Am I the only one finding it hard to ignore the JVC LS300?

[Mattias Burling]

I mean it ticks pretty much every single box. And its pretty darn affordable.

s35
m4/3 mount
Log
XLR
NDs
External controls
EVF
You name it.

Plus the nifty stuff like knowing how to crop, prime zoom, etc.

The only thing bothering me (and most Ive talked to) is the videos look. But Im thinking it might be that there isn't really anybody using it, thats how should I say, in our segment.
I mean most demo videos from cameras, be it cinema cameras or DSLRs, look pretty dull.
Its first when people like us get it, slap on our soft vintage glass, grade and cover it in grain that we get excited. 

Ed David could surely make the e-m5ii shine, the Samsungs look pretty boring without some care, and most Sony demos look like "home videos".
I wonder what it would be like, would love to try one. Might even do the (imo) dishonest thing and Buy/return just to put my mind at ease.

This video shows a lot of ungraded Log.

 

[richg101]

looks great.  classic case of a weak marketing campaign.  I expect very few here will have even heard of this camera, let alone looked at it as a option.  

[Mattias Burling]

True, 
I think I might call JVC this week and pretty much beg them to lend me one

[Geoff CB]

WOW. This is incredibly impressive.  This actually may be my next camera. ND, great codec, 4K, seemingly decent rolling shutter performance. Active zoom would be incredibly impressive. Need to rent to see if I can get the color where I want it and see how it looks with my lenses.  

"Samsungs look pretty boring without some care" I disagree with this though

[Mattias Burling]

38 minutes ago, Geoff CB said:

 

"Samsungs look pretty boring without some care" I disagree with this though

Yeah I exagerated a bit, the untouched look, specially skin is gorgeous. But you hopefully know what I mean

[sandro]

How do m43 lenses cover the s35 sensor?

Something it missing: inbody stabilization, I doubt lenses' IS works right?

[Geoff CB]

4 minutes ago, sandro said:

How do m43 lenses cover the s35 sensor?

Something it missing: inbody stabilization, I doubt lenses' IS works right?

You can freely adjust the framing of the sensor crop. Which I really like, would be useful for anamorphic shooting my SLR magic and would really help for event coverage.

[sandro]

3 minutes ago, Geoff CB said:

You can freely adjust the framing of the sensor crop. Which I really like, would be useful for anamorphic shooting my SLR magic and would really help for event coverage.

So you don't actually get a s35 focal length?

[Cinegain]

Once every while someone mentions the GY-LS300 and the fact that on paper it's a very exciting camera (e.g.). But hardly anyone actually dares to go there and these topics die fast. Nobody really seems to give a damn and the footage, especially some of the first stuff that came out, isn't really pursuading anybody it appears...

User TSV I think was the only one to go a try one out:

His conclusion as follows...

Quote

My final thoughts are pretty much the same. This camera will give you great videos if you are fully controlling your environment (Lighting and such) not that good for a "Run and Gun" Camera. 

The menus and UI is so 1999, the LCD and Viewfinder is really bad, missing so many things that could help you shooting a perfect video like a better EA meter and even an Histogram. Again Sold a 496,800 Yen in Japan (Above 4000 USD) I would definitively buy something else like a pair of GH4 or A7S with a Shogun, or... an URSA Mini 4.6?

 

[Mattias Burling]

46 minutes ago, sandro said:

How do m43 lenses cover the s35 sensor?

Something it missing: inbody stabilization, I doubt lenses' IS works right?

You can use any lens that covers the s35.

Yes you get IS with m4/3 and Canon + metabones.

36 minutes ago, sandro said:

So you don't actually get a s35 focal length?

Yes you do.

17 minutes ago, Cinegain said:

Once every while someone mentions the GY-LS300 and the fact that on paper it's a very exciting camera (e.g.). But hardly anyone actually dares to go there and these topics die fast. Nobody really seems to give a damn and the footage, especially some of the first stuff that came out, isn't really pursuading anybody it appears...

User TSV I think was the only one to go a try one out:

His conclusion as follows...

 

Yup, but given that he didnt have a Histogram means that he didnt have the prime zoom or log. All that came in a later firmware.

[Cinegain]

Well. I'm rooting for JVC giving you a loaner as well! In theory it's kinda something along the lines of the FS5 and DVX200 it seems, just at the same time not at all either. So it be interesting if someone could still find some life init. Especially now that prices dropped, because nobody seems overly eager to pick one up, yet it might be interesting to get... We've all been discussing the possible GH5... which is rumored not to even come out this year, but next... and this would already do that S35 trick! Plus, it's not a Varicam, but it's somewhere to go from owning a GH4 to getting a bit more solid system without resorting to Sony & Blackmagic and rendering a native M43 lens collection useless, Yet something's holding everyone back apparently... is there really something off with the system or are we just scared of things that aren't the norm?

