On Thursday, July 30 Adorama played host to the latest OnSet event featuring our very Daniel Norton. The difference this time focused on video as opposed to still photography. Demonstrating the use of JVC Kenwood’s (JVC merged with the Audio and TV manufacturer in 2012) GY-LS300 camcorder, we were greeted with an introduction by the company’s District Sales Manager Ken Freed. Mr. Freed explained how their line of camcorders and cine cams were created for the television news industry and are primed to stream wirelessly whether it be online or through a television network. And the GY-LS300 packs a lot of punch for being one of the smaller models in their line of cams. To give you a general idea here are some of the specs:
• 4K 35mm CMOS sensor (Ultra HD equivalent. Pixel count of 3840 x 2160)
• Adapters for both PL and EF mounts
• Full HD recording (1080P) at 50Mbps
• 3 position ND filter
• 2-channel XLR audio inputs
• Built in stereo microphone
• Dual SDHC/SDXC slots for dual, backup and continuous recording
• As mentioned before, advanced streaming capability
• 24, 30 and 60 fps,Progressive and Interlaced.
Ken particularly wanted to highlight the 35mm equivalent sensor, specifically in how it achieves the cinematic effect of “BOKEH,” a term applied to the visual quality of out-of-focus areas as captured through a lens. It enables a videographer to assess the effectiveness of a shallow depth of field shot. And apparently the CMOS sensor’s relationship with a particular lens makes it all the more pleasing to the eye. This would of course not only depend on the kind of lens used, but when the lens was actually made. Daniel and his colleague, Dave Brusca, furthered the demonstration by comparing the look of a recently manufactured prime lens (one created for digital use) with that of a lens made before, well, in the days whena laptop computer was made up of rods and beads and the only source of consternation regarding this was whether the plural for “abacus” was “abaci.”
The differences, however, were striking.
But before we get to that, Daniel first introduced a short video shot on the GY-LS300. Invoking the lens flare rich aesthetic of the late 1960s/early 70s, the video depicted a vintage fashion shoot of sorts and its star, a model who was referred to as “Gabriella,” was present at the event as well. She acted as the on camera subject while Daniel and Dave continued to talk us through how different lenses can affect the look of your image. Using a modern day, 55mm Canon Prime Cine Lens brought about sharp results. Whereas the use of a pre-1990 SLR lens resulted in a dreamy, more filmic look. It also revealed how Dave and Daniel achieved that retro quality of their video short – old lenses bring about better lens flare!
(While it would be easy for this particular writer to snarkily point out the overly abundant use of lens flare in today’s feature films, I have to say it was a revelation to this videographer on the side. I couldn’t wait to race home and place an old Nikon lens on my Canon 7D and see what happened next)
And that was the basic gist of the GY-LS300 event. Audience members were invited to play with the camera on their own, even experiment with the assortment of lenses made accessible by the Adorama Pro staff. Interestingly, most of the audience was made up of still photographers and not videographers. So maybe an additional session will be in store for those making the adjustment from photography to video? A quick lesson on frame rate vs. shutter speed and how that affects your image in motion, perhaps? Until then, attendees did have the opportunity to experience the versatility of JVC Kenwood’s GY-LS300. And JVC Kenwood might have won a few new admirers in the process.
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OnSet is presented at Adorama, 42 West 18 Street in NYC, every Thursday starting at 12pm. The event is free. You can view the video related series on our youtube channel here.
