What the Samsung NX1 teaches Canikon

Maker of microwaves, dabbler in tanks, God of an entire galaxy of smartphones Samsung left the camera industry many years ago. So why do I still love the NX1 so much? All footage shot on the NX1 by Andrew Reid. WARNING: Occasional strong language!
Check out my EOSHD Shooter's Guide for the NX1 here to get a comprehensive impression of the camera and how to set it up for filmmaking: www.eoshd.com/...
---
Footage shot in: Berlin / Brighton (UK) / Lisbon

[@BartSantello]

I own three NX1's and the Samsung "S" pro line of lenses for my film projects. Most amazing camera to this day.

[@unbroken1010]

Thinking about getting one have you tried c mount or vintage lenses ?

[@retrothing]

Great with vintage lenses generally. C mounts (a favorite obsession of mine) have a too small image circle. It’ll work with heavy/crazy vignette, so you’ll have to crop later in post - or you can have that culvert POV if that’s what you’re after. 😁 If only the Magic Lantern crowd would develop for the NX1 And let us crop the sensor to use with c mount lenses.

[@velvetrooster5569]

Awesome

[@petrosianus]

A month ago, a Craigslist ad featured an NX1 (well used but functional) and S 16-50 Lens for around $1000.00 I grabbed it immediately. Adding them to my original NX1 and S 50-150 zoom, I am now complete, complemented with my Minolta adapters and lense collection. I noticed that when Andrew sold off part of his camera collection a couple of years ago, he kept his NX1, which added to my confidence I made the right choice.

[@SMGJohn]

If it gets the job done, there no reason to sell it. What does new cameras do that you need? Its kind of like smartphones, you do not need 4k screens and super fast processors in a phone anymore, its just vanity, kind of like 4k 120fps, its nice, yeah, but how many genuine use cases would you need that LOL.

[@velvetrooster5569]

I have a NX 30mm lens and a NX 45mm lens and a NX 16mm to 50mm lens and 2 NX 18mm to 52mm lenses and a Canon 50mm to 300mm lens with an NX adapter on it because I only own Samsung Cameras and I have the NX 50mm to 200mm lens next lens I plan on buying is the NX 12mm to 24mm lens and I also want to get the NX 80mm lens as well. Also just saying the NX30 camera is amazing and very affordable and I absolutely love the NX Mini camera. Now if only I could find a NX to Mini adapter for under $800 that would be great although just finding one would be great too.

[@network8377]

I can clearly remember seeing one of your videos. It was one of the reasons i bought the nx1. Still working like a charm this this day.

[@hammond3939]

Let’s try this again! For my sins I have been a professional photographer for 36 years and have used practically all camera systems film and digital. In 2015 I decided to buy the NX1 and most of the lenses. All the reviews about it were absolutely true. Thanks so much for reminding everyone just how amazingly advanced and simple to use this camera is to use. It is hard to believe how slowly cameras have advanced since it’s introduction. The perennial drip drip drip of small features and the rapidly rising prices never cease to amaze me! Always enjoy your articles - keep up the good work!

[@DO1BTW]

Same story as me I'm a professional photographer for 23 years in 2014 I bought the Samsung nx1 because Samsung asking me and I had some herniated disc in my neck and compare with the canon 5d mark 3 the Samsung was half the wait. 😂

[@unbroken1010]

How you like it

[@unbroken1010]

Apple is just as bad and you keep buying. The camera camera leaned from the most evil company.

[@lcmpark]

Still Best Camera

[@DDVlogAR]

Great video! At the time I had a GH2, I think. Now an XT3. Amazing what you can do with a 2014 camera. Loved the images you shot. Excellent camera, but It's the operator the one that makes it shine. Congrats!

[@firehorseweddingphotograph3995]

The image quality and grading is absolutely spot on. Just imagine if it had been developed…

[@ludi4u]

so damn sad it hasnt...got an nx1 and find it still better than most other dslms...btw: anyone knows an EF-Samsung NX-Adapter with AF- or at least lens-control Support?

[@michaeljacoby6137]

Your small film from Portugal really does something special for me. I remember watching it when you first released it on vimeo, must have been about six years ago. It was so special when I first saw it, and it's still so special now. Those visuals with that audio: It's something really unique. Also, it got me onto Future Islands!

[@AdamMurtland]

I remember wanting an NX1 soooo badly when it came out. It was early days for me making money with videography so I needed to stay with the m43 system at the time. The NX1 was at least 5 years ahead of its time. Such as shame it didn't take off.

