Samsung NX300 hands on review

A few weeks ago I was invited by Samsung, along with 30 other european bloggers to join them for two crazy days to test out the new Samsung NX300. We spent the our time putting the cameras though it’s paces at various speedy events like speed boat rides, horse racing and a whistle stop tour of London. The outcome of this event is that some of the 30 are going to be sent to Paris to meet Usain Bolt and shoot him with the NX 300. There is also a possibility of you being there, courtesy of Samsung, if you check out this Facebook page. After spending two days with the camera I wrote a full review of the NX300 which you can read below.

Samsung NX300

Samsung NX300

All the images in this review (unless that are of the camera) where shot with the Samsung NX300 with the 20-50mm that comes with it.

Form factor

The NX300 basically bridges the gap between a Digital SLR and digital compact. You lose the view finder, but by doing that you get a smaller body. When paired with pancake lenses that come in 16mm, 20mm and 30mm you have a camera that fits into your pocket. The NX300 maybe smaller than your average DSLR but it packs a APS-C sized sensor.

 Canon EOS 450D, Samsung NX300 and Olympus u5010

Size comparison of Canon EOS 450D, Samsung NX300 and Olympus u5010 Compact camera

User interface

When it comes to digital photography I am used to the Canon Eos system as I have been using it since 1996. Some compact cameras can frustrate me with the menus and bad user interfaces. The NX 300 user interface is really easy to get around. Any avid photographer will be at ease with the familiar function dial with: A (aperture priority), S (Shutter priority), fully auto etc. There is also a WiFi option which I will get to later. What’s missing from the control dial is movie mode and in my opinion quite rightly so, for the sake of simplicity there is a one click record button below the control dial. I don’t really touch on the movie recording but the camera does record in full 1080p. To the left of the screen you also have quick access buttons to the ISO, Drive, and Auto Focus settings. Where things really get snazzy is with the touch screen which makes it super easy to navigate though menus and it’s not just for clicking on-screen buttons, you can also swipe to scroll through long menus.

Samsung NX300 control dial

Samsung NX300 control dial

Whatever shooting mode you’re in, you can bring up an on-screen control panel by pressing the Fn button. The control panel enables you to change different settings using the touch screen. Depending on what mode the camera is set to, four different settings can be changed by swiping on the screen: shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation and ISO. When one of the settings is swiped you will see the other setting sliders move into a new position to compensate; this would be a great thing for photography newbies to get to know how the relationship between exposure, shutter speed, aperture and ISO effects each other. Along with the four sliders there are also on screen buttons that enable you to change the following settings with a few taps of the screen: white balance, picture wizard, metering, autofocus, focus area, drive mode and flash synchronisation. The on-screen control panel gives you instant access to the camera’s most common settings which makes the camera a breeze to use.

Samsung NX300 on screen control panel

Samsung NX300 on screen control panel.
The four sliders at the top can be swiped and other settings can be changed with a few taps on the screen.

Shutter speed and super fast drive modes

The thing that Samsung is really pushing with the NX300 is speed. The camera’s top shutter speed is 1/6000 sec. I believe most other cameras in its class can only shoot up to 1/4000 sec and the highest end professional cameras like the Nikon D3X and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III shoot at 1/8000 sec, so all in all it’s pretty damn fast. It’s not just the shutter speed that is fast on this camera. The amount of continuous shooting modes it has is ridiculous. There are two Continuous shooting modes: Normal and High which allow you to shot 5 frames per second and 8.6 per second, if you have a memory card that is fast enough it can shoot at those frame rates in RAW. The only slightly annoying is that if you are in a continuous mode and you lightly press the shutter button, the camera will always take two pictures. If 8.6 frames per second is not fast enough why not take it up a notch to 30fps with burst mode, which allows you to shot images 5 megapixel jpgs at 30, 15 or 10 frames a second. Images shot in burst mode are good enough for 9” x 6” prints and things you might want to do with images on the web. When browsing images on the camera images shot in Continuous and Burst modes are shown in folders so you don’t have scroll though ten images of the same thing to get to next subject which is handy.

Samsung NX Continuous High mode animation

This set of images was shot using the Continuous High mode (8.6 frames a second), this animation is played back roughly in real time.

Goodwood horse racing

This image was captured with Continuous High mode as was picked out of the shots in the animation above.

Focusing

The NX300 has a multitude of different focusing modes; from face detection, tracking for moving subjects and focus peaking to help with manual focus. My favorite focusing feature is touch AF – simply touch the screen where you want it to be focus and the camera snaps into focus with no messing around with focus points. There is also a one touch shot option where you tap the screen on your subject and as soon as the camera has achieved focus the picture is taken.

Miniature sailing

Focusing on what you want is dead easy, just tap the on the screen what you would like to be in focus.

i Function lens button

The i-Function lens button is quick access to commonly changed settings. Simply press the i-Function and you gain control of the Shutter Speed / Aperture (depending what mode you are in). Press it multiple times and you can change:  exposure composition, ISO, White Balance and zoom. Once you have selected what you want to control, the focusing ring is used to adjust the setting. Basically you can control key functionality of the camera from the lens with one button on the focusing ring. i-Function is definitely of the most innovative features of the camera in my view.

Arc de Triomphe, Paris during the golden hour

Taken by placing the camera on the ground and suing the flip out screen to compose the shot.

Sharing with e-mail Facebook and with other devices via WiFi

The other thing that this camera is really speedy with is sharing images. There is a WiFi option on the dial and from there you can (if you connected to a WiFi network) email photos directly from the camera, post to Facebook, Picasa, YouTube and SkyDrive (what ever that is). They really need to add Flickr, Twitter and Dropbox to the list, that said it’s not really problem because you can actually transfer images from NX300 directly to iOS or Android device. You need an app on iOS/Android device to do it but once set up it’s a breeze to get an image off the camera and onto the wider internet. I managed to set it up pretty quickly with a stinking hangover on a bus, so I assure you it’s pretty simple. Since having the NX300, all my Instagram photos have come from this camera. I know there are some Instagram purists out there who will say it’s cheating but it does not feel like it because you are still posting the images in the moment so I feel I am retaining the feeling of Instagram spontaneity, that’s what I think anyway.

