SAMSUNG NX300 REVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG

SAMSUNG NX300 REVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG

With DSLR-esque design and an impressive 20.1MP sensor, can the NX30 compete with the imaging heavyweights?

Samsung NX300 Review Photography blog. Thanks to Samsung's communications heritage, one area in which the NX range has impressed previously is connectivity, this continues with the NX30, Which boasts Wi-fi and NFC connectivity compatible with smart devices through the free Samsung Smart Camera App. This app facilitates a fantastic connectivity experience, including remote shooting, previewing images, and remote backup to social networks. Furthermore, the NX30 is capable of connecting to the internet without the need for a smart device as a conduit.

SAMSUNG NX300

The NX30 has an APS-C sized CMOS sensor with a resolution of 20.3 MP, placing it favourably against other CSCs in its class. Samsung's DRIMe IV images processor aids operational speed and deliver an impressive continuous shooting rate of up to 9fps it either Raw of JPEG. The processor does struggle a bit though in the thick of shooting. When shooting Raw and JPEG files once you;re run up a succession of images it takes a few seconds until the buffer clears.

Samsung's heritage also proves of benefit with the outstanding rear LCD. The 3in, 1.036k-dot screen on the rear of the NX30 is tilt-able and touch sensitive. Spec wise it's hugely impressive, and it delivers a user experience to match. It's got a fast refresh rate with little lag and a good range of colours. The touch-screen functionality is nicely intuitive and allows for fast AF point selection.

The NX30 also sport an impressive, and unique, EVF. It carries a resolution of 3.358k dots, a responsive eye sensor an interestingly, is able to rotate around 80. This is a fantastic addition rotating the eyepiece enables different shooting angles and adds a new dimension to shooting.

In terms of design, Samsung has made the NX30 resemble a mini DSLR. As a result, it's touch larger than its NX20 predecessor. although this is mostly from welcome additions like the beefed up gront grip. THe only gripe with the build is the material. Unlike its magnesium alloy rivals, the NX30 is constructed from a polycarbonate material that doesn't have the quality feel that you'd expect from a camera in this class.

In terms of AF, the NX30 features the Advanced Hybrid Autofocus system seen on the Galaxy NX. This system combines 247 contrast detect points with 105 phase detect points. No complaints here - its locks focus accurately and almost instantly. It only really struggles in low light, and even then hesitation is slight.

Noise is well controlled at the lower end of the ISO setting, with very little luminance noise at ISO 400. At ISO more prominent, although in camera noise reduction does a good job of dealing with it. At ISO 1600 and 3200 there is more evidence of noise and of in camera noise reduction compromising and smudging finer detail. Above this, noise becomes a real issue, and the maximum ISO of 25.600 is best avoided.

Verdict

Although the Samsung NX30 might not beast the best build quality. it has an awful lost going for it elsewhere, sporting one of the most complete feature sets of any camera in its class. The LCD screen and Wi-fi functionality impress in particular pleasing

Samsung NX300 - Best For

Enthusiast photographers after an excellently specified interchangeable lens camera. Those who'd like the most advanced connectivity options.

Alternatives

- NIkon D5300
- Canon EOS 70D
- Nikon D7100

Pros and Cons

Pros
- Class leading LCD screen
- Tilt-able EVF
- Excellent Wi-fi connectivity + bundled with Light-room
Cons
- Build quality not first class
- Slight Processing Speed issues in burst shooting

US >> Where To Buy Samsung Nx300 <<

UK >> Where To Buy Samsung Nx300 <<

SAMSUNG NX300 REVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG SAMSUNG NX300 REVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG By Andrian Manhatan on Amateur Photographer Blogs, With DSLR-esque design and an impressive 20.1MP sensor, can the NX30 compete with the imaging heavyweights? Andrian Manhatan SAMSUNG NX300

4.5 / 5

FUJIFILM X-A1 DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEW

FUJIFILM X-A1 DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEW

It's the first model in Fujifilm's X-series to bear an entry level price tag, but does the X-A1 stand up to its bigger brothers?

The Fujifilm X-A1 Reviews - Fuji X-A1 offers a ways for those on a tighter budget to break into the company's now legendarily popular X-series. The camera comes with a retail Price of FUJIFILM X-A1, which offers a serious discount on popular stable-mates like the X-pro1.

While the X-A1 retains the 16MP CMOS sensor common to the Fujifilm X-series (though not the advanced X-Trans version), the X-A1 ditches a viewfinder in favour of a tilting LCD screen, making it a range-finder in appearance only.

The Controls are positioned sensibly for one handed operation. There;s a customisable function button toward the front of the top plate as well as a button on the back that activates a handy menu for quick adjustments to frequently used settings.

