Samsung NX100 With In-Lens Camera Controls

This week, Samsung announced a new, compact addition to their NX line of mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. The new Samsung NX100 adds to the growing list of digital SLR alternative “EVIL” (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) cameras, which also includes the Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds system, Sony’s NEX and SLT Alpha lines and Samsung’s own NX10, introduced early this year. What sets the NX100 apart, according to Samsung, is faster auto focus than the competition, a 3-inch AMOLED LCD display and most importantly, a creative new control interface located on the lens that was “designed based on intuitive consumer insights from … in-depth consumer research.”

The new Samsung NX100 is smaller than the NX10 without a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF). It seems to be designed more for casual photographers who want something more like a point-and-shoot than a digital SLR. The NX100 uses a 14.6-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and captures 720p HD video as well as still photos. The sensitivity range is ISO 100 to 3200 and can be expanded to ISO 6400. Sample photos I’ve seen online look excellent at low ISO settings and pretty good at higher ISO settings (ISO 1600). The NX100 will come in a kit with a 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 (30.8-7mm equivalent) lens equipped with the new i-Function camera control button. Describing the i-Function lens-mounted camera controls, Samsung says:

“Since a typical camera-user wraps their hand around the lens when holding the camera, the new system means that photographers can naturally use their left hand to change settings through the intuitive i-Function lens without the need to take the cameras off the target. Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO quickly and easily by simply using the i-Function button and ring on the lens, meaning easier and quicker configuration while shooting.”

Besides the 20-50mm kit lens that will be sold with the NX100, Samsung has six more i-Function NX lenses scheduled for the next year. There are four prime lenses: a 16mm, an 85mm, a 60mm macro and a 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens; and two zooms: an 18-200mm and a 16-80mm. The i-Function concept is certainly a great idea and looks like it could be a big step forward for intuitive camera controls. I wonder if it will be one of those things that all camera systems are using in a couple of years and we all wonder how we ever lived without it.

Personally, I’m interested in how the auto focus performs. Right now, slow auto focus is the Achilles heel of the EVIL camera category. I’m looking forward to the first compact mirrorless system camera with auto focus that performs like a digital SLR. Samsung claims that their NX cameras have, “one of the fastest AF on the market today.” If their auto focus really is significantly better, it could give the new NX100 a serious edge against the Sony, Olympus and Panasonic compact mirrorless cameras that are available right now.

Samsung will be showing the NX100 to the photography industry next week at the 2010 Photokina tradeshow in Cologne, Germany. As far as I know they haven’t announced a price for it yet but when they do we will post it here.