Okay, so JVC is offering the LS 300 35mm Cinema camera ($3999) with two, really cool options:

1) A FREE Metabones adapter with your choice of EF, Nikon G, or PL mount
++++OR++++
2) Your choice of a FREE Rokinon MFT 24 or 35mm lens.

Wow, a really good deal and a great way to launch a camera. We are also going to have a way to try out the camera for a day before you buy (details coming soon).

And, if that's not enough, on Weds, March 18th, We will have the official LA launch of the LS 300 (and the HM-200 & HM-170) here at EVS on our stages. All the key people from JVC will be here along with footage we will have shot with a production-run LS 300. It will be from 1-3pm and I'll post a link to our sign-up page here in the next day or so...

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

Pretty sweet! Any mention as to the specific adapter? Is the speed booster an option?

All we know is Metabones is working/finishing up specific adapters for JVC and this camera. I look forward to getting more info on this soon.

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

Wow, sounds like a good deal. Making me rethink the cheaper HM200 or Sony PXW-x70.

New to interchangeable lens, so could you explain the differences between the 25 and 35mm lens's? Why choose one over the other?

If I go with one of those free lens's, will it just fit right on, or will some sort of adapter be needed? Also, will the 35 or 24 lens work with the servo zoom rocker? What is the zoom range on these lens's?

Rick, the Rokinon Lenses are Micro 4/3 mounts (so they fit directly on the JVC LS300, no adapter needed). Both Rokinon lenses are listed at T1.5 (24mm and 35mm). No, they wouldn't work with the zoom rocker (they are prime lenses, not zoom lenses).

The free lenses have the correct mount for the LS300 so you wouldn't need an adapter to use them.

The main difference between the two lenses is focal length. On the LS300 the 24mm will be slightly wide angle and the 35mm will be "normal"…similar to the focal length of the human eye. Each of them are great in low-light and plenty sharp for 4K production.

Haha you beat me to it troy.

OK - Looks like the adapter/mount option for me. Any recommendations on which mount and a zoom lens I should start looking at? I shoot a lot of events, and must have a decent zoom, min. 12x, that works with the rocker, to do "live zooms". Would also need the lens to be great in low light, thx.

Hey Rick, once you get into large sensor sizes such as super 35, a 12x zoom lens that is great in low light will cost you a heck of a lot more than a camera. If you need the zoom, a lot of folks split the zoom range into two lenses such as a 24-70 f/2.8 and a 70-200 f/2.8.

Here is the link to sign up......
JVC GY-LS300 4KCAM S35mm Camcorder Debut Event (http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eal8ke3j8864da05&llr=y5gtzzcab)

See you on the 18th!

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

Not to cross-post but here is the Vimeo link:

Breathing In New Life on Vimeo

and our camera arrived today!

Fantastic, Jim!
Give us your first impressions.

So, we have it up on the 46" TV Logic and the HDMI going out 4K to a Panasonic 4K 32" monitor. First off, it appears the Camera's DNA is definitely in the Canon/Panasonic direction. We are still playing around with the ISOs to see where it starts getting noisy and I'll report back on that. We plan to shoot both day and night on both internally and out to the Shogun.....
More later!

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

More JVC GY-LS300 Footage:

[4K] JVC KENWOOD GY-LS300 TEST SHOOTING - YouTube

^^^ hopefully the export settings for that video weren't ideal. That is some pretty soft 4K video…and it definitely can't be chalked up to youtube compression. Honestly I still have yet to see LS300 footage that I particularly adore. All the videos so far seem to have sharpness/detail way up and have unnecessary aliasing…or have weird things happening in the highlights and whatnot. However based on the following video I presume just about everything can be adjusted and I still have a ton of hope invested in this camera:

JVC GY-LS300 Menu System on Vimeo

If all the the videos out there right now were shot with poor in-camera settings and it really is possible to make an outstanding image with this camera, I think it would be beneficial for JVC to send the camera to someone to take a few shots with decent in-camera settings and decent lighting to generate more interest in the upcoming events.

I'd be happy to be that person by the way.

Someone said he wish he could see a manual:
JVC Pro Operation Manuals (http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/inst_man.jsp?model_id=MDL102318&feature_id=11)

We shot our first batch of footage this past weekend.....I like the what we got...and to try and mimic a Log setting, we used the "cinema subdued" Gamma setting that has less color...the idea being if we were going to color in post, this would be as close to "0" that we could get. On the next batch, we are planning to shoot with the standard "cinema" setting, allowing a more rec709 look. In the shot footage, we did some at the beach as the sun was going down, off to the side and behind the subjects and the camera handled it well...we had faces and didn't have to "blow out" the background (sand & ocean) to get it......
BTW, for those who know me, I can be pretty critical on a given camera's short comings.... and people who'll focus on a camera's one particular feature (good) while ignoring the rest of the camera's "not great" features. This camera is an incredible value...for what it has and does...and the price it is being offered at......

Jim Martin

PS - If you are in the LA area, please do stop by next Wednesday and come to the event! Just sign up below:
JVC GY-LS300 4KCAM S35mm Camcorder Debut Event (http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eal8ke3j8864da05&llr=y5gtzzcab)