Why are Samsung's NX series of cameras/lenses not more loved?

After starting this thread and reading through the replies I went out into my garden yesterday and took a few snaps using the NX300 and 45mm f1.8 lens. The lack of a viewfinder was immediately problematic and I realized that for many enthusiastic photographers this alone may very well be a deal breaker - especially as there are no similarly-sized NX cameras, that one could move up to in the future, that have an EVF. Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and Fuji all have lines with and without EVFs.

I guess that's just a long winded way of saying that I can now understand the perception that Samsung are "behind the times". Even more so when lens lineups are taken into consideration.

I really didn't expect to feel this way when I started this thread and even though I originally disagreed with some thoughts expressed in some posts here, I now realize that may have been caused more by my bias and ignorance than the posters being wrong!

I've started to wonder if Samsung are fully committed to the camera market, which in turns makes me question my decision in choosing to stick with their NX system. I can see me flogging everything and starting again with either Fuji or Olympus. Oh the joy.
 
I don't mind those focus lengths. I really enjoyed my 30mm 1.4 on APS-C that was a great one. And 45mm is not that odd either when you consider the usefulness of a 70-200.
 
manualfocus-g said:
Why a 30mm over a 35mm and why a 45mm which is in very strange territory on aps-c.
Click to expand...

Size. Samsung have two ranges, one being all small/close to pancake and the other being the larger lenses (now called S lenses). These two lenses were part of the cheaper and smaller range, the 45mm was planned as a 50mm but I guess they couldn't shrink the internal optics (as seen by the E-mount 50mm).

The larger lens range always follow the standard APS-C focal lengths (85mm, 60mm macro, 16-50mm, 50-150mm and 300mm), while the compact range had some unusual focal lengths (10mm fish eye, 20-50mm, 30mm and 45mm).
 
@Sigismund,
Don't follow the herd. In your first post at the top of this thread you were clearly enjoying your Samsung gear and were pleased with the output.
Don't let others put you off. Sometimes it's good to be a little left-field or contrarian with your choices.

DeadpanDodo
(Windows Phone / Blackberry Playbook / Samsung NX11 user - doesn't get much more contrarian than that)!
 
I was sad when my one was stolen. One of the best tablets of the lot.
 
Yes. Shame for the underdog once again. Another victim of incompatibility. Now remember my quote about Flikr here?
dejongj said:
So no alternative that is better then? How disappointing ...
Click to expand...
ianp5a said:
I only use it because there are apps for Flikr on all my devices. Not because of its functions. A lot of people end up using things because of compatibility rather than functionality. Making it hard for smaller competitors.
Click to expand...
 
I used a Samsung S850 compact (had the same 1/1.7" size sensor as the Canon G series) between 2006 and 2013, even buying a second one on ebay. I also tried their cameras at the photography show last year, and was quite impressed with the handling and EVF. I'd certainly consider a Sammie camera in the future.
 
DeadpanDodo said:
@Sigismund,
Don't follow the herd. In your first post at the top of this thread you were clearly enjoying your Samsung gear and were pleased with the output.
Don't let others put you off. Sometimes it's good to be a little left-field or contrarian with your choices.

DeadpanDodo
(Windows Phone / Blackberry Playbook / Samsung NX11 user - doesn't get much more contrarian than that)!
Click to expand...

I considered not resurrecting this thread, but finally decided I would update things.

The lack of secondhand Samsung lenses available here - Ebay seems to be the only place they're available, which can lead to associated problems - and my desire for a viewfinder had me purchasing an Olympus E-m5, 12-50mm, 45mm and HLD-6 power battery grip kit from Amazon in their Prime Wednesday event for £566.00. I reckoned that selling all my Samsung gear would pay for this little lot and all those sweet-looking MFT's lenses would now be available for me to drool over in the trading forum.

