JVC LS300 in 2018

[BTM_Pix]

50 minutes ago, Anaconda_ said:

As far as if that camera is a good buy in 2018, I wouldn't buy it again now, unless they can squeeze RAW output. It's been a great cam for me in the 2 years I've had it, and I've loved using it every time I have, but with the little devil of a camera coming out (hopefully) soon, I'd rather get two of those than an LS300 with the Ninja V. 

Yep, I think the other camera has re-defined the price of everything and the perspective of being able to buy 2 of them and still have some decent change versus the LS300 (as 'cheap' as it is in its own market) is a stark one.

Aside from the obvious stuff like battery life, ND, Dual XLRs etc, the tricks it has with the VSM and the network stuff like streaming and FTP are perfect for what I use it for so that is enough differentiator for me to keep hold of it.  Particularly for the used price that I picked it up for.

That stuff can be replicated with the other camera by grafting (with epoxy obviously  ) other stuff on to it obviously but maybe not as elegantly as it is with an all in solution.

The other big differentiator of course is that its actually a fully working product and can produce images today rather than at some unknown point in the future

[newfoundmass]

Depending on the price I wouldn't be opposed to purchasing it again today depending on what I'm needing in a camera.

I come from a very hyper budget background where I used sub $1000 Sony handy cams up until about 5 years ago. For me what's important is getting the most bang for my buck and also versatility. For me the LS300 was, and still is, an ideal camera, one that allows me to use it as a camcorder AND as a cinema camera, while giving me SDI out, a log profile, XLR inputs, ND filters, etc. While you could achieve this with other cameras, having it all in one package is incredibly convenient. And getting that package for under $2500? That's pretty impressive, especially when you consider how well JVC supported it even after it didn't make a huge splash on the market. 

It's not my only camera, I have a GH5 and G85, but I still see myself getting quite a few years out of it.

[BTM_Pix]

On 14/05/2018 at 11:04 PM, mercer said:

Thanks, do you have any C-Mounts? Hell even one of the Fujian c-mounts could be fun. Also 1080p is fine.

A couple of JLOG straight out the camera for you from this evening with the, erm, quirky SLR Magic lens.

The problem with that  lens is that it gives you the coverage across the frame but the edges are so soft it looks like an effect. With the LS300 you can vary the scale mapping and it will correct it but I don't think its doing too much special within the area that it is sharp to be honest. 

JLOG to REC709 LUTS are here

http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/software_dow.jsp?model_id=MDL102318&feature_id=17

[mercer]

Nice color. And IDK, I like the character of that lens. Good combo. 

[BTM_Pix]

32 minutes ago, mercer said:

Nice color. And IDK, I like the character of that lens. Good combo. 

I took the Nikon 105 as well.

And as a 250mm with the prime zoom function.

[mercer]

Yeah I think the Nikkor wins. Was this 4K or 1080p?

[BTM_Pix]

Just now, mercer said:

Yeah I think the Nikkor wins. Was this 4K or 1080p?

1080p 4:2:2 

[mercer]

It really looks nice. Your color skills probably help but it lacks that video look prevalent in a lot of cameras. I guess it would have also been interesting to see a side by side between the JVC and the D500 in 1080p. I’d like to see how the Flat Profile looks next to the JLog... is JLog very flat or is it more like Canon Log?

[BTM_Pix]

7 hours ago, mercer said:

It really looks nice. Your color skills probably help but it lacks that video look prevalent in a lot of cameras. I guess it would have also been interesting to see a side by side between the JVC and the D500 in 1080p. I’d like to see how the Flat Profile looks next to the JLog... is JLog very flat or is it more like Canon Log?

Those shots are completely untouched (even without JVC's LOG LUT) so it's not ultra flat.

[Anaconda_]

To get the best out of Jlog, you need to over expose a little. This also makes the image a little flatter, in appearance at least. Here's a sample with the Canon 50mm 1.8 (I think), with a non-speedbooster adapter

Internal 4k 25p 422 8-bit

Edit: This frame is soft, but I wanted to show that Jlog can be flatter than BTM's samples. This is the only ungraded footage I have to hand right now.

[BTM_Pix]

3 hours ago, Anaconda_ said:

To get the best out of Jlog, you need to over expose a little. This also makes the image a little flatter, in appearance at least. Here's a sample with the Canon 50mm 1.8 (I think), with a non-speedbooster adapter

Internal 4k 25p 422 8-bit

Edit: This frame is soft, but I wanted to show that Jlog can be flatter than BTM's samples. This is the only ungraded footage I have to hand right now.

Yep, it was exposed reasonably conservatively. 

