The Curious Case Of The Samsung NX1: The best mirrorless camera you probably never owned!

How do you know about the NX1; a mirrorless camera that was way ahead of its time? Matty recalls an APS-C mirrorless that shocked the photo world but was a missed opportunity for many photographers.
#photography #video #camerareview #cameratest #samsung #samsungNX1 #NX1 #examplephotos

[@KunalKumar1]

can only imagine if Samsung were still making cameras today! with all their software expertise as well

[@adventuresinaperture]

It would be so good for the industry to have Samsung cameras still around

[@agsilvafernandes]

Thank you I have 2 Samsung cameras Samsung Nx1 and Samsung Nx500 I'm happy

[@gporterphotography8950]

I bought the NX1 when it was first released and ended up getting 2 bodies and most of their lenses. Ended up selling everything and switched to Panasonic. Here I am 10 years later and over the last 2-3 years, I bought everything back. I have had Sony, Lumix, Fuji, Nikon, Canon, Sigma and the Samsung is the only one I have ever bought back. The best.

[@aiseurnae5976]

I still have the NX1. I mostly use it with the 16-50mm S and 45mm f1.8 (my 50-150mm doesn't work anymore). This camera still has awesome colors and very high definition in video. Of course it has no IBIS, and it smooths details a lot in video when raising the ISO, but it really has incredible image quality in good light.

[@adventuresinaperture]

Great camera and I'm sure it's served you well. Hard to believe it celebrates ten years in 2024!

[@MasterOfBasses]

I remember when this camera was launched. I watched every video review. It was my dream to get one and I was heart broken when Samsung quietly closed their camera branch.

[@retrothing]

I still use my NX1, the most misunderstood camera in my collection. I mostly use it for video, and back then I think they were hurt by releasing it before the firmware was more finished. The camera improved by leaps and bounds with each update, but it had already been misjudged. Also, the world wasn’t ready for h.265 quite yet. I wish that someone would mod the software to enable the camera to shoot at least 10 but color. I’d love to squeeze a few more years out of it. Still one of my favorites.

[@bloomylicious]

In the same vein as the NX1, I still would really like to pick up a NX500, think it had the same sensor as the NX1, but they're fairly rare and expensive for what they are. I still think the NX300 would make a good compact first camera these days. Also side note, fairly sure i have exactly that (GAP?) jumper ha.

[@adventuresinaperture]

Jumper choice of champions right!?

[@bloomylicious]

@@adventuresinaperture absolutely!

[@KeithJohnson]

I bought the NX1 on its launch and was so dissappointed when it was discontinued. I even contacted Samsung to express my concern that they were making a big mistake. Over the past four years I invested in Sony gear but now on retirement I have returned to my first love, the NX1 and buying everything back via ebay. It is still as good as I remember. No regrets and I particularly do not miss Sony's menu system.

[@melbutterworth7976]

I think if they had made a full frame camera to compete with the Sony A7 they would still be making cameras today. The apsc pro camera market is small, smaller than that of the full frame one, it is likely samsung expected to sell as many units as a full frame camera, not an apsc one. With how good the NX1 was a full frame samsung would have likley been even better and could, with the right marketing, have been a true competitor to the Sony A7 line

[@geobasket]

honestly this camera is a bit of a sore spot for me. it was my first introduction to the online photography community and the elitism that seemed to surround it at the time (no idea if things have changed, I left and never looked back). from what I saw it got lots of hate because it was a mirrorless camera (with an aps-c sensor at that) and that samsung was an appliance and phone brand not a "real" camera brand, so "best to not waste your time with it as they'll never succeed." basically a self fulfilling prophecy.

[@pricklypearcamera]

Great video! I am putting out a video shortly on the history of Samsung cameras (I used to be a buyer for an electronics store and worked directly with Samsung to launch quite a few models), and the NX1 is an awesome camera!

[@adventuresinaperture]

Look forward to the video!

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

I do remember looking at it and went with the Sony nex 5 series bodies The reason was the lack of lenses. Sony had 3 and a roadmap.

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

I still have the mirrorless Samsung NX-11 that I bought around 2013 and I love it. It does have 2 small issues with a malfunctioning self-timer and a missing ISO100 option that could potentially have been repaired by firmware if Samsung's camera division hadn't folded.

[@eugecoscarelli9745]

Samsung obviously used there technology back into phone cameras and have an excellent example in the Samsung 24 Ultra. The specifications for this phone camera are great. One can only wonder if they had stayed in the camera market what would be on offer today.

[@spoon1882]

I use both NX1 and NX500 for National events and military type footages. Can take a beating. Got hosed , sand and sea conditions. Still strong. Was worried the 16-50mm 2.8 was gone, but no issues, went online and found out it was water and dust proof. I wish we can sign some petition to get Samsung to relaunch into the mirrorless market. They hardly did any marketing for their cameras.

[@key2adventure]

Awesome camera. I use mine as well as the NX11 regularly. Fantastic video especially the Full HD 120 fps. I wish they had continued making cameras, would have given much competition for the other large brands..

[@RakibErick]

I still have my NX1. The video quality is ridiculously good. Still holds up in 2024 and will last for another few years for sure. I mostly use it as B or C camera for weddings shoot. Indeed the camera was way ahead of its time!

[@TheBitcoinGiraffe]

Not sure if this is legit but I have previously read that the external recording was 4k 422 10Bit. If so it would be great. If you have one maybe you can test it.

[@fl3604]

Can lumix gh6 beat the Samsung nx1 50-150? In videos 4k??? Thanks

[@actionimagesphotography]

At the time I tried to get reviewers on line to review this camera and for some reason they ignored it. I talked about the specs with no reply. It was almost like they were going out of their way to not talk about it. Strange really.

[@GuyRobertKernisant]

I managed to get one from ebay and don't regret the decision

[@ChristianAmanor-ur2dc]

Good one 👍

[@ChristianAmanor-j4z]

Good 👍 ❤

[@cdcapturing383]

Back then I was looking at this model, but didn’t have the money for it, so I bought a cheap DSLR at the time.

[@claudiocosterni6488]

I have three NX1 bodies and two NX500s, with almost all the original Samsung lenses and two copies of the 16-50 f/2-2.8. Plus numerous adapters to be able to use the lenses with all possible mounts. Of all the cameras of almost all the brands that I still have and that I have never resold, except the awful, indecent Kodak SLR/n, year 2004, these Samsung are still my favorites both for the quality of the picts [I don't shoot videos], and for the comfort and speed of operation that makes me feel at ease, menu structure and excellent ergonomics for the NX1. As soon as I used the first NX1, I immediately preferred it to the three Sony A7S, A7, A7R. I take panoramic pictures around and above mountains, to do Gigapixel images, stitching many many AEB shots. The only problem I noticed for the NX1, but not for the NX500, is the tendency to produce blurred shots because of the camera shake with shutter speeds between ~ 1/100-1/60 and 1s with the camera mounted vertically on a three-axis panoramic head on a good tripod, even with medium focal lengths, not only telephoto that amplify the blur. But this also happens/happened with the Sony A7R due to the movement and the micro shock created by the shutter curtains. Unfortunately they does not have a purely electronic shutter.