OConnor has built a better mousetrap…er…mattebox. The company known for its fluid heads and tripods is really using its head. They’ve come up with a new line of matteboxes: the OConnor O-Box WM (Wide Mini). It’s another one of those products that will have you banging hand on head in wonderment, “why didn’t anyone think of this before?”

The clearly obvious but long-elusive innovation is how OConnor O-Grip handles attach directly to the mattebox for truly comfortable handheld operating. OConnor’s multi-position O-Grips can be conveniently screwed directly onto the O-Box metal support cage in three locations: camera left, right or bottom center. This is much safer and stable than grabbing the plastic shade.

“But,” you might say, “I’ve been grabbing the plastic box of my mattebox for years.” Your picture is probably posted along with mine on rental house walls in recognition of your status for most broken mattebox shades replaced.

The OConnor O-Box WM is a lightweight, two-stage mattebox. It accommodates lenses up to 18mm (and in some cases wider) in 16:9 format. The front, top-loading stage accepts two filter frames (two 4” x 4” and two 4 x 5.650” frames are included). The second stage (closest to lens) is rotatable 360 degrees. A  138mm round filter can be screwed into an optional donut that attaches to the second stage. The O-Box attaches to 15mm lightweight support rods or can be clamped directly onto the lens.

Constructed of OConnor’s proprietary, rugged composite material, the sunshade is lightweight, strong, and impact resistant. The metal mounts onto which the O-Grips attach are beefy and do not bend.

The integrated handgrip system is welcome relief when handholding any camera.  The numerous permutations of positions afforded by OConnor’s O-Grips take almost every camera operator and shooting style into account. The bottom center position is useful for small cameras and HDSLRs: one O-Grip becomes a pistol-style grip for your supporting hand while your other hand can manage the follow focus handwheel. That handwheel, of course, will probably be one of OConnor’s new CFF-1 Follow Focus.

O Lucky Man if you are a Camera Operator with a new OConnor O-Box and O-Grips.

The O-Box WM kit includes:

• basic WM Mattebox
• two top-loading 4” x 4” filter frames
• two 4 x 5.65 ” filter frames
• Lightweight, rugged, composite material in sunshade
• Two stages; front fixed/ rear rotatable 360 degrees
• Two Top loading or 4”x4” filter frames
• Two 4”x5.65” filter frames
• Rear bellows holds a 138mm round filter (rotatable)
• Rear clamping interface @ 150mm
• Rod interface for 15mm LWS standard
• O-Grips 3/8” interface on left, center bottom, and right sides
• Integrated top flag mounting bracket
• Top Flag

Optional accessories:

• Optional side and bottom flags/brackets
• Universal mask set
• Clamp adapters
• Bellows and reduction rings