Compact DSLR-wannabe Samsung NX10 gets reviewed but not liked

The Samsung NX10 is the most compact interchangeable lens camera with an APS-C sized sensor on the market. But is it also the ultimate camera for photography enthusiasts? Luckily, the review I’ve found gives the answers to most questions that you and I have about the NX10.

Just to have that cleared, I know that there are way smaller and lighter mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the market but none of them packs such a large sensor. And sensor size is important usually the larger the sensor, the better the higher ISO results.

NX10 is afraid of the dark

The NX10 APS-C sensor is 50% larger than sensors used in the available Micro Four Thirds cams. That should also mean that noise shouldn’t be such an issue for the NX10 as it is for the Micro Four Thirds Olympus and Panasonic cameras out there.

As it turns out, the mirrorless NX10 achieves better high ISO results than the competition. On the other hand, when compared to DSLRs with similarly sized sensors, the NX10 fails to impress.

And while the helpful JPEG engine gets rid of much of the noise, it also takes away the fine detail. And why would you go for a 14-megapixel DSLR-like camera if images shot with it lack detail?

Luckily, RAW files are able to keep the detail and using the desktop software you can remove the annoying noise and keep images full of detail. By the way, if you’re not going to print posters, NX10′s noise shouldn’t be an issue for you.

NX10 is slow

The other major issue of the Samsung NX10 is its poor buffering. You may need to way for a few second after pressing the shutter before you can use the camera again. And if you decide to shoot videos, camera starts recording a good one second after you tap the shutter button. On top of that, the NX10 happens to cut the last half second of the clip while saving it.

NX10 owners will also miss the in-body image stabilization which some of the competitors come with. However, two of the available lenses are stabilized and the one that isn’t is fast enough (F2.0) to compensate.

NX10 is compact

And that’s a big plus. Well, it may be larger than the PEN E-P2 of Olympus or Panasonic’s GF1 but it still is way smaller than any DSLR out there (the tiny Olympus E-420 included).

As any other camera, the Samsung NX10 has its own flaws but none of them are serious enough to become a real deal breaker. So, if you are looking for a compact DSLR-wannabe and can live with its flaws, the NX10 is an option worth a look.

And here goes the link to dpreview.com‘s extensive review of the Samsung NX10.

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