Samsung launched the new NX30 flagship model, alongside its first premium ‘S’ lens, a 16-50mm f/2-2.8 zoom, at CES 2014. The Samsung NX30 remains a 20.3MP APS-C camera (also found in the NX300) with the familiar mirrorless design. The camera boasts some powerful photo-centric features often found in only more advanced (and more expensive) cameras, such as a max 1/8000 shutter speed and a 9fps still image frame rate. Additionally, the NX30 captures 1080/60p HD video, which we are beginning to see from more and more manufacturers.
The NX30 is a very connected camera, which is a continuing trend for Samsung. It has features like the ability to automatically upload images to Dropbox and Flickr via a WiFi connection. The NX30 also features the ability to use a Photo Beam feature to transfer images to a smartphone or table by touching the two devices together thanks the NFC connectivity. Additional connectivity options are explained by Samsung as follows:
MobileLink lets users select multiple images to send to four different smart devices at one time – without the need to take repetitive shots on each individual device. AutoShare automatically sends every photo taken instantly to smartphone or tablet devices and the Remote Viewfinder Pro function enables control of the NX30 from a smartphone, allowing the user to capture shots remotely yet still have full visibility of the scene. Manual settings can still be accessed, including shutter speed and aperture, so that photographers can retain camera control.
In my short hands-on time with the NX30, I was struck by how much the camera looks, feels and functions like a proper camera. Samsung has stuck with the familiar SLR design; however, the camera features a thinner body thanks to the absence of a reflex mirror and optical viewfinder. While the new 16-50mm f/2-2.8 lens is a hefty piece of glass, the balance is much better than I expected. And that 16-50mm lens is a beautiful piece of glass. The combination of the two yields very fast and accurate autofocus.
I will also give kudos to the camera controls for the NX30. There are plenty of easily accessible controls on the body of the camera that will make enthusiasts happy that they don’t have to go menu diving to make changes to key manual controls.
On the down side, the EVF is a bit small for such an ambitious camera. Although the ability to tilt the EVF and look into it from above will certainly please some shooters.
The video capture continues to suffer from pretty bad rolling shutter. You can see this easily on the camera’s display; however, it was also obvious in the reference video that was intended to tout the video capabilities of the camera and shown at the Samsung booth.
Samsung also had a new speedlight on display that hasn’t been officially released yet. The speedlight seemed to be quite an advanced model, capable of tackling more advanced scenarios alongside the flagship NX30. It is a large flash and definitely adds more bulk to the camera – particularly when paired with the new 16-50mm f/2-2.8 lens.
The speedlight should be capable of wireless operation as well.
The new crop of gear in the Samsung NX series suggests that Samsung is beginning to put together a serious kit for the more serious photographer. I expect we will see more as 2014 rolls on. If not at CP+ next month, it will be interesting to see where Samsung’s NX line is situated by the time Photokina rolls around late summer.
Now that’s one ugly camera.
The camera is not ugly but combination of the camera and the flash is. Why everyone insist on the small camera and then attach humongous lens and flash on it is beyond me.
OMG…that is gorgeous!!
This camea looks silly when compared to the fuji x-t1.
The flash is really ugly. It looks like designed by former noodle designer.
The flash is too big for NX30 and I do not even want to think how it’s going to look on NX300. Samsung “forgot” to tell us if new flash will work in “high synch” mode on NX300. This is really disrespectful for loyal samsung customer.
Samsung improved some ergonomy, but it looks to me that it will take another 10 years for them to make camera right. There is no ISO dial. There is no metering mode dial.
Samsung needs another 10 years to realize that semi pro photographer, wants manual controls because with one glimpse of eye he can see all important setting.
Samsung placed so many buttons on right hand side that it’s nearly sure that person holding camera, will accidently change some settings.
The noodle designers from samsung do not try to look at ERGONOMY in the design. For instance, they do not want to see where Nikon/Fuji placed AF-lock or exposure lock buttons. Same with picture delete/picture review buttons. Why not to put them where Nikon/Fuji placed them? Why not to place ISO dial on the left of the viefinder?
The macro lens has no af/manual switch.
There are rumors that samsung will change lensmount. They finally realized that their lensmount is noodle lensmount. It’s too small for FF, it has difficulties to accept third part lenses. This lensmount has no future. Samsung cannot have common lensmount for Ff and APS-c. This is serious flaw in design. Finally samsung put into their NX30 multi exposure function. Point and shoot cameras had this function 10 years ago.
I compared sharpness of nx200 vs nx300. I’m quite sure that NX200 is … SHARPER. Noise performance on nx300 is better but at the cost of sharpness. That’s not improvements that’s step backwords. This way samsung will never move forward. They for ever will be the last and smallest mirrorless camera maker.
Why samsung did not put ED glass into 45 mm lens? Why 20 mm pancake is not f2.0? and why new zoom is power zoom? To make it drain batter ? How much it will cost to repair when zoom motor fails?
