Dec 10, 2014--The newest Samsung
CSC (compact system camera) is the NX1. The camera has a 28MP (megapixel) APS-C
sized images sensor and a hybrid AF system with 205 AF sensors (phase
detection: 153 cross type sensors) and 209 AF areas (contrast metering). This
makes focusing with the NX1 very fast and reliable, especially when using very
fast burst modes for sports photography and similar photographic situations.
The camera claims a burst mode with up to 15 frames per second, which we
achieved during our tests.
The Samsung NX1 is an APS-C compact
system camera with very high resolution. It has a 28MP sensor, a 2.36MP
electronic viewfinder and a fast AF system. It has a massive metal body and is
sealed/protected against humidity and dust. It is able to record videos in full
HD and 4K.
In contrast to former NX
systems with electronic viewfinders (EVF), which showed a blank or frozen image
when shooting in burst mode thus making it near impossible to follow a fast
moving object, the new viewfinder of the NX1 is perfectly adept at this
function and allows for uninterrupted viewing. Adding to this functionality is
the fact that the high resolution EVF has 2.36 million RGB dots. An eye sensor
near the ocular automatically toggles between EVF and LCD image or the user can
activate an “EVF” switch to change monitor mode manually.
The camera has a built-in
pop-up flash system. In addition it offers an accessory shoe for external flash
systems or remote trigger systems for studio flash systems. All interfaces are
located on the left hand side of the body. The camera offers USB 3.0, HDMI, a
microphone jack and an earphone jack.
In manual focusing mode, the
camera automatically activates the magnifier function and focus peaking when
the photographer moves the focus ring on the lens system. The lens ring can be
used for additional settings because the camera supports Samsung's “iFunction”
technologies, which allows the user to change image or exposure parameters with
the lens ring.
The camera uses a combination
of control field and a setup dial for menu navigation. The “Mobile” button near
the top indicates the Wi-Fi function of the camera. A smartphone or tablet
computer can be used as remote control.
The camera offers four
function buttons on the left hand side of the top to set up AF mode, exposure
metering, ISO speed and white balance directly. The status LCD on the right can
be illuminated.
The camera has three setup
dials to change image parameters and for menu navigation. The first dial is
located near the shutter release button and on/off switch. The second wheel on
the back (near the top) and the third dial is a combination of cursor control
field and setup dial. The camera has less function buttons than professional
Canon or Nikon cameras, but nevertheless handling is comfortable. The mode dial
on the top can be used for user-defined setups (C1, C2). The dial on the left
hand side sets up image shooting modes (single shot, burst mode high, burst
mode low, self-timer). Also on the left are function buttons for ISO speed,
white balance, AF mode and exposure metering mode.
The 3-inch LCD (1,036,000 RGB
dots) can be moved upwards by 90 degrees and downwards by 45 degrees. It is
helpful, but a fully articulated screen would be better.
Comments on Image Quality:
Color: The NX1 showed excellent results in our color tests.
The test chart was reproduced with a little over-saturation, but still on a
very good level. Some blue nuances are exaggerated, while the red colors are
reproduced very precisely. The mean color error level is very low.
The Samsung NX1 reproduced
the test box very clearly and crisply. The colors look natural and the differentiation even of difficult red nuances
is very good.
Brighter skin tones have a slightly
higher magenta rate. The automatic white balance system did a really good job.
In darker color areas, it tends towards cooler nuances and the brighter tones
are reproduced with a little yellowish or greenish character.
Sharpness: The camera showed an excellence performance in
sharpness and resolution tests. The ISO 12233 test chart was reproduced with
4108 lines per picture height (nominal sensor resolution 4320 lines). It
achieves this remarkably high result without any exaggerated sharpness
filtering and the over- and undershot results are very low. This helps reproduce
fine details like the hair of our model or the metal structures in our standard
test box very clearly, with clean and natural results. The high sharpness and
crisp look is also a result of the very good color differentiation.
Noise: The
Samsung NX1 showed very good results in our noise tests. Even though the camera
uses a sensor with extremely high pixel density, the luminance noise results
are on the same level as the results of cameras with 20 or 24MP APS-C sensors.
Up to ISO 12.800, the luminance noise level is lower than 1.0 percent, which is
very good. Color noise is nearly invisible up to ISO 1600. Between ISO 1600 and
ISO 6400 it becomes visible, but anti-noise filtering effects are very decent.
At higher ISO settings these filtering artifacts get annoying, but are
acceptable up to ISO 12,800. The highest ISO modes show a very intense
filtering with visible loss of image details.
The dynamic range results are
good, but a little lower than the results of some other APS-C cameras. The NX1
achieved a maximum of 11 f-stops and keeps a high 10-11 f-stop level up to ISO
1600; at higher ISO speeds, dynamic range will drop to 7.51 f-stops (ISO 51,200).
The portrait shot shows very
nice skin tones. The exposure settings are perfect (P mode, ISO 100) and the
differentiation in the red colored t-shirt is excellent.
Comments on Video Quality
The camera showed an
excellence performance in full HD mode: The ISO 12233 chart was reproduced with
905 of 1080 lines per picture height. Videos in full HD mode look very
crisp--sometimes even a little over-sharpened. Due to this high sharpness you
may notice some moiré effects in this mode.
The results in 4K mode are a
little disappointing. The camera reproduced the test chart with 1228 of 2160
lines. Videos in 4K mode have a little softer look than in full HD mode. The
color reproduction in video mode is very good. Just like in photo mode, all
colors have a very natural look and show nearly perfect color differentiation.
The noise results are very
good. The camera allows the user to set ISO speed in manual mode but is
restricted to ISO 6400 when recording videos. Dynamic range of videos is on a
very high level (about 10 f-stops between ISO 100 and ISO 1600).
Scorecard
Pro
very fast camera system; very
fast AF system
high resolution sensor, high
resolution images
high resolution EVF
very good color reproduction
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
tilting LCD
4k video
Con
dynamic range results should
be a little higher
monitor cannot be turned
sideways (can only flip up- and downwards)
The lab test and comments
about the Samsung NX1 were done by Betternet, the Technical Image Press
Association’s (TIPA) affiliated testing lab. I am a member of the association’s
Technical Committee and have edited the report for this posting.
