LS300 - On the fence...

[Noa Put]

To get set up, you press an AF button, which nails the focus on the subject, leaving the background blurred (which is ideal). Then, you hit record and you're off to the races. If they go out of focus, you just hit the AF button again and the subject is back in focus. Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct + you have very good peaking and screen magnification to make sure your focus is dead on.

Obviously, it's different than a camera that continually auto focuses on the subject or even has something like face tracking

The ls300 can do that to but it's not the same quality as the dual pixel autofocus capability of a c300.

[Seth Diamond]

"The ls300 can do that to but it's not the same quality as the dual pixel autofocus capability of a c300."

You're kidding! That's fantastic. However, I'm guessing that would only work with M43 glass, correct?

[Steve Rosen]

The LS300 has Face detection, and I've tried it several times. It usually works, but my fear is that it wouldn't when I need it to, Using the camera's EVF or LCD you can see the box around the area it's chosen to focus, so you're sure it's working (or not working). Unfortunately for me I use an external EVF and that overlay isn't output vis SDI.

BTW, I tried the HDMI with the Gratical and I still don't get camera peaking (or the above overlay). Must be something with my camera...

[Seth Diamond]

Very cool!

1) I guess the key thing is that in an ideal situation, we'd have someone manning the LS300, who will be properly focusing manually. That's always the safest option. My hunch is that the IS in the 24-105L with IS will be just fine for that handheld, as that's what I gather has worked for you, Steven.

But there are rarer occasions where I'd like to just put it on a tripod and let it run in automatic mode...such as a self-filming situation....hence some sort of continual autofocusing/face detection kind of thing...and just have it run like it's like it's fixed lens and JVC brother...GY-HM200U. So if that's the case, that's perfect! However, I'd just need to know what lens to throw on for those situations to make that work... as clearly EF glass and an adapter won't work.

2) I emailed Metabones; Hopefully I'll hear back from them about the Speed Booster...surely someone has tried it out.

Thanks, guys!

[Steve Rosen]

Seth: If you don't have any MFT lenses, there are several very inexpensive Lumix zooms that would probably work well for the situations you describe...Of course there are used options as well. I know that the Lumix 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 work very well with auto everything.. but they ain't cheap. Check B&H for the Lumix Lenses page. There's a 14 - 175 and 14-45 that have a zoom/variable iris that's not my cup of tea - but they're like 300- 400 bucks and many seem to like them.

BTW - I forgot to add that in my not so humble opinion the XF100 isn't the great small camera I'd hoped for. I had been extremely impressed with the HV40, and used it to make several covert documentaries (one about film festivals, another about a homeless shelter, another about an after school program for disadvantaged kids). But it was HDV and tape became an issue. I bought the XF to replace it (4.2.2 was attractive) but it's never really filled the void. Sadly the newer high-end consumer Canons don't have the manual functionality of the HV40 (I detest touch screens). Believe me when I say that the LS300 is miles above the XF. It's comparable to cameras 2-3 times it's price.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Steve Rosen

BTW, I tried the HDMI with the Gratical and I still don't get camera peaking (or the above overlay). Must be something with my camera...

I have a Avtec XHD070Pro 7" Field Monitor

[Seth Diamond]

Steve - If you're seriously saying that if I simply throw on a newer M43 lens... something like an image stabilized Panasonic ...like:

******** Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph. Lens for Micro 4/3 (Black)

...and the LS300 would then behave like an XF100 in fully automatic mode...I'd really be all set! Am I getting it right here?

This way, I'd have something for simple run-n-gun shoots...and then use all my EF glass for dedicated and cinematic shoots like one would with a C100/C300.

Plus, with something like the 12-35 f2.8, I'm guessing with the VSM I'd really have something more like a 12-80...and a 35-100 would then be a 35-233, right? That's incredible!

Thanks for helping me confirm all this so quickly.

[William Hohauser]

Still haven't tossed my hat into the LS300 ring as work took an uncertain turn the past month. With two Panasonic GH cameras and two HM600 cameras, I am covered although not as happily as if I had the LS300 to replace one of the GH cameras.

After shooting a two camera, single subject interview with the GH cameras a couple of days ago I have a question for the 300 experts here: how reliable is the viewfinder or the LCD screen for manual focus? For sit down interviews I prefer manual focus over face detection auto focus as my experience is that the GH cameras gets wonky after an hour and start wandering the focus even though the subject hasn't moved much. The problem is that I don't have an external monitor and even with a LCD loupe while filming it's hard to tell how sharp the focus is especially if the subject starts moving around.

