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Samsung NX1 Review

April 2015 | By Dale Baskin, Richard Butler, Rishi Sanyal, Jeff Keller

Buy on Amazon.com From $1,299.00

Review based on a production Samsung NX1 running firmware 1.22

Samsung has been pretty inventive in the digital camera world. It was the first to offer an really extensive Wi-Fi system (which continues to this day), Android-based cameras (though Nikon launched a model at about the same time), and arguably the first dedicated 'selfie cams' with its DualView models.

The company has yet again come up with something new, this time in the enthusiast mirrorless space. For the first time ever, Samsung has managed to create an APS-C-sized, 28MP CMOS sensor that's backside illuminated. BSI sensors move all the circuitry behind the light-capturing part of the sensor which allows it to capture more light, improving low light performance and reducing noise. Until now, the largest sensor with backside illumination was 1"-type (around 1/3rd the size of APS-C).

The NX1 sits in a crowded field of excellent cameras - both DSLR and mirrorless - such as the Nikon D7200, Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Panasonic DMC-GH4 and Fujifilm X-T1. Each of these models has its own appeal, whether it be the excellent video specification of the Panasonic, the compactness of the Fujifilm or the all-round capability of the Nikon. While they share similar price tags and build quality and aim for broadly the same audience, the NX1 has quite a few tricks up its sleeve beyond its clever sensor, to try to break into that respectable club.

Samsung NX1 key features

28.2 megapixel APS-C BSI-CMOS sensor
Hybrid AF system with 205 phase-detect points covering 90% of the frame
15 fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus
4K (DCI 4K & UHD) video recording using H.265 codec
Can output 4:2:2 8-bit 4K video over HDMI
Stripe pattern AF illuminator with 15m range
Weather-resistant magnesium alloy body
3" tilting Super AMOLED touchscreen display
2.36M dot OLED EVF with 5ms lag
LCD info display on top of camera
Built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
USB 3.0 interface
Optional battery grip

Those specification highlights should give you an idea of Samsung's ambitions for this camera: not only does it feature the largest BSI sensor we've ever seen but also the highest pixel count on that format. Just as importantly, it incorporates one of the most extensive on-sensor phase detection systems we've seen. This, along with the magnesium alloy body and top-plate LCD info display, makes it clear that Samsung wants its NX system to compete with the best APS-C models on the market.

As you can see, there are some features that have never been seen before on an enthusiast ILC, such as the sensor, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and use of the more efficient H.265 codec. The AF illuminator has a stripe pattern which allows for its long reach, although Sony did something similar with their Hologram AF feature many years ago.

The quad-core DRIMe V processor (derived from the Exynos SoCs Samsung uses in its high-end smartphones) is capable of cranking out giant 28 megapixel images at 15 fps, recording two different flavors of ultra high resolution video, and reducing EVF lag to almost nothing. The camera has a new autofocus system (NX AF System III) which the company says is the fastest on the market. It combines 209 contrast detection and 205 cross-type phase detect points that cover 90% of the frame.

Kit options and accessories

The NX1 will come in two kits. The body-only version has an MSRP of $1499.99, while the pricey 'premium kit' - which includes the 16-50mm F2-2.8 lens pictured throughout this article, as well as a battery grip, external charger[,] and extra battery - will set you back $2799.99.

The NX1 with the new 50-150mm F2.8 OIS telephoto zoom attached, and the 16-50mm F2-2.8 OIS to its right.

There are two premium 'S' lenses available from Samsung: the previously announced 16-50mm F2-2.8 OIS as well as the new 50-150mm F2.8 OIS tele zoom. Both are weather sealed, making them ideal companions for the NX1.

The optional battery grip holds an additional BP1900 battery, combining with the one inside the camera for double the battery life. It also features additional buttons and dials for shooting in the portrait orientation.

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y, and Z and ideally A, B, and C.

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Comments

Total comments: 710

I would politely yet logically argue that wifi systems, android cameras and selfie dual screens are not major innovations in comparison to what some other camera companies are doing.

0 upvotes

Just imagine Apple would create a camera like this.

It would be even better. Platin diamond award

1 upvote

Is there any company on this planet that makes a video editing suite like iMove, or FCP (Mac compatible) where a person can simply upload his 4K video straight from the camera into this editing suite.

Not interested in any video conversions before hand.

Must go straight from camera (NX1) into editing suite @ 4K.

0 upvotes

superb camera, its a pity its a Samsung, otherwise I might have considered buying one.

3 upvotes

Are you serious? ;-)

3 upvotes

it's a pity people like you are not buying one.

4 upvotes

Oh, please George. Buy it. come on. Buy it.

0 upvotes

I've been playing with NX1 smartphone integration and it is very good. This is where Samsung and their experience with their Galaxy phones will give them an advantage I think.
I also like how now the NX1 can connect to the Internet and download FW updates directly with any wifi contention/hotspot. No PC or smartphone needed.

1 upvote

My only reservation has nothing to do with lens selection, as I don't care at all about shallow DOF.

It has to do with Samsung customer service.

The Canon reps have always been relatively responsive. Also the Oly people.

The camera itself seems absolutely great; finally something that can track moving objects in real life.

1 upvote

Honestly if you wish to stop down most modern lenses are pretty sharp. I compared my Sony 18-55mm lens to my Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8 and wide open the CZ is sharper but once you go to f5.6 the differences are negligible.

So try the Samsung kit lenses or get a prime lens like the 30mm f2 or 45mm f1.8 as both are very sharp once you stop down.

Customer service wise I have no idea though.

0 upvotes

I have to say, Samsung caught my attention since the Samsung GX20 and their WiFi enabled WBxxx cameras. It's great they they are establishing themselves now as serious competitors. Granted they owned Rollei for a while but this is themselves as themselves.

0 upvotes

This is by far the best mirrorless camera in the market today. I can only say bravo Samsung.

In my wish list the only thing I'm missing is in the connectivity section. I would like to see this camera to be able to share my photos directly to my preferred social network through WiFi without the need of my phone. If somebody can do this it is Samsung.

3 upvotes

The Galaxy NX can directly access wifi networks. And it takes the same lenses as this body.

1 upvote

Well its the best APS-C mirrorless camera in the market today.

I don't care for it mainly because of the crop sensor. I prefer 35mm sensors anyday. I don't care for its main USPs - 15 fps, tracking and 4k video.