My Instagram account is dominated by images taken with the Samsung NX300 now!

My Instagram account is dominated by images taken with the Samsung NX300 now!

Included software Adobe Lightroom 4!

This is a real killer feature for me, instead of the usual branded photo management software that comes with a cameras you get a copy of Adobe Lightroom 4 for Mac or PC worth £90. Anyone who has read my blog before knows that I am a bit of Lightroom evangelist. I rarely use photoshop anymore most of my image editing is done in Lightroom and I tell anyone who comes on one of my photography courses to buy it. It has to be noted that last week Adobe released Lightroom 5, but I still think bundling an old version is still kick ass!

Image from a sequence taken on with continuous mode.

Image from a sequence taken on with continuous mode.

Flash

The NX300 does not have a built in flash but there is one included in the box. It’s quite simple to use all you have to do is put it in the hot shoe and when you want to use it flip it up, if you don’t want to use it, flip it down and won’t fire.

Samsung NX300 Flash is turned off simply by flipping it up and down

Samsung NX300 Flash is turned off simply by flipping it up and down

3D and other features I did not even touch on

Although this camera dose not have a 3D screen you can shot 3D images with samsung 3D lenses then output them to a 3D Tv via HDMI. I saw this working at it was quite impressive. I never usually mention manuals in reviews, but I was impressed by the NX300‘s manual as the first 30 pages are about the basics of photography like Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, Depth of field, Composition. Hats off to Samsung for that as people are always telling how confusing they find camera manuals.

Dave and Gar Fish

I have found the standard 20-50mm Kit Lens that comes with camera suitable for most situations.

Wish list

One of the things I think this camera could do with is a time lapse mode. This could be done with a firmware update. Also it’s not a big deal but being able to update firmware over WiFi would be awesome. That said it took iOS a few years before it could update over WiFi. Oh and don’t forget the Flickr and Drop box WiFi uploads. Apart from that we are all good.

To sum up

You can get you self the NX300 for £510 form amazon.co.uk (UK) or $569.22 from amazon.com (US). It’s been a long time since I have used a digital camera that’s brought so many new features to the fore, namely WiFi sharing and ease of use via i-Function. If you are in the market for getting a camera that’s a little step up from a point and shoot, then I would seriously consider this NX300. It sells for £500 with the 20mm – 50mm lens but when think about the inclusion of  Lightroom 4 it’s really just £420. Also if you DSLR shooter and want a camera that is portable as a second camera, the NX300 definitely gets a thumbs up from me. If you simply want to up your Instagram game but retain spontaneity this is also the camera for you.

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104 Responses to Samsung NX300 hands on review

  1. Kate Andrews says:

    Great review, Kev – I’m really thinking seriously about getting this one. One question – Do you need to be connected to a Wifi network to transfer images directly to an iOS device?

    • lomokev says:

      No, when you turn the camera to WiFi mode it crates it’s own network that your phone joins. The you fire up the app on the phone and you ready to copy to your device.

  2. Many thanks for the review on this

  3. Anita says:

    I’ve got one and I love it! It’s definately worth investing in! I take it everywhere with me now lol

  4. Paul says:

    Nice review, I have short listed this nx300 and the Sony nex5r but am torn between the 2. I love the sony’s look size shape and feel in my hand plus it seemed to shoot pictures faster in the shop. (Neither cameras had a memory card installed so limited to 1 shot). Plus the standard lense seemed slightly better. But it seems in the reviews that the Samsung is easier to use, connect to wifi/devices and share pictures etc and better automatic focus etc, also the Lightroom software is appealing.
    I shoot a fair amount of pictures in ambient light but also need the camera to take pictures fast so i dont keep missing the moment.

    Which would you think would suit my needs best.

    Cheers Paul

    • lomokev says:

      I have never laid hands on the NEX 5R so can’t really say. Lightroom would definitely swing it for me though. Don’t know how fast the NEX 5R is but NX300 dose 8 frames a second at full res, in a real world scenario are gonna need faster that? As i said I have not used the NEX 5R but I reckon that the NX300 is a better looking camera (that might not important to you). Hope that helps?

    • alterstill says:

      Sony NEX is much, much better proposition, even the cheapest 3N. Samsung has literally 4 lenses available and there is no wide angle option at all. NX300 is ridiculously priced at £600 for body only. You can get Sony Nex 6 with excellent built in viewfinder and power zoom kit lens, or even better 2 Sigma lenses (19 & 30mm) for similar sort of money. If you don’t like Sony, Fuji X-E1 is also a lot better and has EVF build in.
      In bright sunlight camera without a viewfinder is near useless.
      BTW I found iFunction to be nothing more than a gimmick, especially when you consider that it is not available on all Samsung lenses.
      Hope that helps.

      http://alterstill.com

    • lomokev says:

      @alterstill I find the iFunction very useful especially with exposure composition, I used it while shooting a back lit portrait this weekend.

      I was at Samsung press event a few months ago, they where showing off a cabinet full of lenses, they definitely off more that 4, just checked and there is at least 13 lenses on the Samsung site.

    • alterstill says:

      @lolokev Samsung can list whatever they want but the truth is these lenses are not available anywhere in UK. Amazon lists 3 lenses: pancakes 20 & 30 mm and zoom 50-200mm. Please check http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk You will see real number of available Samsung lenses there. I like Samsung products in general. I type this post from Galaxy Note 2 but unfortunately they are far behind the completion when I comes to photo gear. No wonder considering their limited experience.
      http://alterstill.com

    • lomokev says:

      I just quickly checked amazon and there are 5 available, 6 if you include the kit lens that comes with the camera. That’s 3 zooms and 3 primes, there are definitely more on the way. The current selection would keep most photographers happy I don’t really see it as an issue. Between me and my wife we have four lenses for the EOS system and that is something I have been using since 1996.

