Quick Take:
The Galaxy NX platform is a mirrorless camera
featuring a 20.3 megapixel APS-C sensor mated with Samsung's DRIMe IV
Image Signal Processer and incorporates the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
operating system.
Cell phones have had a camera component
incorporated into their platforms for years now--even my ancient
Motorola RAZR flip phone has a primitive 2 or 3GB photo capability.
Smart phones have raised the image capture bar even higher as camera
resolution, sophistication and overall performance have inexorably
improved. But it took until mid-2013 for someone to flip the equation
with the introduction of a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera
running an Android operating system: the Samsung Galaxy NX.
Beyond the basic hardware listed above, the Galaxy NX includes an Advanced Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) System utilizing phase and contrast detection as well as a speedy 1/6000 second maximum shutter speed and a continuous shooting rate in excess of 8 frames per second. The camera features 16 GB of internal memory, but user-available memory is less due to storage of the operating system and software used to operate the phone features. Actual user memory will vary depending on the mobile phone operator and may change after software upgrades are performed. The camera has a single slot which accepts microSD memory media up to 64GB in size; a separate slot accommodates a SIM card. There is a full 1080HD video component and a built-in flash; the camera is compatible with lenses utilizing the Samsung NX lens mount.
The Galaxy NX is available as a body only or in kit form matched with an 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 ED Lens. Here's a look at both ends of that lens focal range.
With regard to the aforementioned Quick Start Guide and Handbook: the handbook is a brief basic photography primer and the Quick Start Guide an equally rudimentary introduction to basic camera and phone function-- it doesn't, for example, explain how to format the camera memory card (among myriad other operations). Samsung offers a 212 page User's Manual on their website, and my first order of business as a new Galaxy NX owner would be to download this manual to the camera as a ready reference in the field, at least until one becomes familiar with the many nuances of this platform.
BUILD AND DESIGNAt a quick glance the Galaxy NX would appear to be a DSLR: body dimensions are approximately 5.37 x 3.98 x 1.01 inches and include an exaggerated handgrip at the right front along with a pentaprism-like bulge on atop the camera body, which in reality houses the built-in flash and an electronic viewfinder (EVF). That relatively narrow 1 inch body depth combined with the deep handgrip give the camera a somewhat ungainly look when viewed from directly above. Shooting weight (battery, memory card, kit lens) is 25.3 ounces. Camera construction is of composite materials with a metal lens mount; the kit lens features a composite barrel and metal lens mount. Both camera and lens are constructed in China.
What I find most striking about the Galaxy
NX is the absence of external controls on the camera body. The top left
of the body contains a flash release button adjacent to the diopter
adjustment knob for the electronic viewfinder. A power/lock button is
positioned adjacent to the electronic viewfinder on the top right
portion of the body, along with video record and shutter buttons as well
as the command dial. That's it for the body--the kit lens has an "i
function" button on the lens barrel that allows you to quickly select
aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation and ISO for adjustment,
depending on your particular shooting mode.
With my personal camera platform a pro-body DSLR, I've grown
accustomed to a wealth of external controls that allow me to change
camera settings in short order, so the largely control-free exterior of
the Galaxy NX was worrisome at first. However, once you get past a
one-time initial setup of the entire platform, control access via the
touchscreen isn't too bad. One of the initial startup settings is to
select the camera operating type: "standard" or "professional". As you
might suspect standard is used for basic camera operations and
emphasizes automatic modes so the user shooting options and input to
settings are relatively restricted. The user can access semi-automatic
and manual exposure modes from the standard operating type, but the
process is slower as it is accompanied by explanations of the various
settings and modes and requires more steps to implement. Professional is
used for more advanced camera operations, offers automatic along with
semi-automatic and manual shooting options in a more straightforward way
than in the standard operating type and gives the user a wide variety
of inputs into camera settings and capture methods. I shot the Galaxy NX
in the professional operating mode for this review.If you start up the Galaxy NX and it opens to the home screen, you'll see something like this:
Tapping the camera icon in the lower left of the screen produces this display, the basic camera setup for aperture priority:
Some things to note here are the camera and video buttons toward the right side of the screen --you can initiate still or video capture by tapping the appropriate button. The camera will acquire focus before initiating still capture, but starts video capture immediately as it attempts to autofocus. You can also initiate video capture via the dedicated video button atop the camera body, or still images via the shutter button, and there's that voice activated feature as well. You can select various settings displayed on the screen for adjustment by tapping their icons, but if you tap the cogged wheel toward the upper left of the screen you get access to these settings via the so-called "smart screen":
Adjustments here include shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, ISO, white balance, metering mode, photo size, image quality, autofocus type, autofocus area, shooting rate, and flash deployment. Selecting the camera icon in from atop this screen brings up an additional menu that includes the above settings along with others such as viewfinder brightness, focus peaking, manual focus assist, overexposure guide, framing mode, dynamic range settings, anti-shake, noise reduction, bracketing, distortion correction and color space selection.