Of course for people who need all that the NX1 ticks all those boxes but its still has a crop sensor and I still very much prefer the 'look' that 35mm gives.

0 upvotes

I you really think there is a 'look' to 35mm cameras, you might want to read the 'equivalence' article.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

^^ Thank you for your comments. Please get back to me with your comments when you have used crop and 35mm sensors for at least 2 - 3 years. :)

0 upvotes

https://youtu.be/GmlzqAy5Q68

In terms of IQ, Canon 10 vs Samsung 2, how did YOU do??

2 upvotes

I have a question for camera experts like you. I currently have an old Canon 550D since a few years and want to buy a new camera, a bit more pro. I was expecting a lot from 7d Mark II but was disapointed, as it's not a camera for me. I'm more interested in landscapes and street photography than wildlife or sport. And I'm not interested in video or be able to shoot 15 images per second.
And so now I'm thinking of leaving Canon and I'm hesitating between Samsung NX1 and Nikon D750. The NX1 seems more interesting in terms of modern features, but in terms of image quality, is it equivalent to D750? Can a very good APS-C mirrorless camera compete with a full frame camera in terms of image quality?
Thanks

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

In terms of body, APSC will never get close to FF especially D750. It is simply the best 24mp body now in the market. You can pair it wither with the Tamron 24-70 2.8 or the Nikkor 24-120 depends if you want longer reach or better DOF.

Comment edited 33 seconds after posting

3 upvotes

In most situations, you won't see a difference in iq. You will if you shoot at iso 3200 and above, where d750 is about 1 srop ahead.

In terms of dof, consider again 1 stop difference. So shooting with 2.8 on nxq you get the dof you'd get by shooting with f4 on d750.

In terms of dr, the d750 is again one stop ahead or a bit less in the shadow, a bit more in the highlights.

1 upvote

^^ Not exactly true. Full frame has a certain look and tonality that you don't get with crop. I got one 35mm camera and my APS-C cameras seem to have suddenly gone down in IQ and hence I have stopped using them.

If you stop down to f8 all the time you may not notice much difference but with fast lenses the tones I get from a 35mm sensor are simply better. Even an old 35mm camera like the A900 is much better than what my A55 and A37 could do even though the A55 was actually better at high ISO.

7 upvotes

Thanks for your replies. So from your pov, Nikon D750 is still a better choice if we don't consider price, and are more interested in image quality.

0 upvotes

^^^Absolutely untrue, there is no such thing as the "FF look" just a shallower DOF at the same aperture, so my 85/1.4 is shallower on the 5d3 than the NX1. But my 135/2 on FF looks identical to the 85/1.4 on the NX1. Processed to look the same color-wise you can not tell them apart.

Many FF sensors have more DR than their smaller counterparts which will give you less banding in skies, more room with shadows and highlights in post and so on - making it a nicer looking image.

There are a number of crop sensors that outclass FF, compare the NX1's DR to anything Canon. I have the 5d3 and the NX1, if I play the equivalence game with FL's and apertures, you would not be able to tell which is crop and which is FF looking at them side-by-side and in some cases the NX1 image is superior.

You can do a bokeh-pano (Brenzier) with a m43 camera that will look like it was shot with a medium format camera. People that buy into the FF look are a marketers dream, more expensive bodies and lenses.

5 upvotes

^^ Believe what you will but I will stick to my beliefs. :)

I have a shutter count of around 150,000 on all my crop cameras and around 50k on my full frame cameras and I have seen enough differences to not want to shoot on crop anymore.

You may not see the differences or care not to but I did and I put my money where my mouth is by buying another full frame body so I have two of them and I am getting rid of my crop gear.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

5 upvotes

Its been proven time and time again, its not a belief, its a fact. The FF look is all in your head.

2 upvotes

I agree with straw man. There have been a lot of polls comparing ff to apsc with equivalent dof and similar processing in which the two were undistinguishable.

0 upvotes

No, the FF look is real, just as the MF look is real and m43 looks different than 1". Or do you think they all look exactly the same?

1 upvote

My wife uses the D750 and i use an NX1. We often shoot side by side the same subjects. Most of the time we can’t tell the difference image quality wise in good light. Differences in terms of noise start to show at ISO’s around 1600 and higher. On the Nikon we often use a 70-200mm F4 and on the Samsung the 50-150mm F2.8 S lens. The images these produces in good or normal lighting conditions are just as good, there is no winner.

I do find the autofocus system on the Nikon snappier and therefor more enjoyable to use. In moderate to low light there is no contest; then the Nikon is really much better. I love however the controls and EVF and live-view on the NX1, i find these more enjoyable. This is of course very personal but for me the reason to shoot NX1 instead of D750.

Shooting in live view on the Nikon is not much fun because of the then slow autofocus. This is not comparable to the Samsung. If you use this a lot you should take this point into consideration.

1 upvote

@PenPen :

Your question is just a fanboy mangnet. Do your research carefully as either high end mirrorless or D750 is not a cheap investment. Understand their difference and decide which suits your shooting style.

And to the Samsung fanboys, take a look at the D750 video by DPR and you tell me your NX1 can do the same???? OH PLEASE.... Ah sorry I forget most of you are call Alice :P

Comment edited 33 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Buy the FF Nikon, not for the quality, but for the available lenses. The lens makes 90% of the photo. FF look = vignetting, sharp focus/picture in shallow DOF, wide scene. I believe Samsung's fast f/2 16mmじゅうろくみり can produce the same result as the D750 with 24mm f/2.8, so it should have that "FF look". That marketing department's FF look. :) You can complement it by reversing the vignetting in PP (increasing it).

0 upvotes

Straw man - Why do you think pros will continue to use medium format even when the Canon 5ds will offer 50 Mp, better Iso performance, smaller body,fast Af etc. It's simply because at base iso a bigger sensor is generally better.

0 upvotes

Brendon is absolutely right!!!!^^^

Hooray someone gets it, anyone can say whatever they want but the proof and wisdom is accrued from using the tools.

If there was not a particular "look" to a ff sensor, then why would pro or studio BOTHER paying big $$ for ff or mf etc equipment???

Honestly, the delusional fanboyism is irritating and some of the more knowledgeable and experienced get frustrated here.