    • SizZLeR says:

      From other reviews ive read around the web, it is said that Sony and Olympus are slightly faster when it comes to autofocusing, yet they also stated, that the NX300 wasnt slow at all, but actually pretty fast.

      Ive got an NX300 myself and im very impressed with it, especially that u can shoot pics at ISO 3200 without noise.

      I did some pics at a b-day party indoors with very low lights and while everyone else had to spoil their pics by using the flash, i could still get decent ones by going at ISO 6400 and a shutter around 1/100.

      Ofc some noise went in there, but for party pics, they were still way better than flashed ones as i captured the right colors and had dropshadow aura on ppl and objects.

      The std. 20-50mm lens will do a decent DOF as well when u need it and with its ability to go all the way to f22 u can do sceneries where u dont want DOF and also u can do long exposure shots in daylight, like waterfalls without the need of an ND filter; I actually did that in Hansapark in Germany and i was able to do a few seconds exposure without overexposing the scene, it worked perfectly

      The autofocus is very fast, so far its been more than adequate for my needs and usually i just shoot continuous if i need to capture that “special moment”.

      Also, the remote viewfinder deserves some credit, because it works very well indeed, u simply wifi connect your phone (even works on Apple as well) and u have the cameras view on the screen and u can take Pictures by pressing the on screen trigger on your phone.

      One thing i can think of where ive actually needed that feature is, when u need to shoot a pic with urself included and instead of racing the cameras selftimer, u simply grab u phone and monitor the scene while u r in the frame urself, then shoot the pic when ready and if it doesnt come out right, u dont need to go to the camera and set another self timer, u just shoot another pic when ready.

    • lomokev says:

      @SizZLeR

      I have not used any of the latest Olympus Pens but the Focusing on the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and E-M5 are noticeable faster than the NX300 (Read my Olympus OM-D E-M1 review). That said they cost £200 – £700 more so it’s not really a fair comparison. I look forward to checking you the Samsung Galaxy NX as that in the same class at the Olympus EM-Ds. I have played with one Sony NEX but was impressed, bonus to have a viewfinder to!

  5. Anna says:

    thanks for the review, but i am a beginner and it will be my first camera, but want a good camera so i have less hassle and can just take good shots.. so a camera with a range of focuses, good picture quality, easy to use ect.. do you think this camera would be too high-tech for me? if so, which camera can u recommend? thanks 🙂

    • lomokev says:

      If you have the budget for this camera I would say go for it. If you are confused by how to use it you simply put into auto mode and shot away. When you get a little confident you can start using the more advanced modes. In my opinion this is one of the easiest cameras to use because most of the settings you need to get to while shooting in advanced modes are accessible through the camera’s touch screen.

    • anna says:

      Thank you 🙂

  6. alliebrock says:

    Fantastic review! Only one question that I don’t think you covered… What’s the battery life like? I shoot with a Fuji X10 (which I adore, but the battery life is abysmal). I’m looking to upgrade and have the nx300 on my shortlist.

    • lomokev says:

      It’s always quite subjective but on the first day of shooting with the NX300 I started at midday and it lasted till 6pm. This is with lots of fiddling with settings so the screen was on a lot. I shot about 1000 images (at least) in the first day (testing continuous shooting modes). I also did a lot WiFi transferring which is quite power hungry, it certainly made a dent in my iPhone’s battery. Six hours of hardcore use is not bad. Since the first day I have been using it as a normal camera day to day, I find it very good it’s not died at a critical moment yet.

  7. GR says:

    Great review! Have you tried or heard of fellow experts who tried other Samsung cameras? Is this samsung’s best?

    • lomokev says:

      I don’t think you can say one manufacture is better than another because they might have camera just round the corner that might be better than this one, also they all have the own strengths and weaknesses. I am currently testing a Olympus OM-D E-M5 which has the fasting focusing I have ever seen. Down side is that it dose not connect wirelessly to my phone for easy Instagraming + it’s twice the price of the NX-300. Best thing to do is try and look at how cameras in the same product range compare form different makers. In the hybrid range Samsung has the NX range, Sony has the NEX range, Olympus has the Pen range and Canon has the EOS M range. Using the camera comparison on dpreview.com you can quickly see how there specks stack up, this far cry from actually using the cameras, can’t beat a bricks and mortar shop for that. Follow this link to see how a Canon EOS M, Olympus PEN E-P5, Samsung NX300 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R look along side each other.

    • GR says:

      Thanks for the link! I currently own a Sony HX200V which is a great camera but I need something a bit more mobile which is the main reason I am looking to get the NX300 along with image quality of course. I have always had problems with pictures not being as vivid and bright as I would like them to be partly because I am settings-illiterate but I am slowly learning. Cost aside, what do you think of the image quality for the Olympus you’re testing in comparison with the NX300?

    • lomokev says:

      I have not even put a memory card in the Olympus yet it only arrived today so can’t really say. It’s twice the price of the NX300 so it’s not really fair to compare them. If you have a big budget you should check out the Samsung Galaxy NX it’s got a view funder and runs Android and 4G wireless connectivity, it’s not on sale yet but I did have a little go at a Samsung event it’s pretty crazy and very easy to use.

  8. march says:

    Thanks to kevin giving me alot of information of the samsung nx300… i just compare this camera with the panasonic lumix gf6… but i like this mostly… and thanks for sharing the view of point of the camera… really love the way you giving the comment and opinions…

  9. Salem says:

    The competition organised by Samsung to celebrate the launch of this camera has been won with a stolen image. The true owner is Henki24 from Deviant Art.

