Latest digital camera reviews / previews

Samsung NX10 Review March 2010
by Richard Butler and Simon Joinson (lens section by Andy Westlake)

Review based on a production Samsung NX10 with firmware v1.05

In the process of re-checking the behavior of the pre-production K-mount adapter used in this review, we found the focus of the main test shot could be improved (as a result of the difficulty of assessing manual focus). This improved shot has now been added and the conclusions adjusted accordingly.

The idea of a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera had been circulating for many years before Panasonic and Olympus announced the Micro Four Thirds camera system in August 2008, so it's not surprising that they didn't have the market to themselves for very long. Back when there was still only one Micro Four Thirds camera on the market, electronics giant Samsung showed a prototype of what was to be the first mirrorless interchangeable camera with an APS-C sized sensor. Ten months later that prototype has evolved into a finished product in the form of the NX10.

While other large manufacturers are starting to talk about launching mirrorless systems, Samsung has become the third manufacturer to actually to turn talk into tangible product. However, while Samsung is only the third party to enter the fray, enough time has passed for the other mirrorless makers to have moved on to their second-generation of cameras, including the newly-launched Panasonic G2 and G10. Between them these two cameras (which like the NX take many of their styling ideas from DSLR designs) are likely to make life pretty difficult for the Samsung. The G10 doesn't match the NX's spec but is aggressively priced while the G2 offers smarter video compression and touch-screen cleverness, which will be attractive to some. And they have the advantage of being second-generation products, with the enhanced level of refinement that this tends to bring.

The big distinction is that Samsung has decided to use the larger APS-C sensor of the type that is the de facto standard size in DSLRs. This offers the potential of good low-light performance (its sensor has a 50% greater surface area than those used in Micro Four Thirds and that means more light for any given exposure) but the lenses are not likely to be smaller than those used on DSLRs.

The NX10's closest competitor is the Panasonic G2 - both are 'SLR style' models with built-in viewfinders and proper external controls. Despite a slightly longer flange-back distance (25.5mm vs 20mm) the NX10 is a considerably more slimline affair. It has a smaller, lower-res viewfinder but offers a larger, higher resolution OLED display, rather than the G2's touch-sensitive, articulated LCD.

Samsung NX10 Key Features

• 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor (presumed to be close relation to Pentax K7 sensor)
• 14.6 million effective pixels
• New Samsung NX mount (25.5mm flange-back distance)
• 720p movie capture (H.264, 30 fps)
• Contrast-detect autofocus
• 3.0" AMOLED screen (614,000 dots, PenTile RGB array)
• 921k dot Electronic Viewfinder
• 30mm F2 pancake and 18-55mm standard zoom options

Samsung is a global electronics giant, able to draw on resources (and in-house technologies) most camera manufacturers can only dream of. And as one of the newer players in the camera market and crucially one of those without the burden (or blessing, depending on your point of view) of a legacy 35mm system to support, it's hardly surprising that Samsung is one of the pioneers of this new hybrid camera category.
Despite doing pretty well at grabbing a decent share of the compact camera market (mainly, it must be said, by undercutting its Japanese competitors) Samsung has struggled to gain any traction from its partnership with Pentax, which has seen it co-developing sensors (including the one inside the NX10) and slapping its logo on Pentax SLRs. At this year's PMA, Samsung told us that although relationship with Pentax remains one of 'close co-operation', the NX10 has been developed entirely in-house, independently of Pentax (or any other partner: Samsung claims the NX is 100% Samsung).

The current pin-ups of the Micro Four Thirds crowd, the Olympus PEN series, created the biggest buzz of 2009 thanks to their unique retro styling (and by the mere fact that the PEN E-P1 was the first rangefinder style mirrorless interchangeable camera). Looked at from above you can see that the NX10 is considerably bulkier, but crucially (for future development) the body itself (forgetting the protruding bits) isn't a lot thicker - the flange-back distance is only 5mm more. The larger sensor doesn't by necessity mean larger cameras (the NX10 is smaller than the Panasonic G1), but - as you can see above - it does make for slightly larger lenses.