Its obvious and relentless and does more harm to brands than good. [people are not fools, they know surreptitious posting of brand specific propaganda]

Any real artist doesnt care for brand specific personal attachment, you just plonk the money down for the best you can get.

it may be a great camera, but, it [MAY] not be the best value/quality investment for its price.
when ff options are now available for similar $$.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Mediasorcerer: if I had a ff camera around, I'd challenge you to distinguish a pic taken with it from one taken with whatever apsc at 1 stop less aperture. I did the test myself several times, and I never got it right on a constant basis. There are lots of such polls around. You just browse for them and try yourself.

Comment edited 37 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Amazing camera, which (amazing) optics to match. Bravo, Samsung!

2 upvotes

Dopo tante discussioni, sarebbe utile vedere belle immagini di samsung nx1. Perché questo è ciò che conta. Dove trovarle?

0 upvotes

Ja, Alessandro Bildqualität zählt sicherlich am meisten. Giusto.

0 upvotes

Samsung need to manufacture really fast fixed focal length lenses to compete with the likes of Nikon and Canon. Also a larger sensor (FF) would be more appealing to me as a Fashion photographer. I prefer the rendering on my fast lenses like my Nikon DC 135 f/2.0 lens. Nicer bokeh.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Fixed lens are a niche market. My samsung 16-50 2-2.8 is better than my Canon 24-70L. It's so f*** sharp that you wouldn't notice that it's not a fixed lens.

Comment edited 14 seconds after posting

5 upvotes

it is not just about sharpness

0 upvotes

I remember reading countless irrational hate comments written by so many ignorant & jealous people when the NX1 was first introduced here.
I am glad the dpreview brought justice for Samsung with this final review.
Haters can continue to hate... but Samsung will never stop innovating.

9 upvotes

Without doubt a brilliant camera.
But don´t quite see the point of an apsc for FF-money and in a DSLR-sized body, sort of defeats the purpose imo. (Thats highly subjective of course)

But it´ll put some pressure on the competition, wich is good.

1 upvote

Well the D610, A7 and 6D (all the 35mm sensor cameras close to the NX1 price range) simply can't compete with the main USP of the NX1 - Burst rate (15 fps), 4k video or even resolution for that matter.

True 35mm IQ should be better but for people looking at a camera that can do everything without paying for something like a 5d mk 3 or D810 will like what the NX1 has to offer.

Its currently in the top 10 most sold mirrorless cameras on Amazon which says a lot considering its an expensive camera.

1 upvote

It's a 15 frame-per-second APS-C camera that sells for $1300 and shoots 4K video. A Canon 7D MKII is 10 fps, sells for $1700, doesn't have an articulating LCD, no have a touch screen, no wifi, no 4K, and it's bigger and heavier.. So when you say "APS-C for FF money", you really ought to take into consideration the specs.

1 upvote

This camera is around 1600 to 1800 $ in aus body only.

That will get you a ff sony or canikon body only with change.

Or an apsc 24mpx canikon with lens.

Its too much money. thats the problem i see for it.

But good luck to them anyway, competition is always good for the consumer whatever way you want to swing the cat.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

You haven't check the kit price with the "AMAZING" zoom yet....its almost 2.9K An extra $150 you can get a 7D II with the 16-55 2.8

Not that I like Canon, but if I was choose to pick one, it won't be Samsung.

2 upvotes

People are after the 4K video capabilities of the NX1, as that is part of the camera.
If a person is not interested in the video side then u are right, there are plenty of other cameras which are cheaper, and may even do the job better (like lets say sports photographers).
Its all a question of shopping around.

0 upvotes

So, Dpreview doesn't rate cameras on the basis of image quality since NX1 is awarded gold. Or Do you have "different" criteria for each brand? Perhaps Samsung now is a huge company to ignore.

Comment edited 28 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

dpreview rates every cameras based on 12 criterias including "image quality". Go look at the review chart above with its 12 criterias.

...Sad that irrational haters must be taught what is already so obvious for others....

9 upvotes

Can you please explain what (scientific or not) method you applied in order to arrive at your (rather odd) conclusion that DPR doesn't rate cameras on the basis of image quality.

4 upvotes

Technically, your comment that "BSI sensors move all the circuitry behind the light-capturing part of the sensor..." is not correct. BSI sensors flip the device, thinning the backside, and illuminating the photocathodes from the reverse.

However, the circuitry does not move. The device itself is reoriented.

0 upvotes

For those who feel that the lack of lens should deprive the NX1 of a Gold Award, how many lens should Samsung have put out BEFORE introducing a camera like the NX1?

2 upvotes

I'd be willing to give this a shot, but h.265 as the only video codec? really? no thanks right now, too much trouble

0 upvotes

If you have a 4k hvec tv it would play the h265 without problems but it will struggle to play 4k h264.
The video quality of NX1 is just fantastic.

I'm a Canon guy from Canon g2, Canon 20D and Canon 7d. Now I also have a Samsung NX1.

1 upvote

Wow, it looks like the old world DSLR still shooters are getting all bent out of shape of the NX1. It is now 2015 and 4K video is the future but it looks like DPR is filled with PHOTOGRAPHY ONLY fanboys that hate were the world is going to.

I bet the demographics of owners of the Nikon Df is about the same as viewers of Faux News, 60+ white males that want to live in the past.

15 upvotes

Where is the world going to, what is the future? Please enlighten me. I use both and know many many loving DSLRs in their twenties. Doe you mean DF's control layout, by the way, as the XT1 looks similar to me?

1 upvote

The demographics of Fox News are not significantly different from those of MSNBC, except that there are a lot more of them.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/04/10/cable-news-ratings-for-thursday-april-9-2015/387025/

So the 65 and over demographic is 41% v. 40%. Your disrespect for the elderly is noted (some call it ageism).

As for the white male part, it doesn't say, but... sir, take a look around this website.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 8 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Lots of praises here and I'm sure the camera is great but with a company like Samsung and its rich history of "astroturfing", which praises are real?

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/24/5023658/samsung-fined-340000-for-posting-negative-htc-reviews

And as recent as last week..

http://m.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2403094/samsung-allegedly-hired-500-fans-for-galaxy-s6-launch-in-china

I find this company to be extremely unethical and I personally wouldn't want to support this behavior with my money.

6 upvotes

@ttran88: "I find this company to be extremely unethical and I personally wouldn't want to support this behavior with my money."

Fair enough. But even if you don't want to support the Samsung company, I think we can still agree that the release of the NX1 can be seen in a positive light as it should rouse the marketplace up and hopefully improve the offerings from the other manufacturers.