    • lomokev says:

      Would that of been the competition to go to Paris? If true I can’t really see what it has to do with a review of the camera it’s self. Maybe there is a better place to leave you comment?

  10. Chris says:

    Great review Kev
    Quick one about the flash, does it angle up for some bounce action?

    • lomokev says:

      No it’s either down in the off position or facing forward. You can get a bigger Samsung flash that can be angled up.

  11. ronnie hogg says:

    Fab Review > Kev
    Which stock lens would you go for the 18 – 55mm or the 20 – 50mm ??? There appear to be a few options available in the UK with 20 – 50mm lens + body being £70 cheaper than the 18 – 55mm

    • lomokev says:

      I have the 20mm – 50mm which I prefer because it’s smaller when not in use, this is big bonus if you are going to use it as you main carry around lens on the camera.

    • Ronnie Hogg says:

      Thanks for the advice Kev. £70 quid saved which I can put to one of your courses. Do you have any courses running after your October dates ??? Thanks again Ronnie.

    • lomokev says:

      I am waiting for the October course to fill up before I announce a November one. You can join my mailing list in the right had column. Look forward to potentially meeting you.

  12. jeanette says:

    Just bought this camera, I am a true novice but looking forward to learning. I bought the one with the 20-50 and am getting a free 50-200 mm lens with the current samsung promotion. Thanks for the review ….I just read the 18-55 was better somewhere else but you have put my mind at rest. I bought it as a decent camera to take photos of the kids etc as I have a million slightly crap photos from my phone which just dont cut it as shots you would want to put on the wall. Hopefully it will do the job and i will do it justice

    • lomokev says:

      Hope you enjoy it, my wife has been enjoying the NX1000 which has slightly less features than the NX300. Camera phones are great because you always have them with you but if you want to do more with images than just show them on a small screen you will have trouble. The NX300 with kit lens is small and light enough carry everywhere, my wife carries her NX1000 (same weight and size) everywhere and she as a three year old in tow. the 20-50 is great pretty much all the images in the NX 300 Flickr set where shot with that lens.

  13. Aaron says:

    I’m am planning to buy this camera, my only problem was the choice between suppliers of a 20-50 or 18-55 stock, after reading the last few comments I think the 20-50 will be fine, as I can carry it more easily, and if I need a bigger lens, I too founfd this promotion for th 50-200 lastnight. I’m also a first time buyer of a decent camera, do you think my 20-50 choice wil be a good decision based on this, over the 18-55.

    • lomokev says:

      I would definitely go for the 20-50 because of it smaller size. I was at Samsung event where most people where using the 18-55 and for some strange reason I was the only one with 20-50 and you could not see the difference between mine and there images.

  14. Aaron says:

    I must add that the retailer that supplies with the 20-50 is £70 cheaper than the ratailers I have found with the 18-55.

    • lomokev says:

      Camera pricing can get very confusing, there is an Olympus camera that is cheaper to buy with a lens that it as just the body!

  15. Aaron says:

    cheers Lomokev, Like I say, there is a promotion on wherein I will get a 50-200 zoom lense for free, two lenses will keep me sorted for some time I am sure. I have thought about this alot, cross referenced all the similar spec cameras… tommorow I’m gonna go get this one.. Cheers for your help.

  16. edison says:

    Hi may I know what the name of the app so that I can connect and send the photo to my IOS?

  17. Gabriel Yeo says:

    I’ve been using the NX300 for almost two months. I love it for its light weight with the 18-55mm lens. The menu interface is really the best! Very intuitive and the touchscreen can control every camera setting. I just wished I had the 30mm pancake lens, though, coz I like to shoot pics in the streets.

  18. Daniel says:

    I’ve owned the NX300 for about 3 months and found it to be in most ways excellent and enjoyable. Certainly the menu hierarchy is simpler than Sony’s and infinitely more understandable than Olympus’. I traded in the 20-50mm kit lens for the 30mm f2 and 50-200mm f4 and found these a very worthwhile, and still relatively compact, upgrade. The only significant downsides are the lack of an EVF (either built in or as a Samsung accessory), Samsung’s often inadequate/ineffective support (either online or via phone), and questionable warranty practices. (Specifically, because the AF-MF slide switch on my 50-200mm lens broke when I tried to change this setting, Samsung declared this “physical damage” which is not covered by their warranty. No, I’m not kidding.)
    .

    • lomokev says:

      I’m a big fan of the Olympus OM-D EM-1 and EM-5 but it has to said that they are little harder use. On the OM-D cameras it took me half and hour just to work out how to switch on the Super Control Panel that you get by simply pressing FN on the Samsung and even after that it’s not fully controllable via the touch screen like the NX-300. A broken AF-MF switch is definitely something they should cover under warranty.

  19. Graemep says:

    Has anyone actually received the free 50-200 lens.
    I have been waiting long past their due date. I got 1 email a week ago to say they are waiting for stock. No expected date. I’ve emailed a couple of times for some sort of date but not getting any response now. Getting annoyed fast. Love the camera but but not the service. Also applied for the free extended service and never heard back.

    • Graemep says:

      As luck would have it. I’ve just received an email from them promising delivery some time in the next week. Fingers crossed. Hopefully Samsung can restore my faith in them.

    • lomokev says:

      I had the same thing with a Canon cash back offer. Took a few months but that was a check, can image it’s frustrating if you wanting your lens!

    • Graemep says:

      Update – I’m still waiting for my lens! I’m off on holiday on Saturday for 6 weeks(hence why i bought this camera) and its not looking good for delivery before this. This means that it has been a couple days short of two months for them to still not have sent me a lens!!
      Annoyed is not the word I want to use. Email after email gets back apologies and false promises and even those take days to get.

