Samsung NX200 at a glance:
- 20.3-million-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- NX mount
- i-Function 2.0
- 3in, 614,000-dot AMOLED screen
- 7fps continuous shooting
- 1080p HD video capture
- Street price around £699
Samsung NX200 review – Introduction
Samsung’s move into the compact system camera (CSC) market seemed a natural step for a company keen to provide more advanced photographic solutions. Without much of a camera heritage to call upon and only a brief stint (from 2005-2009) in DSLRs as a collaboration with Pentax, using the Pentax K mount, this new market had much more potential.
Rather than taking the potentially easy route of joining the micro four thirds system for its compact system cameras, Samsung created its own lens mount and opted for a larger APS-C sized sensor.
This combination of large sensor and slim body has proved popular with more advanced photographers, and was also the route taken by Sony with its NEX range. CSCs are divided into two groupings split by design rather than features or cost. The DSLR-styled model features an electronic viewfinder and a substantial grip, while the more compact-styled version opts for a slimmer design, often without a viewfinder.
Although the DSLR style appeared the most popular initially, as second and third generations are released it is the compact-bodied system taking the lead.
Samsung’s compact-style range was introduced with the NX100 which, although it lacked the viewfinder and the grip of the company’s DSLR-styled NX10, was actually not that much smaller, due to the dew-drop-inspired body design.
The Samsung NX200, which replaces the NX100, is much slimmer than its predecessor, and replaces the 14.6-million-pixel sensor with a brand-new Samsung-made 20.3-million-pixel CMOS unit. Combining such a high-resolution sensor with a small body puts the Samsung NX200 in a very strong position.
After all, with the exception of the new Sony models, users would need to look at semi-professional full-frame models to find a similar resolution. The camera also uses the i-Function lens system – now with customisable functions – and a high ISO 12,800 setting for low-light conditions.
