NX1 Summary On most fronts, the Samsung NX1 is a tremendous camera, with excellent DSLR-like ergonomics and controls, impressive photo and video quality and great performance. The NX1 does falter somewhat with continuous autofocus performance, but overall, it is a very compelling camera. Pros Very good, high-resolution image quality; Excellent high ISO performance with RAW files; Very good dynamic range; Blazing fast 15fps full-res burst mode; Deep buffer; Great build quality & comfortable ergonomics; Lots of physical controls; Great battery life; Fast single-shot AF. Cons Continuous AF performance still not as robust as competing DSLRs; Aggressive JPEG noise reduction at high ISOs; JPEG colors and saturation less pleasing at higher ISOs; H.265 video codec can be difficult to work with. Price and availability Available since November 2014, the Samsung NX1 ships in three configurations for the US market: body-only for about US$1,500, bundled with the Samsung 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom ED OIS lens for US$1,700, or bundled with the Samsung 16-50mm f/2-2.8 "S" OIS lens, a battery grip, a second battery and a dedicated battery charger, all for about US$2,800. Imaging Resource rating 4.5 out of 5.0

Samsung NX1 Review

by Zig Weidelich, Gannon Burgett, Jeremy Gray and William Brawley

Overview originally posted: 09/15/2014

Updates:

10/31/2014: Sample Gallery Photos (pre-production)

11/11/2014: First Shots with production firmware

03/18/2015: Field Test Part I

04/14/2015: Field Test Part II

07/31/2015: Full test results with firmware v1.3x posted!

08/05/2015: Image Quality Comparison, Print Quality and Review Conclusion posted

Samsung drops the gloves and fires a shot across the bow of more entrenched manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony with the introduction of the Samsung NX1, the company's first truly pro-level NX body.

Manufactured of thixotropic magnesium alloy, the NX1's body is tough, weather-sealed, and offers plenty of the controls and features pros expect, such as an LCD status display on the top panel, dual control dials for quick setting changes, and an optional battery grip, just to name a few.

Of course, being a mirrorless camera means it's not an SLR despite what looks like a pentaprism housing which actually contains a new XGA OLED electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage and 1.04x magnification (0.69x 35mm-equivelant). Also unlike most pro SLRs, the NX1 boasts a 3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen monitor, using the same excellent display panel as its enthusiast-level sibling, the NX30, but with a more rugged tilting system in place of a more flexible but perhaps more delicate fully-articulated mechanism.

But the NX1's enhancements aren't just skin deep. Under the hood, you'll find a brand new backside-illuminated (BSI) 28.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with 205 embedded phase-detect AF sensors, coupled to a powerful new multi-core DRIMe V processor. And that pairing is capable of capturing full resolution stills at up to a whopping 15 frames-per-second with tracking autofocus, as well as recording 4K video. And the Samsung NX1 is not only equipped with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, the faster IEEE 802.11ac standard is now supported, as well as "always-on" Bluetooth connectivity.

Available since November 2014, the Samsung NX1 ships in three configurations for the US market: body-only for about US$1,500, bundled with the Samsung 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom ED OIS lens for US$1,700, or bundled with the Samsung 16-50mm f/2-2.8 "S" OIS lens, a battery grip, a second battery and a dedicated battery charger, all for about US$2,800.

Samsung also simultaneously announced the second optic in its "S" series of premium, dust and splash resistant lenses alongside the NX1: the Samsung 50-150mm f/2.8 "S" OIS, which retails for about US$1,600. The two "S" zooms roughly correspond to the very popular 24-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 full-frame zoom lenses much loved by pros and advanced amateurs alike.

Place your order with a trusted Imaging Resource affiliate now:

Samsung NX1 body only: ADORAMA | AMAZON | B&H

Samsung NX1 + 16-50 "S" OIS lens, grip, extra battery & charger: ADORAMA | AMAZON | B&H

Samsung NX1 + 16-50 PZ OIS lens: ADORAMA | AMAZON | B&H

Samsung 50-150 f/2.8 "S" OIS lens: ADORAMA | AMAZON | B&H

Has Samsung's new flagship NX mirrorless camera piqued your interest yet? Read on!

