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The Galaxy NX was a camera that we want to like, but unfortunately when it first went on sale it seemed like it was just not quite finished. However, now that a new firmware update has been issued, it's a much, much more appealing prospect.
There's still a few quirks you'll need to get past, and if you can you've then got the huge asking price for the camera. For the same price, you can get some seriously impressive kit from other brands, so while it was initially almost impossible to recommend this camera to anyone, it's now recommendable to those who are in the market for something a bit different. It will be a interesting decision to make, and ultimately it will be interesting to see whether Android is an appealing enough factor to justify a high asking price for consumers.
Samsung's NX sensor is once again capable of producing excellent images which are finely detailed and display excellent colours. The range of NX lenses is growing, and there are some interesting prime optics available at the moment if you want to expand your range.
Including a full Android operating system on the camera is an excellent idea, in theory at least. It means that you have the instant sharing capability of your smartphone for your high quality images. The myriad of apps available to download also make it quite an attractive prospect, especially when it comes to image editing.
We liked
In theory, there's a lot to like about this camera. The huge screen makes images really shine, and makes it nice to use when working with various Android apps. Image quality is also good, when you can get the camera to work as you want it to.
We disliked
Initially there was a lot to dislike about the camera, but with a new firmware update, Samsung has managed to iron out a lot of its biggest problems. We'd still like there to be a way to change autofocus point when using the viewfinder, and of course, the high asking price is still offputting.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, despite the undoubted improvements, we're still not entirely sure who this camera is aimed at. The professional who has this kind of money to spend on gear like this may get easily frustrated by some of the handling aspects of the camera, while the beginner who is likely to be tempted by the large screen and Android operating system is unlikely to want to spend this kind of cash.
Now that Samsung has fixed a good deal of the major problems of the camera, we can recommend it if it's something you're in the market for - which admittedly is probably a niche market. It will be interesting to see if there will be even further improvement for the next generation of the Galaxy NX. Watch this space.
First reviewed 12 September 2013.
