Samsung NX20 review

Samsung's top-end CSC gets Wi-Fi

Samsung NX20 review
The NX20 is Samsung's flagship CSC and it's the first to have an articulating screen

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Styled like a miniature DSLR, with the EVF protruding from the top of the body, the plastics used throughout the construction of the Samsung NX20's body have a rigid, high quality feel to them, while helping to keep the weight of the camera down to 341g (0.75lbs) without a battery and memory card installed.

A sculpted finger grip provides an excellent hold over the camera, thanks to the rubberised areas on the front and rear.

At 122mm (4.8 inches) wide and 40mm (1.56 inches) deep without a lens attached, the Samsung NX20 is a little large to be classed as pocketable, unless your pockets are really large, although it is almost there when paired with one of Samsung's pancake-type lenses.

Samsung NX20 review

Controls are all laid out within easy reach of finger or thumb, and a dedicated video recording button sits just above the thumb grip. Although this button is recessed slightly, it can be easily activated accidentally, resulting in recording of unwanted video clips of the floor, or the inside of a bag or pocket.

A knurled dial on the top provides access to various exposure programs and a dedicated video recording mode. Each turn of this dial is accompanied with an animated sequence on the screen, or in the viewfinder. Although this looks nice, it can struggle to keep up with the turning of the dial, adding a little lag between changing modes.

Samsung NX20 review

A small thumb-wheel on top of the camera and one on the rear provide great, quick access for exposure adjustments.

The screen is reversible, so it can be stowed away for protection when using the viewfinder. The eyepiece on the EVF is made from hard plastic, rather than rubber. This has the advantage of not smearing the surface of spectacles when brought to the eye.

Samsung NX20 review

A clear piece of plastic covers the viewfinder area, and is angled up slightly. In bright conditions, reflections can be seen on this plastic cover if the camera isn't completely shaded by one's eye socket, which can be an issue for glasses wearers using the EVF.

The 1300mAh Li-Ion battery provides plenty of power for a typical day's shooting. During testing it was still showing a full charge after taking 450 shots using the raw+JPEG quality setting.