Manual exposure control is achieved via a large round dial on the top plate for exposure settings and a smaller recessed wheel above the thumb rest for exposure compensation.

Unfortunately the top plate dial causes a slight handling issue - it's quite easy to jog accidentally, resulting in a few over or under exposed shots.

The X-A1's monitor is good but conventional, being a 3in screen with 920k dots of resolution that tilts 90 up and down but doesn't offer touch-screen functionality. It's certainly sharp, and has an angle of view approaching 180, but it's very reflective and hard to use in bright sunlight. THe frame rate is also slow, with a distinct lag when panning.

A brisk performer, the X-A1 is able to start up and take a picture in a little over two seconds, and it shuts down again even quicker. Its shot to shot time in single-shot mode is consistent at every zoom setting and in every shooting more at 1.1 seconds per shot, and it appears to be able to keep that pace indefinitely.

One aspect that's worth singling out is the high ISO noise control, which is truly exemplary. At up to ISO 3200, images are effectively noise free, noise is just barely visible at ISO 6400, and even at the extended settings of ISO 12.00 and 25.600, what noise there is looks exactly like film grain, with virtually no colour distortion. It's a truly impressive performance, and one of the X-A1 main selling points.

Though we were a little pressed to find a true weak spot. with the X-A1 it would be the low light focusing. Shooting in near darkness it does sometimes fail to focus on some targets, though at least it always lets you know quickly. The camera does have a focus assist lamp , but this is positioned very close to the hand grip so you'll have to be careful not to block it with your finger.

With a 16.3 mega-pixel sensor the X-A1 perhaps seems rather tame resolution wise, but the superb sharpness of the lens and the excellent image processing makes the detail resolution appear much higher.

The X-A1 is capable of producing sharp, high contrast pictures and there;s a growing line of top quality lenses to go with it.

Verdict

The Fujifilm X-A1 is not only an excellent entry level model for the X-series, it's an outstanding camera in its own right, with the style. Performance and handling to appeal to ambitious casual photographers and budget conscious enthusiasts. Its superb high ISO noise control makes it arguably the best CSC in its price bracket.

The Fujifilm X-A1 - Best For

Those hankering after the retro looks and sheer performance of the legendary X-series, High ISO shooting as noise is rendered as film like grain.

Alternatives

Samsung NX300
Sony NEX-600
Fujifilm X-E1

Pros and Cons

Pros
- Stylish
- Fast star up and shooting speeds
- Superiors ISO noise control
Cons
- Low light focusing lightly weak
- Exposure compensation dial easy to knock
- Reflective LCD

For US >> Where To Buy The Fujifilm X-A1 Digital Camera <<

For UK  >> Where To Buy The Fujifilm X-A1 Digital Camera <<

FUJIFILM X-A1 DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEW It's the first model in Fujifilm's X-series to bear an entry level price tag, but does the X-A1 stand up to its bigger brothers? Andrian Manhatan FUJIFILM X-A1 DIGITAL CAMERA

4.5 / 5

BEST WATERPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 REVIEWS

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 REVIEWS

Adventure in style with the latest Olympus Stylus Tough waterproof compact

Olympus was one of the first manufacturers to introduce waterproof compact cameras aimed at the consumer who wanted to take their camera off limits. While action cams, such as GoPros, have stolen some of the limelight away from tough compacts, there remains a demand for a take anywhere stills camera. Here we;re looking at the latest flagship model in Olympus's Tough line up - the Stylus TG-3.

US >> Where To Buy OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 <<

UK >> Where To Buy OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 <<

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Features

Most of the current waterproof, shockproof and freeze proof adventure cameras are, once you strip away the O-ring seals and armour plating, fairly basic compact cameras at heart, and have a strictly limited set of features. With the TG-3, Olympus has attempted to bulk this trend, and has quipped it with some features designed to appeal to the more ambitious or amateur photographer.

The TG-3 has a 4x optical zoom lens equivalent to 25-100mm. Like all waterproof compacts the lens is non protruding, while its relatively fast maximum aperture of f/2 make its good candidate for shooting in low light, it has an Aperture Priority mode to take advantage of this, although like many such options on compacts it only offers a choice of three settings: minimum, maximum or medium. Olympus claims exceptional low light capability as well, but in fact low light focusing is no better than average, and the maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400 is only a little better than most rivals.

One unusual feature is the lens bezel, which can be removed with a twist to reveal a bayonet mount for attaching various accessories, including a 6.8x tele-converter, a fish-eye converter and a macro ring flash adaptor.