[@EOSHDTV]

I think it would have done well given more time. Samsung basically pulled the plug on the business almost as soon as they'd completed the NX1! It was a high profile launch but then they almost straight away gave up on it. Biggest gift to Sony ever. Would have been really tough competition for Alpha 7 series had a full frame NX2 come along. Samsung sensor designs still cutting edge today albeit in smartphone-land (Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra).

[@darksword1]

@@EOSHDTV In the end, it was a business decision. Samsung lost a lot of money on these cameras that didn't sell. No corporation is going to continue a product that bleeds money. And given what happened to the camera market since 2014, it was the right decision. More and more camera manufacturers( Olympus is gone, Nikon next? very poor sales ) are going to quit the industry. Not enough sales to justify continuing anymore. Everyone is shooting pictures and videos on smartphones. Only professionals, and rich hobbyists continue to buy these mirrorless cameras but the market continues to shrink every year.

[@ForestCinema]

The NX2 is the perfect camera that never was. Their AF was bang-on (still rivals the best in 2021,) their color nuance was fantastic, their sharpness superb, their ergonomics seamless… even the NX1 slow-mo was class leading. If I had a single improvement request on that camera, it would be for a compressed RAW codec, to combat the (sometimes) too-punchy colors and provide flexibility in the “look.” Of course, for stills (and for some video fun,) a full frame variant would’ve also been a nice but not necessary bonus. If it weren’t for the Nx1’s ease of use, wedding videography would certainly have driven me to commit felony crimes on a regular basis 😂 I was heartbroken when mine began corrupting files, and if it weren’t for that I’d likely still be using it on occasion.

[@Icunstudio]

Until now 2021 is my favorite camera.. I like the results..

[@avarmadillo]

THIS is the kind of content we've missing from those who do new camera reviews in the self-congratulatory, cliquish youtube echo chamber. It offends my sensibility in some degree that so many are trying to make a living from youtube rather than being active professionals who generously share their knowledge based on actual use. Making supplementary income for your labors on KZbin is, IMO, perfectly understandable. But there's just something off putting in my own mind regarding "professional KZbinrs." "Jimmy, what do you want to be when you grow up?" "A professional KZbinr, Daddy." .....said no one EVER! Depending on KZbin as your main source of income cannot help but colour your point of view and manner of presentation--what you say, and what you leave out. I note little to nothing is provided information-wise to fully manual shooters. Why? It doesn't sell those ultra expensive lenses the camera companies want you to buy---those which cripple video shooters with their fly-by-wire manual focusing--what a joke! Time and time again I've tested cameras after seeing a glowing review. What I discovered is many critical things have been purposely or thoughtlessly omitted. For example, the completely vanishing peaking feature on the Panasonic S1, making it next to impossible to track an object the moment you hit record---combined with that no ability to move the focus box while recording or punch in, like Fuji provides. And the Panasonic is supposed to be a video oriented company?!? They've got their cripple hammer working overtime. The only company that seems not to--at least for video shooters---is Fuji. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. As for Canon----for either monetary or philosophical reasons they seem to hate the idea of hybrid cameras, and still, in 2021, make it cripplingly difficult to simply perform a white balance on many of their cameras. Love the footage you provided in the examples. This kind of creative, analytical, out of the box thinking is sorely absent elsewhere---MORE PLEASE.

[@unbroken1010]

Hope you just as critical on the Ukraine and see through the b.s. from Zelinsky a world economic forum shill while ranting. Dp review still uses the S1 and does amazing videos

[@unbroken1010]

Discord violent video gamers are way worse and literally bread tube being paid.by Demorat super pacts to "casually" pull the wool over people eyes.😠

[@lachimsojdag]

yeah, samsung outdid themselves with this one.damn shame . wonderful shots Andrew!

[@EOSHDTV]

Thanks Michal!

[@ClockWorkJake]

Holy cow! That intro footage was flipping inspiringly gorgeous. I sincerely hope to be able to create any footage that looks anything like that someday. You've definitely given me something to aspire to. My new NX1 arrives today. I picked it up less than 30 minutes after it was lisited, for shockingly cheap, from a pawnshop that had it stored in a backroom for ages... It's literally virtually new - & with an extended battery grip, the extra batteries, charger & the kit 20-50mm lens. I honestly feel like i just hit the lottery (I Actuallyused a paypal loan to buy the damn thing b/c * didn't have the cheese on hand) I regret nothing.

[@TheBitcoinGiraffe]

Any chance you could do more in-depth videos on the NX 1? There are a lot of videos now a days showcasing great used/older cameras that can still be workhorses. This one is very intriguing and seems like there is still a lot to learn from it. I know it’s old but it could be great to even go over your camera guide that you made on EOSHD page and even some of the community info about it.

