DIY 16:9 mattebox plans!

[daniel schaumberger]

Hi guys,

in my holidays I worked on a easy diy mattebox design with two filterstages. They are not rotateable (that would make the design too complicated for beginners). Now I finished the design to 90%.
I will put the plans as pdf on my site in the course of next week under tutorials section - of course for free!

The whole mattebox can be made of 5mm plywood (recommended) or also of thick cardboard. The two filterframes can hold standard 72mm filters like Skylight, ND, Polarizing... just push the 72mm filter into the filterframe.

best regards
Daniel

[twoneil]

cool.....the rig is getting more upgrades.

I'll post a more intelligent comment later.... it's 5:00am here at the moment.

[daniel schaumberger]

thanks...if you have some ideas, improvements just let me know and I will try to implement it into the plans before I upload them.

[mattias]

cool. how about using corrugated plastic, like this? probably not for the filter holder, but for the shade?

http://www.coroplast.com/

/matt

[mattias]

also, wouldn't it be almost almost as easy to build it cone shaped, with parallelogram shaped sides? you'd have to wedge them but it's not that critical, just fill up with glue. :-) that would remove unnecessary bulk and make it look "more professional". i'm gonna use your design for the filter stage and build the shade that way i think. my initial idea was to start with a cokin p filter holder and build the shade, but this is cooler, and more filter's are available in 4x4 than cokin. (you can put 4x4 filters in cokin holders but not the thicker glass ones)

/matt

[daniel schaumberger]

Finally I put the mattebox plans with some instructions as PDF on my homepage. Check out my tutorials section.
I did some minor changes to the plans.

To mattias: I did not made the cone shaped version yet because for some beginners it would be to hard to wedge the parts without tools.

best regards
and have fun
Daniel

[suta]

hi Daniel,

how adjusting the mattebox height to the lens ?

[darkprints]

Does it completely block the instant autofocus sensor?

[daniel schaumberger]

Hi suta,
the mattebox design isnt height-adjustable but you can implement it when you make a slotted hole in the mattebox holder plate.

To darkprints:
yes it blocks the ia focus sensor. When you use a dof adapter you wont need it anyway.