Interestingly (at least to me!), I prefer the Samsung NX300... lack of viewfinder aside. I know I'd get used to the Olympus menu system, but I can't be bothered! And the Samsung's is so... straight forward, by comparison. I know the weather-sealing is worthy, but question whether I actually need it. I think I would come to love the IBIS, but given my current Samsung lens line up - 20mm, 30mm, 45mm and 20-50mm - I wonder if I stayed with Samsung, would I miss it?

Ultimately I decided to return the Olympus and stick with Samsung. For those times I really want a viewfinder I'll use the Fuji X-S1, and if that just infuriates me too much, I'll buy a Samsung NX30 and cross my fingers that the phone technology giant stays in the CSC market for the foreseeable future so that I don't lose too much money on my purchases...

One final note. It occurred to me that perhaps the reason that Samsung cameras/lenses are not more loved could, at least in part, be because I, and others like me, don't post our Samsung garnered images here enough. I'll have to do something about that!
 
Hi Sigismund.

Interesting update. Good to know you're keeping the Samsung gear. I think it is really a brand image problem, as the quality of the camera construction and ergonomics are as good as any of the mirrorless APS-C or MFT competition and the output is similarly good.

I'm also keeping the faith. I took delivery today of an NX300 together with 20-50mm kit lens and 30mm f2 and 45mm f1 8 prime lenses (together with flash and an unregistered copy of Lightroom) for tidy sum of £290 on eBay. I only really wanted the 2 prime lenses ro go with my NX11, and intended to sell the NX300 and kit lens on, but having had a 5 minute play with the NX300, it is a thing of beauty, and the articulating screen is very clever, so if I can cope without a viewfinder I may well keep it as a second body. Looking forward to having a play with all my new goodies when I get chance later today.
 
Hey DeadpanDodo.

I started off with the NX11 - sent it back to Argos, I think, as I didn't like the screen or viewfinder so much. I ended up with the NX100 and 20-50mm combo. How things have moved on! I'm with you on the NX300 - it is "right", somehow... especially the brown version. The E-m5 felt like everything was crammed in to a tiny space, whilst the NX300 feels pretty much perfect to me.

Have you had a play yet? The 30mm was my favorite lens, until the 45mm came along and it's this lens that now sits permanently on the NX300 with the 30mm "relegated" to the NX2000, although there's not a lot wrong with either of them! £290.00 for an excellent camera, three lenses and a copy of Lightroom seems a pretty darn good price to me - I hope everything is as it should be and you're happy with your new toys. :)

With all the Fuji X Trans, Olympus OMD and Panasonic threads here perhaps we should start our own Samsung NX thread (unless I've missed it and one already exists)? Or continue to use this thread to post thoughts/desires/images?
 
I really enjoyed the nx100 with kit 20-50mm lens. Preferred that setup to the nx11 (which i just couldn't get on with, the evf wasn't great) and 18-55mm lens.

Never used them enough to warrant keeping but then stumbled across an nx1000 and 20-50mm for £100. Couldn't resist! Again loved the compact zoom but the body fell to bits :D
 
Have an nx30, so would welcome a Samsung dedicated thread, which may encourage me to use that camera more.
 
Sigismund said:
£290.00 for an excellent camera, three lenses and a copy of Lightroom seems a pretty darn good price to me - I hope everything is as it should be and you're happy with your new toys. :)
Click to expand...

Yes so far really pleased with everything. The 45mm 1.8 prime in particular is very good portrait / close distance lens with really controllable DOF.

I'm also liking the NX300 a lot more than I expected. I think it's a keeper. Slick and intuitive to use -more so than the NX11. Just wish it had an EVF although to be fair I haven't tried it in very strong sunlight yet so may be again better than I expect.
 
DeadpanDodo said:
I'm also liking the NX300 a lot more than I expected. I think it's a keeper. Slick and intuitive to use -more so than the NX11. Just wish it had an EVF although to be fair I haven't tried it in very strong sunlight yet so may be again better than I expect.
Click to expand...

A couple of days ago I tried out the NX300 in sunlight, and not really bright sunlight either, and was quite disappointed with just how difficult it was to see anything on the screen. This was exacerbated by the tiny adjustment menus for changing shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation and ISO settings. The iFn button on the lens was invaluable here, but it was still less than enjoyable.