As 2010 gets underway, Olympus and Panasonic no longer have the mirrorless interchangeable lens market to themselves. As well as the Samsung NX10, Sony recently announced (at this year's PMA show in Anaheim) its intention to create a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera as well. The forthcoming Sony offering, like the NX10, will feature an APS-C sensor too. How the market evolves remains to be seen, but for now, it's all very exciting.

The NX System

Samsung describes NX as a 'hybrid' system (there's still no consensus on nomenclature for this new category of camera) that (to quote the original press release) offers "the performance and image quality of a DSLR and the portability and convenience of a compact point-and-shoot". So far, so Micro Four Thirds with a bigger sensor.

As with Micro Four Thirds the key to NX is that it allows the cameras to be slimmer by removing the mirror box and optical viewfinder and replacing them with an all-live view system (using the sensor itself to display a preview image on the screen or electronic viewfinder). The flange-back (lens mount to sensor) distance is reduced by around 40% to 25.5mm, the lens mount itself is shrunk and the net result is a camera with an SLR-sized sensor and interchangeable lenses, but in a considerably smaller package.

For Samsung, a company with little experience in optics but an awful lot of experience in solid-state electronics it's also a way to make a system camera that contains little, if any legacy technology and very few moving parts. Digital SLRs use a sometimes awkward pairing of cutting edge electronics and decades-old mechanical systems harking back to the days of film, whereas these new 'hybrid' system cameras are designed and built from the bottom up as purely digital devices. It's our understanding that they're also a lot cheaper for a company like Samsung and Panasonic to make than anything requiring a precision engineered fast-moving mirror and reflex viewfinder.

At present, the NX system is fairly small, but five more lenses are on the way, including a 20mm pancake, a 60mm macro, and a new 18-200mm 'superzoom'. For now though, the NX system comprises the following:

• NX10 body
• Three lenses (30mm, 18-55mm, and 50-200mm)
• Dedicated flashguns (SEF20A or SEF42A)
• Various cases, straps and cables

Foreword / notes

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read some of our Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / recommendation / ratings are based on the opinion of the author, we recommend that you read the entire review before making any decision. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of them, click to display a larger image in a new window.
To navigate this article simply use the next / previous page buttons or jump to a specific page by using the drop-down list in the navigation bar at the top of the page. You can support this site by ordering through the affiliate links shown at the bottom of each page (where available).
This article is protected by Copyright and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
Dpreview use calibrated monitors at the PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally also A, B and C.

Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i / Kiss X4 Digital) In-depth review
April 2010, Barnaby Britton and Simon Joinson

Review based on a production Canon EOS 550D, firmware version 1.0.6

The Canon EOS 550D is a difficult product to categorize. Ostensibly designed to appeal to first-time DSLR buyers and enthusiasts, it offers a lot more technology, and at a higher price, than we might expect for a camera aimed squarely at this sector. Although it might seem logical for the 550D to replace the EOS 500D, the older camera is set to continue in Canon's lineup, which leaves the 550D pinched between its entry-level (represented by the still-current EOS 1000D and the 500D) and nominally enthusiast (the EOS 50D) peers. Confusingly however, apart from build quality (which is all but identical to the EOS 500D), the 550D has more in common with the prosumer EOS 7D, and - perhaps even more confusingly - it out-specifies the EOS 50D in many areas.

Central to the impressive specification of the EOS 550D is a high-spec movie mode which offers full HD capture at up to 30 fps, manual control over exposure, and the option to use an external stereo microphone. The new camera also inherits the EOS 7D's sophisticated metering system (which brings it a lot closer to similarly positioned Nikon SLRs).

