Video: Samsung NX outfitted with massive lens, teased on rotating platform
By Darren Murph 
posted Apr 10th 2009 6:56PM
posted Apr 10th 2009 6:56PM
[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]
posted Apr 10th 2009 6:56PM
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The EVF could make or break this camera. If it is as good as the Panasonic G1's, then it has a good chance. If it isn't, it'll be useless at night, and shooting with it with be a might pain.
From what I've read the G1 itself has limitations when it comes to night shooting. Apparently the viewfinder gets very noisy and there is a drop in frame rate.
In theory the NX could have an advantage here. Since it has a larger sensor, and as a rule of thumb more surface area means greater sensitivity. Then again it also depends on how well this sensor is designed.
Bigger issue is the autofocus speed. Historically, contrast-based AF like the one used in the NX has been slow and inaccurate unlike the phase-based AF found in the mirror-boxed dSLRs, the Panasonic G1 has done an amazing job, but also has spent an incredibly amount of effort developing it as evidenced in the upcoming GH-1 that does AF for a large-sensor/small-DOF in 1080p movies seamlessly.
Lens looks like a DIA Zoom..
The two switches make me think it has in-lens stabilization...
I'm guessing the equivalent of a 28-300/400 ish zoom....but i could be wrong on that..its a bit hard to tell...
The whole point of EVIL is to get rid of massive lenses. That's what has intrigued the photography community about the Panny G1: a genuinely portable interchangeable lens system. If Samsun is going to rely on warmed over 35mm designs, they aren't going to sell a lot of product.
Decreases in lens size would only be significant in wide angle lenses; in a traditional SLR design, the mirror forces a wide angle lens to be of the reverse-telephoto design. Under ~40mm, the greater the field of view, the bigger the lens. In the case of an EVIL camera, the register distance can be much shorter so wide angle lenses will be much more compact. Tele lenses won't see much of a size advantage, you still need the length for magnification and the girth for wide apertures.
@bigcow05
Technically under 40 would cover the normal range on a APS-C sensor too (eg. 30-35mm). The benefit may perhaps even go farther... From what I understand, 50mm f1.4 lenses typically use a retrofocus design. Otherwise there just wouldn't be enough space.
@ Plothole
Ah, yes, I forgot that with the smaller sensors the size of the mount could be decreased also, resulting in smaller lenses for a wide range of focal lengths. As for normal lenses I think some might be retrofocal designs but most are of the standard Panar/Tessar type? I could be wrong.
I can't be too bothered about Samsung NX. Samsung is an electronics company which never made a good camera before going against an electronics company which arguably produces the best compact cameras and a camera company which has a huge track record of optical excellence. Also, they've shown nothing but mockups. And some vague interviews.
I wonder if you've ever heard of Pentax?
Samsung and Pentax collaborated on the Pentax K20D and it's sister camera, the Samsung GX-20, plus their predecessors the Pentax K10D and the Samsung GX-10 dSLRs. Pentax is known for their optics and Samsung is known for their electronics and sensor technologies (manufacturing the 14.6MP sensor in the K20D). These cameras are actually known to be extremely good, giving cameras in the same and higher price categories (eg. Canon EOS) a run for their money.
I'm pretty sure if they use the same sensor as the K20D, it would create a camera thats considerably better than the Panasonic G1 with performance closer to a standard DSLR with its slightly larger sensor and backed by a company known for performance optics
Sure they have made good cameras before. They built some Pentax'es with a few modifications here and there.
Being able to rebadge Pentax cameras isn't the same as being able to make good camera's.
Also, Pentax isn't in on the NX concept. It's Samsung flying solo. And the only thing Samsung has in optics are some licensing rights from Schneider Kreuznach. Schneider probably doesn't design their lenses, or the Samsung reps would have shouted it from the rooftops.
No actually Samsung did not just make minor modifications to Pentax cameras (with the exception of the DL/DS rebadge). The 14MP CMOS sensor in the K20D was made by Samsung and is arguably the best sensor in its price range. Samsung also makes the RAM in this camera.
samsung do make nice camera's, i have a gx10 and i know its a clone of a gx10 but they did work together on it... the gx20 is also a pretty impressive camera. Samsungs new 14.6mp cmos sensor is really good and id imagen there new NX camera will use a better version of the same sensor (as always happens in electronics).
My gx10 uses the same sensor as a nikon d200, and has a weaker AA filter meaning it can actually resolve more detail.. the new samsung sensor has photosites similar size to a 12mp sensor and resolves more details than canons 15mp sensor especially at high ISO (since cannon smear alot of detail out in there noise reduction).
The only reason i wouldnt get an NX well 2 reasons is.. it wont work with my current glass (id love to mount my da*50-135 onto that as its ment to do video also) and samsung are actualy going alone on this one as pentax arnt interested in evil atm but they are still working together for the new version of the k20d/gx30
I got my gx10 with 2 kit lens for £350 on ebay 1 year ago.. you still cant get a better camera for close to that.. never mind one you could use in the pissing rain without a care in the world :)
is this a rebadge of a Sony DSLR? Or am I thinking of another camera?
No. Samsung GX series dSLRs are rebadged Pentax. However NX is something totally different.... in fact it's not a dSLR at all! There is no mirror box, and so no optical viewfinder. The view is provided entirely by the imaging sensor. Just like in a digital compact camera.