As I said, there are rumors from red craw on dpreview that samsung will make new lensmount. So what will happen to us who invested in samsung nx lenses? Are we going to be left high and dry? Is samung going to update nx300 for multi exposure? And when samsug tells us if nx300 can do high speed synch with new ugly flash?
In this thread: Anti-Samsung paid corporate shills for Sony/Olympus/Canon/Nikon/Fuji/Etc.
The new corporate warfare is waged in these forums, and the counter-speak plants and fakes are getting more prevalent and verbose than the actual real consumers.
The last post here, such an illiterate, incomprehensible mess – almost entirely made up of false nonsense and meaningless blather – who can believe these are actual people buying these products and not some sub-minimum wage overseas drone tapping away cut and paste points from a crib sheet taped up on their cube?
Well,
more common non-sense with noodle comments to Samsung can be found here:
http://photorumors.com
and there:
http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com
I wouldn’t have the time, to comment on everything, I dislike…
…even if paid for.
–
Mostly it is a simple case:
envy is the highest form of recognition
–
However, more real informations to NX 30, including features like
interval mode, multi exposure and digital image stabilization,
can be found here:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3611035
–
P.S.:
I stumbled over a link on that site to this site here.
;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) the above pest ;-), comments on my post instead of commenting on Samsung camera and flash. He is too dummy to create any constractive input about camera and flash.
Take a look at the “gallery” ;-) of this dump on dpreview. Not even one decent picture of his own.
He had actually one pic ;-) of butterfly ;-) ;-) sitting on some ugly backgroun, but when I joked that he gets Pulitzer Prize for this garbage, he remove it and now he try to get revange ;-)))) Hey, pest, post some constractive opinion about new ugly samsung flash. Show people that you are not pest.
Now THAT’S using your noodle.
Or really? ;-))))))))))))
So why don’t you do the same and earn money?
they do not want to pay for you? They figured out your mental condition and intellectual incapacity? ;-)))))))))))))))))))))
You seem to claim that I do not have Samsung photo products?
Well I challenge you idiot. Why don’t you buy from me my samsung gear, and I promise, I stop writing about samsung. I DO sell it to you idiot, for 30% of original price. Show us idiot that the deeds go with your idiotic words.
Ladies and gents, do not be afraid to write true statements about the products and companies. This is your right. And if morons on forum try to bite you, ridicule them and expose their mental state.
I notified the companies you mentioned above that you make false accusation about them. I forwarded this link to them about your idiotic claims against them. I hope they summon you to court soon and make you pay for your idiotic accusations.
Meantime here is how samsung pays for spreading false info about other companies:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/24/5023658/samsung-fined-340000-for-posting-negative-htc-reviews
And they hire people with following mental state to make “presentation” ;-)
Beside that I’m very happy with the design and features of the NX30 (which may have a similar good ergonomic like the GH3, but within a lighter housing and with better viewfinder) and with the addition of a more versatile flash, a bright all around zoom and a new compact light weight zoom, which all reflects the fulfillment of the wishes of their (real) customers…
…I’m curious to see wether they keep the exact ISO numbers as within the NX1000 ( http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Samsung-NX-1000-versus-Olympus-OM-D-E-M5___804_793 ) and wether they made a real improvement over the already competitive high ISO qualities of the NX1000, which can be seen in my gallery with technical example pictures, like this (ISO 3200 example):
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4164548502/photos/2331009/nx1000hsli03200-silkypix-downsized-to-16-mp-for-comparison
…please don’t fool yourself with the hope, that my gallery could be something like a portfolio gallery… ;-)
…the gallery is meant for discussions and comments, like this one and not for feeding boring clowns. ;-D
Well, I think people can read and understand if they take a look at your “comments” here:
http://photorumors.com/2014/01/03/samsung-nx30-two-nx-lenses-and-galaxy-2-camera-announced/#comments
…btw. my gallery is only for technical demonstrations in discussions and not a portfolio gallery like you (again) suggested (including the butterfly).
I already gave the hint, but you obviously desperately try to grab attention…
…with your common non sense…
…and your claim that I removed it is obviously a lie as one can see here:
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4164548502/photos/2523751/an-iron-butterfly-in-a-gadda-da-vida-or-life-in-the-desert-with-rust
..why should I remove something, because of your comment? :-D
…especially if it was viewed by more than 600 different and logged in dpreview users and far more not logged in people?
What do you think, why have all the people such a big interest in my example pictures in my gallery despite it is a technical and no portfolio gallery? :-)
–
P.S.:
I already have the Metz 44 AF for Samsung and it works fine…
…however, the new Samsung branded (Metz based) flash will get even more light into the scene…
…no matter what you say. ;-)
he is so retarded that he posted his best pic again ;-)))))).
Now everyone can see this “talent”
;-)))))))))))))))))
so did you get Pulitzer Prize for this art?
;-)))))))))))))))))))
go pest to learn elementary basic of photography instead of trolling on the net.
Come on cmmon sense. U have no sense at all and must be paid by somebody to have posted such as very negative comments. U seem to know all and have the answers to questions we never asked…