Dan.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

4 upvotes

True I've seen Samsung Galaxy tablet comments on the B+H website that clearly come from positive comments, which may be real, on the Samsung USA website.

Never noted this kind of thing with comments about Samsung cameras though.

And I'd bet that at least retailers have caught on. Webreview sites are different though.

1 upvote

In S. Korea, most Koreans "hate" Samsung. But oddly enough, they end up buying Samsung products. Because for the money that's what they can do best... It's like many people hated MicroSoft, but they ended up with Windows desktop in their home and office (at least a decade ago, maybe still now)...

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Charlie:

In the 1990s, a big reason to buy Microsoft was the availability of applications for various MS OSes.

But as people who'd used computers since their teens in the later 1970s and 1980s aged into positions where they made mass purchasing decisions, the MS position weakened, since anyone with half a brain could remember the disaster that was Win95, Win98 1st ed, and WinME.

MS really held it's dominance in the early 2000s because XP was very stable, and again many applications had been written to run smoothly with it, this is partly because MS, unlike Apple 15 years ago, was much more cooperative with outside developers.

Then MS gave Apple, Linux and Google the huge gifts of the unstable Vista and the hated, but stable, 8. Unstable WinPhone systems didn't help MS either.

What would an average person in South Korea prefer to buy instead of Samsung? And I know that Samsung doesn't have a good reputation for treating low paid workers well, or paying small suppliers in full.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I do not think "Ethical" exists in their vocabulary. Or if exists it responds only to the concept "mors tua vita mea". Samusung came to visit my research lab with the excuse of collaboration, but industrial espionage I think was really more appropriate as their intent definition. I do admit that i prefer that to their collaboration, as another research group of dear colleagues of mine had to bear this even more daunting experience. I personally purchase Samsung disposable electronics, I would not invest in their technology.

Comment edited 49 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

So I looked around and read some other tests, mainly regarding the action shooting and sports capabilities. I suggest reading Shooters Report Part I on Imaging Resources Samsung NX1 Review for an understanding why DSLRs with OVFs and traditional PDAF still is the best choice in this area, despite this very good effort from Samsung.

As for the innovative Samsung BSI sensor (83 at DxOMark) - DxOMark just published the numbers for Nikon D7200 - a new class leader in APS-C (87)

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 11 minutes after posting

4 upvotes

It's best to ignore DXO sensor scores.

Get raws from the cameras that interest you, shot with good lenses, and extract the raws with good software.

5 upvotes

I like Bill Claffs approach better, or put it in another way, I believe it better: http://home.comcast.net/~NikonD70/Charts/PDR.htm (pick the cameras to the right). Shows an advantage to the Nikon, but the difference amongst cameras across different formats looks more realistic to me.

1 upvote

h.265 support does exist, and it's worth clarification.

PowerDirector13, an inexpensive video editor, supports the h.265 codec directly. With ad-ons, it can also do some fairly high level editing and grading for a fraction of the price of Premiere or Final Cut. Perhaps Adobe will introduce h.265 support this year. Apple? Not so soon. Why help Samsung, its smart phone nemesis? Avid may never get there. Sony Creative's Vegas or Movie Studio may not support h.265 until Sony cameras do. Right now they promote XAVC.

Grant Taiwan's Cyberlink PD13 a smidgeon of credit for being ahead of all the stodgy competition, and underprice it too.

3 upvotes

I don't think we ever implied that no software supports H.265. But we do recognize that programs like Premiere and Final Cut are the tools of choice for a huge percentage of advanced users (particularly Premiere). It's entirely appropriate for us to make them aware that the NX1 files can't be imported directly into those NLEs without some extra steps that would affect their workflow.

1 upvote

I emailed CyberLink with a question about downloading the trialware, and they never bothered to get back to me with an answer.

Convert the NX1 H265 files to ProRes using the free Rocky Mountain Converter and get to editing with the usual suspects.

Remember: It took years before Final Cut would open AVCHD files.

1 upvote

doesn't work with mac

1 upvote

tabloid,

In what way? You mean CyberLink' PowerDirector doesn't have a Mac version?

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Sorry...I meant PowerDirector is not Mac compatible, which is a shame.

0 upvotes

There seems to be a lot of animosity toward Samsung and the NX1, subsequently DPReview for the high rating it gave it. As an owner of the NX1 I have to say, that anyone took this camera home for a week, they would agree with DPREVIEW that this is in a class all it's own.

I was a Canon guy for many years (5DMark II +5DMark III) and initially bought the NX1 as a light back up camera to my Canon. However, since they day it arrived from Amazon with the Kit Lens,I have not used my Canon,,In fact I just sold my 5D Mark III last week. Did the side by side comparison on DPR and there was not a single doubt after that that I made the right decision

Finally, I just don't get the complaints about the new codec they put in. If you bought a new car with GPS Navigation would you tell dealer,"Put in the older outdated maps and navigaiton system in. I don't want the new technology in my new car". Just saying... Less vitriol against the NX1 please.

12 upvotes

We're not against the codec. But it's entirely appropriate for us to make users of the most common NLEs, such as Premiere Pro, aware of the fact that H.265 files may require some extra workflow steps in order to use them. As an editor myself, I would absolutely want to know that before working with footage from a camera.

3 upvotes

I have the best advise for Samy Sung...they have a great potential to turn the video world upside down like Blackmagic did.. Make your lens mount more adaptable for other lenses....be smart like Sony...oh and how can you expect pros to buy you when your video codec is a nightmare ...yes I know it's more efficient code but its not more efficient in work flow...this camera just might be just a bit to ahead for its time.. At least it's future proof for a few years...

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

H265 is not a Samsung only codec.

The files can be turned into ProRes files with Rocky Mountain Converter. Yes this all takes time.

It took years before Apple's Final Cut would open AVCHD files.

2 upvotes

I can see how transcoding to ProRes would be handy for editing, but I'm more annoyed at the master being 8-bit.

0 upvotes

Dear Samsung. You raised the bar, congratulations ! Really ! I'm a FUJI X-T1 user and competition is always good. I like your new innovations, but you only get my award if you develop more high quality lenses like FUJI's !

But more than that you have to show me that you want to be a real photographers brand !!

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 14 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

Samsung already has several lenses of very high optical quality.

