Best Non-Arri Mattebox? 15mm studio swingaway

[Lee Saxon]

What's wrong with Arri?

This:

I think people MASSIVELY exaggerate the percentage of Arri's price premium which goes into better build quality vs the percentage that's for the privilege of having "Arri" printed on the side of your gear.

Yes, this is an extreme example because Manfrotto, Avenger and others do mark up their superclamps more than Impact, but in the range of $3-5 more. 150% more is just theft. Especially since, because of their size, Arri probably pays the OEM less than others.

 

[Ned Wilson]

This:

I think people MASSIVELY exaggerate the percentage of Arri's price premium which goes into better build quality vs the percentage that's for the privilege of having "Arri" printed on the side of your gear.

Yes, this is an extreme example because Manfrotto, Avenger and others do mark up their superclamps more than Impact, but in the range of $3-5 more. 150% more is just theft. Especially since, because of their size, Arri probably pays the OEM less than others.

Unfortunately, Impact's quality has quite a bit to be desired. Poor build and materials. No self respecting grip would rely on them. Avenger and Manfrotto's products are pretty much in the same boat. Only the original Matthews Mafer clamp compares to Arri.

When it comes to MB's, I've owned just about all the major brands except Red. Despite the price, all roads ended up at Arri when you need the best. When it comes to build and performance nothing compares. As someone who changes filters sometimes 20 times a day, something as innocuous as a hard to access lock knob on a filter tray, or light leak between stages, sticky trays, etc. equals loss time. Over the course of week it could ad up to hours. This year, I purchased an MB 20 and honestly, no other MB maker produces a swing way as precise, well built and as fast to use. Sure it cost loads more then the competition, but the amount of time we save has more than made up for the premium. I think trying to find a better non-Arri MB is a fruitless task.

 

[Justin Marx]

I use the Chrosziel super wide.. A must for FF lenses.. Clip on and rod mounted.... Love it.. Can't speak about others because I haunt used anything besides arri..

 

[Mark Andersen]

I love the Vocas MB450, I actually like it better than the Arri. But it's not cheap, costs almost as much as the Arri stuff.

I've also used Chrosziel, Reds, and the RedRock, I got rid of the RedRock, it's cheap and fairly rugged but not as finished as the others.