Camera test Samsung NX10
Competition
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10
YET TO BE TESTED
Olympus Pen E-PL2
YET TO BE TESTED
Although the contrast-detection AF is not designed for taking images of moving subjects, with careful pre-focusing and timing it is possible to capture moderately fast movement
level, it does give a better idea of how the fi nal exposure will look. When a trickier scene is
encountered, or to make sure a particular part of a scene is correctly exposed, spot metering is a better option than multi- metering. I photographed a grey card in spot metering mode and then used Photoshop to measure the density of the RGB channels. Each one measured 128 on a scale of 0-255, so the Samsung NX10 measures an exact midtone. On the whole, I found that the NX10
produces well-exposed images, and when presented with more diffi cult scenes it was simple to adjust the exposure accordingly.
8/10
VIEWFINDER, LCD, LIVE VIEW AND VIDEO
As it has no mirror box or SLR mechanism, the Samsung NX10 relies on an electronic viewfi nder. Many people were put off these viewfi nders thanks to the fi rst generation of bridge cameras that had low-resolution EVFs with poor refresh rates. However, technology has now moved on and the screens used in contemporary EVFs have far higher resolutions with better refresh rates. Some EVFs, such as the one on the NX10, even have certain advantages over optical viewfi nders. For starters, all EVFs should be able
to display a 100% view of a scene. The Live View system will preview through the viewfi nder how the image will look with the current exposure and colour settings applied. The NX10 will also detect when you hold the camera to your eye, and switch from the Live View being displayed on the rear screen to the EVF. One thing I fi nd particularly useful is the
fact that the image can be magnifi ed in the viewfi nder for precise focusing, which is something that can be diffi cult on small SLRs with equally small and dim viewfi nders. When shooting in manual mode, a quick turn of the focus ring of the lens activates
this magnifi ed preview. If you don’t touch the focus ring for a few seconds, the view reverts to its full-frame mode so the image can be composed. In all, I found the 921,000-dot Samsung NX10 electronic viewfi nder one of the most natural to use. Samsung is currently leading the way
when it comes to the manufacture of active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. These screens have a higher refresh rate, consume less power (as they don’t require a backlight) and are generally brighter than traditional LCD units. The NX10 has a 3in AMOLED screen
made up of 614,000 dots. This isn’t quite as many as used in the current 3in screens of high-end enthusiast and professional DSLR models, but the screen’s high-contrast ratio and brightness make up for it. In subdued lighting the screen looks bright with an excellent level of contrast. In bright sunlight the screen is also very good, although in terms of visibility it wasn’t a great deal better than most other screens currently available. For those who also like to shoot moving
images, the NX10 can capture HD video and the maximum 1280x720-pixel resolution at 30fps capture is very good. Sound is only captured in mono, with a maximum video recording time of 25 minutes for a single clip, but you can apply any of the Picture Wizard colour settings to video footage while shooting. There is even the option to perform basic video ‘trimming’ to edit the start and end points of captured videos.
8/10
DYNAMIC RANGE
The 11.5EV dynamic range is wide enough to produce nicely balanced exposures in most scenes. When shooting at ISO 100, the images could be lightened quite dramatically to reveal a lot of detail, but without introducing noise. This is great for recovering detail and for fans of producing pseudo- HDR images from the same original fi le. AP
8/10
50
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 3 April 2010
THE ONLY direct competition for the Samsung NX10 currently comes from the Micro Four Thirds cameras. With video capture, built-in fl ash and an EVF, the recently announced Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 looks to be the closest match to the Samsung NX10, although it sports a smaller 12.1-million-pixel Four Thirds sensor. The more advanced Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 will also offer competition, although it is expected to cost more. In contrast, the Olympus Pen E-PL2 has no EVF, but it
does carry a pop-up fl ash and is capable of video capture. The NX10 is the cheapest of all four cameras, with a street
price of just over £500. This includes the optically stabilised kit lens, but a non-stabilised version of this lens will soon be released, which could bring the price down even further.
Verdict
IT IS always a brave decision to launch a new camera system, but I think that the NX10 and NX system have a bright future. The adoption of an APS-C-sized sensor will appeal to those demanding the quality of a DSLR camera in a compact design. The three lenses available for the NX10 at its launch
should cover most entry-level photographers’ needs, but with Samsung hoping to launch fi ve new lenses this year, the system may also appeal to more experienced photographers used to SLR systems. The compact 20-50mm, 20mm pancake, 60mm macro and 18-200mm superzoom lenses should offer something for everyone, and all these optics and an NX10 should fi t into a small shoulder bag. What I like best about the NX10 is that it’s a lot of fun.
It’s small enough to take out when a DSLR might otherwise be too cumbersome. For example, I took it out mountain biking and barely noticed I had it with me, but it is equally capable of being a fantastic little studio camera for portraits or still-life shots. I’m sure other manufacturers will be introducing hybrid
cameras with APS-C-size sensors in the coming years, but for now the Samsung has stolen a march on all of them and come up with a real competitor to the Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras.
1 2
FEATURES
Tested as Entry-level
hybrid camera
86
Rated Good
%
3 4 5
9/10
BUILD/HANDLING 9/10 NOISE/RESOLUTION 28/30 DYNAMIC RANGE 8/10 AWB/COLOUR 9/10 METERING AUTOFOCUS
8/10 7/10
LCD/VIEWFINDER 8/10
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