Splitting the Atom: A Decade of the Misfit Atom

You may have seen that the Misfit Atom has been reduced to 50% off – our biggest price drop in its ten years on the market. But don’t worry: the Atom isn’t going anywhere – quite the opposite, actually.

As we approach the Atom’s tenth birthday, we wanted to celebrate the unique history of this lightweight matte box – and explore why it has been a mainstay in our product range for a decade. The Misfit Atom has spanned the careers of filmmakers from amateur to professional status, and is still the go-to choice for many productions.

So whether you bought it in 2015 upon its original release, or are looking to buy the Misfit Atom on sale now, it’s worth knowing the story of one of the best matte boxes on the market.

Misfit Atom

Original price was: $469.Current price is: $229.

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Misfit Atom 15mm LWS Kit

Original price was: $697.Current price is: $465.

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Misfit Atom 19mm Studio Kit

Original price was: $947.Current price is: $699.

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The Misfit

Before we discuss the Misfit Atom, it’s worth highlighting the older sibling. The original Misfit matte box quickly became a bestseller upon its 2013 release date. Using our patented Reveal Stage design, the Misfit could switch from a two-stage to a three-stage matte box in moments. It was a matte box filled with innovative additions to what is considered a fairly rudimentary piece of camera gear. Durable and dependable, it is used on productions to this day.

We’re still immensely proud of the Misfit. It serves as a benchmark for what Bright Tangerine is capable of as a business. But as gimbals and Steadicam systems became evermore popular, we realised that the Misfit wasn’t an ideal fit. We headed back to the drawing board to see if we could make a matte box that was even smaller, even lighter, and even better.

The Misfit Atom

The Misfit Atom arrived in February 2015 and quickly became a bestseller. A quarter of the weight of the Misfit, the Atom was constructed from a single block of billet aluminium for minimal weight and maximum strength-to-weight ratio. It could provide a clear field-of-view on the widest of lenses – as far as 14mm – with no vignetting. Rather than filter trays, filters are safely slotted directly into the Misfit Atom’s core. You can even remove the matte box’s shade, and simply use the filter holder.

Ten years on, this may not sound revolutionary, but it was tremendously valuable for filmmakers around the world. From run-and-gun content creators to cinematographers, the Misfit Atom has been a go-to tool for anyone looking for an ultra-lightweight means of ensuring that every shot is the best that it can be.