Filters for your mattebox

This is the first time I took my new Formatt 4x4 filters out for a spin. I have no experience with matteboxes and filters so I was very curious to see how they would behave.  It takes quite some getting used to working with a mattebox and filters. Not only is setup time considerably increased but try to find a bag big enough that will hold a rig with mattebox...
One of the first mistakes I made was to forget the 'donuts' that seal off the mattebox from light coming in from the rear, reflecting off the glass filters. In a few of these shots, the reflection is quite visible. I tried different configurations, adding and removing filters, opening up or stopping down the lens. This is just a first test, however, and now that I've seen the results I'm eager to do some more testing. Shooting water with only the polarizer, for instance, and doing comparisons between ND Grad .9 and ND .9
If there's anything you'd like to see in particular, let me know. For now, you get a pretty good impression of what these filters do and are capable of. Money well spent.

Mailbox: glass filters for my Mattebox

MY OWN STARTER'S KIT

Got my set of 5 glass 4x4 filters in today. I didn't buy my mattebox for the looks, as I've read that many people do. I wanted one primarily because I want to control the amount of light entering my lenses and I wanted a 'one size fits all' solution. Later on I learned about other types of filters: I loved what the Polarizer did to reduce reflections and enhance saturation while the Graduated Filter prevents skies from blowing out. So I put together my own 'Starter's Kit', consisiting of :

1. .03 ND Filter
2. .06 ND Filter
3. .09 ND Filter
4. .06 ND Grad Filter
5. Circular Polarizer Filter

Now how hard can it be to prepare this order? Apparently very hard because I was sent a 0.9 Grad ND as opposed to the 0.6 I specified. (Specified twice: once when placing the order and once after I paid. To make sure...)
The filters are new and engraved with the brandname and specifications. No complaints there  but the velcro on one of the pouches partly ripped off the very first time I opened it. No disaster but you don't want that to happen when you unwrap something new... Furthermore: on the seller's eBay store it says:

"Each Filter comes in its individual leather pouch casing."  

Do my casings look like leather to you..?

NYLON POUCH THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEATHER

.09 ND GRAD FILTER

.03 ND FILTER

RIPPED VELCRO: NOT A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION

In search of the best 4x4...

The search for a set of 4x4 filters for my mattebox is on. I've been doing some online research and I talked to a Tiffen representative at IBC last week and we could have talked the entire day. Selecting and using filters is a science all in its own... Initially I set out to buy a ND-filter because that's the main reason I bought the mattebox: to control the light coming in without having to have an ND-filter for every lens...but there's so much more to filters.
And there's so many more filters: Polarizers, ND's, graduated ND's, Black Mist, Skin Tone Enhancers, Hard Edged, Soft Edged, Diffusion filters, Sunset and Sunrise filters... after a talk to the Tiffen guy I was convinced I needed them all. Total cost would run into thousands of Euro's.

Now I've calmed down somewhat and am looking at a starter kit from Formatt. A polarizer for better contrast/reduce reflections, two ND filters for controlling the amount of light entering the lens, Super Mist for softening harsh/blue light and a Skin Tone filter for creating warm skin tone or warming outdoor shots of foliage, trees and the likes. But will I use all these filters? And how good is Formatt? People rave about Schneider and Tiffen but you hear little about Formatt. I just saw them at Zacuto's online store- a reputable store and maker of high-end gear. But does that make Formatt high end? To be continued...