Generally, most camera-related controls and settings can be accessed off of the basic camera shooting screen, but you'll search long, hard and unsuccessfully trying to find the format memory card control from here. In a setup I personally find a bit puzzling, the road to format runs through the home screen: you first have to select the "apps" icon at the lower right of the screen; next, select the "settings" icon and after that go to the upper right of the screen and select the "more" permissions box. Scroll the permissions screen to "storage", select it and then scroll down to "format SD card". Three more taps and you're done! While most of the camera controls on the Galaxy NX are relatively intuitive as you wander through the various touchscreen camera menus, the "format SD card" is located in a different part of the galaxy (sorry, couldn't resist) and is one reason why I would have the complete user's manual downloaded to my Galaxy NX until I had committed such a vital function to memory.
Menus and ModesAs you can see from the above, the differentiation between controls and menus is significantly blurred in the Galaxy NX compared to a more traditional DSLR or even the abundance of mirrorless cameras finding their way to market. There just aren't many external controls on the Galaxy NX with the exception of the i function button on the lens, so of necessity menus and controls are intertwined and everything runs through the monitor. Here's just a sample of what you get when selecting the "apps" icon on the homepage:
These three scrollable pages illustrate the icons present on the camera as it comes from the package, before user customization. Probably not out of the ordinary for experienced smartphone users, but for a primarily camera-oriented buyer it's a definite wake-up call that the Galaxy NX is a sophisticated and complex platform given its range of capabilities and features.
Samsung was the second company to announce an Android-based camera in 2012, but it was more ambitious than the Nikon S800c, which ran Android 2.3, while the Galaxy Camera ran 4.1. The Galaxy Camera also had a 4.8-inch LCD, and a wider and longer zoom, ranging from 23-481mm equivalent. What the Galaxy NX offers over the Galaxy Camera is interchangeable lenses, an APS-C sensor, dedicated processors, and a larger battery, among other things.
Samsung Galaxy Camera NX key features
- 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor (same as NX300)
- 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens
- ISO 100-25600
- 4.8-inch 921K LCD with capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass
- SVGA electronic viewfinder with diopter control
- JPEG, RAW, RAW+JPEG capture
- Movies 1920x1080@30fps, 1280x720@60fps
- Built-in GPS +GLONASS (A-GPS supported)
- 16GB Memory, 2GB RAM
- MicroSD card slot supports up to 64GB
- 1.6GHz Quad-core processor
- DRIMe IV imaging processor
- Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
- 4360mAh battery
- Enhanced voice commands
- Advanced Hybrid Autofocus: 105 points on-chip phase-detect; 247-point contrast-detect
- Focus peaking
- WiFi a/b/g/n 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- Bluetooth 4.0 (LE)
- NFC
- 4G LTE/3G HSPA+42Mbps cellular data
- Bundled with Adobe Lightroom
- 1/6000 second top shutter speed
- 8.6 fps
Though there is no telephone application, the Galaxy NX can run essentially any Android app, according to company representatives, including Skype, so there's potential to use the phone as a communication device. Of course, the primary form of communication intended with the Galaxy NX is uploading images and videos to servers and social media sites via its WiFi and 3G/4G cellular radio. The Galaxy NX can also transfer images to smartphones and tablets for storage, editing, and upload.
The advantages to a camera that is also an Android device are wide-reaching, potentially omitting the need for a computer, at least for the initial phases of a photoshoot. Application of filters and edits are limited only by the programs available on Android. Our initial impression is that the camera doesn't need a SIM card or contract to work.
The Samsung Galaxy NX Camera will come either body-only or kitted with an 18-55mm O.I.S lens. The new camera will work with all NX lenses, including the company's 45mm 2D/3D lens.
Dedicated processors
Unlike the original Galaxy Camera, the Galaxy NX Camera has two separate processors: one for Android (the 1.6GHz Quad-core processor) and one for images (the DRIMe IV), which promises to make both Android and image processing faster.Size compared
The Galaxy NX camera is noticeably larger than the NX20, which also has an electronic viewfinder. The size increase is likely due to the considerably larger LCD, which literally dominates the back of the Galaxy NX, leaving no room for buttons and just enough for a slight thumb grip. |
| From the front, the Galaxy NX looks like a larger version of the NX20, though it's not immediately obvious why it's bigger (that becomes more clear below). There is no depth-of-field preview button on the Galaxy NX. |
|---|
 |
| The top view reveals a larger grip - which helps pull your hand forward so your thumb isn't as prone to encroach onto the large rear LCD. The Galaxy NX also uses a power button instead of the power switch that rings the NX20's shutter release, and there's no Mode dial (by default the rear dial functions as a Mode dial on the Galaxy NX). Note the large diopter adjustment knob left of the EVF. |
 |
| The LCD on the back leaves no room for other control types, save for the dial upper right, which also serves as a button to confirm selections. Naturally the LCD is also a capacitive touchscreen, which cell phone users will find quite familiar. |
Always Connected
Capture and share more with the always-connected camera
Always connected compact system camera
Seamless Connectivity (3G/4G & Wi-Fi) Carry less and bring more. The most connected compact system camera in the world, the Galaxy NX packs 3G/4G and Wi-Fi connectivity to let you upload, share, and even post to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social media. Plus you can choose and download Android apps to edit images and produce memorable presentations, and bring family and friends in on the fun. Capture, create and share everywhere you go with the Galaxy NX.
