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Arri MB-20 II and 15mm LWS rods

Curran Giddens

Curran Giddens

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How are people using the Arri MB-20 II with 15mm Light Weight rod support? If the rods are too long the rods hit the filter stage assembly. Seems the only way is to use rods that are just the right length in relation to the length of the lens.

Is there another matte box for 15mm LWS that holds two 5.65"x5.65" filters and a 138mm that can also use the same filter rings as the MB-20?
 
I would get your hands on a O'Connor O-Box and see if that would do the trick. It will hold my Chrosziel 5.65x5.65 filter tray, though the tray is not quite as thick as the o'connor trays and they haven't released any of their own 5.65 trays.
 
I had the same problem with the rods butting up to the camera body.. Since I own my lenses and only have two types, I just got two sets of rods that fit.. Or you can get some rods that screw into each other..
 
I don't think that it's possible. I use the 19mm rods with the MB-20 II, and the 15mm with the O-Box when I'm wanting a lighter set-up for the Mozocam.
 
Curran Giddens said:
How are people using the Arri MB-20 II with 15mm Light Weight rod support? If the rods are too long the rods hit the filter stage assembly. Seems the only way is to use rods that are just the right length in relation to the length of the lens.

Is there another matte box for 15mm LWS that holds two 5.65"x5.65" filters and a 138mm that can also use the same filter rings as the MB-20?
Click to expand...

Curran,

If you are looking for a good solution for 15mm light weight rods and a light weight MB for handheld, I'd go with an Arri LMB-5. Super lightweight clamp on 2 stage box that is compatible with Arri filter trays . You can buy a 4 x 5.65 "rotopola" filter tray from Ablecine that has a round pola filter in a 4 x 5.65 tray with a little nob to rotate the filter. Really nice solution.

M
 
Or better yet, if you want to wait 6 months, you could order an Arri LMB-15 which is a 3-stage clip-on mattebox and then run a RotaPola in one stage and still have 2 stages free for your regular 4x5.6 filters.

P.
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

I have the Red mattebox for my 4"x5.65" filters to use as a clip-on. I'm looking for another way to use all my 5.65"x5.65" filters.

Also, I rent out my MB-20 but I don't rent any lenses at the moment. Looks like I will just have to supply a bunch of different sized 15mm rods along with the mattebox to cover every lens option.
 
This almost seems like a design flaw of the MB20. I find it odd that they don't allow the 15mm rods to go through.... Good to know though!
 
Hey Curran so Im about to get my Epic and have the same setup it seems. Wondering if the MB20 15mmLW swing away does work with REDs LW 15mm set up on the front of its DSMC Modular Assault Plate Pack with the 15mm LW rods adapter??? If you have the right length rods??? I have a few old aluminum sets and may end up going to the saw to make them work for a couple of different lenses. I know it sounds very well aaa messy but hey if it works until there comes a new solution.
Anyone else have any other ideas with out having to retool to 19mm?
I guess the good thing is the MB20 has about an inch of travel in and out away from the camera body on the swing away setup.
 
Yes, swing away works. There is also a little bit of room between the where the Modular Assault Plate clamps onto the rods and where the rods hit the camera body. But the 8" ET rods that I just bought are still a little bit too long so I will have to cut them.
 
I have a MB20 and use the 15mm LWS on several cameras. I have a lot of cut rods for various lenses. The swing away has just enough travel for the two RPP sizes.
 
I would use the studio setup but it's offset I think so there may need to be a different rods mount on the camera end to work.
Unless you know some product that will work with the Red quick plate on the bottom of the Epic?
 
Greg M said:
Why dont you use 15mm studio setup?
Click to expand...

Like Russ, the reason I have decided to switch to 15mm LWS is because that is the only way to use the Red QR system effectively.




Russ Fill said:
I would use the studio setup but it's offset I think so there may need to be a different rods mount on the camera end to work.
Unless you know some product that will work with the Red quick plate on the bottom of the Epic?
Click to expand...
 
MB 20 and LWS isn't a great idea since the shade will hit the end of the rods. If you're using a zoom or all your lenses are the same length than it's not so bad. With the O'Box in LWS mode, the rotating tray will hit the rods making square polas useless. The good thing with the OBox is the rods will pass through. Get a round pola and you should be in good shape. But since the MB will have to be a bit further out it will narrow your focal length angle a little bit to perhaps 16-18mm (which isn't so bad for most use).

Eitherway, for lightweight, no baseplate configuration, I've become a huge fan of the O'box with O' grips on the MB. Super handy. I mount O grips all over the place. Also, you can mount accessories on the OB. When I go hand held, I'll often mount my small HD off the O Box's left side. Bullet proof build too. I use RAM mounts for my monitors. No substitute. The cheapest and strongest by far.
 
I don't think it is fair to characterize the limited adjustment of the MB20-II on 15mm LWS rods as being a "design flaw." If one wishes to use 5.65x5.65 filters then there is little clearance with lightweight rods. For a front shade to work effectively and not vignette wider lenses it must angle out, which means it will then block those rods. It's really just simple geometry.
 
I agree with Mitch - the rods butting into the shade on the MB isn't an oversight. The MB 20 is perhaps one of the most versatile, well made and functional MB's on the market. It's just not designed for optimum 15 LWS use. As fun as LWS can be, I find myself more often than not using 15mm Studio or 19mm configurations. Believe it or not, despite the extra weight, I find it faster and easier to use from balancing my camera to getting an FF4 on and off quickly, to getting full rotation on Polas to accommodating wider lenses to being able to swing away, it's a more adaptable system for my uses (features, TV shows, commercials). It's not uncommon to change lenses 10-20 times a day as well as change filters numerous times. Lightweight, is just slower for changing and reconfiguring your accessories compared to studio. Even for more run and gun shows, I still opt for baseplate / rods instead of LWS. The weight savings for LWS doesn't win out over the convenience. There's also better protection of your camera with the rods running off a baseplate instead of a hard mount on the camera. Regarding weight, I personally don't find the weight saving all that significant - what 3 lbs or so? If I must strip a camera down for whatever reason, then I'd take light weight over clip on (can't tell you how many time's I've seen clip ons "un-clip"). If I have at least an AC, I'll take studio. If I don't have an AC (or two), I don't take the job.
 
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