The K&F Matte Box arrives in a beautiful black cardboard box containing a sturdy storage box for safe storage and transport. In addition to the matte box itself, the five included adapter rings (67, 72, 77, 82, and 95mm) also fit securely inside. A small pocket in the lid also offers space for masks, filter gels, or other accessories.

A matte box, or compendium in German, is primarily known from professional film and cinema cameras. Individual wings can be individually adjusted and shield the shot from reflections or intense light sources. Compared to a standard lens hood, this allows for much more targeted light shielding.

At approximately 20cm wide and 13cm high (without adjusting screws), the K&F Matte Box is a somewhat larger model and can be used quite universally for film and photography. The entire design with its carbon fiber wings is quite professional, however, the K&F matte box is designed for direct mounting on the lens; a rod system with a mount for a rig is not included in the package.

The metal adapter rings can be easily swapped after loosening a large adjusting screw. The adapter rings have an external thread for the lens, but on the inside there is also an internal thread of the same size, into which filters suitable for the lens can be screwed. ND and effect filters can still be used this way.

The selection of diameters is absolutely sufficient. I was able to attach my largest telephoto lens with an 86mm diameter using a converter ring, and I was even able to connect a large mirror telephoto lens with a 95mm diameter directly.

The mount for the adapter rings is removable; two small clamps on the bottom hold the entire thing in place. While removing it is quite easy, attaching it is considerably more difficult. The system is manufactured to a very precise fit and therefore must be reattached very precisely and straight. For quick changes, loosening the adapter ring using the adjusting screw is much easier and faster.

The two side and top wings (= French flags) of the matte box are made of approximately 1mm thick carbon, making the entire compendium quite light at around 360g. The two side wings are approximately 11cm high and 9.5cm wide, while the top wing measures approximately 17 x 13cm. Two additional triangular wings can be added, resulting in an impressive maximum width of 30cm at the front. The left wing (viewed from the lens side) can also be pivoted outward by approximately 2.5cm.

The top wing can be pivoted upward by approximately 135°, then the adjusting screw stops a larger angle, while the side wings can be pivoted sideways by well over 180°.

The interior contains two filter trays measuring approximately 14.5 x 10 cm (internal dimensions), into which filter foils, glass filters, masks, or similar items (4.0 x 5.65 inches) can be inserted. These are secured by an aluminum holder on the side and can be inserted individually or in pairs.

For attaching other accessories, there are two standard tripod mounts (1/4 inch) and a 3/8 inch thread on the top. A cold shoe mount for attaching a microphone, lighting unit, or flash unit has also been included. A thread is also visible on the bottom, but this appears to be a standard 4 mm metric thread, whose possible uses are unclear to me.

Conclusion:
A great, universally applicable matte box, especially for more professional film cameras, but also suitable for more demanding photography (medium format or studio photography). It seems a bit oversized compared to a regular DSLR, but it can still be a top-notch solution in difficult lighting conditions where the standard lens hood fails. The price of just under €140 may seem a bit high at first glance, but it's absolutely justified for the build quality and expandability. I haven't found any real negative aspects, so I give it a full 5 stars.