[Andrew Reid]

They are so desperate to start selling LS300s at CVP that they are giving you a free Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 PRO and £500 off any accessory of your choice.

All for £2977 inc VAT (£2481 + VAT)

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/jvc_gy-ls300e

At B&H it is $1000 off at $3k

One thing is for sure, doesn't look like sales have been too hot and people aren't hot for the JVC brand. In fact I'd tape it up to avoid being laughed at.

I agree on paper the spec is great and the image in that YouTube review looks very very clean in 2K 4:2:2. Nice to have LOG but the prime zoom I'd rather do in post after shooting in 4K. How's the codec in 4K on this thing? What's the bitrate?

The main concern I'd have over this camera are the ergonomics, speed of use, snappiness and logic of the menus and quality of the sensor. Will be surprised if it looks nicer than an A7R II in Super 35mm mode at high ISOs or a NX1 at low ISOs.

But yeah, definitely a curious beast to try out.

Just get it from somewhere with a good return policy. Why? Because it's a JVC

[Dustin]

Definitely sounds interesting! Would love to see some footage from you Mattias!

[brunerww]

3 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

How's the codec in 4K on this thing? What's the bitrate?

The main concern I'd have over this camera are the ergonomics, speed of use, snappiness and logic of the menus and quality of the sensor. Will be surprised if it looks nicer than an A7R II in Super 35mm mode at high ISOs or a NX1 at low ISOs.

But yeah, definitely a curious beast to try out.

Just get it from somewhere with a good return policy. Why? Because it's a JVC

The codec is 8-bit 4:2:2 h.264 Quicktime .mov at a max bit rate of 150mbps. Arguably better than the GH4's internal 8-bit 4:2:0 h.264 Quicktime .mov at 100mbps.

I rented it a few months ago (before the LOG update), and it looked very good next to 4K footage from my GH4. And the ergonomics (except for the awful viewfinder) were better than any still/video hybrid.

With J-LOG, Dan Chung was able to produce a grade that looked like this.

Thinking seriously about buying one at $2995.

[Mattias Burling]

6 hours ago, Dustin said:

Definitely sounds interesting! Would love to see some footage from you Mattias!

Ive emailed them, will call them as well.

[Mattias Burling]

Found a test. Its not looking good in the shadows. Shame as it seems really good in lowlight.

 

[brunerww]

Great find, Mattias!  Don't know if you've seen it, but here is the 4K version.  I like the LOG images from both cameras, but wish they had applied the same LUT to both.

 

[sanveer]

16 hours ago, Mattias Burling said:

I mean it ticks pretty much every single box. And its pretty darn affordable.

s35
m4/3 mount
Log
XLR
NDs
External controls
EVF
You name it.

Plus the nifty stuff like knowing how to crop, prime zoom, etc.

The only thing bothering me (and most Ive talked to) is the videos look. But Im thinking it might be that there isn't really anybody using it, thats how should I say, in our segment.
I mean most demo videos from cameras, be it cinema cameras or DSLRs, look pretty dull.
Its first when people like us get it, slap on our soft vintage glass, grade and cover it in grain that we get excited. 

Ed David could surely make the e-m5ii shine, the Samsungs look pretty boring without some care, and most Sony demos look like "home videos".
I wonder what it would be like, would love to try one. Might even do the (imo) dishonest thing and Buy/return just to put my mind at ease.

This video shows a lot of ungraded Log.

 

 

16 hours ago, Mattias Burling said:

I mean it ticks pretty much every single box. And its pretty darn affordable.

s35
m4/3 mount
Log
XLR
NDs
External controls
EVF
You name it.

Plus the nifty stuff like knowing how to crop, prime zoom, etc.

The only thing bothering me (and most Ive talked to) is the videos look. But Im thinking it might be that there isn't really anybody using it, thats how should I say, in our segment.
I mean most demo videos from cameras, be it cinema cameras or DSLRs, look pretty dull.
Its first when people like us get it, slap on our soft vintage glass, grade and cover it in grain that we get excited. 

Ed David could surely make the e-m5ii shine, the Samsungs look pretty boring without some care, and most Sony demos look like "home videos".
I wonder what it would be like, would love to try one. Might even do the (imo) dishonest thing and Buy/return just to put my mind at ease.

This video shows a lot of ungraded Log.

 

I spoke about it Long ago. Also mentioned the much better Log profile on it than both the Panasonic and Sony cameras. And that the new firmware that came out, addressed most of the issues the camera had before. 

[Mattias Burling]

43 minutes ago, sanveer said:

 

I spoke about it Long ago. Also mentioned the much better Log profile on it than both the Panasonic and Sony cameras. And that the new firmware that came out, addressed most of the issues the camera had before. 

So did I. Alot of us talked about it. And still do. But thats all we do. No one is actually trying it

I would love some footage to play with.

[Oliver Daniel]

I've also been curious about trying out this camera. 

Colour looks like Sony with a dash of Nikon. 

It's been poorly promoted.