TILTAING Mini Matte Box

The Tilta Mini Matte Box clamps straight onto the lens: the adapter ring screws into the filter thread and the matte box snaps onto it. The kit ships with 67, 72, 77 and 82 mm rings; 52 to 85 mm and the 80 and 85 mm cine rings are sold separately. A 4×5.65″ filter slot sits at the front, while the ring at the back doubles as a circular filter holder. The body weighs 140 g and the carbon fibre top flag tilts through 180°.

Clamps straight onto the lens

The adapter ring screws into the filter thread of the lens and the matte box clamps onto it — clamp-on, with no rods and no baseplate. Tilta makes rings in 52, 55, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82 and 85 mm; four of them (67, 72, 77 and 82 mm) come in the basic kit. Cine lenses are covered by the 80 and 85 mm Cinema rings.

4×5.65″ filter at the front, circular at the back

The front slot takes a single 4×5.65″ filter — the format most cine ND and diffusion filters are made in. At the back, every adapter ring carries an internal thread in its own size, so a standard circular filter screws straight into it. Both can be used at once, say a polariser at the back and an ND at the front.

Top flag through 180°

The carbon fibre flag tilts through 180° and stays where you set it. Folded forward it shades backlight and cuts lens flare; folded back it stays out of the way in transport. A single screw on top of the matte box releases it, so the angle can be changed while shooting.

150 × 120 × 40 mm and 140 grams

The matte box body measures 150 × 120 × 40 mm and weighs 140 g. On a gimbal or a small mirrorless body that shows up in the balance — the matte box does not overload the front of the rig and needs no counterweight. It is built from aluminium alloy, stainless steel and carbon fibre.

Somewhere to hang a mic or a light

Two cold shoe mounts and 1/4″-20 and 3/8″-16 threads sit on the top plate. A microphone, a small LED light or a bracket therefore hangs straight off the matte box and takes up no room on the cage. The thumbscrew on the top edge also holds the flag at the chosen angle.

Support on a 15 mm rod

The kit includes a bottom 15 mm rod holder, a 15 × 100 mm aluminium rod and a support arm. The arm bolts to the underside of the matte box, takes its weight and keeps the lens aligned at the same time. The manufacturer notes that this support is not meant for lenses whose front element extends while focusing.

Vignetting: the manufacturer recommends using the Mini Matte Box from 24 mm on S35 sensors and from 35 mm on full frame. At shorter focal lengths the matte box frame can creep into the corners of the picture.