Vocas Mattebox?

[Rick Darge]

What do you guys think of the Vocas ?

Originally I was going to wait until Red releases their mattebox but I spoke with a vendor today and they said their customers love Vocas and they never come back broken.

It's around $1650 I was told.. Not sure which model..

-R

[Bruce Allen]

Hmm, the model you want is the Vocas MB-450. It has lots of nice features like an anti-glare tiltable filter holder thingy, lightweight construction, etc. But it is around Arri price, sadly! $4000?

Do a quick search for "Vocas" - Bas Ladru from Vocas has even posted in the forums.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

[Rick Darge]

I just discovered the 'search' feature..

thanks..

if it's 4k, then I'd rather just get an ARRI or just wait for Red or Redrock to release theirs.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Vocas has a great mattebox. But for use with RED, you will want the MB-450 like Bruce says. I have nothing against Vocas and I used to have one of their smaller matteboxes, but the ARRI is still better and price-wise the ARRI MB-20II is pretty close.

Personally, I'm getting the RedRock. At $500 base it seems like it's worth a shot. I'm interested to see if RED will have any mock-ups or prototypes of a mattebox at NAB. In the end, if I'll buy what I need to. I'm still in ARRI price denial.

Whatever you get for RED, you will need 4x5.65 filters minimum and will need 5.65" square or 6" filters for any rotating stages. Most longer lenses or lenses that need 6" filters tend to have a drop-in filter tray of their own though. The RED 300mm has a 117mm front (IIRC) and it takes drop-ins. The Cooke 18-100 and 20-100 lenses have a 154mm front and they take drop-ins as well. But sometimes you will need more than just a sun shade on the front and a set of drop-in NDs. Depending on the glass you use, you may end up with two matteboxes or one mattebox and a few different sets of filter stages to swap out.

[Rick Darge]

Thanks Jeff

I'm just going to go back to my original plan then...

Buy circular NDs for run&gun personal projects & rent matteboxes when the need arises.

As far as the Redrock goes.. what's the scoop on that? Any developments? Brian, can you chime in if you're watching?

R

[Seth Larney]

Hi rgdfilmsRED,

The Redrock MB is supposed to be shipping in the next couple of months. I think the first 50 (by memory) are shipping very soon. I received a letter about a month ago telling me that they are shipping soon as I am on the reservation list.

I don't know too much about it but I have a fair bit of Redrock gear and I really like it.

S.

[Poi Boy]

I have the Vocas 450 on my Red and it is superb.
Aloha
-A

[Colin C]

Given RED company background, I'm a bit surprised not to have heard anything on RED filters, though I guess thats a logical step past the mattebox.

[albert rudnicki]

Is
Arri 6x6 Matte Box Arriflex AATON Moviecam Panavision
a decent MB.
I am going to use nikon/zeiss lenses, are they any issues with it ?
Thanks for any advise on it.

[ladru]

Our MB-450 mattebox fits the red very nicely. This mattebox handles lenses up to 144mm in front outside diameter.
If you need a more compact mattebox, (for lenses up to 105mm front outside diameter) you could consider the MB-315, MB-325 or MB-350.
All our matteboxes handle wide angle lenses.

Please contact Cine Abel in LA or Prosource in CT for exact pricing.
Our prices are about 20% lower than Arri for a comparable mattebox.

http://home.tiscali.nl/~bladru/temp/red1.jpg
http://home.tiscali.nl/~bladru/temp/red2.jpg

[Craig Meadows]

Wow! That's a nice looking matte box. Just out of curiosity since you mentioned it's about 20% cheaper than an Arri...what would a set up like the one in your pic cost list price?

[Babu Kantamneni]

Our MB-450 mattebox fits the red very nicely. This mattebox handles lenses up to 144mm in front outside diameter.
If you need a more compact mattebox, (for lenses up to 105mm front outside diameter) you could consider the MB-315, MB-325 or MB-350.
All our matteboxes handle wide angle lenses.