[@marcusruiz2971]

Really regret selling mine. Thanks for this man.

[@SMGJohn]

They go on the used market sometimes for criminal prices, got an used NX1 with 16-50mm F2-2.8 and a 50mm to 150mm F2.8 lens for under 1000 euros, thats a bloody steal considering it was just gonna sit on a gimbal anyway, too afraid to use my 2014 NX1 for that in case an accident happened and I be without a perfectly good NX1.

[@marcusruiz2971]

@@SMGJohn sold price. I'll keep my eyes on the lookout

[@yohannsphotographyvideogra9542]

still looks great after so many years

[@tomperry9034]

Late to this video, but I agree. The NX-1 pushed things forward a lot. What put people off Samsung was their reliability issues (we had *boxes* of faulty Samsung bodies at our store) and the lack of lens selection. There are a few great Samyang lenses available for NX, if you can give up IS, but Samyang weren't as well known then. Lack of support from Japanese 3rd party manufacturers can't have helped - Tamron and Sigma knew which side their bread was buttered.

[@jessejayphotography]

I enjoy these camera vignettes much more. Gorgeous footage from the NX1.

[@motebike]

And that is why I still use the Nikola Tesla of cameras :) A long time ago, I heard from a little birdie that the then CEO of the Samsung camera division, who was a keen photographer, decided to make the best photographic tool in the business. Basically putting all eggs in one basket. He had a terminal illness. Perhaps he saw life as an art form for the joy of it, rather than a money making machine for the joy of profit. When you have a little time left on this Earth, you're no longer part of the 'system'.

[@hrod9393]

I still have my NX1. I think I got it in 2014. It's really hard to part with it. I do love the Sony's low light sensor abilities though, but I suspect Samsung would have something just as good by now if they continued. PS- BTW, I'm not sure if you intended but your color saturation is pretty red in this video, you might want to check it on a color specced monitor.

[@fletch665]

I now have two NX1s. Their quality still matches or surpasses the quality in its price range. Hope you weigh in on what you consider best settings for still photos. I bought your video setup guide back in the day, but I still find the stills a little green. Happy New Year, BTW.

[@matahari1576]

Thanks for the great Video! I can´t agree more. Sony was really afraid when the NX1 showed up. I know it from a Sony guy first hand. I bought the NX1with both of the 2,8 Zooms. I bought also your settings booklet at the time.Than, after a few months the NX1 disappeared from the market. Did they believe to challenge the likes of Sonyand Canon in 6 months? The h.265 codec was a big mistake from Samsung at the time. Computers struggled. Most NLE´s couldn´t handlethe Codec. No h.264 available. I am sure, with h.264 Samsung would have found lots of new clients. Besides the beautifuul pictures and great Video capabilities the ergonomics is just great. To the day the menu is system is anexample of simplicity and ease of use. Much better than Fuji or Sony. A real camera and not a Photo taking Computer. You are right, the competition should take a look at the NX!. Sadly my evf and display stays locked with the same aperture and I don´´t know what to do about it. Besides that, just a groundbreaking camera.

[@unbroken1010]

The evf has now crippled it or can you still use the LCD? Inshot I believe let's me edit h265 on a tablet pretty easily

[@noraahyhanska1522]

Great review! The Central Portugal Future Islands Clip is a Classic!

[@frankseydel9428]

Awesome video of an awesome camera! This video among some others convinced me to get me a used NX1. I got it for a very decent 600 Euros here in Germany including the 16-50mm lens. It's such a treat that it might stay with me forever or until it will fail beyond repair. Why would I look for anything else. I got me some additional lenses and may buy some more as budget allows. Samsung cameras from that era are definitely holding up with many modern mirrorless cameras of today. There have been improvements of some sorts. But do these justify the way higher invest into a modern camera? Of course that's according to everyone's needs and preferences. But as for me.. Samsung it is.

