WTB Matte Box and Follow Focus

[Gursimran Dhillon]

Hi All,

In the market for a matte box and follow focus. Since I am not looking to spend too much probably Red Rock mattebox and FF or Red Edition ARRI FF.

 

[Jeffrey T. Morgan]

curious to hear opinions on this!

 

[Tim Whitcomb]

so focus is not important to you? only price?

If you DO care about Focus. ARRI is the only way to go. Used FF-2 or an FF-4
Arri MFF-1 is fine for handheld.

Red New MB is a great deal - the Redrock doesnt last more than 4 or 5 shoots. Arri MMB-1 is a nice option for 4x5 or the new Oconnor O-Box.

all the other cheaper Matteboxes pretty much look and work great and first and then fall apart and you will end up cursing them

thats my $15 to $20K worth of experience.

If you are smart. buy BOTH 6x6 MB14 and MB 19 or MB 20 for 4x5.65 - worth every penny of their seeminly overprice... they will last for a decade.

CHEAP is not CHEAPER when it comes to these items. TIME = $ and shitty cheap gear costs money on set.

thats my $.02

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Have to eco Tim's opinion on this, had them and sold them all, at the end we only kept the Arri MB28,
for all our Cine Style work, and now ordered the new Red MB' Pro for Clip on Run and Gun 2 filter option.

Other then the very expensive Arri MB28, I will only go with the Arri MB20II, but do to the need
for us of the 4x5 and 6x6 filters we went with the MB28's.

Bets of luck with your decision

 

[Julio Quintana]

Tim and Ketch. I think you guys need to keep things in perspective when giving equipment advice. Ketch, you just finished spending over $100K on a set of Master Primes, so I assume you're not in the same category as the person asking for cheap mattebox advice.

Gursimran, I have been using the Red Rock MB for two years now and it is still in perfect condition because I take care of it. I recommend transporting it in Red Rock's custom Pelican case rather than just tossing it in a duffle bag like some people do. And I have used the Cinevate follow focus on countless projects, and my footage is always in focus. In general, with cheaper equipment you have to work around little design flaws and be more gentle with it. For people like Ketch and Tim, that little bit of time adds up to a lot of lost money. But most smaller productions can still get the job done with the lesser brands.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

You are right Julio,

my advise is given in perspective to my experience, which is based on what I do and the things I do, as well as the
people I do them with, and some times fill compelled like Tim said, to give advises that can save some money at the end.

However I also imagine that those reading my posts do not al know what I do and were I come form, however it is an
honest opinion that should be considered when buying gear for a camera such as a Red One MX currently used in
Multi Million dollar Budget Movies.

There always are the cheaper options, I just don't use them, those that do, can give a much better
and honest opinion on them, this way He has both

Cheaper is also not necessarily a bad thing at all, look REDs tuff, but most gear when cheap, does not withstand the
rigors of a Film production, for this RED has now Gone all out PRO

 

[Tim Whitcomb]

Tim and Ketch. I think you guys need to keep things in perspective. In general, with cheaper equipment you have to work around little design flaws and be more gentle with it. For people like Ketch and Tim, that little bit of time adds up to a lot of lost money. But most smaller productions can still get the job done with the lesser brands.

Most of our film budgets are under $100K. My experience has been that the Redrock gear is by far the worst, followed by Cinevate... both side flaps stopped tightening... first. then top flags start to sag...droop
wont tighten. really annoying... their FF are MUCH worse... lots of wobble. id call them MAJOR design flaws... can you use them?, YES. but its not pro gear.
few people take care of gear like Julio does - sad but true fact.

Finally, Julio WILL be buying those items again in the next 5 years. Arri stuff, you buy it ONCE. And it holds its value on the used market... (important too)