So why has Canon apparently risked cannibalizing 7D sales by releasing such a similarly-specced, lower-end model? Well, Canon might have invented the 'entry-level' DSLR way back in 2003 with the attractively priced (for the time) EOS 300D, but these days, this sector of the marketplace is pretty crowded. Far from enjoying a monopoly, Canon, like all manufacturers, faces a stiff battle to make its products stand out amongst their numerous peers. To this end, Canon has pulled out all the stops with the EOS 550D and produced the most highly-specced Rebel we've ever seen. Now that a production sample has arrived in dpreview's offices, we've had the chance to subject it to our full in-depth test procedure. Read on to find out how it performs.

A brief history; Canon entry level digital SLR series

• 20/08/03: Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel (6 mp)
• 17/02/05: Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT (8 mp)
• 24/08/06: Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi (10 mp)
• 24/01/08: Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi (12 mp)
• 10/06/08: Canon EOS 1000D / Digital Rebel XS (10 mp)*
• 25/03/09: Canon EOS 500D / Digital Rebel T1i (15.1 mp)
• 08/02/10: Canon EOS 550D / Rebel T2i (18 mp)

* The Canon EOS 1000D represents a sub-class of the Rebel series and hence should be considered a parallel series.

Headline features

• 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
• Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
• Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
• 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
• iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
• Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
• Exposure compensation +/-5 stops (although viewfinder scale is still +/-2 stops)
• Select maximum value for Auto ISO
• External Microphone socket
• Movie crop function
• Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility

EOS 550D vs EOS 500D Key differences

• Higher resolution 18MP CMOS with gapless micro lenses
• ISO 6400 no longer in 'expanded' range (12,800 max remains the same)
• Redesigned buttons and new movie/live view button
• Customizable auto ISO ranges
• Improved 63 zone metering (iFCL)
• 3:2 format screen with more pixels
• Improved movie functionality
• Slightly higher burst shooting rate (though buffer holds fewer shots)
• HDMI control (CEC)
• SDHX Compatible

Technology in Detail/What's New

18.7 megapixel CMOS sensor The 550D uses a new, 18.7 (total) megapixel sensor that's similar, but not exactly the same as the one featured in the 7D (according to our sources at Canon). As before the sensor uses high frequency vibrations to remove dust.
Gapless micro lenses First touted by Canon on the 50D, the EOS 550D's sensor has what are effectively gapless micro lenses, which significantly increases the efficiency of each pixel.
63-point iFCL metering The consumer EOS range gets a welcome metering boost with a new 63-zone dual layer iFCL metering sensor (first seen on the EOS 7D). The iFCL system uses focus, color and luminance information to determine consistently exposed shots. All focus points provide distance information to the metering system to determine proximity to the subject and allow the algorithm to weight the exposure accordingly.	Typically, metering sensors are more sensitive to red subjects which can lead to overexposure. The EOS 550D combats this with the dual layer sensor, which has one layer sensitive to red and green light and one that is sensitive to blue and green light. The metering algorithm then compares the level of the two layers and adjusts the meter reading accordingly.
Full HD movie mode In keeping with the overall specification hike the EOS 550D gets full HD (1920 x 1080) movie capture at a range of frame rates (30, 25 and 20), bringing it in line with the EOS 7D. You also get full creative control (over apertures and shutter speeds), and you can set Highlight Tone Priority for movies independently of the setting used for stills. Another welcome addition is the inclusion of a stereo microphone jack.
Screen Color There are several minor changes to the user interface. You can now preview the color schemes available for the Quick Control Screen.	Copyright information The new in-camera copyright information feature - another that's trickled down from the latest professional models - allows copyright data to be entered directly into the camera, appending that information to each image file in the Exif metadata.
Button changes The EOS 550D gains new button dedicated to Live View / movie mode; where it used to sit on the EOS 500D is now a new 'Q' button (for fast access to the Quick Control Screen). Most of the buttons have been redesigned, and they're generally larger and flatter.

Foreword / notes

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read some of our Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / recommendation / ratings are based on the opinion of the author, we recommend that you read the entire review before making any decision. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of them, click to display a larger image in a new window.
To navigate this article simply use the next / previous page buttons or jump to a specific page by using the drop-down list in the navigation bar at the top of the page. You can support this site by ordering through the affiliate links shown at the bottom of each page (where available).
This article is protected by Copyright and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
Dpreview use calibrated monitors at the PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally also A, B and C.