[@unbroken1010]

Yeah i have a old brike nx300 and might have a chance to get one for a really decent price already have 2 lenses. The 45mm is a amazing lens and adapters seem to work well

[@SMGJohn]

Samsung NX1 is a camera from the future when it launched, but its also needlessly complicated to get the footage right, you MUST get the white balance correct otherwise you destroy your image completely, I never seen this behaviour in other cameras before, the NX1 really is anal about its white balance being 100% on the point because if it aint, you stuck with what it gives you, the colour behaviour completely change depending on the white balance, in my conclusion its just down to how the sensor works. I know that Samsung choose to build the sensor around colour depth and accuracy instead of the traditional pushing its ISO performance as much as possible like Sony and Nikon does. Hence why Samsung cameras tend to be garbo at high ISO, but produces the best colours you can get from APS-C under 800 ISO, once you learn the quirks and the temperament of the NX1 and NX500 though, these are truly amazing pieces of technology, I just do not see a logical reason to replace them with anything else, the autofocus is still some of the best, the hack that allows you to increase bitrate basically allowed me to do 190mbps bitrate, so I get very clean shots with a stop or two of information from the shadows. The camera us also relative small and lightweight for what it does, good for gimbal use, the battery life on it is still outrageously good, you can get 1 hour of continuous shoot in 4k from one battery, I call that great performance. 16-50mm F2-2.8 is one of the greatest lenses ever made imao, its heavy and as large as a full frame lens, but goddamn is it sharp and detailed. NX1 and NX500 shoots some of the greatest in-camera colours too, and all its colour profiles are like their own film stocks, I just cannot think of any other camera out there that gets the job done like NX1 does it, RAW video would been nice but honestly, RAW video is large, slow to edit and very few serious use cases other than cinema where you got the time to fuck around with it. NX1 could have done with a flat profile though and I would have preferred a wider dynamic range as well, or at least a way to manipulate the shadows and brightness levels inside of the camera so that when I run and gun, I can pick vivid and have the perfect shadow and brightness quality, no need to do colour grading, just shoot video, edit it in Premiere Pro, deliver it to the boss and call it a day, cause the colours would be perfect from the get go, basically a digital film camera.

[@stephanpirsch3308]

@Maciej Jan Długosz There is a hack to turn it off. It runs around 78min non stop then. github.com/ottokiksmaler/nx500_nx1_modding

[@stephanpirsch3308]

How do set white balance on the NX1? Do you use 'custom' or 'auto' ? I heard, 'custom' tends to produce color shifts while shooting. I had quite a few of ruined shots with weird colors and I didn't come behind the reasons. What is your workflow here?

[@stephanpirsch3308]

@Maciej Jan Długosz I think, that is due to tax regulations (at least in the EU), a device that does not record over 30 minutes is not considered as a video (camera) recorder and gets taxed more favorably (as a photo device or sonth similiar), which allows for a lesser price.

[@stephanpirsch3308]

@Maciej Jan Długosz Oh, I didn't know that tax regulations aren't in play anymore. So seems to be a case of market segmentation for the brands.

[@Grimor.]

Ghost lullaby song from Crayon Physics!!

[@DO1BTW]

I own the nx1 since day 1 and i have all the lenses and I'm still very happy with it and now I will start to use is as a camera for live streaming with a capture card

[@velvetrooster5569]

I do love my NX30 and my NX1 cameras.

[@Pavel_Masek]

As NX1 owner I would sign every statement 🙂. BTW - Canon knows how to do aperture priority in video mode- it is available on R5 in custom modes... but why they have not added to R6? Canon cripple hammer maybe

[@dvdaltizer]

Great video Andrew! I never picked one up. Mostly because of the h.265 workflow at the time. Now with an M1 Mac it would edit no problem. Need to get one and do some tests

[@unbroken1010]

Why is h265 such a problem? Don't they have other file choices inshot does basic editing on my tablet.

[@velvetrooster5569]

So the Samsung NX1 camera records video in H.265 codec which means that it’s catching twice as much information as a regular video or H.264 but storing it in half the size. No the camera defaults for all 1080p in 4K video modes to be 80 Mb per second bitrate. So basically most quality cameras that can record in H.264 codec record in 160 Mb per second which means that the age that 265 Kodiak recording in 80 Mb per second is the equal equivalent, while giving you a video that is essentially half the size but retaining all of that quality. What I have done is installed a custom firmware that allows me to illuminate the recording time so I can record much longer than 30 minutes without the camera automatically stopping and I can change the bitrate which I have done to 160 Mb per second what does that mean is my camera is recording twice the amount of information as a camera that records in the H.264 codec In similar file sizes. Sony cameras still record in the H.264 codec including all of the top of the line most expensive Sony cameras. I think what makes the Samsung NX1 camera so great is that it’s a 6K sensor we’re just being sampled down to 4K which means you’re getting the 6K equivalent in recording information but it’s being presented in a 4K resolution and that’s giving you such crispy high-quality video.

[@imagenatura]

Loving this new format, Andrew! Well done with the poetry piece and music. As for why Canon doesn't want to have a camera that is basically 5 years ahead of its time... well, the answer is obvious: that's not who they are and they will NEVER be that company. They're only in the shadows of greatness, but somehow they have good marketing because people keep buying them.

