Samsung NX200 Review

The Samsung NX200 is the company’s fifth NX camera but only the third body design, and represents a significant step up for the series. It’s built around a completely new 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and wrapped in the series’ first all-metal body. The result is a handsome camera of similar size to Sony’s NEX models but one that takes a rather different approach.

Rather than offering a super-simplified interface for users upgrading from point-and-shoots, then a very different approach for more experienced photographers wanting to use the PASM modes, Samsung’s NX200 has a single, consistent interface across all modes. The company appears to believe that a well-designed interface can be approachable to beginners without limiting the potential for more experienced users. To this end, it has refreshed its user interface, adding a simple interactive control screen that it calls ‘Smart Panel,’ which offers clear and quick access to all the key shooting settings.

Then there’s the exterior styling, which the company describes as ‘Retro Modern.’ To us it looks like a more advanced take on the design of the company’s NV100HD compact: classy, under-stated and distinct. It’s a great improvement on the slightly unlovable NX100, which looked less like it had been styled and more like the NX10’s internals had been dipped in molten plastic. Instead the NX200 has a sleek black metal body with a soft-feel paint coating to the grip that give a real impression of quality.

Underneath it all, the NX200 becomes the first in the series to step away from the 14.6MP sensor that can trace its history back to the chip used in the Pentax K20D/Samsung GX20. The latest sensor uses completely new architecture that includes integrated analogue-to-digital conversion (an approach Sony has used for some time now) that is intended to reduce noise.

In addition to the new silicon, Samsung has also re-worked the key elements that go in front of it – a redesigned color filter array to offer greater sensitivity and revised microlenses with smaller gaps between them to boost light capture, placed closer to the sensor so that they can better deal with the light reaching the edge of the sensor at very oblique angles from wide-angle lenses. The NX200 also features a lighter optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter and advanced moiré-suppression processing.

On the video side of things, the NX200 gains 1080p30 video capability and increased control over exposure in movie mode, when compared with the NX100. The NX200 hasn’t just gained direct access to movie shooting, it’s gained M and S exposure modes when in the dedicated movie mode.

So on paper the NX200 is clear improvement over its predecessor and slots nicely into the enthusiast bracket within the mirrorless system camera segment of the digital camera market. We’ve put the NX200 though our usual in-depth dpreview testing, so keep reading to find out how the numbers and specifications translate into real-life performance.

Samsung NX200 specification highlights

• 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• ISO 100-12800
• 1080p30 HD video
• 7 fps continuous shooting
• Clip-on external flash supplied
• 641k dot VGA-equivalent 3″ OLED screen

Body & Design

The NX200 offers a conventional control layout with two control dials, some external buttons, an exposure dial and an ‘Fn-menu’ that gives quick access to a number of frequently used parameters such as white balance, image quality and focus mode. There’s no built-in flash but the NX200 comes with a small external unit that slots into the hotshoe. Unlike some other models in its class, such as the Sony Alpha NEX-5N orPanasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, the NX200 lacks a touchscreen.

Samsung says it has used a special forging process to give crisp, right-angled edges to the NX200’s body. The result looks great but we found the bottom edge of the grip was a little sharp to wrap your fingers around. This may not affect everybody (and is only likely to be noticeable after long periods of shooting or use with heavy lenses), but is noticeable enough to be worth mentioning. On the plus side the grip is comfortable and coated with a rubber material that has a pleasant feel to it.

NX System lenses

Along with the NX200, Samsung has also been quietly expanding the NX system with a number of new lenses, resulting in one of the more comprehensive ranges amongst mirrorless systems. The shot above shows the NX200 surrounded with four new lenses Samsung had scheduled for release in 2011. From left to right:

• NX 60mm F2.8 Macro ED OIS SSA. This image-stabilized lens is capable of 1:1 macro, and uses an ultrasonic-type ‘Super Sonic Actuator’ autofocus motor, allowing full-time manual focus.
• NX 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 ED OIS. This superzoom also includes optical image stabilization, and has a switch to lock the zoom at 18mm for carrying.
• NX 85mm F1.4 ED SSA. A rather chunky, fast short telephoto ‘portrait’ lens, that currently has no direct equivalent in other mirrorless systems. This also uses an SSA autofocus motor, allowing full-time manual focus, and includes a distance scale.
• NX 16mm F2.4. This usefully-fast, wideangle pancake prime is just marginally larger than the popular 30mm F2.

In addition to the lenses above, Samsung had also promised a 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 OIS zoom. However, as far as we can tell, neither that lens nor the 85mm F1.4 have so far hit the shelves at the retailers. Nevertheless all the lenses, whether currently available or not, include ‘iFn’ buttons. For the 16mm F2.4 and 18-200mm F3.5-6.3, this allows the manual focus ring to be used to change a range of other functions, just like on Samsung’s previous lenses. However because the manual focus rings of the 60mm F2.8 macro and 85mm F1.4 are mechanically coupled to the focus groups, these lenses both include dedicated slimline iFunction rings placed close to the camera body.