[mercer]

I quite like the conservative exposure. With a simple s-curve and saturation boost, the image looks quite nice. With a simple tint filter, different “looks” can be easily achieved.

That Nikkor looks great. Have you ever used the 55mm f/2.8? I am finding it difficult to build a good set of fast Nikkors, so I was contemplating putting together an f/2.8 set that can be shot wide open. I love the 35mm focal length on full frame, but for my shooting style, a 50mm is just a little too close to 35 and the 55mm 1.2 is more than I want to spend right now. I figure a 20, 35, 55 and 85 could be a nice little set. Any info you have on the ai-s f/2.8 versions of those lenses would be appreciated.

 

[vaga]

Thought I'd play around with that shot. The overexposure on the guy's collar really bugged me at first but it doesn't seem to be hugely obvious now.

[BTM_Pix]

7 hours ago, mercer said:

I quite like the conservative exposure. With a simple s-curve and saturation boost, the image looks quite nice. With a simple tint filter, different “looks” can be easily achieved.

That Nikkor looks great. Have you ever used the 55mm f/2.8? I am finding it difficult to build a good set of fast Nikkors, so I was contemplating putting together an f/2.8 set that can be shot wide open. I love the 35mm focal length on full frame, but for my shooting style, a 50mm is just a little too close to 35 and the 55mm 1.2 is more than I want to spend right now. I figure a 20, 35, 55 and 85 could be a nice little set. Any info you have on the ai-s f/2.8 versions of those lenses would be appreciated.

 

I had the 35 and 55 many moons ago and as with the 105 they'll probably be making a return if I see them at the right price.

I am writing this on the bus from Narita airport into Tokyo with a small hit list of used glass to pick up over the next week. They are both on it but my priority is actually an 85 1.4 Contax Zeiss to round off my set and the 100-300 if it's the right price.

The Mamiya 645 35 f3.5 that I picked up last week for dirt cheap is every bit as good as I thought it was so the 80 and the 210 will be picked up as well for the cheap prices they go for here. 

[Anaconda_]

Excuse my ignorance, but can Raw files from multiple cameras be treated the same way?

For example, if the LS300 did get RAW output, and you recorded it to an Atomos recorder in ProRes RAW, and then shot with the new BM camera as you're Bcam - will the two match pretty well, with much less time and effort than Jlog?

[newfoundmass]

On 5/18/2018 at 5:15 AM, Anaconda_ said:

Excuse my ignorance, but can Raw files from multiple cameras be treated the same way?

For example, if the LS300 did get RAW output, and you recorded it to an Atomos recorder in ProRes RAW, and then shot with the new BM camera as you're Bcam - will the two match pretty well, with much less time and effort than Jlog?

I don't think it'd take less time and effort, but you'd be able to fine tune things more than you would with log. You would be able to match them pretty well if you wanted, especially if you use a color checker card. 

 

It's unlikely though that they'll add RAW output to the LS300, I feel like that'd be a pretty large undertaking for a camera that's nearing it's third birthday. I'd do back flips down the street if they did though! 

[mercer]

On 5/17/2018 at 9:57 PM, BTM_Pix said:

I had the 35 and 55 many moons ago and as with the 105 they'll probably be making a return if I see them at the right price.

I am writing this on the bus from Narita airport into Tokyo with a small hit list of used glass to pick up over the next week. They are both on it but my priority is actually an 85 1.4 Contax Zeiss to round off my set and the 100-300 if it's the right price.

The Mamiya 645 35 f3.5 that I picked up last week for dirt cheap is every bit as good as I thought it was so the 80 and the 210 will be picked up as well for the cheap prices they go for here. 

Please share what you end up buying. I love a good lens quest story.

[Anaconda_]

1 hour ago, newfoundmass said:

I don't think it'd take less time and effort, but you'd be able to fine tune things more than you would with log.

So it's not that RAW is the same for all cameras. I was thinking you could copy paste the grade from one camera to the other, so long as they were exposed the same when shot. Giving you a good starting point.

Ah well, nice idea but not exactly a deal breaker haha

[IronFilm]

Even when you'e taking about "raw" there is still a lot of processing / color science going on behind the scenes

[BTM_Pix]

23 hours ago, mercer said:

Please share what you end up buying. I love a good lens quest story.

Off my list, thus far, I've only managed to get the Contax Zeiss 85 f1.4 

But, erm.... I've also, thus far, managed to get 2 cameras, 3 more lenses and one lens adapter that were absolutely nowhere near being on my list !

I'm here for a while longer yet though so I'll do post the final score up when I'm done.