Matte Box size for 18-50 and primes

[Gregory Sheffer]

Read all the posts on Matte Boxes and still can't find an answer. I am getting the 18-50 lens with my RED one and will also be renting 35 primes. What Matte Box size covers these lenses? Be nice to have a 4x5 for use with other rigs like s16 or hd, but willing to go with a 6x6 if the RED/35mm lenses mandate it.

[David Mullen ASC]

4x5.6 will cover most any 35mm lens except the biggest zooms; you'll be fine with the RED lenses, primes and zooms (that's a guess, having not seen them, but they seem smaller or the same as the average 35mm cine lens, not larger).

I've shot with the huge Panavision Primo anamorphic lenses and managed to use a 4x5.6 mattebox even on those.

The only reason to go for 6x6 is if you want to use grad filters and have some room to move them up and down in the frame.

[Finner]

gsheff

I would think like David mentions you would be fine with a 4x5.6 MB for the red lenses. The 300mm red may be a little tight with the 4x5.6 but the LART team should be able to test this in Sept.

[Steve Gibby]

gsheff

I would think like David mentions you would be fine with a 4x5.6 MB for the red lenses. The 300mm red may be a little tight with the 4x5.6 but the LART team should be able to test this in Sept.

Definitely...I've reserved a RED 300mm, and it will reportedly ship the same time as the cameras. If so, I'll bring it and we'll verify if a 4x5.6 MB works well on it. We can also test the lens out technically, shoot some footage with it, and analyze that too.

I've also reserved the RED 18-50 CF zoom, so if it ships when RED #8 does, I'll bring it to LART and we'll test it out.

[Blair S. Paulsen]

I am also getting the RED 300mm & 18-50mm CF Zoom. If they are shipping when I get #19, and I get the OK from the LART Producers, I will bring them so we will have plenty of chances to rig various matte boxes with more than one team.

I am particularly interested as I would like to replace my current (crappy) matte box anyway. This should be the perfect opportunity for an up close look at my options. Perhaps one of the reporting categories from the LART should be accessory evaluations? I'll leave that decision to Gibby and Evin of course but I think there is interest on the board.

[Finner]

Perhaps one of the reporting categories from the LART should be accessory evaluations?

Already in the works Blair. I'm on it like stink on rice.

[david_winters]

Shooting some filter tests today on a Canon 30D DSLR. Image area is 22.5x15mm vs Red's 24.4x13.7mm. Here is a frame from the EF-S 10-22mm. Shot wide open at 10mm, lens is clear of matte box which has two 4x5.65 stages + one 138mm round.

[Unwounded]

Does anyone know if the red's 18-50mm lens is a 77mm or 82mm lens(as in the diameter of the front element)? Or is it undetermined as well?

[Brian Broz]

I believe the RED 18-55 is 114mm Diameter Front (at least the units at NAB)...pretty large diameter to let in all the light!
More than 2 stages of 4x5.650 may be a concern on the wide end, but we'll have to see!