Samsung NX-10

As expected, 2010 will be a great year for lenses to strengthen the range delivered to the Samsung NX-10: Samsung announces no less than 10 glasses for this year.

To be released during the first half of 2010:
18-55mm F3.5-5.6, Non OIS

To be released during the second half of 2010:
20-50mm F3.5-5.6
20mm F2.8
18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OIS
60mm F2.8

Assuredly, Samsung decided to shake the market of mirror-less SLR (how can we name these cameras?) since the official launch of the Samsung NX-10.

Samsung new web site

They open a new Korean web site at http://www.samsungimaging.co.kr/ which is -for now- dedicated to the NX-10 but which will certainly be the spearhead of the 2010-2011 marketing efforts around the new NX series. It should support Samsung’s strike to become a major actor of the mid-range SLR cameras (what could not be achieved even in the partnership with Pentax).

But they also announce us relatively bad news: The NX10 will not be available on camera shop shelves before March 2010 (in the US and in Europe). We will all have to be patient waiting to the opportunity to get access to this camera which intend to shake up too-well-established categories of the SLR market.

I just updated the tests/reviews in the database of the SLR photo cameras, mostly for the Pentax and Samsung cameras (and some Nikon, Sony, Canon, too).

Samsung NX-10

Finally, it arrived. The forecasts were right. To open the Las Vegas CES show, Samsung just presented its new photo camera, the Samsung NX-10. It’s a mirror-less interchangeable lens camera that will use the new Samsung NX lens mount (three lenses available at launch: 30mm f/2, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS, 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED OIS; Future adaptor for Pentax K mount lenses).

A very small body (not the smallest in its category since some 4/3 do a little better) with an APS-C 14.6 mega-pixel photo sensor, thanks to an Electronic View Finder (EVF) which allowed to completely remove the mirror cage.

Samsung also decided to add a a superb autofocus to the NX-10 with a 16-area AF which should be very quick and very well-endowed (dynamic tracking of subjects, face recognition).

Moreover, the list of features looks a little like a technology feast with a high-contrast 3″ AMOLED LCD screen supposed to offer the best possible viewing under the sun, with a VGA-resolution Electronic Viewfinder which will need to be tested.

Faithful to its consumer target, the Samsung NX-10 also brings video capture in 720p HD format, compressed to H.264 (the HD digital video standard of this year).

The lacking features:

• Wireless transmission
• Weather-sealed body
• Fast burst modes

Anyway, the exact possibilities will have to be checked, but it looks good indeed.

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Samsung NX-10

It seems true, indeed. Just see the number of posts about it on K-Rumors. If I wanted to sum it up, I would say the following.

Since months already, it is clear that Samsung and Pentax are no longer living a love affair. The Korean company parted and now thinks a lot about being independent and thinks it is able to live happily ever after -at least when it comes about entry-level SLR photo cameras which still are the beating heart of this industry.

Leaks abounded in the recent weeks to confirm the arrival of such a camera at Samsung and many people think that it will be named Samsung NX-10 as shown on a leaked technical declaration to an official Korean legal body. The features are not detailed but it is now possible to list a lot of them without great risk of error:

• The NX-10 is a Single Lens Reflex (maybe not reflex) camera with interchangeable lenses
• Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) with 100% coverage (1x magnification): 1080p/260Hz (920,000 pixels)
• 14.6 MP APS-C photo sensor with image stabilization
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-3200 (ext. ISO 50-6400)
• Shutter: 30s-1/6000s, in 4.5 fps in burst mode
• 7 fps bursts (30 consecutive pictures) made without lifting the mirror
• Video capture: Full HD 1080p/30i/s with stereo sound
• Autofocus: 16 areas, face detection and movement tracking (considerably more powerful than the entry-level competition)
• AMOLED-type LCD screen for a better readability
• Built-in flash 12GN at ISO 100
• Connectivity: HDMI, USB 2.0, Video/Audio out
• Wireless transmission: BlueTooth, WiFi
• SD/SDHC memory cards
• Body: At least, partly weather-sealed
• Weight: 369g

Samsung would take the same opportunity to finally present lenses of its own design.

And the announcement would be ready either tomorrow or on the 10th of January!

Sources: K-Rumors, yonhapnews.co.kr, etc.