  20. Timothy says:

    My girlfriend just give me the samsung nx300 for my early christmas present. Let me first say how awesome my girlfriend truly is first note. Ok so My question would be buying the adapter to be able to use canon dos ef lenses on my nx300. Im guessing this will change aperture but I would still be able to do the same as with the samsung lenses correct

    • Timothy says:

      canon eos ef

    • lomokev says:

      Lucky you, what are you gonna get your actually Christmas present? A Leica M9 perhaps?

      Until you mentioned it I did not know that such a thing existed. As far as I can see from the one that I looked at on Amazon there are no electric contacts so the aperture won’t change on the lens more would autofocus work. I would be interesting to hear how it works out.

  21. DarkAgent says:

    Is there a time-lapse function built into this camera? Is there a 3rd party remote shutter / timer to do that?

    • lomokev says:

      Unfortunately not. There is something called Trigger Trap but unfortunately it dose not work with the NX-300. I asked Trigger trap in July and if there where plans to support the NX300 and they said they are working on something.

  22. John anderson says:

    I can’t get the flash to work no matter what I do. Help!

    • lomokev says:

      Once you attach the flash you have to flip it up so the the flash is a 45 degree angle to turn it on (sorry if that sounds obvious). Press the DISP button until you get a column of icons on the right hand side of the screen. The 3rd icon under the battery indicator should be a flash icon, if the flash is not attached or off it will be a lighting stick with line through it. Once you attach the flash and flip it up it should turn into a Lighting bolt with an “F” next to it. If it’s not press the FN button then bottom right icon to change the flash mode.

      Sorry for taking ages to reply but I now using the Galaxy NX so my NX300 is at home but the flash as was at the office which means I was not in a position to give advice.

      Hope that helps.

    • Nsantos says:

      If you have, or know someone who has a flash from any other brand, test it on your Samsung NX300 with the flash set in manual mode. Any manufacture’s flash works with the NX300 as soon as it has a standard hot shoe mount. If that flash doesn’t work either, then return the camera cause it might be the hot shoe.
      Something I love about this camera is that I can use my Nikon flashes AND also use it with my Phottix remote flash triggers!!!

  23. Akiva Tyler says:

    Hello, lomokev.

    What settings did you have for the horserace (continuous high mode)? I was trying the nx-300 at Best buy but I just kept getting blurry shots with the continuous high mode, continuous normal mode and burst mode. It was just somebody walking by slowly in front of the camera. All shots were blurry. I tried Shutter priority, Aperture priority…

    I hope it’s just a setting. I really like the rest of the features but I want to be able to take pics of my constantly moving son 🙂 Thanks!

    • Nsantos says:

      Im pretty sure nothing was wrong with the camera. You probably were using a slow shutter speed due to low light.

  24. Mauih says:

    I had the NX300 camera and did try to upload photos using my friend’s facebook account to test it. And now, i have a bog problem how can I delete here fb account whenever i tried to upload mine as it always her fb account that is there. Someone could please help me so I can put my fb name so i can upload my own photos using my own camera? Thanks a lot.

    • lomokev says:

      I only ever set up the email feature, I just set up the app that lets transfer to the an iOS device (works the same for Android) as then it’s really easy to post to Facebook, twitter what ever. Also your phone always have connectivity. Sorry I can’t help.

  25. Eric says:

    Just got my NX300. Like it a lot. Have a problem with flash fill in settings. Can not get it. The only options available are Off, Auto and Auto Red-Eye… How to get Fill In setting???

    • lomokev says:

      Sorry for taking ages to reply but I now using the Galaxy NX so my NX300 is at home but the flash as was at the office which means I was not in a position to give advice. Any had a little play now and if you are in A (aperture) or S (Shutter) mode this in an option for fill in. To get it up press the FN button and then bottom right icon to change the flash mode.

    • Nsantos says:

      Unfortunately I believe the flash either fires at full power or it doesn’t fire at all. I don’t think it has an auto power adjusting system. The auto will basically fire if the flash is up, and the off will not fire if the flash is up! Anyways, if you press menu, the last option in the picture menu is “flash” and it give you 3 options:
      1- “fill in” – always discharge the flash
      2- “fill in red”
      3- “1st curtain”
      4- “2nd curtain”

    • lomokev says:

      Just to be sure try and use the flash in the full auto mode.

  26. Nsantos says:

    Either you own this camera or not, I suggest everyone watches this video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bHl8YQSZIE
    This is a pro photographer making use of the NX cameras!
    Anyways, I OWN the NX300 with the 45mm 1.8 3D lens! I got this during Christmas for $650 vs the now $899. Im a wedding photographer. I shoot with Nikon DSLRs (D600 & D7000), but I wanted a small mirrorless quality camera. I was basically looking for a decent quality “toy” that wouldn’t break my budget.
    Obviously I did my research, and reality is, the camera I wanted didn’t exist, BUT, at least on paper, the NX300 was the closest to what I wanted. It just has all of those “little” features that make it stand out from the competition. For example, wifi, tilt screen, touch screen af focusing (during video too!), hybrid focus, multiple lenses, super small and light, stylish, ability to shoot 3D, APS-C sensor, 20MP, full HD with 24fps at 1920×816 (I which it was 24fps at 1080p), cool on camera editing options which is super cool if you want to share cool shots on the fly with your friends, etc! This is no doubt an awesome camera. The only thing this camera is missing to make it SUPER awesome is the lack of EVF. Since im used to shoot with DSLRs, im still getting used to not having a viewfinder.
    The Sony NEX7 was an awesome option as well, but at an higher price point, no 3D pics, lacks touch screen, AND the hot shoe is not “standard”. The Fuji X100s was another options, but it LACKS even more cool features like the touch screen, tilt screen, interchangeable lenses, its “slower”, and way more expensive. The X-E2 lacks pretty much the same things as the X100s, but at least has interchangeable lenses. The Panasonic and Olympus were just out of the question for me cause I personally still don’t trust micro four third systems.

