Samsung NX 1 Review – Autofocus
The NX1 features Samsung’s hybrid AF III system. AF III is capable of AF sensitivity in lighting conditions as challenging as -4EV, and in practice it performed well. Provided I was using a fast lens, I didn’t experience the camera hunting continuously for focus in low light, and I was impressed by the speed with which it managed to hone in on focal points. In particularly low-light scenarios, the camera is equipped with a bright green pattern AF assist beam with a range of up to 15 metres, which works in almost total darkness.
Samsung NX1 under challenging lighting condition, ISO 800
According to Samsung, the NX1 is capable of focusing in as little as 0.055sec in ideal conditions, making it one of the fastest cameras currently on the market. When combined with the right lens, the NX1 is blisteringly fast, latching onto points of interest wherever they fall in the frame. If AF-on is held or the shutter is half-pressed, it does a good job of sticking with a subject and maintaining focus. I typically shoot with single point AF in the centre of my frame, but multi-area AF with the camera’s sophisticated hybrid AF system also works very well, particularly in action scenarios. Face detection AF and self-portrait modes are also available.
Touch focusing is just as responsive and works very well when using the LCD screen at otherwise awkward shooting angles. I like the fact that Samsung has introduced some of the touch-photography features available in a number of smartphones, such as the ability to touch two different areas of the screen to achieve separate focusing and exposure readings.
