Samsung NX200 Pro Reviews

The Samsung NX200 has a lot going for it. It's a serious well-built camera with ample physical controls, some clever features and excellent image quality. On paper it looks like a credible alternative to competition both from the Sony NEX range as well as Micro Four Thirds models from Olympus and Panasonic. In practice it handles well and the physical control layout and menu system is well designed. But there are a number of areas where it's performance is frustratingly limited. The most serious problem is the time taken to write images to the SD card which is a continual mild irritant when single shooting but renders continuous shooting almost unusable. Noise in the medium to high ISO range is something to be concerned about if you plan to do a lot of indoor and low light shooting, but at the base 100 ISO sensitivity the NX200's image quality is excellent. The NX200's raw files are comparitively large, which add to buffer write times and the physical controls aren't optimally configured for manual and semi automatic exposure modes.

With excellent photo quality, a nice shooting design and interface, and solid performance, the Samsung NX200 makes a nice package. But it also means buying into a lone-wolf lens system without much third-party support, and because the image stabilization is in the lens rather than the sensor, you're subject to Samsung's whims for OIS-capable lenses. (In contrast, all the other manufacturers have either some third-party lens makers or use sensor-shift stabilization.) That, combined with a ho-hum feature set, makes the NX200's price seem overly high.

It's a good thing the design of the NX200 isn't the only thing Samsung changed. While we genuinely liked the looks of the stylish previous model, the NX100, we had issues with its JPEG image quality when shooting at high ISOs. The all-black, 20.3MP NX200, a compact system camera which looks like a sleek, futuristic DSLR, is not only a better performer at the high end of the ISO spectrum despite the jump up in megapixels, it adds quite a few key features. For one, the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) II kit lens that comes with the NX200 is a very decent all-around performer and boasts i-Function 2.0, letting you change important camera settings just by touching a button on the lens barrel. The NX200 is also a faster shooter all around, with a reasonably quick autofocus system that made taking sharp, candid photos on the street a snap. We also liked the faster burst modes, including almost 7fps at full resolution and a blazing 30fps at 5MP. Video quality has improved to 1080p HD with stereo sound and the 3-inch AMOLED screen is a beauty. Along with playing back images, the screen makes using the NX200's crisp, clear, and logical menu system a breeze. Unlike some competing models that turn treading through menus and animations into a slow chore, the NX200 is fast on its feet, letting you make the adjustments you want quickly and painlessly.

Stunning image quality at an amazing price, but it’s undermined by some irritating flaws

The Samsung NX200 is an obvious choice for anyone who wants lots of pixels in a small package. The camera is slightly let down by long buffering times in raw mode and the JPEG engine's noise treatment at high sensitivities but overall the NX200 is a powerful photographic tool with a good feature set for its class and enjoyable to use.

Focusing issues aside, we were generally quite pleased with the NX200. Samsung's latest ILC offers great image quality and performance, with only a few issues. That doesn't mean we'll be making room in our camera bag, though. Sure, it offers 1080p video capture and 20.3 megapixel stills, but unless you need those features, a $900 price tag is simply not competitive enough once you consider Sony's basic mirrorless offering can be had for $549 -- a roughly 30 percent difference in price. In a world where the NEX-C3 didn't exist, we'd be much more excited about taking the plunge with Samsung, but until South Korea's darling delivers a true contender at a more affordable price point, we recommend looking elsewhere.

A speedy mirrorless camera capable of grabbing sharp images and shooting in lower light, the Samsung NX200's high price is its biggest barrier.

Overall, the NX200 is arguably the most accomplished and grown-up camera Samsung has produced to date. Its price is perfectly in line with the current crop of CSCs, such as the Sony NEX, Olympus PEN, Nikon 1 and Panasonic Lumix MFT alternatives, with the potential to eat into the DSLR entry-level market too. Moreover, the NX200’s performance and image quality equals and, at times, surpasses those of most of its rival CSCs and, crucially, Samsung has expanded its array of lenses to make the NX a truly versatile and complete system. To me, it looks like Samsung’s photographic endeavours have finally come of age and it’s ready to challenge the big names out there.

Samsung continues to impress us with its digital camera output. The NX200 builds quite significantly on the strengths of its predecessor to deliver punchy images bursting with detail. While the NX200’s higher than average resolution is likely to remain the headline-grabbing spec, the real selling point is overall image quality, which is undoubtedly a match for many DSLRs costing more money. Ergonomics, while sharp, clean and modern, could be a little more hand-friendly though. That said, if you’re looking for an APS-C equipped compact system camera then the NX200 delivers enough to warrant a place on your shortlist.