Pentax K-x Review, December 2009
by Lars Rehm

Review based on a production Pentax K-x, firmware V1.01

The Pentax K-x sits in the slot previously occupied by the company's K200D - one of the best-specified entry-level DSLRs on the market in its time - though that position has now been elevated by the arrival of a new breed of simplified models below it. In Pentax's line-up that means the K2000/K-m designed to entice compact camera users into DSLR ownership with its easy-to-use interface and diminutive scale, and it's that camera the K-x is immediately reminiscent of (they share the same body).
Despite its compact size and use of AA batteries, there is more than a hint of the K-7 about the new model's specifications. It gains the K-7's 11-point AF system and PRIME II imaging engine, along with its abilities to correct for chromatic aberration and distortion when using Pentax DA and DFA lenses. It also features an orientation sensor.
While, unlike the K-m, on the K-x you can now at least select the active AF-point, it's still not displayed in the viewfinder. However, despite of all the shared features with the K2000/K-m and K-7 there is still plenty new about the K-x.
The camera is based around a 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor with onboard A/D conversion (a system often associated with Sony), with output fast enough not only for the camera to shoot at 4.7 frames per second, but also for capturing 24 frames of 720p HD video per second. Along with the sensor come higher ISOs - now up to 6400, expandable to 12800. Plus there's a revised version of the K-m's shutter mechanism to allow the high continuous shooting speed, which ups the maximum shutter speed to 1/6000 sec. The camera also features a new 'cross-processing' mode on top of an already impressive range of filters and processing options.

Pentax K-x Key Features

• 12.4 megapixel APS-C-format CMOS sensor (total pixels: 12.9 million)
• PRIME II imaging engine
• 1/6000th maximum shutter speed
• 720p HD video (24 fps)
• 2.7" LCD monitor (230,000 dots)
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• 11 selectable AF points
• IS0 200-6400 range (100-12,800 when expanded)
• 4.7 frames per second continuous shooting (for 17 frames)
  

How the Pentax DSLRs compare:

	K-7	K-x	K-m
Image sensor	14.6Mp CMOS	12.4Mp CMOS	10.2Mp CCD
Imaging engine	Prime II	Prime II	Prime
Sensitivity	100-3200 (6400 with expansion)	200-6400 (100 and 12,800 with expansion)	100-3200
Continuous shooting speed	5.2fps (40 frames)	4.7fps (17 frames)	3.5fps (5 frames)
AF	SAFOX VIII+ with superimposed points 11-points (selectable) AF-assist lamp	SAFOX VIII 11-points (selectable)	SAFOX VIII 5-points
AE	77-segment	16-segment	16-segment
Viewfinder	Pentaprism Coverage: 100% Magnification: 0.95	Pentamirror Coverage: 96% Magnification: 0.85	Pentamirror Coverage: 96% Magnification: 0.85
Movies	1024p 30fps	720p 24fps	No
Microphone	Mono internal or stereo external	Mono internal	No
HDMI output	Yes	No	No
Lens correction	Yes	Yes	No
HDR mode	Yes	Yes	No
Multiple exposure	Yes	Yes	No
Orientation sensor	Yes	Yes	No
Slow-sync flash	Yes	Yes	No
Weight	670g	515g	525g
Cold resistant to -10deg	Yes	No	No
Weather resistant	Yes	No	No

Foreword / notes

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read some of our Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / recommendation / ratings are based on the opinion of the author, we recommend that you read the entire review before making any decision. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of them, click to display a larger image in a new window.
To navigate this article simply use the next / previous page buttons or jump to a specific page by using the drop-down list in the navigation bar at the top of the page. You can support this site by ordering through the affiliate links shown at the bottom of each page (where available).
This article is protected by Copyright and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
Dpreview use calibrated monitors at the PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally also A, B and C.