Samsung NX200 Turns Up the Volume on Resolution

Samsung's NX series of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras gets a new member today - the NX200. It boasts a whopping 20.3 megapixels on an APS-C sensor and burst shooting up to 7 fps. Here are our hands-on photos and impressions of the brand new NX200.

At a press briefing held at Manhattan's own Classic Car Club, Samsung detailed a new set of cameras set to launch at Berlin's IFA tradeshow. The NX200 is the headliner, claiming a total of 20.3 megapixels on a Samsung-developed APS-C CMOS sensor. Samsung reps tout the latest NX as a more robust, responsive tool.

Like the NX100 before it, the NX200 will be compatible with the i-Function lenses developed for the NX system. A new menu interface includes an overlaid quick screen with a variety of shooting settings available to the user. ISO range has also been given a boost ranging from 100-12800. The NX200 will record full HD video at 30p or 720 HD video at 30 and 60p with H.264 compression.

The back panel sports a 3.0-inch AMOLED display. Like the NX100 (and unlike the NX10) the NX200 has no integrated viewfinder for image composition. A new Smart Panel menu interface brings up frequently-changed settings to the shooting screen with a press of the function button.

Samsung NX200 Hands-on
The NX200 has a more solid, substantial feel in the hand to me than the NX100 did. The smooth curves of the 100 could make it tricky to hold at times. This is remedied in the NX200 with a bulked-up grip for the right hand. Weight feels evenly distributed, until you attach a massive NX 85mm lens. Otherwise, it feels natural in the hand with any of the variety of Samsung NX lenses available to play with.

Processing modes are available through the i-Function dial, and most camera settings like aperture and shutter speed can be assigned to this button on the lens. Six in-camera filters are offered including the fisheye effect you'll see below. The i-Function ring worked as advertised. It's a feature I'm growing to like more and more - the ring itself is fluid and has a nice smooth feel in operation.



The NX200's display was as bright and clear as promised, taking into consideration that we used the cameras in favorable lighting conditions for LCD-viewing. I took the NX200's advertised 7 fps burst rate for a spin, and even the pre-production model I had my hands on seemed to match that number.

It's hard to describe the NX200 based on some brief first impressions, but I got the sense that it's more sturdy than its NX100 predecessor. The 100 had the feel of a bigger point-and-shoot. With its sculpted grip and a more traditionally linear appearance, the NX200 looks and feels like something an experienced photographer would feel comfortable with and a beginner might find intimidating. The proof will be in the pictures however; we'll have a review once we get our hands on a full-production model.