Make the most of every journey with location-based suggestions
Photo Suggest Capture the scene and mood of every hotspot you visit. Photo Suggest instantly connects you to huge libraries of images taken by fellow photographers, to help you find and compose your best shots anywhere in the world. With Photo Suggest you can reference pictures taken by other people based on your location and create memories of your own.
Create your own photo album made of memories
Story Album Timeless memories: now available in real time. The NX’s Story Album function lets you create, display and print photo albums of family gatherings, vacations, sporting events or any other experience that’s worth sharing. Story Album organizes photos into timelines, and reframes and resizes them to create digital photo books that you can display on your camera’s screen—or send anywhere for recipients to view on their own devices.
Best-in-class image quality
Express yourself with superior imaging quality
Bigger sensor for better image quality
20.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor Advanced sensor technology makes your pictures come alive. Engineered with Hybrid Autofocus (phase detection plus contrast), the Galaxy NX’s 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor delivers high-quality images and lifelike colors with the highest resolution in its class. The largest sensor available in a mirrorless system lens camera produces stunning depth-of-field and out-focusing effects. Measuring 23.5mm x 15.7mm, the sensor captures the most light to create beautiful, noise-free pictures and video.
Advanced Hybrid Autofocus: thinks fast, acts faster
Fast AF (Hybrid AF System) The Advanced Hybrid Autofocus (AF) system combines phase detection AF and contrast AF to deliver brilliant images with nearly zero shutter lag, indoors or out. Phase detection AF quickly calculates and sets the distance of your subject, while contrast AF instantly fine-tunes focus for maximum contrast. Together, these elements of Samsung’s Advanced Hybrid AF system allow you to capture moments as fast as they happen—in sharp, accurate detail.
![Image about Mid-Telephoto Prime Lens 45mm F1.8[T6] 2D/3D](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uM58D5nJVWOCyL_91ZRbtkFQ2DiCMhN609LuwGbQXAk7p9uY4i6nVs9s0EeuAK6h2lxVCdJ6gb1OjBzkwCwyZ6ZWrYehg0LdCRWLCnnjrz7I9TfI7H6XWZcODkftqXnMCaZMgAPOfII4v0Dz5Mzi4_H6axZQk=s0-d)
Change the lens and change how you view the world
Interchangeable Lens Equip the Galaxy NX with any of a growing range of interchangeable lenses to experience almost infinite imaging possibilities. Take advantage of the camera’s Advanced Hybrid autofocus system and superior light-capture capabilities. Take wide-angle and deep-focus shots with confidence and ease. Use optical effects to bring richness and impact to visual storytelling. And enjoy picture-taking in ways you’ve barely imagined.
Easy to Use
Intelligent OS, apps and smart settings for amazing results
The intelligent OS for brilliant possibilities
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean™ The Galaxy NX Camera is powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean™, the latest release of the Android OS. Do more than just shoot amazing photographs and video. Experience an entire universe of Android apps for image personalization, video effects, or staying in touch with friends and family. And there are even more killer apps in store via the Galaxy NX’s onboard S Suggest tool. You can also upload and store photos instantly online, browse the Internet, sync your devices and much more.
Shot settings and camera related apps in one place
Camera Studio The Camera Studio widget lets you customize the Galaxy NX to create, edit and present great images—better and more easily than ever. Save your favorite shooting modes and apps. Choose Photo Suggest to find unique shots and settings with location-based apps like TourWrist and TripAdvisor. Gallery and Story Album make it easy to display and share your work. You can even edit and produce videos with Video Maker or use Paper Artist to create unique still shots. And when you’ve created your masterpiece, load it into Dropbox for handy access from anywhere.