Samsung NX1 Field Test Part I Initial Impressions Introduction. When Samsung first announced the NX1, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. As a DSLR shooter who has been patiently watching the mirrorless game to see which company could pull me in, it seemed likely that if anyone was going to do it, it'd be Samsung. With a familiar form factor, an impressive spec sheet and overall appeal, I was smitten, and anxious to get my hands on it. After arriving here at Imaging Resource, that opportunity arose, and led to this first installment of a shooter's report. Although I've shot a myriad of subject matter in my photography career, this shooter's report will be written through the eyes of a sports photographer, as Samsung's NX1, both in looks and specs, is an action photographer's camera. To properly put the NX1 through its paces, I spent a handful of days shooting it in two very different sporting environments: a hockey game and an indoor men's collegiate volleyball match. Read our Samsung NX1 Field Test Part I

Samsung NX1 Field Test Part II A solid first step for Samsung's professional camera system Introduction. The Samsung NX1 mirrorless camera features speed and performance that aims to compete with more expensive, larger DSLR camera bodies. It offers many of the best aspects of a DSLR camera while also bringing some unique features that make it an attractive alternative to the traditional DSLR camera, so I've been eager to get my hands on one for a deeper dive. Camera Body and Handling. The Samsung NX1, with its all-magnesium, weather-sealed body, is small and light, weighing in at around 550g with the battery, but it is easy to grip and fits very nicely in my hands. Samsung has clearly put considerable thought into maintaining DSLR handling, but in a smaller mirrorless camera body. The button layout of the camera is familiar to anyone that has shot with a DSLR; the NX1 provides simplicity in its controls without sacrificing functionality, as all of the most important shooting controls are easily accessible. Read our Samsung NX1 Field Test Part II

Samsung NX1 Technical Insights Now let's take a peek under the hood... Brand new sensor. The NX1 uses an all-new Samsung imaging sensor that's unique in a number of ways. It's an APS-C-sized backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS chip with a total pixel count of 30.7 megapixels and an effective resolution of 28.2 megapixels, the highest yet for an APS-C sensor. Maximum resolution of the Samsung NX1's images is 6,480 x 4,320 pixels, just over 8 megapixels more than from the APS-C chip found in prior models. And like more and more cameras these days including the NX30, the NX1's sensor forgoes an optical low pass filter in the quest for maximum sharpness, although the trade-off is the risk of more aliasing artifacts. As far as we know, Samsung's new APS-C chip is the largest sensor to date that uses backside illumination to improve light gathering, and it's built using copper metallization (instead of aluminum interconnects) for improved speed, power and noise characteristics. Click to read Samsung NX1 Tech Insights!

Samsung NX1 Image Quality Comparison The flagship NX1 goes head-to-head with the competition With our comparison, we use crops from our laboratory Still Life target and compare the Samsung NX1's image quality to its predecessor, the NX30 as well as against several competing APS-C models at similar price points or in similar categories: the Canon 7D Mark II, Nikon D7200, Pentax K-3 II and Sony A77 II. NOTE: These images are from best quality JPEGs straight out of the camera, at default settings including noise reduction and using the camera's actual base ISO (not extended ISO settings). All cameras in this comparison were shot with our very sharp reference lenses. Clicking any crop will take you to a carrier page where you can click once again to access the full resolution image as delivered straight from the camera. See our NX1 Image Quality Comparison

Samsung NX1 Print Quality Analysis Off the screen and into the real world The high-powered, high-resolution Samsung NX1 brings a lot to table in terms of print quality performance. With its high-resolution 28.2MP APS-C image sensor, this camera's files can create some really large prints, especially at low to mid ISO sensitivities. You're really only limited by how much you're willing to push the boundaries of the sensor's resolution. Fine detail is excellent as are the colors at these lower ISOs. At the mid-range ISOs, the NX1 still manages to produce some very good, large prints. Read about Samsung NX1 Print Quality