Samsung was the initial company outside the Micro 4 Thirds consortium to release a mirrorless interchangable lens camera. The distinctly DSLR-like NX10 created little fuss about its mirrorless construction, concentrating rather on providing familiar capabilities and behavior in a smaller body with smaller lenses. Now its sister model, the NX100 Samsung takes a slightly various strategy – it eschews the classic styling of the NX10 and instead embraces the easier silhouette of a compact camera. And, although its stylistic minimalism makes it seem somewhat monolithic, it’s practically identical in size to its apparent peers – the Panasonic GF1 and Olympus E-P2.
Cameras that hark back to the rangefinder designs of the 1970s are practically nothing new, but the Samsung NX100 takes issues a step further than most. As well as providing SLR-like features in a compact-style physique, Samsung adds controls to the kit lens of this 14.6-megapixel camera, which allow you to change ISO, aperture and shutter speed having a twist of the focus ring.
It sounds terrific on paper, and for a moment or two it is essentially pretty entertaining to utilize. Hit the iFn button on the barrel, as well as a menu pops up on the camera’s glorious 3in AMOLED screen; maintain pressing the button until you reach the setting you want to alter, and spin the concentrate ring to adjust.
It’s a technique that was initially developed for, and worked effectively with, cameras that had optical viewfinders. Alas, it doesn’t perform so effectively right here. Whenever you must hold the camera out in front of you to see the screen, clawing your hand around the front to reach the lens isn’t incredibly comfortable. Applying the controls on the rear of the body does not prove substantially a lot more responsive or comfortable either.
In manual mode, the dial on leading of the camera is utilised to adjust shutter speed, with all the spinning d-pad made use of for aperture, and attempting to move quickly in between each is an exercise in contortion. Despite acquiring a bigger physique than our current preferred SLD (single lens direct view) camera, the Sony NEX-3, the NX100 manages to be less comfortable to utilize.
What’s worse, though, is the fact that the inclusion of the iFN program appears to have come at the expense of optical image stabilization, and that indicates flexibility in low light suffers. That is exacerbated by a lack of built-in flash and mediocre low ISO overall performance. As much as ISO 800 pictures are clear and finely-detailed.
At ISO 1600, shots are usable but noise is noticeable, with modest purple spots scattered beginning to appear across our check images; and we wouldn’t suggest shooting at ISO 3200 or the camera’s maximum of ISO 6400. It isn’t a patch on the Sony NEX-3 or the Sony NEX-5, despite boasting a DSLR-rivalling APS-C sensor.
Additionally you will discover a series of alterations that aid make the camera much more customizable – the choice to pick the highest ISO value the NX100 will use in Auto ISO, for example. In themselves these are compact modifications but they’re the types of solutions that permit users to greater tailor the camera to their way of working, which we like to see.
