NX mini claims to be world's slimmest interchangeable-lens camera
By Joel Shore
March 18, 2014
Samsung launched the NX mini, saying it is the
world's slimmest and lightest interchangeable-lens camera. With NFC and Wi-Fi capabilities, it
allows users to take shots that can then be shared quickly and
easily, for friends to enjoy in real time.
As the slimmest and lightest interchangeable-lens camera
on the market, (according to Samsung), the NX mini weighs just 158 grams (body only) and sporting an ultra slim
(22.5mm) design, the NX mini can easily slip into almost any pocket or bag. The camera
features a solid metal body with a leatherette finish. It's available in white, pink, mint green, brown
and black.
Reflecting this "selfie" trend, the NX mini sports a 75.2mm (3.0-inch) Flip up and Touch Display that flips 180-degrees, letting users
can frame images of themselves. With its ultra-slim 9mm
wide angle lens, the NX mini can capture group shots from an arm’s length away,
so users can easily frame themselves and be part of group memories.
Maintaining a flattering pose while also attempting to
press the shutter release button when self-shooting can be tricky. With the Wink Shot feature, whena wink is detected, the NX mini takes a shot
automatically after two seconds, without having to press any buttons.
The NX mini features a 1-inch type 20.5MP BSI CMOS sensor and shoots at 6 fps in Continuous Shot mode
allows photographers to take continuous shots, so every detail can be captured
and no moments are missed. The fast 1/16000 sec Shutter Speed freezes fast
moving scenes, allowing for the capture of motion in crisp detail, without
blurring.
Tag & Go, Tap to Share Memories
As with all of Samsung’s 2014 SMART cameras, the NX mini
features advanced Wi-Fi and NFC integration that makes it seamless to share
images. Exclusive to Samsung, Tag & Go connectivity allows the NX mini to
pair with NFC-enabled devices, such as smartphones or tablets, simply by
touching the two together. Once paired, users can:
- Select and transfer multiple images to the paired mobile devices through Mobile Link;
- Send images to up to four devices with Group Share, eliminating the time-consuming and repetitive process of sending pictures to multiple friends;
- Control the NX mini via a smartphone with Remote View Finder Pro;
- Use the camera as a Baby Monitor. When noise is detected, the paired smartphone is activated via an app, allowing parents to see if they need to attend to their child.
Additionally, extensive storage options are integrated
into the NX mini and images can be uploaded directly from the camera to the
cloud for an easy storage solution. Users can upload pictures directly
from the NX mini to Dropbox and Flickr.
Dropbox provides 2GB of free storage to new users, accessible from just about
any device and with Flickr users can upload up to a terabyte of images.
Specialized NX-M Lenses for NX mini
Samsung has introduced three NX mini lenses (NX-M) which
are optimized for use with the NX mini body, providing a variety of options to
meet individual shooting preferences.
- The NX-M 9mm F3.5 ED lens has an ultra-slim design and its wide angle makes it the ideal choice for those capturing landscapes and self-portraits. This lens also provides the optimum angle for taking selfies, ensuring the camera becomes the go-to choice for those looking to share the best of themselves.
- The NX-M 9-27mm F3.5-5.6 ED OIS lens is a micro-compact zoom lens with a stylish design and is small enough to comfortably fit in pockets and bags. This compact-sized standard zoom lens offers a variety of shooting options from wide-angle to telephoto shots, with optical image stabilization for sharp results.
- With the NX-M 17mm F1.8 OIS lens, photographers can enjoy a beautiful bokeh effect which makes the highly detailed subject stand out from the surroundings.
NX mini owners will also be able to use fifteen NX lenses
with the device by using a specialized NX-M Mount Adapter (ED-MA4NXM). These
lenses are sold separately.
Pricing and Availability
The NX Mini will be available in early April in a variety
of configurations. It will retail for $449, paired with the new 9mm NX-M lens,
or $549 when paired with the 9-27mm lens and SEF-7A flash. NX-M lenses will
also be available separately. The 9mm
and 9-27mm NX-M lenses will retail for $179 and $279, respectively. The 17mm NX-M lens will be available at a
later date.
