Samsung NX10
Big sensor hybrid to worry the Micro Four Thirds faithful
Review Samsung has upped its game in the camera market with the release of the NX10. It’s the company’s first ever EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) model – a hybrid DSLR that takes on the optional lenses compact camera market and directly challenges the successful Micro Four Thirds cameras from Olympus and Panasonic.
Samsung's NX10: new NX lens mount but adapters from Novoflex are due soon
The NX10 is a 14.6Mp mirror-less compact camera that uses the proprietary NX-mount lens system to combine the flexibility and image quality of a DSLR with the user-friendly experience of a compact. Like the Micro Four Thirds system this camera does away with the pentaprism and the instant return reflex mirror of a typical DSLR to save weight and space, but unlike the Micro Four Thirds it retains the same large APS-C sensor of an entry-level DSLR to deliver better ISO performance.
The NX10 features a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, a 3in AMOLED display, a 247 multi-zone measurement system, fast 15-35 sensor points, integral sensor cleaning system and a pop-up flash. With these specs and a guide price of £600 (with the standard 18-55mm OIS lens) it looks like the NX10 might be the first camera to undermine the market supremacy of the Olympus PEN and the Panasonic GF1.
The simple but stylish plastic body of the NX10 is small at 123 x 87 x 39.8mm and light too, weighing just over 350g. Yet it has a robust, solid feel to it, with a nice rubberised handgrip and thumb rest that give good ergonomic handling. Aside from the odd position of the Menu button to the left of the viewfinder, the layout of commands is logical, balanced and uncluttered. The controls and dials are smooth and firm making accidental changes unlikely.
On the rear there is direct access to features such as Exposure Lock, Exposure Compensation, Display options, Autofocus, White Balance, Metering and ISO. The top plate is dominated by the Shooting Mode dial (Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Scene Mode, Smart Mode, Night, Landscape, Portrait Mode and Video Mode) and a cleverly canted shutter release button.
Ergonomically sound
Other direct controls on the top plate include Flash options, Drive Mode and a green dot that is used to reset parameters to the default settings at the touch of a button (the last two also double as zoom in/out buttons in playback).
COMMENTS
No way
There's already a ton of proprietary mounts; Samsung expects someone to invest in theirs? You don't buy a camera body, you buy a system - Samsung doesn't HAVE a system.
Regarding the "superior" APS-C sensor - tons of working pros and serious amateurs make great images with the 4/3 sensors. Perhaps if you really needed high-ISO performance (such as a sports professional) you might need a larger sensor but then again you wouldn't be buying a Samsung + kit lens, would you?
The beauty of the Micro 4/3 system is that it is easy to use well-established lens systems (4/3 mount) with full AF/AE control (via adapter) and hundreds of other lenses in MF mode, all made by camera companies with decades of experience. Perhaps if Samsung had hitched its wagon to an established mount it would have a chance but with a proprietary mount? No way.
Hybrid SLR
To be a little pedantic here, surely it either is or isn't an SLR, and if it doesn't have a reflex mirror then it isn't an SLR! It's kind of in the name!
Meh
So close, Samsung. The body is quite nice, and the price great- nothing that better firmware (the focus zoom issue etc) couldn't fix. However, why didn't they get someone decent to make the lenses? The ones currently available are horrible- as bad as, if not worse than low-end Canon kit lenses (i.e. unusuable). The pancake is pretty decent, and makes it a good aps-c street shooter for a lot less than a Leica X1, I suppose, but that's where it ends.
Right now, if you want something of this ilk, the GF1 with Oly lenses seems like it's in a different league for quality, albeit slightly more pricey. Handles better, too.
If decent lenses can be made to meter and autofocus well on this body with an adaptor, it might be interesting, but right now, silly Samsung are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Try looking here
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/CAMDB/compare_cameras.php
Surprise result
80% yes? For that sort of money you can get a proper Nikon or Canon DSLR system that will outperform this in every single catagory. How does this deserve 80%?