And the very best Samsung NX lenses are better than the better Fujis, and Fuji lenses can be excellent.

2 upvotes

@HowaboutRAW: "And the very best Samsung NX lenses are better than the better Fujis". Do you have any references proving your statement ? Thanks.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Texapixel:

I'm going by having owned, used, and rented very good Leica M and Zeiss lenses.

The best Samsung NX lens (the 85mm f/1.4) rivals those Leica and Zeiss lenses.

The best Fujis I've ever seen don't rival Leica and Zeiss, but Fuji still makes excellent lenses, much better than Canikon. The absolute best Olympus lenses also rival Leica and Zeiss.

2 upvotes

fuji 50-140 better than nikon 70-200. fuji 35 1,4 wonderful. 10-24 fuji better than nikon. 23 1,4 best of all

0 upvotes

EVF is the trend now which started by Sony. When will Canon and Nikon catch up? OVF is so yesterday!

2 upvotes

EVFs first appeared in video cameras. It would be interesting to know which was the first photo camera with EVF - anyone? The first MILC with an EVF was the Panasonic DMC-G1 (2008).

4 upvotes

I know EVFs go at least as far back as the Panasonic FZ10 (2003).

0 upvotes

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 ..... First large format sensor to provide full-time live preview .... Electronic viewfinder 235,000 pixels

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscr1

1 upvote

By 2003 EVFs were already widely established. In DPReview feature search, the Sony DSC-D700 (1998) is the oldest with an EVF, which is not correct: According to the linked review that camera comes with a TTL OVF. Then comes the Sony Mavica FD-91 (1998), which indeed does have an EVF. Still, those are only the cameras listed on DPReview.

2 upvotes

I am surprised how the NX1 (£1300 in the UK) got a higher mark for 'value' compared to the K3 (£700) and K5 II (£500) that have half its price?!?

Supposedly it has 2-3 times more/better features for its price to get a higher mark for value.

Indeed it has some unique features like the BSI APSC sensor, powerful processior, 4K video, but the K3 and K5 II have some features that the NX1 lacks, like in-body stabilisation, Pentax shooting modes, some unique ergonomic touches and the available lens line-ups are not even comparable.

4 upvotes

You are comparing old Pentax DSLRs at fire sale prices to the new NX1 that blows away any APS-C camera on the planet.

6 upvotes

DSLR technology is old, but if Samsung decided to use DSLR ergonomics for the NX1 its perfectly valid to compare it against DSLRs.

In my opinion, Samsung failed to capitalise on the biggest potential of mirror-less cameras, to make the NX1 less DSLR-looking, more inobtrusive and 'public friendly', like Sony A6000, or even the A7 series.

If you don't mind carrying around a DSLR for its size, weight and drawing of attention, just get a DSLR, Pentax K3, K5II, Nik D7200, Canon 7DII, Sony A77II and more.
Most of these are way cheaper, have way better lens selection and (personal preference) better ergonomics.

According to this review all of the above cameras are down there and the Samsung NX1 up at the top "IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN" (DPR words).

3 upvotes

"Blows away every apsc camera on the planet " LMAO thanks for the laugh.

5 upvotes

With regard to the prices, both Pentax cameras were significantly cheaper even at release with the more expensive K3 released about 200 pounds cheaper than the NX1 at £1100, and the K5 II I think was circa £800.

But prices are what they are, and right now you can get this overpriced "in a class of its own" NX1 for £1300 or the "ole" K3/K5II, respectively £700 and £500, with huge lens selection, in-body stabilisation, extra direct controls, OVF (advantage for some) and a very friendly Pentax community.

2 upvotes

I think people like bashing Pentax, the NX system needs better lenses and Samsung needs to seriously consider it's place and direction in the market. I can pick up a Nikon D610 for about the same money and image quality would be better. Im not going to mention Video as it doesnt interest me. I shoot Pentax i like the K3's size and i have a reasonable range of lenses from various manufactures that wiill cover my needs. Samsung has been very slow developing it's digital cameras since they ended their Partnership with Pentax when they could of kept an established mount they chose to start yet another system which dillutes their protential market share and which leaves converts having to spend much larger amounts. Pentax K3 is a top of the line DSLR in APS-C format and will sell many more units than the NX1 will, Image quality might be better but do i change to an unkown quanity with its lenses quality and third party options but also what after sales service going to be like..............

3 upvotes

And i prefer OVF to EVF i've tried it many times and OVF is superior for judging when to release the shutter, EVF always seems to mean missing a better oppurtunity by a fraction of a second and that is crucial in many photographers that i know, especially wildlife and sports.

2 upvotes

Joe Ogiba Blows away? Ha, in many ways there are better APS-C cameras out there.

1 upvote

The Pentax K3 doesn't have any half decent video functionality while the Samsung has some of the best video around.

Plus Pentax has nothing like the 16-50mm f2 - 2.8 or the Samsung 50-150mm f2.8 OIS lens. The Pentax 16-50mm f2.8 and 50-135mm f2.8 are old outdated optics and not in the same league.

Not saying the Pentax is bad or something just not in the same league as the NX1 with 16-50mm f2-2.8 + 50-150mm combo.

1 upvote

let's go out and shoot outdoors either in snow or desert with NX1 and Pentax K3. Let's see which one will be on right league (of extreme outdoor condition)

3 upvotes

The NX1 is their first which deserves such attention - and the award.

I'm hopeful it wouldn't be their last.

P.S. Samsung, NX500 with EVF please. Do it already. Give us the camera worth your pancakes lenses.

4 upvotes

Thanks for this review. It sounds like this is a feature-packed flagship, but to me one of the most impressive things about this camera is the BSI APS-C sensor. I hope other manufacturers follow suit on their next models. It probably gains them nearly a full stop of sensitivity vs. frontside and I would guess it's a pretty pricey component vs. frontside sensors. I like the photo showing the jet black sensor (since with BSI you're looking directly at the silicon, instead of the shimmer of various coatings on frontside chips). Compare, for example -- Samsung NX1 sensor view: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/samsung-nx1/images/front-nolens.jpg, Nikon D7200 sensor view: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikon-d7200/images/front-nolens.jpg

1 upvote

These mediocre 8-bit video codecs have got to go. With Blackmagic offering internal 10-bit ProRes 422, it's kind of sickening to see all the major still camera manufacturers still opting into (much) lesser codecs.

