Samsung NX10 review

Samsung has both trumped former collaborator, Pentax, and targeted rival Micro Four Thirds cameras by unveiling a new mirrorless camera system.

Dubbed NX, the first offering in the range is the NX10, a DSLR-style camera with interchangeable lenses, an electronic viewfinder, built-in flash, a 3in AMOLED screen and 720p HD video using an APS-C-size 14.6-megapixel Cmos sensor. Despite a sensor that's physically larger than most rivals, measuring 123 x 87 x 39.8mm, the NX10 is no larger than the Panasonic Lumix G2. Weighing in at around 400g with the battery, the body is quite hefty but it's an indication of the quality of the build.

While the outer shell is of a polycarbonate material, it's impressively solid. We were sent the 18-55mm (28-80mm equivalent) f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, a decent performer complete with optical image stabilisation, but it's a little larger than rival Micro Four Thirds offerings. We suspect that future lenses will be big too, a consequence of the sensor size.

We were, however, sent an optionally available 30mm (45mm equivalent) f/2 prime, a fast, incredibly small 'pancake' lens. While less versatile than the zoom, the two together are smaller than the Canon Eos 550 body on its own and easily fitted in a coat pocket, making them an extremely attractive proposition.

In the hands, the NX10 is well thought out and while ergonomics are subjective, most who handled the camera thought it well-balanced and comfortable. It's sprightly in operation too, taking a second only to power up and focus for the first shot. You can choose between either the electronic viewfinder or AMOLED screen.

Both are usable, the electronic viewfinder surprisingly so. While the image is decent, part of the reason is the clear layout of viewfinder information and the various menus. Some of the sub-menus use an innovative circular display of settings, controlled by the top-plate command dial. It's all mirrored in the rear AMOLED panel and it's head and shoulders above rivals. With super-fast refresh rates and excellent colour and detail, the rear screen is a highlight. It's supposed to be better in bright light than conventional panels and while that's true, the screen is still highly reflective.

With all the usual features, auto-focus options are extensive and perform largely to expectations, though the NX10 adopts the usual contrast AF mode of mirrorless cameras so while it's faster than the Olympus Pens it's still slightly behind that of a DSLR. Moreover, it's accurate in low-light at short distances thanks to a AF assist lamp.

Picture quality is impressive, with very good colour and detail at low ISOs, but out-of-camera Jpegs lose more fine detail through the range to the maximum ISO3200. Both that and ISO1600 aren't likely to be used except for the web or smaller size prints. We also noticed heavy rolling shutter effects during HD video capture, and while useful, the optical image stabiliser in the kit lens wasn't as effective as some rival options.

There's no doubt that the Samsung NX10 is an attractive proposition and a great first effort from a company with such a short track record, but its limitations mean there's no clear cut advantage over the already established Micro Four Thirds models.