[@EOSHDTV]

All cameras reviews need a bit of poetry ;-)

[@imagenatura]

@@EOSHDTV Also, it's probably a good idea that you're moving video conversation to KZbin in that it might help the algorithm.

[@cbmediapros]

Hey man, thank you for this video :) loved it. I do wish it was a low light camera however it’s still an amazing camera. Thank you for the inspiration. I have that S lens, the 16-50. My 7yr old son has the NX500, we have been using the NX1 for photos but you got me wanting to do video! Take care

[@SICKSINCE]

I had a Samsung NX series and honestly it wasn’t too bad.

[@artolove]

I luck up 2 years ago and bought a NX1 still in box!

[@agsilvafernandes]

Thanks I have a Samsung nx500 and I love it, color, dinamyc range... Etc. I want by a Samsung Nx1

[@unbroken1010]

I remember a great video by I think a German video crew on yt that does vintage lens reviews mostly for video . They did like 10 dslr / mirror less videos and blindly looked at them with Francis Ford Coppola he picked out the gh2 1080p footage with magic lantern hack. As the best footage even though it was over a decade old.

[@strippedlist]

I hope they return to the market....

[@ZuchuatDidier]

Hi Andew, I really like the first song ( which starts at : 2:53 ), could I have the name of the song? Sorry for my English, greetings from Switzerland ! :)

[@theSUBVERSIVE]

Yeah, the first few footages were pretty awesome, I remember the blue of the sky and ocean, I think it was shot in the Mediterranean. Too bad that at the time Samsung was pulling a Sony, being all over the place, not to mention that not long after, they had the scandals and everything. Samsung would provide the shake-up that Japanese companies, in general, don't seem to be able to, just like BlackMagic was also able to do.

[@slows728]

The colors of this camera are so great, especially blues and greens. I can't get these colours with my S1, even in 10 bits. The sensor was just awesome. The only downside was the low light performance, the noise reduction was far too high.

[@unbroken1010]

Scandals? Any thing worse than nike, Amazon, gates urkraine oand Zelinsky the world economic forum shill, or Trudeau. ? Or corrupt vice? Hard to have a scandal or then our presidents son 🤷😂

[@ironsun27]

I had mine since 2015..... great camera

[@unbroken1010]

That was cool little beat generation cut up poem video . I wanna do similar nice

[@badreality2]

No anti-aliasing, and audio included in 120 fps mode. 👌

[@nickbelane7893]

Hi Nice video. Could you let me know which l’ensemble you are usine. Thank

[@unbroken1010]

Thinking about picking one up I already have some lenses and accessories this camera still seems to be amazing if only they kept making camera

[@Pedro_Santo]

Ohh Lisboa ❤️

[@kentxx12]

A very good Video Andrew :)

[@ffaabb79]

Great story

[@unbroken1010]

I just got a nx 1 and galaxy nx. The nx1 seems to not charge with the cord. The nx has a weird box with camera info in it and I can't get it to disappear I can work around it but it's a shame .

[@jonathanbriceno5935]

you should re-evaluate GH2 hacked and how many years its still in use

[@EOSHDTV]

It still stands up surprisingly well today! Watch this on a big screen kzbin.info/www/bejne/apLddHiplraXo6c

[@slows728]

I still prefer the colors and details of the NX1 compared to Sony or even Panasonic FF. I regretted to sold it with the 16-50 and 50-150 S. Bought them again last month ...

[@EOSHDTV]

Man those lenses... Amazing stuff

[@marcusruiz2971]

I am thinking about picking up one again for portraits and family photos instead of renting cameras. The price currently for a body and lens is unbeatable.

[@jedidylan2796]

My consul was gonna be called NX

[@ChristianAmanor-j4z]

Boss ❤

[@ishudshutup]

This is one thing I don't like about Samsung, they are quick to leave/drop the ball. They should have done 3 iterations of the NX1 before calling it quits. Take a cue from Microsoft and their Surface line as it took them 3 revisions to finally make something decent. That's how you do it!

[@888marin888]

Canon did specificaly screw up the R6, exemple with the two card slots useful for securing unique representation as a pro like weddings etc, there is two slots but no communication between the two so no redundancy. That so fucked up shit. The R is flawed, The R6 is, the R5 is. What am i even hoping for the R3..

[@damiancanteros]

nice colours.

[@kingpossie]

Noice

[@byazrov]

Why do all (ALL) EOSHD videos have such a horrible sound quality? Something is wrong with your production.