The NX200 offers all the advantages that a camera with a large APS-C DSLR sensor offers, namely better performance at higher ISOs and better depth-of-field effects than the smaller Micro Four Thirds format. I'd be happy to regularly shoot with any setting from 100-1600, and even 3200 is handy at a push. The fastest settings of 6400 and 12800 are less useful, although considering the amount of megapixels that have been squeezed onto the sensor, we're still very impressed with the NX200's overall performance. Despite the significant increase in the asking price, making the NX200 more of a serious investment than its predecessor, it still occupies an enviable position in the market, rivalling key competitors like the Sony NEX-7 at a much cheaper cost, whilst outperforming the Micro Four Thirds crowd in terms of image quality at a similar price-point. If you can live with the slow RAW processing times and lack of a flash or viewfinder, the Samsung NX200 is an enticing new entry into the constantly evolving compact system camera market.

We're impressed with the significantly improved AF performance of the Samsung NX200 in comparison to its predecessor. Shot-to-shot times are also noticeably quicker, and there's a discernible reduction in shutter lag too. HD movies and stills shot at full resolution are particularly impressive, boasting a superb level of sharp detail, and the revised interface means the camera handles beautifully. It's not without its niggles, but there's plenty to like about this feature-packed camera, making the Samsung NX200 undoubtedly worth a look if you're shopping for a user-friendly CSC.

Exceptional image quality outdoors, less impressive indoors, but with superb controls it adds up to an excellent package

Although the high price and higher-still megapixel count initially cast the ‘Lint team with doubt, the NX200 does a sterling job of delivering the goods where it counts. Its low ISO images are as good as they come, the camera is well designed, well built and super-easy to use. It feels solid in the hand, is intuitive to navigate, while touches such as the AMOLED screen and standard hotshoe mean the camera’s not only a pleasure to use but is all the more future-proof. Compared to the previous NX100 model, the latest NX200 is a massive leap forward into the next generation. However the camera is not perfect and there are some shortcomings: RAW file processing is absurdly slow, battery life doesn’t cut it (it’s the same battery as the NX100) and the focusing system misses the mark when the sun goes down. If speed, low-light work and longevity are key areas for your work then the NX200 isn’t a match made in heaven. But for high-detail, high-quality pictures it’s really on the money. If you’ve not considered Samsung as a CSC option before then the NX200 may well be the camera to change your mind. It’s not the teeniest of systems when considering the lens’ size implications and there are some performance issues. But with all that said it is, without a doubt, among the best CSCs that money can buy.

The NX200 is a big step beyond the NX100. The design and layout don't disappoint and the camera is a breeze to use. Image quality is also phenomenal at the lower ISO settings - something we didn't anticipate considering the high resolution - and high ISO settings are decent (though not quite the best from a CSC). The camera's OLED screen is excellent, the inclusion of a hotshoe means expansion is possible and the i-Fn lenses add to the user experience. But there are areas where the NX200 comes up short: low-light focusing is a frustration; Raw file processing is far too slow; and the battery life is poor. If it wasn't for these three points and if a hotshoe-mounted electronic viewfinder became available then there'd be little else out there that could take the on the NX200 and win. If you're considering the Samsung system then the APS-C sensor will deliver quality in droves, but such a sensor size means a larger system overall compared to the likes of Micro Four Thirds and similar systems. Landscape enthusiasts and the like will love the otherwise compact size - just be sure to bag a second battery and there's little the NX200 can't do.

The Samsung NX200 has the second highest resolution available of any compact system camera available, with a 20.3 megapixel APS-C sensor, this is higher than many Digital SLRs and yet it manages to produces images with low noise levels. Noise control certainly appears to be on a par with competitors from Sony and Canon with well controlled noise up to ISO3200 and there appears to be a big improvement in noise control compared to the previous NX models. The camera has a fast 7fps shooting mode and an easy to use control system and menus making it enjoyable to use. Image quality is very good with very little to complain about. The choice really is what lens should you get with the camera? Do you go for the smaller 20-50mm kit lens with slightly less range, or the 18-55mm lens with optical image stabilisation? The 18-55mm lens on test here has excellent image quality so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, however it does add to the size of the complete camera. The camera scores highly in all areas and importantly produces great image quality whilst providing an extremely competitive price. Highly Recommended!