    Im not saying that the cameras I mentioned are not good or worse than the NX300!I have NEVER played with any of those cameras. In fact, I bought the NX300 without ever touching one! It was all based on specs! All im saying is that based on the cameras specifications and price, the NX300 was the camera that I felt like it satisfied my WANTS (and notice how I specifically said WANTS, not NEEDS. That’s cause any of those cameras would probably satisfy my needs, but the NX300 definitely had cool features I WANTED!). Personally, the only thing that is missing to make its specs “perfect” is an electronic viewfinder. I never thought I would feel so much the need for a viewfinder until it got “taken away from me”. Being a DSLR shooter, im still adapting to the lack of viewfinder. I think its more of an habit than a need, although I definitely love the convenience of a viewfinder.

    As soon as I got the camera in my hands, I felt in love with it! Super small and light, stylish, easy to use, wifi was awesome, etc. I took it with me everywhere! Its just super fun to shoot with it! The “what u see is what u get” mirrorless’s property is great and just makes it fun to use! Now let me go deeper into the camera performance and point out some facts! PLEASE TAKE IN CONSIDERATION im used to shoot with a Nikon D600, so
    The image quality is good, not great in my opinion, but definitely good! NOW take in consideration im used to a Nikon D600 and great Nikon lenses, so my standards are pretty high. BUT again, the quality is definitely good! Im definitely not disappointed with the image quality. The high ISO performance is probably as good as my D7000. I would feel comfortable shooting up to 3200, but being conscious I would need to give it a little correction for color noise on LR5. Something I noticed especially on dark areas is this random white dots which I hope are not dead pixels. I definitely need to look into this with more time. The colors are pretty good and the auto white balance definitely does a great job. Also, you can tweak the white balance and colors very easily and see the change happening in front of your eyes with the awesome live screen.
    The auto focus is probably what gives me more to which for. I do love the touch screen AF, specially while shooting video. It transitions very nice and smoothly from focus area to focus area. The autofocus is acceptably fast IF you have contrast on the focus area, otherwise it just hunts for focus for hours! If you use the center of the screen to focus, you shouldn’t have too many issues, but keep in mind, you definitely need contrast to focus. The AF continuous mode/focus tracking can be a little aggravating sometimes! Once it loses track of the subject, you better touch the screen and tell the camera what ur subject is AGAIN! In sum, the autofocus is definitely not great according to my standards, but once you are familiar with its limitations, you can adapt and kind of dodge the issues. AGAIN, im not saying it is worse than its competitors. Im not comparing the NX300 with the other camera’s autofocus abilities. If I was to compare it with something it would be with my D7000, which I would have to admit that mirrorless in general (maybe with some exceptions) are not at the level of a DSLR when it comes to continuous focus and tracking, and focusing on low contrast areas.
    Another thing that I wish it was a little faster is the actual camera’s processor. Its definitely not a deal breaker, but I feel like it could be a little faster. Shooting JPEGS is not a problem, but when shooting continuous raw files (which take more space) it slows down the writing to the card and even the preview of the picture. I actually tend to shoot in RAW + Small JPEG. The only reason I do this I cause I send use the wifi to send JPEGS really fast just for quick sharing purposes, while I like to keep raw files for later editing on LR5. Not that it has become an issue, but I do notice a speed difference since im used to the Nikon DLSR processors. I can see it becoming an issue if the high speed continuous shooting is used a lot as the buffer might fill quick and writing time is slow.

    In sum, if your able to adapt to the limitations of this camera, I believe this can be the best deal out there. Think of how many little extras this camera offers vs its competition. AGAIN, there is no perfect camera. There is always something missing, and even if there was a “complete” camera, we would always want more. Fact is, the NX300 offers way more than others at a better price! Maybe it doesn’t have the best image, the best AF or the best lenses, when compared with fuji or sony, but definitely is great overall! I which I could compare all these cameras in the field to see if the price differences justify the potential better image quality and AF of other cameras, but I don’t own any of the other cameras.
    … The SAMSUNG NX300 definitely made me look at mirrorless differently. I can say that at this point im willing to sell all my crop sensor DSLR equipment and invest in a mirrorless APS-C system! I don’t trust the NX300 to be used professionally BUT that was definitely not the reason why I got it! Im currently “studding” the Fuji X-T1 and X-E2 as these seem to be good enough to use at weddings TO PAIR UP WITH MY D600. All cameras have their limitations, we just need to adapt and use then consciously!

    • lomokev says:

      That’s a comment and half. You wrote a 3rd less words than I did for the actual review!

      I think you are definitely right on the EVF being a habit more than a need. Since getting a Samsung Galaxy NX I find that I hardly use the EVF, the screen is so big an awesome. Only draw back with the Galaxy NX is the the screen does not tilt.

      What don’t you trust about the micro 3/4? Olympus OM-D cameras are amazing. I recently reviewed the OM-D E-M1.

    • Nsantos says:

      I really enjoyed reading your review and my way of thanking you was by contributing with my experience with the NX300.
      I have no personal experience with micro 4/3 cameras at all but im still very skeptical about their capabilities in the field in terms of high ISO performance. I just find it hard to believe that such a small sensor can handle noise well. People say they feel comfortable using them at 3200 ISO. Well, let me tell you, The max I feel comfortable on my D7000 is 1600, and on my D600 is 3200… meanwhile I see pro photographers saying they have no problem using both these cameras at like 6400. Maybe their standards are different than mine. People also say that the NX300 focus quick… and I think its autofocus is definitely not its strength. A friend of mine who uses canons for cinematography bought a panasonic GH3 to test and returned it next day cause he said it was unacceptable above 1600. I think it depends on peoples standards. I shoot weddings, so I need a responsive camera that handle iso decently. The only reason im using my D7000 at weddings is cause I got the Sigma 18-35 1.8 which allows me to keep ISO at an acceptable level.
      Maybe its not the camera’s capabilities that is the problem. Maybe it my standards that are “too high” (im not being sarcastic). Maybe im just paying too much attention to small details that clients will never look at. Maybe I should be less picky when it comes to noise.
      Im supper curious in regards to the yet to be released Fuji X-T1. If this camera is an “Olympus OM-D” with an APS-C sensor, I might just fall for it. I just hope that these mirrorless cameras are responsive enough to keep up with fast action parts of a wedding. People talk about the lag on EVF, and slower autofocus VS DSLR cameras. I heard the Olympus handles autofocus like no other… damn… youre making me want to put my hands on one!!!

