Olympus M. Zuiko 12-40mm

[Duncan Craig]

OK. But to clarify the situation for other reading this...

JVC's Variable Scan Mapping feature can be adjusted during filming using either of the on-camera Zoom rockers, or via a traditional LANC zoom demand.

You set VSM to work via rocker in a menu, and then leave it set this way.

While filming you can get very slow creeping zooms, using the VSM feature.

If you set the VSM to a specific amount using the 'usual' menu driven method, for example 92%, then your zoom rocker will only let you zoom out to 92%.

You could leave VSM set to 100%, then when you change lenses (or the zoom setting on the lens) adjust the VSM using the rockers. The don't need to go into a menu to achieve this. You need to keep an eye out for vignetting though.

Using the 12-35 at 12mm I need to set the VSM to 80% or so, but once the lens is zoomed in a little I can set the VSM to 100%.

[Frank Grygier]

That is one of the coolest features of this camera. I am "this close" to pulling the trigger.

[Steve Rosen]

The two images I posted on the previous page were shot within seconds of each other. The problem with ALL zooms, whether legacy S16 (of which I have four) or contemporary MFTs, is that they are not - nor do do they "act" - parfocal on the LS300 - sorry for repeating myself, I know I've beat this poor horse to death...

HOWEVER, with the VSM set (in the menu) at the widest you're comfortable with (in the example I used 92%, on the 12-40, and there is only slight vignetting) you can then use the LANC zoom controller to make - a albeit short - smooth in-camera zoom to 43%.

So, if the lens itself is at 12mm, you can use the rocker to zoom from 12mm (which is much wider than that at 92%) to about the equivalent of double+ that, or about 30%. With the lens set at 40mm, you gat a 40mm to 80mm+ (approximately) zoom.

And, as Duncan mentioned, if your lens is at 12mm and that's the frame you want, you can zoom in quickly to check focus... In my case, with old eyes even after two cataract surgeries, that ability, combined with the 1:1 on my EVF, has saved my ass a dozen times at least.. because it's much more reliable than auto focus (although the Olympus is better than most),

It is definitely the coolest feature of this camera.

BTW - these fields-of-view - expressed in focal lengths - when zoomed are only guesses, based on comparisons with other zoom and prime lenses that I own. Lenses like Zeiss are pretty accurate, but most mass produced lenses are pretty optimistic on the wide or telephoto end.