[Noa Put]

how reliable is the viewfinder or the LCD screen for manual focus?

As long as you use the focusing aids like peaking, setting the screen in black and white and using the magnifying option that lets you zoom in on any part of the screen focusing is very reliable, if you don't use those aids your OK during well lit scenes but as soon as the lights go out you absolutely need to use teh focusing aids again to be sure.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Seth Diamond

...and the LS300 would then behave like an XF100 in fully automatic mode...I'd really be all set! Am I getting it right here?

The ls300 can function in a fully automatic mode but the difference between the ls300 and the xf100 is the sensor size and that can make automatic focusing unreliable depending on your f-stop, distance from your subject and focal length. I have been shooting at 12mm in auto mode with my 12-35mm f2.8 without much problems but when I was shooting at f2.8 and came up close to a subject you can see that the camera can start to hunt a bit, same would occur if you zoom in to 100mm with a 35-100 lens you have the same risk.

Plus, with something like the 12-35 f2.8, I'm guessing with the VSM I'd really have something more like a 12-80...and a 35-100 would then be a 35-233, right?

I don't know the exact magnification but it's considerable making zoomlenses or especially primes much more useful, in 4K it's a much less zoomrange, only in 1080p you get the most reach.

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Seth Diamond

Steve - If you're seriously saying that if I simply throw on a newer M43 lens... something like an image stabilized Panasonic ...like:

******** Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph. Lens for Micro 4/3 (Black)

...and the LS300 would then behave like an XF100 in fully automatic mode...I'd really be all set! Am I getting it right here?

When you review the LS300 functions you see the LUMIX lenses are perfect. Every lens function is supported. But JVC will not mention Panasonic -- which leaves many buyers from buying THE lenses the engineers clearly had in mind.

POWER ZOOM from the LS300 controls
POWER FOCUS when camera is in AF mode.
POWER APERTURE when camera is in AE mode
POWER OIS when you assign OIS to a physical button

The first lens I would buy is the Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph. It's fast and very light. But it is only a 3X. The Panasonic’s small and lightweight (210 grams) LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45-175mm/F4.0-5.6 is another zoom lens that provides these power functions.

POWER FOCUS when camera is in AF mode. But once focus has been achieved simply switch to Manual.

POWER APERTURE when camera is in AE mode. But once exposure has been achieved simply switch to Manual.

And in J-log you must dial aperture so you are in Manual, but there are many ways to set aperture.

By the way, I have the 1:1 mode set to TOGGLE. So I press button and get focus and press again. So there is no excuse for not getting focus either by AF or Manual.

[John Nantz]

Quote:
When you review the LS300 functions you see the LUMIX lenses are perfect. Every lens function is supported. But JVC will not mention Panasonic -- which leaves many buyers from buying THE lenses the engineers clearly had in mind.

Seems like it wasn’t the most pleasant of, uh …. divorces.

Back when Panasonic took over JVC and JVC came out with the HD7 ~2006 with full HD, from the things I read about it, I got the impression that Panasonic really didn’t care for it apparently because JVC upstaged them.

Okay, ‘nother subject.

I’ve posted this once before but given all the LS300 activity centering around lenses, and since this table has been updated migh to March 2016, it might be of use for last minute decision making.
The Complete Micro 4/3 Lens List

The list of caveats makes for interesting reading.

[Steve Rosen]

I and others forgot to mention one little wrinkle. Auto exposure is disabled in J-Log. I forgot because I never use auto exposure (even on the HV40). If you want to maintain auto exposure, try the Cinema Gamma.

[Ed Kishel]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

When you review the LS300 functions you see the LUMIX lenses are perfect.

unfortunately though, according to JVC's guidelines in correctly using the VSM feature, you apparently can't shoot 4K while using a native micro 4/3 lens. At least not "proper 4K"- the way the sensor & VSM feature was designed. The "proper" way would be to set VSM at 80% MFT, which is below 4K (according to the way the sensor is scanned).

Can you not shoot C4K 4096 x 2160 with Lumix or Olympus 4/3 glass on the LS300, like you can on the GH4? At 80% VSM is the camera upscaling the image?

EDIT: I just found this thread, which confirms my concern:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/jvc-4k-p...3840x2160.html

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

Still haven't tossed my hat into the LS300 ring as work took an uncertain turn the past month.

Why not order ls300 + LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45-175mm/F4.0-5.6 zoom lens from B&H. As I remember they give you 7 days to try it out.