That said, this is a lovely offering. I still have an NX10 and love it. If I were going to upgrade this is probably the camera I'd buy. And then I'd whine to everyone who knows me about the codec.

2 upvotes

Could 10bit be 'added' through sw? Or could the 8bit be a limit of hw encoder?

1 upvote

I honestly don't know. It's just annoying to me that all the majors seemed to have stopped trying when it comes to codecs.

0 upvotes

I bought a 7D2 to reclaim the reach from my 70-200/2.8 that I lost when I went Full Frame. No way I'd go back to using a 50-150.

1 upvote

so many people mistaken this as samsung's FIRST DSLR, shows how much they messed up the styling although I won't say it's a bad move, probably offers better ergonomics compared to most mirrorless out there

impressive camera none the less

3 upvotes

Even if it was a DSLR, it wouldn't be Samsung's first. They launched their GX series of DSLRs already in 2006.

0 upvotes

guys..guys..guys..don't be impatient. Samsung innovated an awesome mirrorless body. Now pls pls wait for the lenses to come next. They just got started.

5 upvotes

Pretty good results. But everybody asking the question, where are the lenses?

1 upvote

The 16-50 F/2 - F/2.8 is excellent. Perfect for video and photo use.
The 50-150 F/2.8 is very fast and a good match for 15 FPS and action.
A 300mm F/2.8 is due out soon (See DPR article and samples)
The 85mm F/1.4 is an excellent choice for portraits and in door events such as theater.
The 45mm F/1.8 is a nice inexpensive option
the 30mm F/2 pancake is as very highly rated.
The stabilized 60mm macro is good for close-ups and macro work.

9 upvotes

They have a decent lens selection. Lots of nifty little primes as well as some big glass. Better than some of the other MILC brands.

0 upvotes

Agreed, They have almost all the lenses most people would want.

A few holes which could use some plugging are an UWA other than the 12-24mm which just isn't wide enough for me.

A wildlife zoom lens. Something like a 100-400mm or 150-500m mm type zoom.

A longer 100mm type macro lens.

And lastly a telephoto prime longer than the 300mm coming out. Don't think the last one will sell but it would be a showcase lens to show that Samsung can make such lenses and their system is mature enough.

Oh and they need a more robust flash system.

0 upvotes

Very nice review.
Now I am very eager to see the review of the NX500 that uses the same sensor as NX1.

1 upvote

Samsung NX1 key features (p.1 introduction)
Can output 4:2:0 8-bit 4K video over HDMI

Videography features (p.2 specifications)
Uncompressed 4K output over HDMI (4:2:2)

I suppose that the second is correct.

2 upvotes

It's 4:2:2. We just corrected it on the intro page. Thanks for the heads-up.

0 upvotes

There is also in p.11
"The NX1 can output 4K 4:2:0 8-bit video over HDMI for capture on an external recorder."

1 upvote

No in-body image stabilization, proprietary lenses....how come it's good??

1 upvote

Which camera brand doesn't use proprietary lenses?

10 upvotes

Olympus OM-D E-M1

2 upvotes

I think we're using different definitions of the word 'proprietary.'

The Micro Four Thirds mount is owned by two companies, rather than one, but it's still owned and controlled by those companies.

10 upvotes

Agree on that.
However, what are the odds for other lens companies to employ Samsung standard rather than Micro Four Thirds?
We all remember Sony's Memory Stick...

1 upvote

@DGrinb - That's true, but not necessarily the only outcome. Canon's EF mount is, to the best of my knowledge, a closed, proprietary system.

5 upvotes

Leica? ;)

0 upvotes

As a Canon shooter I think Samsung has come up with a great effort here. OTOH the same people who will downrate (say) the 7D2 over ISO100 DR are the same ones who will completely give a pass to this Samsung's AF tracking and low light AF that's not so great. I wish 'em luck with it though, it looks like the best mirrorless action shooter I've seen so far.

Comment edited 16 seconds after posting

4 upvotes

You need a new Samsung DLSR forum now that Samsung NX1 is leading in its class.

1 upvote

Did you mean system camera or DSLR? Certainly not the latter?

3 upvotes

I could not help notice the camera body sells for $1300 and the "kit" lens for $1500. Yikes.

2 upvotes

It is not a kit lens, but rather a f2.8 lens with weather sealing. Try to get that on a Canon or Nikon, although they cost substantially more!!

8 upvotes

It would be nice if samsung had something like a 17-70mm f2.8-4 with a lower price-tag. Maybe later

1 upvote

The 16-50s f/2-2.8 has a MSRP of $1299. Its the top of the line standard zoom in the NX line. The aps-c standard 18-55 is $195 and the 16-50 power zoom is $349.

2 upvotes

Actually, the zoom aperture starts at f2

1 upvote

Canon does have a 17-55 f/2.8 zoom which I don't think could be called a 'kit' lens... it's not weather sealed but it's less than $900 new. Even that is well out of my tight financial range and I make do with an 18-55 f3.5-5.6 kit zoom (stabilized) that can be had new for under $200. It would help a lot for Samsung to have some less expensive options than $1500. Not everyone needs weather sealing for example. This Samsung is probably the first mirrorless camera I would seriously look at for shooting action - but the lens situation rules it out. So near, so far.

1 upvote

The only brand making affordable weathersealed lenses is Pentax
Look up a k50/k5 on a budget.

0 upvotes

Tom Goodman, the 16-50s is $1299. The kit that's $1500 more listed in the Amazon link above also includes the grip, a second battery and a charger.

Comment edited 12 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Too bad Samsung (or Sony for that matter) don't have something like Fuji's XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS currently in their line up.

It's better than your standard kit but not so high end that the price is over $1,000.

1 upvote

A faster and cheap 18-55 like Fuji's would be nice. There was an interview posted here after the CES in Jan where a Samsung exec said they had more than 100 people working on R&D for new lenses - so they're coming.

0 upvotes

Well, that sets me straight. I put "kit" in parentheses because I knew it was not a kit lens in the strictest sense but the one recommended for this camera, presumably by Samsung. As for the second battery, charger and grip, well those are usually very low cost throw-ins from Amazon, Adorama, etc. It's still a $2800 experience to buy this camera, which isn't cheap for any camera, especially one that isn't full frame.

