Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsThe first non-Nikon/Canon DSLR I've kept in my bag as my primary shooter!
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2014
First Impression
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Upon unboxing the NX1, you’ll notice that this is likely the most ergonomic camera Samsung has ever produced. The camera is looks and feels good in the hand, with a handgrip covered in textured rubber, extending from the front to the back (where a good sized thumb grip can be found). The camera is quite large for a mirrorless camera, more similar in size to a typical DSLR than previous NX cameras.
The magnesium alloy weather-sealed body feels very well built. However, for full weather resistant benefits, an S weather sealed lens is required. Two such lenses are currently available: the 16-50mm f/2-2.8 S, and the 50-150mm f/2.8 S.
Usability
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The electronic usability of the camera is extremely impressive. The whole interface is very fast and responsive, with many functions just a single press away. Careful thought was put in to the physical buttons and dials, and there are no really strange button placements. The layout will be very familiar for many Nikon users. It feels like Samsung has taken a bit of the Canon 5D Mark III and a bit of Nikon D800 and fused them together.
Performance
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In good light the AF system seems like magic. The auto-focus points cover nearly the entire frame. I generally noticed no focus hunting, and AF performance was excellent even in low lighting. In continuous mode, gleaming green boxes hop around as if being updated thousands of times per second to track your subject (under a half press of the shutter). You can use the touch-screen to set the focus point into the far corners of the screen. The screen has excellent resolution and great viewing angles. When Touch AF is set in the menu, you can set the focus point using the touch screen, and then drag a second box to set the desired exposure point. The electronic view finder (EVF) is high resolution, with a sensor to automatically switch between the screen and EVF. There is a soft rubberized surrounding the EVF, which is comfortable to use.
The camera has a 15fps continuous shooting rate with the mechanical shutter, which is astounding for a camera at this price point! This is faster than the $6000 Canon 1D X (at a higher resolution to boot)! It feels like Samsung is striving to produce a camera of the future and are no longer playing catch-up.
Video Performance
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The Samsung NX1 can shoot and record movies at 4,096 x 2,160 resolution (Cinema 4K) at 24 fps, 3,840 x 2,160 (Ultra HD) at 30 fps. Full HD (1080p), HD (720p) and VGA (480p) resolutions are also available, all at 120 fps, 60 fps, 30fps or 24 fps (including 50 fps and 25 fps for PAL). Videos files are encoded as MP4 files, using H.265 / HEVC video compression, which is not currently supported by YouTube. You’ll first need to convert your files to H.264 in order for YouTube to process them.
The NX1 produces 4K video with an INCREDIBLE amount of detail all the way up to ISO 1600. Above that, you’ll start seeing a bit of noise. In good light the NX1’s sensor produces amazing video. The color and dynamic range is on par with my previous favorite video shooter, the 5D Mark III.
Conclusion
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The NX1 is the first non-Nikon/Canon DSLR that I’ve kept in my bag as my primary shooter. The excellent AF system combined with the outstanding video performance makes this a no brainer purchase for a “prosumer” like me. While it doesn’t quite compete with the big boys (D810 / 5D MKIII) in terms of raw still image performance, it’s tough to beat for the price!
