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Available in two different kit lens combinations - either with a 20-50mm or 18.55mm zoom lens - the price at the time of the Samsung NX200's launch seems reasonable, at £699 in the UK, and $899 in the US.
While by no means cheap, the cost is on a par with one of the camera's main rivals - the 12MP Olympus PEN E-P3. Meanwhile the 16MP Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 comes in over £100 cheaper, and Sony's 16MP NEX-5N and 24MP NEX-7 cost £529 and £1,128 respectively.
With the Samsung sitting pretty much in the middle of the current price range for these other compact system cameras, it's well situated to attract a wide variety of photographers and offers some features - such as its 20.3MP sensor - that trump those offered by the similarly-priced competition.
Where it falls short, however, is when it comes to the level of customisation available to users. Whereas many of the Samsung NX200's rivals offer the opportunity to assign their frequently-used functions to a range of different controls, this camera only lets you repurpose the Delete button.
This point aside, the range of controls, customisable i-Function feature on the kit lens and the new, curvaceous body shape makes shooting with the Samsung NX200 a very pleasurable experience.
We liked
The user-friendly Samsung NX200 offers some significant improvements over its predecessor, with its high resolution APS-C sensor recording bags of fine detail at low ISOs and revamped AF system offering a much slicker performance.
We disliked
The battery life isn't brilliant, lasting for around 300 shots if you minimise flash usage. There's no built-in viewfinder or option to add an external one, and overall performance becomes less impressive once the light levels start to drop.
Final verdict
We're impressed with the significantly improved AF performance of the Samsung NX200 in comparison to its predecessor. Shot-to-shot times are also noticeably quicker, and there's a discernible reduction in shutter lag too. HD movies and stills shot at full resolution are particularly impressive, boasting a superb level of sharp detail, and the revised interface means the camera handles beautifully.
It's not without its niggles, but there's plenty to like about this feature-packed camera, making the Samsung NX200 undoubtedly worth a look if you're shopping for a user-friendly CSC.
