Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box VND Kit

The Tilta Mirage Pro VND Kit is a carbon fibre clamp-on matte box with a 114 mm variable ND filter covering 1 to 7 stops of light.
Interchangeable backings fit eight lens diameters from 95 to 136 mm, and three 4×5.65″ filters stack inside.
The kit also contains rubber donuts, hard matte masks and an adapter for a wireless motor that controls the ND remotely.

The Tilta Mirage Pro Matte Box VND Kit is a carbon fibre clamp-on matte box with a 114 mm variable ND filter covering 1 to 7 stops, a swing-away adapter, a 15 mm LWS rod adapter, a rubber donut kit, hard matte masks and an adapter for a wireless motor. The ±25° tilt and ±15 mm height adjustment clear internal reflections out of the rig without touching the lens.

A carbon fibre body that weighs 621.5 g

The Mirage Pro body is made of high-strength, matte-finish carbon fibre. In its most compact configuration it weighs 621.5 grams, so it does not drag the rig down on a gimbal or a crane. The whole matte box is a kit of parts: hood, flags, filter trays and backing all come off without tools, so you build exactly the configuration the scene calls for.

Interchangeable backings for eight lens diameters

The Mirage Pro clamps straight onto the front of the lens, with no cage and no rods. Tilta makes the clamp-on adapters in eight diameters — 95, 100, 104, 110, 114, 125, 134 and 136 mm — so the matte box fits cine lenses as readily as large photographic glass. The backing is changed on its own, so swapping lenses does not mean rebuilding the whole rig.

Three 4×5.65″ filters stacked

The matte box takes three stackable 4×5.65″ filter trays, so you can combine neutral density, polarisation and diffusion at once. A tray accepts glass from 2 to 4 mm thick, which covers filters from practically every brand. They load from the top without removing the hood, so a filter change takes seconds.

114 mm VND: one piece of glass instead of a whole ND set

The 114 mm variable ND filter takes away 1 to 7 stops of light continuously, that is ND 0.3 to 2.1. It has no detents, so you dial density in on the exposure rather than on the nearest step. Instead of five pieces of glass in the case you carry one and change it by turning a ring — under changing light, considerably faster than swapping filters.

ND density can be changed wirelessly

The universal motor adapter included in the kit takes a small wireless motor such as the Tilta Nucleus Nano II; the motor is bought separately. That lets you reset ND density even when you cannot reach the camera — on a steadicam, a crane or a drone. It pays off above all in partly cloudy weather, when the light changes mid-take.

Every filter tray has its own tie-down screw

The trays are not held by one shared lever — each has its own tie-down screw, so a filter cannot fall out during a fast car move or a drone flight. The inside of the matte box and the top flag carry an anti-glare coating developed by Tilta: it absorbs stray light through diffused reflection instead of throwing it back into the lens.

The hood comes off at the press of a button

The carbon fibre hood sits on a magnetic clip-on mount with a quick-release button, so it goes on and off one-handed and without tools. Without the hood the matte box is noticeably lighter and still carries all three filters, which helps on a gimbal or anywhere every gram counts. When you shoot into the light, the hood simply goes back on.

Four removable carbon fibre flags

The top flag has side extensions angled at 55°, so it covers a wider arc than a flat plate. Left, right and bottom flags are available alongside it, letting you block light from all four sides. All are carbon fibre and fit without tools; when you leave them off, the top surface stays free, with 1/4″–20 threads and locating pins for accessories.

Swing-away adapter, ±25° tilt and ±15 mm height

The swing-away adapter lets the whole matte box hinge aside when you change lenses, without taking it off the rods. The same combination lets you tilt the matte box by ±25° and shift it ±15 mm in height, which removes the reflections that form between the filter glass and the front element. Tilt is set with a dial, or remotely through the optional MB-T17-WA whip adapter.

Rubber donuts and wide-angle lenses

The rubber donut kit contains three sizes — 80 to 95, 95 to 114 and 114 to 136 mm. The donut fills the gap between the lens and the backing of the matte box so no side light gets in. The matte box opening is deliberately wide and sits shallow, which is why the Mirage Pro copes with lenses down to 16 mm.

Hard matte masks in five sizes

A hard matte is a rigid mask that slides in front of the filters and narrows the opening to exactly the sensor format or the focal length in use. It cuts off light falling outside the frame so it never enters the rig and never veils the image. Tilta supplies five sizes to choose from according to the lens.

For 15 mm LWS and 19 mm studio rods

When the matte box should not hang off the lens itself, it goes onto rods. Tilta offers two mounts for it: a mounting bracket for a fixed seat, and a rod adapter that additionally provides height and tilt adjustment. Both exist for 15 mm LWS and for 19 mm studio rods, so the matte box suits a lightweight rig as well as a full one.

A case you can work straight out of

The kit travels in a moulded case with compartments for trays, adapters and filters, together with a smaller accessory bag. Every part has its place, so nothing gets hunted for between takes and reconfiguring the matte box is quick.

What to watch out for

The universal motor adapter is part of the kit; the Nucleus Nano II wireless motor itself is not.

The MB-T17-WA whip adapter and the whip itself are bought separately.

The VND Kit does not contain the 67 to 82 mm adapter rings for photographic lenses — those are in the basic kit, or bought individually.

The manufacturer notes that at the strongest densities between 1.8 and 2.1 (6 to 7 stops) a cross pattern may appear on the 114mm VND. A longer focal length helps avoid it.

What to add to the kit

Side and bottom flags, clamp-on adapters in other diameters, spare filter trays, 4×5.65″ filters and a wireless motor for ND control.