IMAGE
TONE & EXPOSURE
Tones can be a touch on the fl at side, though in print this can lend to realistic results. Exposure proved accurate throughout, with the Smart Range option offering a shadow and highlight exposure boost, like the dynamic range optimising modes in many other cameras. However, the lack of user-defi nable options from the Smart Range option did lead to limitations.
QUALITY
COLOUR & WHITE BALANCE
Auto White Balance can become inconsistent between ISO settings for the same scene, and not only at the higher ISOs where image noise can ‘dull’ colour. Ignoring this relatively subtle inconsistency, however, the general AWB read is good, with images proving generally bright and well balanced. Colour can look a little washed out in JPEGs, though the addition of in-camera saturation options are highly customisable and the Picture Wizard presets lend themelves well to creative control from ‘Retro’ to ‘Classic’ (black & white) and many between.
SHARPNESS & DETAIL
The 18-55mm kit lens provides sharp centre-image detail that’s well resolved, yet softness does creep in toward the corners, especially at the wider end.
ISO SENSITIVITY & IMAGE NOISE
The 14.6-megapixel sensor is densely populated, which appears to have surrendered some image noise quality for the sake of resolution. Images throughout the ISO range exhibit some image noise, though it becomes more signifi cant from ISO 800 and above. Though ISO 3200 is available the noise level is considerably prominent and destructive; even with High ISO Noise Reduction activated the image detail becomes softened. The extra size of the Samsung sensor should have been strong enough to ‘outdo’ Micro Four Thirds with their smaller sensors. However, the latter have been relatively conservative with pixel count and, as such, separating the two systems in terms of picture quality is a tricky one to resolve. On paper the NX10 should walk away with the picture quality prize and yet, due to image noise, it can’t quite take that crown at the higher ISO settings.
RAW/JPEG
The provided NX10 software offers no Mac support and there are currently no plans to introduce a Mac OS version. With Photoshop in tow this won’t be an issue, though at the time of writing an ACR update to offer Raw compatibility hasn’t yet been released. Working on PC using Samsung’s Raw Converter 3 to compare the Raw fi les against their JPEG counterparts and the difference is fairly considerable. JPEGs are heavily processed by default, with a midtone ‘push’ pulling out more detail than the Raw counterpart, yet the two seen side by side on screen look like different bracketed exposures (when this is not the case). While this does mean the Raw fi le retains more detail for user-tweaking, the default of JPEG processing may not be preferable for all users, especially those handling Raw for the fi rst time. Further in-camera options do allow for contrast, saturation and sharpness processing adjustment, however, though this can’t be previewed prior to shooting.
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APS-C CMOS The large sensor provides noticeable shallow depth of fi eld when using small apertures,
enhanced here by the long focal length of the tele-zoom lens. Exposure is well maintained for such a scene too.
Samsung NX10, 50-200mm OIS @ 200mm, f/5.6, 1/500th, ISO 100, AWB, evaluative metering
amateurs this does feel like a small oversight, nor is there the option to preference top-end ISO use in Auto mode. The new NX lens fi tting currently means limitations on several lenses, which may in part have led to Samsung delaying the camera for many months. However, there is promise of more: to add to the existing 18-55mm f/3.5- 5.6 OIS, 30mm f/2.0 and 50-200mm f/4-5.6 OIS will be a new non-stabilised version of the 18-55mm (likely for an even more cost- effective package), a 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens, 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS compact zoom, 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS, and 50mm f/2.8 Macro. It’s certainly all systems go, and an array of lenses is an essential for a system that depends on interchangeable lenses as a key sell point. The 20mm pancake lens and compact zoom will be signifi cant, as the current 18-55mm kit lens is fairly large and long when at full extension too. The forthcoming macro lens will be an important addition to the camp as the current range won’t focus particularly close to subject – some 28cm from lens at the wide end of the 18-55mm kit lens, or 25cm at best from the 30mm prime.
As well as the still images the NX10 also
records HD 720P movies at 30 frames per second. These movie fi les are encoded with the H.264 codec, which is seen as the current best format for smaller fi le sizes with greater detail. No in-camera or software-based video editing tools are provided, though it is possible to pull stills from the movie sequence at the press of a button on camera, and Quicktime is provided to play back the resulting MP4 fi les. Although a variety of options allow for single
or continuous AF in movie mode, the camera will only take a single point of focus whether in Program Auto or Aperture Priority movie modes. The Depth of Field Preview button on the front of the camera – which is placed in a location that makes it rather diffi cult to utilise when shooting – can be used to refocus, though this should not be considered as ‘continuous focusing’. Manual Focusing is possible, but the lens feedback can be picked up from the NX10’s microphone.
VALUE
As far as Micro System Cameras go, an NX10 strongpoint is undoubtedly its price. Not because it’s ‘cheap’, but its savvy and accessible sub-£500 price-point ought to see its deserved success. When seen against the Olympus PEN E-P1 it may not have as ‘cool’ an exterior fi nish, nor the compact-size of Panasonic’s GF1 (though that’s admittedly 50% more costly), but the NX10 is a fair performer with many decent features. The Olympus E-PL1 may nuzzle closer to the £500 price whereabouts, as does the 18-month-old Panasonic G1, but for a new-to-market product the NX10 is a most tempting proposition. WDC
VERDICT
The NX10 offers great value and will open the mirrorless market up to a variety of users. Whether performance will outsmart the entry-level DSLR market (and, based on its design, the NX10 appeals very much as a DSLR- replacement camera) is another matter however. Apart from some slight image noise issues this is a generally solid Micro System Camera that, as and when more lenses arrive to open up its capabilities further, will show future potential and sit well against stiff Micro Four Thirds competition. It may not appeal to those looking for a truly compact system due to some lens sizes plus the AF performance needs a bit of a kick before it can be top of its game, but overall this is a very good footing on the fi rst Micro System stepping-stone for Samsung.
SCORES
LIKES
AMOLED screen, built-in Electronic Viewfi nder (EVF)
DISLIKES
AF a bit sluggish, no Mac support for Samsung software, high ISO image noise
FEATURES DESIGN PERFORMANCE IMAGE QUALITY VALUE
TOTAL
88%
63
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