The TG-3's tough credentials are fairly impressive. It is submersible to a depth of 15m and can withstand fails of 2.1m (7ft). IT can also withstand crushing pressures of 100kg and temperatures down to -10c. although most other adventure cameras boast similar capabilities.

The TG-3 does have some interesting close up features.including a 1cm macro "microscope" function, focus staking and focus bracketing. While these are useful, they're nothing new.

Other features include the now obligatory Wi-fi connectivity, built in GPS for location tagging, and 1080p video recording with stereo audio, instant start and optical zoom.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Design

Thankfully most manufacturers are moving away from making their adventure cameras look like sci-fi military hardware, in favour of a more conventional appearance, and the design of the TG-3 reflects this. It has a textured rubber grip on the right of the body and a small thumb grip area on the back, making it nice and comfortable to hold, but the control design leaves something to be desired. The on/off button, shutter button and zoom lever on the top plate are partly recessed, which helps to protect them from damage, but also makes them harder to operate when wearing gloves. Olympus's menu interface has improved markedly during the past few years as well, mostly by taking cues from other camera manufacturers, and the addition of a quick menu for commonly used settings is especially useful.

Needless to say the build quality is excellent. The two hatches have sturdy hinges, locking latches and O-ring seals, and the plastic body feels extremely tough and durable, suggesting it'll survive a battering. Meanwhile the supplied wrist strap and its steel mounting point feel like they're strong enough to tow a Land Rover.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Image quality

The combination of a decent quality lens and a 16MP sensor records a high level of detail. Image noise is also controlled well and although detail is lost a little above ISO 800, the TG-3's maximum ISO setting is certainly usable. The TG-3's lens is rather impressive for a waterproof compact. It does produce some corner blurring at wide-angle, but the centre portion is nice and sharp, and the 25mm wide-angle setting is largely free from optical distortion.

Colour reproduction in standard mode is very under saturated, making even bright colours look pale and washed out. It does have a vivid mode, but this does too far in the other direction. The automatic white balance did struggle at times, resulting in some unwanted colour casts, while the exposure metering tended to overexpose shots by about half a stop. It wasn't uncommon to experience highlights to be blown out in high contrast areas as illustrated in the image below.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Performance

The TG-3's overall performance is very good. It can start up and take a picture in well under two seconds, which is fast by current compact standards, and in single shot mode it has a shot to shot time of approximately 0.8 seconds. Focusing is fast and accurate too in bright lighting conditions. As noted previously its low light focusing could be better, but at least it fails quickly rather than hunting around. It does have a bright white LED next to the flash which can be used as a focusing aid. But bizarrely this doesn't operate in video mode.

The TG-3 has three continuous shooting modes - a full resolution 5fps mode and two high speed modes shooting at 15fps or 60fps, but at a reduced 3MP resolution.

Battery performance is also very good on the TG-3. It's powered by a sizeable 1350mAh battery and Olympus makes no specific claims for its duration, but during testing we shot over 200 frames and it was still showing a full three bars on the battery meter.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Value For Money

The adventure camera market is a lot more competitive than it used to be. Most of the main manufacturers have at least one waterproof compact in their line up and despite its pedigree the TG-3 faces stiff competition. Its one of the most expensive adventure cameras, and in terms of survivability it's not even the best. The nikon AW120 can dive to 80m and fall from 2m. Canon's Powershot D30 can go even deeper, down to 25cm. Other competitors include the Panasonic Ft-5, capable of 13m depth and the Ricoh WG-4 has an LED macro lighting system and can dive to 14m. While the option to attach add on lenses does set the TG-3 apart from its rivals and it's enjoyable to use, the rather high price is likely to drive consumers to look at its rivals first.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Verdict

The TG-3 tries to do things a little differently, and does have some very good qualities, its performance is excellent, it has a good range of features and the menu system is superb. The fast lens and Aperture Priority modes are welcome additions, however overall it's more expensive than most of its rivals, it doesn't perform as well in waterproof depth, and the option of add on lenses is just no that tempting.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 Pros And Cons

Pros
- Performance
- Creative features
- Build quality
- Menu interface
- Continuous shooting at up to 5fps
- Fast start up time
- Battery life

Cons
- Price
- Expensive add on lenses
- Some controls can be fiddly to use when wearing gloves

US >> Where To Buy OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 <<

UK >> Where To Buy OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 <<

BEST WATERPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3 REVIEWS Olympus was one of the first manufacturers to introduce waterproof compact cameras aimed at the consumer who wanted to take their camera off limits. While action cams, such as GoPros, have stolen some of the limelight away from tough compacts, there remains a demand for a take anywhere stills camera. Here we;re looking at the latest flagship model in Olympus's Tough line up - the Stylus TG-3. Andrian Manhatan OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-3

4.0 / 5