    • Nsantos says:

      BTW… I completely forgot to talk about the “i Function” button on the lenses and about the flash lol
      Not gonna develop much but i want to say that the “i Function” is AWESOME! i wish my DSLRs had this!!! Its just practical. It would be even cooler if the “i Function” was fully customizable so you could attribute it any function, but i definitely appreciate what they did!
      What i love and hate about the flash. I hate the fact that it seems like the flash always discharges at full power making it useless most of the times for me. I hate that you cant turn it to the sides of even up further ( maybe that’s asking for too much)… but i love the fact that i can just completely remove it, and i LOVE that it works with my NIKON flashes (in manual mode) and even with Pocket Wizards or any other remote flash trigger system!!!

    • lomokev says:

      I don’t see Micro 3/4 being 30% smaller a problem as it means you can make the cameras smaller. It also means the sensors can be manufactured much cheaper (that’s why full frame is the price it is). You can get a proprietary Samsung flash which might meet your needs.

      Sounds like your ISO standards are a little high, was looking some test pics I took on my 5D mark iii and was really impressed by one of the images I shot at 20000 ISO. I am willing to accept a little noise if images have been shot in low light. That said I am impressed with the noise levels at high ISOs, beside no one apart from you will ever look at your images at 100%. Click on the below high ISO NX3000 examples to see them on flickr:

      2500 ISO:
      Rudimental at Goodwood

      3200 ISO:
      Where trains sleep at Clapham Junction

      5000 ISO:
      Spectators at the Paris Diamond League

    • Nsantos says:

      Micro 4/3 is half the size of a full frame 35mm sensor. I just have my doubts about the hi ISO performance of such a small sensor. Yes it does have its advantages in size, weight, price, and even larger DOF can be an advantage in some cases. I would have to try one to see.
      Youre right about the ISO standards of mine. I need to get over it. Low noise at high ISO has a lot to do with with the quality of light and exposure as well. Like, your 5000 ISO example looks way cleaner than the 3200. I don’t know how they will hold on a print, but seems like that middle picture with the train tracks has really bad color artifacts. Maybe in B&W will hold it better.
      Im really curious to see how the new Fuji will perform. Im really excited with mirrorless cameras. Hopefully I can get my hands on one 😀

    • lomokev says:

      I think the 3200 example dose not have hold up well because of the type of artificial light and the large dark areas. 3/4rds are not half the size there 30% smaller. You should check on the Olympus OM-D EM-5 and EM-1, have also heard really good things about the Olympus Pen EP-5

  27. Konstantin says:

    Thanks so much for the review.
    I purchased the camera month ago and I am really satisfied. But I actually wanted to use the video function as well. The video image quality is excellent, but I am really confused as far as the microphone is concerned. I got the impression that the audio quality is horrible. Surprisingly, the camera seems to cut out all the tones which are rather quiet. Could you test that and tell me about your experiences. I would really appreciate that.

    • lomokev says:

      Sound quality is never gonna great using a camera’s built in mic, my mega expensive 5D mark iii has appalling sound if you use the built in mic. Unfortunately there is no standard mic input on the NX300 but there is Samsung mic that plugs in via the flash port. A cheaper option is record using a standard mic to smartphone then sync the video and audio. Why don’t you send me a video clip you have made so tell if mine is the same?

  28. Ilan Feld says:

    Hi, I recently bought a NX 300 and am learning how to use it. I mostly use the auto functions as I am a relative novice but hope to start experimenting with the many functions soon (although a course would definitely help). Anyway, I also have a Samsung Smart TV and was wondering if Samsung have a built in connectivity function in the camera to allow viewing of the photos and videos directly onto the TV screen, either wirelessly with some sort of blue tooth function or with cables? Guess I should first fully read the manual but thought I would ask anyway.

    • lomokev says:

      It’s been a while since I have used it but it definitely has a Mini HDMI cable so you can plug into any HiDef TV. Not so sure about wireless, I am currently using the Samsung Galaxy NX which can take control of TV wirelessly which is pretty swish I can tell you!

  29. oscar says:

    Hi…I am a new user of nx300 and would like to ask how to remove or change facebook id from the camere after I uploaded some photos, since it is always automatically upload to the same facebook id.
    kindly please info for this matter.

    thanks

  30. Monika says:

    Hi there and thanks for all the info. Do you know if you can take pictures without the screen being on? I can not find this info anywhere. Thanks again!

  31. Brandi says:

    Hi! Hopefully you’re still checking these since you wrote the review awhile back 🙂 I am getting ready to order this camera and want to be sure that it will take photos that can be enlarged to canvas size 16×20 and up? I am not a professional photographer, just want to take photos of my life events with something other than my iphone and I also own a handmade jewelry business so am hoping to take some better quality photos of my pieces. Thank you for your help! Also, curious if there is a reason you don’t use the nx300 anymore?

    • lomokev says:

      I assume by 20×16 you mean in inches? The files that are produced by the camera are 5472 pixels by 3080 pixels if printed them at 300 dots per inch are 18.2″ by 10.2″ which is a little short what you ask for, I assume that you are will to print at a lower ppi as that will look fine on canvas. I have seen images printed at 3 feet wide from the NX300 and they look fine.