Please contact Cine Abel in LA or Prosource in CT for exact pricing.
Our prices are about 20% lower than Arri for a comparable mattebox.

http://home.tiscali.nl/~bladru/temp/red1.jpg
http://home.tiscali.nl/~bladru/temp/red2.jpg
I have the MB 325 on my HVX and I am very happy.This looks good on red though!
babu

[Mitch Gross]

As Bas noted, Abel Cine Tech can quote anyone on Vocas matteboxes. We do a greater volume of themout of our LA office, so I would suggest contacting Jerrod there for information.

Abel was asked to broker the deal with the Arri matteboxes and follow focuses. Vocas also makes an excellent product and we proudly support them as well. We are the Switzerland of motion picture equipment.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech

[wisfilm]

As Bas noted, Abel Cine Tech can quote anyone on Vocas matteboxes. We do a greater volume of themout of our LA office, so I would suggest contacting Jerrod there for information.

Abel was asked to broker the deal with the Arri matteboxes and follow focuses. Vocas also makes an excellent product and we proudly support them as well. We are the Switzerland of motion picture equipment.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech


Hi Mitch

so which would you recommend? Arri,Vocas or Chrosiel? What are the differences, strengths and weaknesses? It would be great if you could help. I do not live where I can easily compare all the products out there hands-on.

Thanks
Bob Wisbeach

[Mike Prevette]

Vocas is the new kid on the block compared to Chrosziel and Arri, but they come with some pretty awesome technical advantages. I've used thier smaller boxes on video cameras and was VERY impressed with the build. I don't think they are as good as the ARRI matte boxes but they do show some substantial mechanical advantages over the Chrosziel. The only thing they lack is the ubiquity of the ARRI and Chrosziel.

[Scot Olson]

I have the Vocas mb-320 on a XDCam and really like it. At NAB I looked at the MB-450 at the Vocas booth and then walked about 50 yards to the Arri booth and looked at the mb20II. Admittedly this is only based on playing around with them for like 15 or 20 minutes but, regardless of price, I liked the Vocas better.



Abel was asked to broker the deal with the Arri matteboxes and follow focuses. Vocas also makes an excellent product and we proudly support them as well. We are the Switzerland of motion picture equipment.


Mitch,

In keep with that reputation might it be possible for you to broker a group buy on the Vocas MB-450?

Scot

[Mitch Gross]

I have the Vocas mb-320 on a XDCam and really like it. At NAB I looked at the MB-450 at the Vocas booth and then walked about 50 yards to the Arri booth and looked at the mb20II. Admittedly this is only based on playing around with them for like 15 or 20 minutes but, regardless of price, I liked the Vocas better.



Mitch,

In keep with that reputation might it be possible for you to broker a group buy on the Vocas MB-450?

Scot

We'll talk to Vocas about it.

Let me be perfectly honest here: I will never talk poorly about any company that we do business with. It would be a horribly rude thing to do, plus not particularly smart business. The fact that Abel deals certain equipment means that we back them to a certain regard, as we would never wish to push junk on our clients. But since we deal with Arri, Vocas and Chrosziel I will not sit here and tell you that one is better than the other. I will tell you that they each have their strengths and there are clients who swear by their products. Fact is, in a relatively niche industry such as this, no company could survive if they delivered inferior products, unless they did it at a discount price. If the same price range you will find roughly equivalent quality, with variations on features that may sway you one way or another.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech

[Rick Darge]

I am very interested in a group buy.

Cheapest price so far I've seen is roughly $3400 with the swing away adapter.

[Poi Boy]

I have the 450 and I honestly think it is as good and for sure a better value than the Arri. I don't think the Chrosziel is in the same league. I think they are all overpriced but I could not be happier with the 450.
Aloha
-A

[Stephen Pruitt]

I just wish that Redrock would start shipping theirs. . . $500 base price. . . maybe $1000 with all the bells and whistles. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine spending $3400 or more on a mattebox. Heck, I'm dying thinking of spending almost $6000 on a tripod set-up!

