Hands-On with the Samsung NX300

NX300-LCD-Flipout-Back-Angle-View
Samsung’s latest compact interchangeable lens camera was launched in Sydney yesterday. I went hands on with it, with a little help from the world’s fastest man. No, really…
I’ve commented on this before, but there’s a growing gulf between those who want DSLR-style performance but don’t want to lug around lots of heavy camera gear. A DSLR isn’t for everyone, although the rewards can be rich if you’ve got the time and patience with one.
That’s exactly the market that cameras such as the $899 Samsung NX300 target; you get a smaller camera body with a mirrorless array that hooks into specific lenses; the default pack comes with a single 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS III lens as well as a copy of Lightroom 4. There’ll also be a twin lens kit for sale, as well as a variety of custom lenses. Samsung’s been in this market for some time but it’s hardly alone in the field. It touts the NX300’s 20.3 APS-C sensor as being a key differentiator from the micro 4/3rds pack, alongside its inbuilt NFC and Wi-Fi compatibility. But what is it like to use?

In order to test that, Samsung set the assembled local hacks the task of taking its new brand ambassador, Usain Bolt around the Opera House to take the best possible photo with him.

Usain Bolt tried to muster all his strength, but he was just feeling a bit flat.
Usain Bolt tried to muster all his strength, but he was just feeling a bit flat.

Not the actual Usain Bolt, mind you, although I’ve never met the man. He seemed a little… two dimensional. In any case, Fat Duck Tech didn’t win that particular competition, but it did give me some hands-on time with the NX300, as well as discover exactly how good Bolt is at pointing out things.
Big things, like prominent landmarks
Big things, like prominent landmarks

Usain obeys the rules, and so should you
Usain obeys the rules, and so should you

Usain likes to spot birds and wharves in his spare time
Usain likes to spot birds and wharves in his spare time

Pay to get into the Opera House? That's not Usain's style.
Pay to get into the Opera House? That’s not Usain’s style.

Usain is NOT The Stig.
Usain is NOT The Stig.

 Sadly, an ill-advised 100m world record attempt across the road ended badly for Usain.

Sadly, an ill-advised 100m world record attempt across the road ended badly for Usain.

The mix of touchscreen and physical controls is an interesting one, but it plays to the kind of market that the NX300 is pitched at. The professional crowd wouldn’t even glance at it, but those who want a mix of creative modes and manual control will find a lot to like here.
There’s an odd flip-out screen on the NX300. I found it a little stiff, but it was useful for outdoor shooting, because the AMOLED screen on the NX300 suffers a lot in direct sunlight. Being able to tilt it for better visibility makes a huge difference — although a direct viewfinder would also be a nice fix for that.
NX300
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the leather-style finish on the NX300 I tested with, but tastes vary, and it can be had in a white style instead.
NX300-with-18-55-and-45mm-2D_3D-Lens
Samsung sells a variety of lenses for the NX300, including a $499 45mm 3D lens. I had a brief test session with that as well, although I came away a little unimpressed. Possibly that’s down to my meagre photography skills, however, and at least you can flick it into a fixed 2D mode for normal portrait photography purposes.

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