0 upvotes

But you can get the NX1 body only $1299 and the 18-55 for less than $200 more. All the NX lenses are significantly cheaper than the 16-50s outside of the 50-150s. The primes are fast and affordable. The 85/1.4 is quite a bit cheaper than any other mount.

You can't get a f2-2.8 zoom in any FF mount at any cost. Even with a closeout A7 with its poor video and AF compared to the NX1 - about $1000, then $1000 for the so-so 24-70 and a few hundred more for the grip, battery and charger - you're close. Same if you get a D610 or 6d and a 24-70/4, which is still a stop or two slower from a light gathering standpoint and almost identical in terms of DOF. Almost because the Sammy is faster and better DOF at the wide end, even with equivalence.

I'm a former A7 and A7s owner, the NX1 is still a better buy if you shoot video, because the video IQ is way ahead of anything in its class and the 4k internal is something to behold. So is the 15fps, 1080p/120fps video, the AMOLED LCD, and...

Comment edited 8 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I feel a bit jaded. Correct me if I am wrong but on a previous article about the NX500, I read that Samsung sent some DPReview staff to Hawaii to test the camera. It is one thing to supply a camera, but a paid holiday is another thing altogether.

If this is true I have a hard time understanding how they could create an objective review on any Samsung.

12 upvotes

Well the review seems to be in line with what other sites come up with. The iq tests speak for themselves.

I have more problems with that stupid xc10 article that apparantly is a big deal.

Comment edited 27 seconds after posting

7 upvotes

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/oct/05/pressandpublishing.artsfeatures

1 upvote

No question Samsung makes quality products and we also know they spread a lot of promotional dollars around. My concern is when a site rates cameras by "percentages", one-upping another camera by a couple of points is probably very important and could possibly mean thousands of dollars in sales.

I think all review sites should have a disclosure page where they can list all the perks they receive from every manufacturer.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

@ photo_rb - Samsung invited us on a 48-hour weekend trip to Hawaii last month to get some pictures on the NX500. As I've previously explained elsewhere, we take up these offers when they a) give us access to a product earlier than we could get it if we didn't go, and b) they allow us to capture images of a sort that we could not practically capture if we did not go.

As for 'paid holiday', if we are ever offered a trip which would not advance the progress of some or other piece of editorial content, we refuse it. As such we refuse a lot more offers of excursions than we accept. Virtually every other magazine and website in our industry does the same thing.

Crucially, we don't travel anywhere on trips like this to 'test' anything. Tests are performed in our studio in Seattle, and if there's a way of faking them to make a camera look better than it is, we've yet to find it. You'll note also that in the specific example of my writeup of the NX500, it's not exactly glowingly positive...

16 upvotes

Richrma

Thanks that is a incredible article.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

@ Barney Britton - Thanks, I appreciate the response and I have no doubt that other reviewers might not even own up to receiving any perks at all. Still there is no question in my mind why a company like Samsung would offer opportunities like these.

0 upvotes

They offer opportunities like these in an effort to remove any possible practical obstacles to getting their products covered by a busy site. I've never felt under any pressure before, during or after a press event to mold my coverage in any particular way (which is where these events differ from the horrors of the entertainment industry press junkets in the article linked above).

Comment edited 43 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

"They offer opportunities like these"...because they know you will accept a trip to Hawaii but wouldn't be as willing/able to try a camera that a rep brought to your office?

1 upvote

I'm not following you - see my previous comments. These trips have to entail either earlier access to gear than we'd get otherwise, or present shooting opportunities that we wouldn't have normally. If the trip doesn't satisfy those criteria we don't accept the offer, and as such we decline a lot more of them than we accept. And believe me, with my schedule, something has to be REALLY worthwhile to give up a weekend.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

4 upvotes

I was in editorial for more that 25 years and attended countless sponsored junkets similar to the one put on by Samsung. Aside from being great hands-on opportunities to try new products, these trips never skewed the neutrality of my publication's coverage or reviews, or for that matter, our competition's coverage. If anything, we typically were more critical to avoid the appearance of bias that could taint our editorial integrity with our readers or competing companies. The fact that DPR made this public knowledge on the site should make it abundantly clear that they're not afraid of full disclosure.

7 upvotes

Just a few notes:

1) Judging by the noise seen in the Real World DR comparison, the NX1 appears to be about a full stop worse than the D5500. Whether this qualifies as almost as good is of course subjective, but it is still a distance away.

2) As of this comment, the ISO-invariance at the end is broken, and no image appears when trying to compare with other cameras.

3) The AF performance results are all over the place when scrutinizing reviews, which suggests that Samsung has considerable work to do.

It is fascinating to see Samsung enter the DSLR market precisely now, when everyone is biting their nails on what the future holds.

Comment edited 40 seconds after posting

5 upvotes

It is not a DSLR, rather an ILC mirrorless camera. Big difference in terms of the future.

4 upvotes

I'm not sure what you mean when you say the ISO-invariance section is broken. Could you please send me a private message and I'll try to get to the bottom of any problem.

It's also worth noting that AF performance has improved significantly with some of the more recent firmware updates, so any reviews based on v1.0 are likely to tell a very different stories to test being conducted today.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

If they had a 100-300 lens (or better yet, a 200-500 lens) that would take full advantage of their autofocus system, I would be very interested.

2 upvotes

Welcome to Samsung which is now entering the group of camera manufacturers (Panasonic, Fuji and Sony) who are innovative and reach for the stars.

I must admit I have been skeptical about Samsung as a serious camera manufacturer - but this is class, and yet, yet, another shock and another competitor for Canon and Nikon.

Well done Samsung!

Comment edited 32 seconds after posting

15 upvotes

Hm, I know very few people are actually aware of that, but Samsung NX system is older than Sony NEX. They were first to make APS-C mirrorless in form of NX10. Which by the way has incredible image quality (at least on base ISO).

Despite they used in NX10 same sensors as in Pentax K20D they managed to pull quite a lot of it.

Also I suspect Samsung learned a lot from Pentax during their long history together and now they are using some parts when designing their mirrorless cameras (at least some of them feel like designed by photographers, not just engineers).

So welcome Samsung? Not really, just "good job Samsung, again". Only its first time more people noticed there actually is Samsung making cameras. xD

12 upvotes

They make a mean fridge too !

2 upvotes

I agree about the base iso IQ of the NX10, I actually prefer it over my Nex 5.

3 upvotes

Also they make plane carriers.. xD

Not sure about quality tho..