:-(

Stephen

[Rick Darge]

I hear ya Stephen. I wish Redrock would move those things quicker than March.. Jeebus..

[Alexis Hanawalt]

I wish the RedRock could also do 15mm Studio config... that's been the biggest pain for me, trying to find setups that can swing either 19mm or 15mm offset. After a bunch of people said, "oh, you're gonna want 15mm if you're on the west coast," my budget soared for lensing and mounting accessories.

The Cooke 20-100 is supposed to be 144mm. I haven't measured the front of mine, but as the Vocas MB-450 is supposed to be able to clip on a lens "up to 144mm" I was wondering if the 20-100 makes the cut.

[Mitch Gross]

They didn't randomly come up with the 144mm.

We're working with Vocas on a deal we can offer. Information in a few days.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech

[Alexis Hanawalt]

They didn't randomly come up with the 144mm.


I didn't think so, but someone earlier in the thread said the 20-100 has a 154mm front end which made me think maybe the 144mm is the width of the glass and the housing adds the extra.

[Mitch Gross]

Just checked my paperwork. 144 for the lens.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech

[Adrian Correia]

so should the Vocas work for a Cooke 18-90, 18-100 or a 20-100?

[Hans von Sonntag]

The advantage of the Vocas 450 over the Arri MB20 is the fact that the Vocas does fit on a Cooke 18-100 / 20-100 which the Arri MB 20 doesn't. The bigger Arri matteboxes that fit the Cookes are huge, heavy and definately not a bargain.

Although I find the MB 20 (me, Arri nerd) nicer I will go with the Vocas.

Hans

PS: Poi Boy, your feelings towards the Vocas helps... thanks!

[wisfilm]

We'll talk to Vocas about it.

Let me be perfectly honest here: I will never talk poorly about any company that we do business with. It would be a horribly rude thing to do, plus not particularly smart business. The fact that Abel deals certain equipment means that we back them to a certain regard, as we would never wish to push junk on our clients. But since we deal with Arri, Vocas and Chrosziel I will not sit here and tell you that one is better than the other. I will tell you that they each have their strengths and there are clients who swear by their products. Fact is, in a relatively niche industry such as this, no company could survive if they delivered inferior products, unless they did it at a discount price. If the same price range you will find roughly equivalent quality, with variations on features that may sway you one way or another.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech


Understandable, but its not easy to tell from pictures which mattebox serves the best purpose and why. It would be great if someone neutral would be willing to post a comparison.

PS the front diameter of the Cooke 18-100 is 150mm not 144mm, that's from the Cooke website

Bob

[Alexis Hanawalt]

PS the front diameter of the Cooke 18-100 is 150mm not 144mm, that's from the Cooke website

Who said anything about the 18-100?

[Rick Darge]

Vocas is German correct?

[Alexis Hanawalt]

Vocas is German correct?

The company is situated in Hilversum (the broadcast center of the Netherlands)

[ladru]

No, Vocas is Dutch.

By the way; we have a demo movie online, I think this explains a lot about the flexability of our system.
http://www.vocas.com/links/prdemo-link.htm

[Rick Darge]

Hey Mitch or Bas,

Any luck on getting a Vocas-450 group buy still? Never heard anything yet.. really interested

[David Cox]

After seeing the 450 at NAB, I would like to revive this post and see I we can work on a group buy. I was really impressed by the quality of build.

Mitch?

[Ken Willinger]

This is a kickass matte box. I'd love to get one.

[Bob Torrance]

I too saw this at NAB and will buy one. A group buy would be great.
I'm in LA.

[Mitch Gross]

After seeing the 450 at NAB, I would like to revive this post and see I we can work on a group buy. I was really impressed by the quality of build.

Mitch?

Just give a call to one of our sales reps. We already have special reduser pricing in place on a Vocas 450 mattebox bundle. I hope some of you had a chance to stop by our booth at NAB. We showed lots of product so that people could compare. There are those that love the MB20 and those that desire the Vocas 450 (and the Arri LMB-15 is super sweet as well). I have a great personal fondness for Arri, but that's just me.