neoprene donut?

I guess I'll have to talk with Wooden, and see what they recommend? I need to get the pros/cons all straight in my head, as from watching the videos, I just don't get why the Zacuto is so inferior?

I was impressed that the Zacuto would result in a lower center of gravity (as the rods are right below the camera).

Seemed like a decent design, but ... having zero rig experience, I'm glad I started asking more questions here. I know Wooden is very well regarded, but ... I thought Zacuto was also?

Thanks!

 

[Andy White]

Les - added a few notes to your other thread about Wooden/Zacuto - and just noticed this one too

I saw this earlier - http://vimeo.com/41414067 a sliding mattebox (!) - made by the company that is rehousing still ZF's into cine-style mounts. Skip to about 3:51 on the video.

Nice idea - not sure if it's rugged enough for general use... but an interesting idea anyway.

 

[Les C.]

I spoke with Eric Johnston from OConnor, and he clarified that the O-Box WM will work great with a fixed lens like the 24-70 with a few extra parts.

He suggested I add:

Bellows Ring for O-Box 150-114mm
Reduction Ring 114-110
Chrosziel Flexi-Insert Rigng 110:50/85

to use my fixed lenses.

I also went with the O-Focus DM Photo lens set.

and paired this with the Zacuto Rod Riser for Scarlet/Epic and the Zacuto C300 Studio Baseplate (which I purchased separately rather than in the package, as I got an extra set of rods) and the Wooden A-Box.

This should give me an adequate tripod based rig (very inexpensive and lightweight), to which I can add handles, rods on the sides for articulating arms, rods on the back of the Studio Baseplate for a cheeseplate, battery, shoulder pad, etc. - which should work for me as I don't intend to work shoulder mounted - but do want the option to add shoulder mount for very sparse usage.

Most of what I plan (plans change of course), will be on sliders and dollies and jibs and use motion control.

If I really need something hand held, I'd probably hire a Steadicam professional.

I purchased from AbelCine and have been very happy with their help.