0 upvotes

Seems to be a big kick in the but of the established biggies who have not heard of Edward De Bono and lateral thinking.

4 upvotes

I currently use a Nikon D7100, and as such am invested in Nikon lenses, flash units, and wireless triggers. I am glad to see the Samsung beat the D7100 in it's review, even if it only beat it slightly in RAW quality, which is my primary concern. It's not enough for me to go and dump my camera, but it does mean that others have some great options, and when my time comes to upgrade, so will I. I do hope that Sigma, Tokina, and other makes roll out some impressive lenses to support the Samsung, and that wireless TTL triggers become available.

Good work Samsung!

3 upvotes

Samsung already has impressive lenses for this system. So Sigma and Tokina would have to do a lot of work to attract attention.

There are excellent manual focus Samyang/Rokinon lenses for the NX system.

The D7100 is an excellent camera, but it has an awful buffer, the NX1's buffer is very good.

2 upvotes

The D7200 was just tested at DXO. Looks to be very good from a sensor point of view (Bill Claff has data supporting that, too). From what I see, RAWs from D7200/D7100 and NX1 are very very close. I am only surprised by the lesser performance of the NX1 in the DPR night scene.

4 upvotes

The NX30 and NX1 have a wireless build-in flash that can trigger three different thrid party flashes from Metz as well as the SEF580 from Samsung. The later can act as external Wireless TTL master as well on the NX500...not much missing

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

@ HowaboutRAW, true Samsung has some excellent lenses, but not longer than 200mm (at least not until the 300mm comes out). The Tamron and Sigma 150-600mm lenses would be nice on the NX1.

0 upvotes

One thing I wish these reviews would discuss is the lenses. Why not add a "LENS" page to the review with Amazon links to all the lenses? It would really help to round out the review by showing those considering buying into a system - whether its NX, E-mount, M43, Fuji, Nikon 1 and so on - what lenses are available.

Judging by the comments you would think Samsung has 3 lenses in its entire lineup, when the NX lineup covers a wider range than FE at the moment - and most of the primes (covering fisheye to tele) are really small and affordable.

Among the standouts - the two S zooms (faster than E-mount zooms), a UWA zoom, a few kit zooms and a range of excellent primes including 10/3.5 (fisheye), 16/2.4, 20/2.8, 30/2, 45/1.8 and the dream lens of many E-mount users - the 85/1.4.

15 upvotes

Just think about what samsung could do with a future nx2 (or nx1 mk2), out in 2 years from now. 8k? 4k@120fps? Global shutter? Organic sensor? 8 core custom cpu? Huge buffer?

For the first time since I entered the nx system 4 years ago, I feel good to be invested in nx.

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

4 upvotes

Give others 4 years, how did they do?
Olympus went from EPL1 to E-M1
Panasonic went from GF1 to GH3
Fuji from Xpro1 to X-T1
Sony went from Nex5 to A7
Each a class leading product, and took Samsung 4 years to get to this.... I few sorry for you.

This is exactly the reason why the brand is not trusted as a camera manufacturer.

2 upvotes

Serious Sam, what's your point? The NX1 outclasses every camera you list - in a very short time Samsung has lapped the field. The best hybrid stills/video camera on the market is the NX1. And Samsung is more profitable than all the companies you list combined. The future is bright for the NX line as Samsung continues to expand its 4k TV line.

Comment edited 19 seconds after posting

8 upvotes

@The Straw Man
Sitting on the fence for 4 years and come out with a hit that trumps everyone will get you reviews like this but does it turn into realistic sale? NO...unless you are Apple.

In the pro camera industry sudden lead/one hit product don't get you customers, continuous improvement is a sign of commitment to their customer and that is what pro camera user is looking for.

1 upvote

Pro's aren't the target for the NX1 - M43 and E-mount is the competition, and they've been dusted.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

5 upvotes

Good luck trying to sell that line to E mount or MFT user who has spend a few grand on their lens purchase.

0 upvotes

Really? Because all E-mount/M43 users have thousands in lenses. From day 1, E-mount users have been complaining about the lack of a decent portrait lens, Samsung has a stellar lens in the 85/1.4 along with 2 zooms that outclass anything E-mount offers.

Reading the forums, people change systems like they change their socks - and the NX1 is compelling for new users considering buying into any mirrorless mount - especially those looking at more video focused bodies like the GH4, A7s and such. I dumped a A7/A7s combo along with a few FE lenses (16-35, 55, 70-200) because of the better video and vastly superior AF. Others will do the same.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 6 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

Serious Sam, where have you been for the last four years? The NX system is that old and Samsung has a number of excellent prime lenses for that system as well as some other zooms. Alot of photogs have invested in Samsung lenses.

2 upvotes

One last point for Serious Sam - M43 is stuck with a 3-year old 16mp sensor that's really showing its age. Fuji's tired 16mp sensor isn't doing much better and of course there's the goofy X-trans issues and the APS-c sensor from Sony is showing some wacky banding in the A6000/5100, Samsung has them all beat with resolution and DR and its competitive with the A7 FF sensor - and with superior AF, 4k video and so on. When you look at them side-by-side, its a really compelling camera. These are great times in the imaging world.

2 upvotes

The m43 sensor in the latest models is 1.5 years old.
It's not showing age. Just limitations caused by it's smaller size.

Sony wacky banding. Never seen that one pop up
This samsung does have the best sensor no question about it.

2 upvotes

Marginal difference between the EM5 and the mkII, the original is 3 years old, same tired 16mp and virtually the same IQ. From DXO: http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Olympus-OM-D-E-M5-Mark-II-versus-Samsung-NX1-versus-Olympus-OM-D-E-M5___1006_976_793

Search "a6000 banding" and you'll see what I'm referring to.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

It isn't the camera division that is the great earner for Samsung, which produces everything from buildings to kitchenware, TVs, phones, and lately MILCs!

A gigantic company competing on the free market, whose earnings is close to 20% of South Korea's GNP, thus a power hugely bigger than GE, Ford, or GM!

0 upvotes

Samsung has no market segment strata territory to protect, so it can come up with an outstanding product such as this.

Well done, SAMSUNG!

Instead of dividing the spoils and spreading it thinly on mediocre models across the affordability spectrum, you have lumped it into this one wonderful beast.

May you be rewarded handsomely by smart consumers.

25 upvotes

Total comments: 710

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