Matteboxes for Broadcast Use

By Author: James Hill
Total Articles: 26
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If you are a professional camera operator, you’ll probably want a broadcast matte box.
A mattebox does two things. It holds filters and cuts down lens flare. Though some operators also use them as a sort of handle, but this is more common in motion picture hand-held work.
Filters are very important for a number of reasons, and a mattebox gives you the most flexibility in the types of filters you can use. You can also use several filters at one time. Another great feature is being able to adjust the height of the filter, as well as the rotation. Not all models offer these options. Square 5x5” filters are ideal for broadcast cameras. Neutral density filters (often referred to as ND filters) are very useful. They reduce the amount of light reaching the lens without affecting anything else. This is helpful when you want to use a wider aperture on your lens. A wider aperture creates a shallow depth of field, meaning objects in front of, behind the subject are more likely to be out of focus. This creates a more film like look.
Cutting down lens ...
... flare and minimizing excess light hitting the lens helps increase contrast, and this provides a more pleasing image with more vibrant colors. The hood (or sunshade) blocks light, and is usually black on the inside to absorb light. Some matte boxes also have flags which are adjustable. This is so they can be set to match the focal length of different lenses. A wide angle lens will need the flags to be more open than a long focal length lens.
There are different types of mattebox. Some connect to the camera via bars. Some use a clamp to connect directly to the lens. There are also some high-end versions that have a pivot, which allows them to swing away from the lens. This allows you to quickly change lenses if you have a several fixed length lenses, instead of just a zoom lens.
A mattebox also gives your camera a very professional look. Although some people would argue that appearance isn’t important, some clients might be a little concerned if sub professional looking equipment was being used.
As anyone who works in broadcast will know, weight is an issue when you are carrying a camera to many different locations, and holding it for long periods of time. So a lightweight matte box is highly desirable.