I'd been keeping an eye on Ebay for an NX30, and finally one described as mint was advertised along with an 18-55mm ois III lens, two Samsung batteries and a copy of Lightroom. I bought it for £192.00 - thanks to Ebay's 10% off voucher!

First impressions are very favorable - it's just the right size and the fully articulated screen is something I've wanted in a camera since buying my first Panasonic FZ50 years ago. And having a viewfinder is, I've discovered, important to me, and the NX30's tiltable viewfinder is pretty good - probably a little better than the one on Olympus' E-M5.

Amazingly though, even after selling most of my Nikon gear, I've still somehow ended up with five cameras...
 
I'd quite like an NX30 to replace my NX11. All the pros of the NX300, but with an EVF.

You certainly got an excellent deal there Sigismund. If I'd spotted that myself I may have ended up bidding against you!
 
Yep, I think you're right - I'm still half-expecting it to be faulty somehow... so far, so good though.

Amazingly, it was on a "buy it now" auction and I clicked that button pretty quickly! It was sent by Special Delivery, too - I paid for it on Tuesday evening and it was delivered this morning (Thursday) @ 8.30.
 
Samsung's rumoured pulling out of the camera market has been reported now for months, and the lack of any new stock reaching suppliers certainly seems to indicate this may be so.

Clive - have you seen any press release from Samsung confirming this? Even if they would like to bow out quietly, I presume it is something their investors would be entitled to know, if not their actual camera users.

If true then a shame; but I may then be on the lookout for some "distressed sale" items!
 
DeadpanDodo said:
Samsung's rumoured pulling out of the camera market has been reported now for months, and the lack of any new stock reaching suppliers certainly seems to indicate this may be so.

Clive - have you seen any press release from Samsung confirming this? Even if they would like to bow out quietly, I presume it is something their investors would be entitled to know, if not their actual camera users.

If true then a shame; but I may then be on the lookout for some "distressed sale" items!
Click to expand...
 
No only my experiences in stores, Currys / PC world no longer sell Samsung, Jessops no longer sell Samsung, staff told me Samsung will only be available from Samsung stores, Park Cameras have an empty Samsung display and told me that they had been told that Samsung were no longer making cameras, at the time I was trying to buy an NX30 but gave up and switched to Olympus.
 
I was looking at Samsung NX1 as a rival or backup for my 1DX, but when i looked at the lenses line i just immediately dumped the camera as a choice, the body really has many features that are as good or even better than 1DX, but i am sure it is still not on par with poor lenses line, so i went back to Canon as a choice until someone bring a camera that surpass 1DX and 7D2 for speed and quality for sports/action.
 
I was going to reply to this thread saying I'd probably not consider samsung as I don't really believe they'd commit to staying in the market if things got tough, but it seems like reality has already made that point for me.
 
Real shame. I have a Samsung NX30 and it's a great wee camera. One thing developing a good camera, like the NX1, but you have to be prepared to back it up with a substantial range of quality lens.
 
I have an nx500 an nx30 plus a Canon 700d with a 70-300mm tamron lens. The samsungs out perform the Canon in every respect but one, they haven't got a lens bigger than 200mm. However Samsung does produce an S pro lens 50-150mm and I'm considering selling the Canon/Tamron setup, buying the S pro lens and resigning myself to cropping.
 
I've just bought an NX-10 in a charity shop for £25. Doesn't look like it's ever been used. Looking forward to having a play with it
 
I've run Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus over the years. The Samsung Nx300 is a cracking little camera that's easy carry for street and travel and such a nice menu system and set of controls. Really rate these. I have the 20mm and now legendary 30mm on a black and a white body. Easy and fast change as needed. Shame Samsung killed them off. They still stand up as great bits of kit, ahead of their time. Silly prices for the quality but I'm noticing prices are on the up. Only the lens range is disappointing, but 20 to 40mm are my broad standard travel ranges, so I'm OK.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top