Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the launch of the unique Samsung NX100 – an innovative mirrorless camera equipped with the world’s first i-Function lens, putting the perfect picture at the fingertips of all photographers through a completely new way of controlling your camera.
The NX100 is set to dominate the new mirrorless camera category. The innovative new product has benefited from Samsung’s expertise across multiple technology areas, meaning that the camera’s key components are 100% produced internally. This unique process has been combined with Samsung’s detailed and extensive program of consumer research, which provided valuable insights that the company’s designers and engineers have incorporated into the NX100. Finally the unparalleled product is complemented by an extensive line up of lenses and accessories which give photographers the full package to explore their creativity.
The launch of the NX100 follows the success of the NX10, Samsung’s first mirrorless camera and the first in the world to feature an APS-C size sensor, which has already changed the way millions of photographers across the globe take pictures, and raised the bar for the industry as a whole. The NX100 shares the industry leading technology of NX10, such as an APS-C size sensor for quality images and a 3 inch AMOLED screen for easy and clear viewing. However, with the NX100 Samsung takes the mirrorless camera to the next level, by incorporating the innovations of the NX10 and improving other areas of the camera’s performance and design. The body of the camera is slim, sleek and stylish, and the NX100 also features the intuitive i-Function lens which allows users to control their camera through the lens for the first time. The NX100 also boasts one of the fastest AF on the market today, which ensures that users never miss a moment, and an ISO that is raised to a maximum of 6400 for action shots.
The design of the NX100 is inspired by the simple shape of dew forming on a leaf, which can be seen on the camera’s shutter button and curved body, which comes in four different colors; black, white, brown, and silver. The lightweight, compact and modern design makes the camera extremely portable, allowing users with a creative flair to carry the NX100 with them anywhere and for any occasion. The NX100 is more than just a camera; it is both a creative tool and an artistic object that makes a bold style statement everywhere it goes.
Mr. Ram Modak, General Manager of the Digital Imaging Division of Samsung Gulf Electronics, commented: “With the new NX100, Samsung has broken new grounds and surpassed industry expectations. Our unique and pioneering i-Function Lens is one example of Samsung’s unparalleled innovation which will appeal to every photographer. ”
While conventional lenses were passive in controlling camera settings, the unique i-Function Lens is a proactive lens that communicates with the camera body. It delivers total image control with fast manual settings to ensure quick and easy image capturing, and also provides customized settings optimized for the lens being used. The lens incorporates a conveniently located i-Function button which allows users to scroll through manual settings, and a focus ring which is used to easily change parameters for each setting. This unprecedented control system is clever, intuitive and fast, meaning the perfect picture is now at everyone’s fingertips.
Because 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.
The NX100 also has a lens priority mode which makes switching between lenses to guarantee the perfect shot easier than ever. Firstly, each lens is clearly marked with icons that illustrate their main usages, so beginners can quickly understand which lens they need to select for any given scene. The lens priority mode provides scene options optimized for the lens being used – for example when a landscape lens is attached the camera will immediately display the landscape mode. Also, when users change to a specialized lens, the camera would recognize the lens type and automatically configure the settings that would best match with the attached lens. This latter feature would work with specialized Samsung lenses in the future.
The NX100’s innovations aren’t confined to the lens – the camera also provides a very creative feature called ‘Smart Filter’. In playback mode, users can apply seven different effects to the picture, such as the vignette, soft focus, fish-eye or miniature effects. The ‘Smart Filter’ provides not just high quality images, but also features that are fun to use.
The fun doesn’t stop with the still image options – the NX100 supports HD movie recording at 720P, so that memories can stay alive in its finest details. The NX100 also contains a ‘Sound Picture’ mode that can record audio when a photo is taken that enriches the experience. To ensure each image is perfect quality, even when lenses are being regularly changed, the NX100 also features a supersonic dust reduction feature to remove any foreign particles from the lens before shooting.
The NX100 will be equipped with a range of innovative lenses and accessories to further enhance the user’s experience. At launch the lens line-up includes a compact zoom 20-50mm lens to provide both high image quality and portability. A small and light 20mm wide angle Pancake lens will be introduced shortly after. Two additional specialized lenses will be available in the first half of 2011 – a 60mm Macro lens and 18-200mm Super Zoom lens. To expand the lens line-up even further, three more lenses will be introduced by the second half of 2011, including 16mm, 85mm, and 16-80mm lenses. The NX system will be further enhanced with more accessories, including an Electronic Viewfinder, Flash and GPS tracker to capture your exact geographical location.
