Matte Box

Term: Matte Box
Description: A matte box is a camera accessory used to block out unwanted light and glare. It is placed in front of the lens, and usually has adjustable flags or baffles that can be positioned to block out specific areas of light. Matte boxes are often used in situations where there is strong, unwanted backlight entering the lens, such as when shooting against a window or in bright sunlight. They can also be used to reduce the risk of lens flare, which can occur when light reflects off of the glass surfaces inside the camera. In addition, matte boxes can be used to attach filters and other accessories to the front of the lens.

Why you should get a Matte Box for your DSLR Video Setup

kamerar-matte-box

One of the biggest hurdles for DSLR filmmakers is that the general public assumes that you are taking stills, not recording video. There are a few products that you can buy to help shake that stigma, one is some sort of rig and the other is a Matte Box.

There is probably a much more accurate way to describe a matte box but probably the easiest way to describe their appearance is that they are essentially “barndoors” for your camera lens. They also act as a filter folder for 4×4 filters and they come is two flavors – rotating and fixed.

Caleb Pike over at DSLRvideoshooter.com recently did a great review on a Kamerar matte box as well as discussed what a matte box is and why it is beneficial for DSLR video shooters.