  32. Hi Lomokev. I just bought the Samsung nx300 with the 18-55 kit lens and the 50-200 lens. I wanted to ask you about prime lenses. Do you have any recommendation about a pancake lens that can be at all around for the days I don’t feel like having a bulky camera? I like to photograph people walking aw well as some portraits and landscapes. Something fast and good in low light is the best for live performances also. So my dilemma is which prime to buy, the 16mm, the 30mm, or the 45mm? Let me know what do you think. Thanks for your review!

    • lomokev says:

      I’d probably go for the 30mm. To be honest I don’t find the kit lens that bulky. My wife has the NX1000 with the same lens, so camera and body are the same size as the NX300 and she has no problems with that in her handbag.

  33. Guillermo Ortega says:

    I am visiting a country with high poverty and I don’t want to look tourist-like with a big lens so there is that about the size 🙂 I am going to be buying the 30mm. Since I have the 18-55 I think I can have a happy medium between my budget and the highly rated (but pricey) 85mm.

    I was readying your review about the Olympus OM-D E-M1′ and it looks very nice as well. I guess
    what it’s so hard about cameras is that there is always something else (new) coming 🙂

  34. yen_tt says:

    Hello! I’ve been reading your reviews, they are great! 🙂
    I have Canon 5d Mark II and use it mainly for food/ baking shots or travelling.
    However I’ve got to let the camera go for some parts have some intermittent problem (from the factory, but warranty is just up), and the service cost is crazy, and think that it’s time to change my camera.

    I really like the sharpness and color depth of DSLR like 5dm2 or 5dm3, or Nikon D800, yet,
    since change doesn’t mean an upgrade, do you think that changing to samsung NX300 would be too far different quality? I’m quite excited to have a small camera that I can actually carry around and invest more in the lenses since they are cheaper than DSLR lenses. Do you have some sample shots of Samsung NX300 for food shots? Can Samsung NX300 shoot in winter weather? I remember my 400D was wet when I brought it to Europe in winter season due to extreme temperature change from warm rooms with weather to snowy outdoor – yet the 400D survived very well. Or do you have any other CSC to recommend that’s good for food or travelling shots?

    • lomokev says:

      I only actually used the NX300 the summer months then I got the Samsung Galaxy NX which I used though the winter, a mild English winter. I did not really shot much food on it. I don’t think the NX-300 is weatherproofed, that said I used mine solidly for 6 months and it got lightly rained on in that time and was fine. If you want something that is a little hardy maybe you should look at the Olympus OM-D E-M1 which has really good weather sealing and it’s predecessor the E-M5. I reviewed the Olympus OM-D E-M1 back in Oct 2013.

  35. yen_tt says:

    Hi Kev, thank you for the reply! Oh yes I read the review – but E-M1 is bit far from the budget for now. I did bit more research and found Sony A6000, so currently comparing these 3: Samsung NX300, Sony A6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M10, have you tried the Sony? Or OM-D E-M10? Thanks Kev!

  36. Tanya says:

    A little late to the game here, I have been shooting with the lens that came with the camera with no problem. I just got the 30mm pancake and it will not focus at all. Any hints or tips? Is the lens broken? I have the latest firmware.

  37. emman says:

    Mr lomokev i have question i purchased 1 nx300, after that when i turn off the camera blinking samsung logo is showing.. Is it normal or i neds to return the item? I hope u can help me. Tnk u so much

    • lomokev says:

      That is not normal. Have you removed the battery? Have you updated to the latest firmware? If you have done both of those things you need to get in touch with Samsung’s customer support.

  38. emman says:

    Not yet update the latest firmwar, how can update the latest firmware? Do you think this is a big problem?

  39. Janik says:

    Hi, great review! I am looking at getting this camera, but I want to do a lot of long exposures at night, eg. star trails, astrophotography etc. Can this camera handle that kind of need? I have read that it only has 4min max exposure time?

    I need some advice on this subject please.

    • lomokev says:

      I don’t have the NX300 anymore but I am pretty sure it will have Bulb mode, Bulb is where you start and exposure and it will only stop when you tell it to so you can go minutes. I’ve never seen a mirror-less camera that does not have it but check for a Bulb mode before purchase. Astrophotography is where you will be high end kit, if want to capture the night sky with still stars (No trials) the NX300 won’t cut but then not a lot of cameras will. If you want star trails you should be fine although a wide lens would be good. Samsung also have an updated version this camera now the: NX300M (have not used it personally).

  40. Nadine says:

    Hi thanks for the review. I noticed when using the Light Trace and Fireworks feature that when I pressed the shutter button half way to focus the camera would move out of focus (I was at an acceptible focal distance). I also noticed that at 18mm more was in focus than with my 30mm at the same distance. Is this part of the features i.e. both are meant for longer distances from the camera or would this be an issue?

    • lomokev says:

      I’ve never used that feature so can’t comment. I tend to use cameras in the Manual, Aperture or Shutter modes. I no longer have this camera so can’t check this out. IF you know where your going to doing your light tracing maybe focus manually first that’s the only thing I can suggest.

    • Nadine says:

      Thanks. I’m used to Manual mode but am going through the camera to help others in using it and have noticed that in most reviews these features are glossed over. Thanks again.

  41. jerry says:

    i have my nx300, my problem was to connect on facebook, before i was connected and then suddenly it disconnected and cannot anymore, what do you think is the problem?

  42. jerry says:

    cannot connect rather.

  43. parminder Singh says:

    Hi,,, My camera (Samsung NX300) just started giving problems. while charging the battery just now it started giving problems. in the off mode it flashes the Samsung logo on the screen and the green light. please help me with this..

Questions or Comments?