Compose and capture shoots with the best possible settings
Smart Mode Stop worrying about settings, and start taking professional-quality artistic shots. A quick tap of the Smart Mode button gives you access to a wide range of special modes. Use Drama Shot to merge continuous shots of moving objects into a single composed image, or Action Freeze to instantly capture high-speed action. Using Light Trace, unleash your inner Picasso and have your subject draw with a handheld light to capture prolonged exposure effects. Multi Exposure shot lets you blend two shots into a single beautifully composed image. You can also record sound to your photo to relive the moment exactly how it happened with Sound & Shot. Just choose the mode you want and go.In photos: Swimming with jellyfish
When Seattle-based photographer Nadia Aly was diving in Jellyfish Lake in Palau, an island in the Pacific Ocean, and found herself surrounded by a swarm of jellyfish, she took advantage of the moment. Since the jellyfish in the lake have no natural predators, they have lost their sting. This enabled Aly to get unusually close and shoot thousands of photos over the course of a few days using her Canon 5D Mark II in an Aquatica Underwater Housing unit and 16-35mm lens.'The biggest challenge I had while photographing was to ensure that I did not inadvertently hurt any of the jellyfish', Aly told DPReview.
'There are so many of them, that it would be pretty easy to do harm with a hand or body movement. To ensure that I did not cause injury I was very conscious of all my movements and went very slowly and gently up and down in the lake'.
Aly recently left the corporate world to focus on her passions - photography and starting Scuba Diver Life, a blog and community dedicated to scuba diving.
Spesification
Body
type
|
|
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
Optics
& Focus
|
|
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor) |
| Phase Detect | |
| Touch | |
| Face Detection | |
| Live View | |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Lens mount | Samsung NX mount |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5× |
Sensor
|
|
| Max resolution | 5472 x 3648 |
| Other resolutions | 5472 x 3080, 5472 x 3080, 3888 x 2592, 3712 x 2088, 3648 x 3648, 2976 x 1984, 2944 x 1656, 2640 x 2640, 2688 x 1512, 2000 x 2000, 1728 x 1152, 1920 x 1080, 1024 x 1024 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 20 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 22 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | DRIMe IV |
Image
|
|
| ISO | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600 |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Normal, Fine, Superfine |
Storage
|
|
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Storage included | 16GB |
Screen
/ viewfinder
|
|
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 4.8″ |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | HD TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
Connectivity
|
|
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes |
| Wireless | Built-In |
Photography
features
|
|
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/6000 sec |
| Built-in flash | Yes (Pop-Up) |
| External flash | Yes (Hot-shoe) |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in, 1st/2nd Curtain, Smart Flash, Manual |
| Continuous drive | Yes (9) |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 sec to 30 sec) |
| Metering modes | Multi |
| Center-weighted | |
| Spot | |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography
features
|
|
| Format | MPEG-4 |
| H.264 | |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Resolutions | 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 |
Physical
|
|
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | Lithium-Ion battery |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 495 g (1.09 lb / 17.46 oz) |
| Dimensions | 137 x 101 x 26 mm (5.39 x 3.98 x 1.02″) |
Other
features
|
|
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| GPS | BuiltIn |
| GPS notes | GPS + GLONASS |
Digital Camera Review Samsung Galaxy NX (Image/Video Quality 
, Features , Design/Ease of Use , Performance , Expandability ) * Ratings averaged to produce final score - February 12, 2014
, Features , Design/Ease of Use , Performance , Expandability ) * Ratings averaged to produce final score - February 12, 2014
DPReview Samsung Galaxy NX - June 2013
CNet Samsung Galaxy NX - August 29, 2013
Where to Buy
$1,599.99 Quill.com
$1,099.95 Rakuten.com
$1,299.99 Gearshop *Samsung Galaxy NX Mirrorless Camera (Body Only)
$1,333.60 Gearshop *Samsung Galaxy NX Mirrorless Camera Kit with 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OIS Lens
$1,299.00 Amazon *Samsung Galaxy NX EK-GN120ZKAXAR Galaxy Wireless Smart Android 4G Camera 20.3MP Compact System Camera
$1,099.95 Rakuten.com
$1,299.99 Gearshop *Samsung Galaxy NX Mirrorless Camera (Body Only)
$1,333.60 Gearshop *Samsung Galaxy NX Mirrorless Camera Kit with 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OIS Lens
$1,299.00 Amazon *Samsung Galaxy NX EK-GN120ZKAXAR Galaxy Wireless Smart Android 4G Camera 20.3MP Compact System Camera
$1,299.00 Amazon *Samsung
Galaxy NX EK-GN120ZKAXAR Galaxy Wireless Smart Android 4G Camera 20.3MP
Compact System Camera with 4.8-Inch LCD with 18-55mm OIS Lens (Black)
$525.00 Amazon *Samsung NX20 20.3 MP SLR with 3.0-Inch LCD Camera (Black)
$1,299.00 Amazon *Samsung Galaxy NX EK-GN120ZKZXAR Galaxy Wireless Smart Android 4G 20.3MP Camera (Body Only) (Black)
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