Samsung NX200 specifications

Price (with 18-55mm OIS)	• US $899 • EU €849
Body material	Metal and plastic
Sensor	• APS-C type CMOS (23.5 x 15.7mm) • 21.6 million total pixels • 20.3 million effective pixels • RGB (Primary) color filter array
Lenses	• Samsung NX mount lenses • Adaptor for Pentax K-mount lenses
Dust removal	Super sonic drive
Image sizes	3:2: • 20.0M (5472×3648) • 10.1M (3888×2592) • 5.9M (2976×1984) • 5.0M (2736×1824) • 2.0M (1728×1152) 16:9 • 16.9M (5472×3080) • 7.8M (3712×2088) • 4.9M (2944×1656) • 2.1M (1920×1080) 1:1 • 12M (3648×3648) • 7.0M (2640×2640) • 4.0M (2000×2000) • 1.1M (1024×1024)
Aspect ratios	• 3:2 • 16:9 • 1:1
File formats	• RAW (SRW) • RAW + JPEG (Normal, Fine or Super Fine) • JPEG (EXIF 2.21) – Normal, Fine or Super Fine
Movie mode	• MP4 (H.264) • Stereo sound (AAC) • High Quality, Normal • 1080p30 • 720p60 • 720p30 • 640 x 480 • 320 x 240
Multi-motion Recording	• x0.25 (640 or 320 only) • x0.5 (720, 640 or 320) • x5 • x10 • x20
Movie AE modes	•  P,A,S,M
Focus modes	• Contrast-detect Auto Focus • Manual focus • Face Detection (max 10 faces) • 1 Point AF (free selection) • 15-Area-Focusing (normal) / 35-area-focusing (close up) • Single or Continuous AF
AF assist lamp	Yes, dedicated lamp
Image stabilization	With selected lenses
Digital zoom	1.2x, 1.4, 1.7, 2.0 Intelli-Zoom
Exposure modes	• Program AE • Aperture priority AE • Shutter priority AE • Manual • Smart Auto • Lens Priority • Magic • Panorama • Scene • Movie
Scene modes	• Beauty shot • Night • Landscape • Portrait • Children • Sports • Close Up • Text • Sunset • Dawn • Backlight • Fireworks • Beach & Snow • Sound picture • 3D
Smart Filter	• Vignetting • Miniature • Fish Eye • Sketch • Defog • Halftone Dots • Soft Focus • Old Film 1 • Old Film 2 • Negative
Magic Frame	• Old Album • Old Film • Wave • Full Moon • Old Record • Magazine • Sunny Day • Classic TV • Wall Art • Holiday • Billboard 1 • Billboard 2 • Newspaper
Sensitivity (1/3EV steps also available)	• Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 • ISO 6400 • ISO 12800
Metering	211 (17 x 13) block segment
Metering range	0 to 18 EV (ISO100·30mm F2.0)
Metering modes	• Multi • Center-Weighted • Spot
Exposure compensation	• -3.0 to +3.0 EV in 1/3EV steps
Bracketing	• 3 frames • Exposure (up to +/- 3.0 EV) • Picture Wizard • White Balance
Shutter speed	• Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter • 30 -1/4000 sec • Bulb (up to 4 mins) • Flash X-sync 1/180 sec
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Fluorescent W • Fluorescent N • Fluorescent D • Tungsten • Flash • Custom • Kelvin
WB fine tuning	Yes (7 steps each of blue/amber bias, magenta/green bias)
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Image parameters	• Picture Wizard presets (each with adjustable Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation & Color): • Standard • Vivid • Portrait • Landscape • Forest • Retro, • Cool • Calm • Classic • Custom (1-3)
Drive modes	• Single • Continuous High (7fps) • Continuous Low (3fps) • Burst (10/15 or 30fps, up to 30 shots per shutter press, 5 MP) • Timer (2-30 seconds) • Exp Bracket • WB Bracket • Pict Wiz Bracket
Continuous buffer	• 8 RAW images • 11 JPEG images
Self-timer	• 2-30 secs (1 sec increments)
Flash	• SEF 8A External flash (included) • TTL auto / manual • Guide no. 8 (ISO 100, m) • Angle of coverage: 28mm equiv. • Flash power: Up to +/- 2EV in 0.5 EV steps
Flash modes	• Smart Flash • Auto • Auto Red-eye • Fill-in • Fill-in Red-eye • 1st curtain sync • 2nd curtain sync
Flash X-sync speed	1/180 sec
External flash	• Hot shoe • TTL Auto with Samsung flash (SEF42A, SEF20A, SEF15A)
DOF preview	Yes
Orientation sensor	Yes
Display	• 3.0″ Active Matrix OLED screen • 4:3 aspect ratio • Wide viewing angle • 614,000 dots • PenTile RGB array • Approx 100% frame coverage
Playback functions	• Single • Magnify • Index (3,10 or 40 frames) • Slide show • Movie
Playback Edit	• Smart Filter • Red-eye fix • Backlight • Resize • Rotate • Face Retouch • Brightness • Contrast • Vignetting
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 (High Speed) • Video Out (NTSC / PAL) • HDMI (1080i, 720P, 576P/480P)
Print compliance	• PictBridge • DPOF
Storage	SD / SDHC / SDXC
Power	• BP1030 1030 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery • Supplied charger (BC1030) • Optional dummy-battery DC power supply
Dimensions	117 x 63 x 36mm (excluding the projecting parts of the camera)
Weight (camera body)	Approx. 220 g (12.45 oz)