We previously published a Samsung NX1 review, dedicated to the performance as a photo camera, whereby the NX1, compared with the competition—including cameras with a full-frame sensor—scored higher with an exceptionally high resolution and a high dynamic range. At the same time, the Samsung NX1 is a compact system camera that, together with the Panasonic GH4 and the Sony A7s, is among the most advanced—and most affordable—video cameras. It is a camera that not only distinguishes itself in video image quality, but in the many user options as well. For many SLR and compact system cameras—to the great frustration of semi-professional videographers—the options for adjusting the camera settings while recording are limited. |
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For an amateur film-maker, who just wants to let the camera do all the work, then, for example, automatic adjustment of the ISO while filming is indispensable. For beautiful, flowing movements, you fix the shutter speed to 1/50 of a second. And if you want to play with the focal depth, then you set it to a steady f/2.8. In order to then get a well-exposed shot, the ISO should be able to be varied during recording, so that under changing light conditions, you still get well-exposed recordings. |
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Why do many videographers use an ND filter? Many videographers like to play with focal depth. For beautiful, smooth images, fix the shutter time to 1/50. With sunny weather, sometimes f/22 and 1/50 at 100 ISO is not sufficient to prevent an over-exposed shot. By using a neutral gray filter, it becomes possible to make a well-exposed video at f/2.8, 1/50 and 100 ISO. |
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Video: Why a Samsung NX1? |
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Samsung NX1 firmware 1.21 |
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Previously, firmware was only intended for the repairing of—usually—small flaws in the function of a camera. If you wanted to have more functions, then you had to buy a newer camera. Today, firmware is much more than that. Ever-more camera manufacturers are listening to the users’ experiences from consumers and professionals. Requests, improvements and functional expansions of a camera become possible with free updates of the camera firmware. Samsung picks up the feedback from the customers and delivers fast and comprehensive firmware updates. The image quality of the Samsung NX1 video is highly valued, but in comparison with the Panasonic GH4, experienced videographers were missing various features, that with firmware 1.2 (for this test, we used version 1.21) are also available on the Samsung NX1. Supplemental users’ requests, features for video that you don’t find on the Panasonic GH4, were honored:
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Samsung NX1 with Atomos Shogun |
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Professional videographers like to make use of an external recorder and/or a larger external screen. We tested the sum by making 4K recordings with the Samsung NX1 and an Atomos Shogun. I did find some points for improvement in the communication between the two devices. When I first linked the Atomos Shogun to the Samsung NX1, the option for a clean HDMI signal out was not available (grayed out) in the camera menu. I disconnected the Shogun from the camera, and then these options were available. First choose the camera-out options, and then link the Shogun to the camera. You’re a bit baffled by it the first time, but you get used to it. With the use of an external recorder/monitor, the Samsung NX1 can also run a timecode. This is really a feature for the professional. Many professionals use the time setting in order to distinguish images made simultaneously with different cameras from each other: camera 1 starts counting at 01:00:00 and camera 2 starts at 02:00:00. Thanks to the firmware 1.2, this is now also possible with the Samsung NX1. With use of the Atomos Shogun, you first of all have the (temporary) advantage that the Atomos recorder stores the videos in the H264 codec, so that you do not have to apply any transcoding from H265 to H264. That H264 files are much larger than the H265 files that you get when you store the video recordings in the camera is no problem for the Atomos Shogun, which makes use of HDD. An additional advantage of the use of an external recorder in combination with the Samsung NX1 is that the Atomos stores video recordings in 4:2:2 (8 bit), while the recordings on an SD card in the camera will be stored in 4:2:0. (The difference between 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 is explained in our Atomos Shogun review). Just as with the Panasonic GH4, I thought the 4:2:0 image quality of the Samsung NX1 to be so high that I would rather leave behind the extra load of an external recorder and just save the recordings in the camera on the SD card. |
Conclusion Samsung NX1 video practical review |
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Pros
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Cons
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Faithful readers of CameraStuffReview know that I am no professional videographer. Therefore, I’m still cautious in publishing measurement results of video recordings, and I selected a quote from Andrew Reid for the conclusion. First, build up a database and gain more practical experience. Even so, the first outlines are clearly starting to form, whereby I’m very enthusiastic about the options and price-to-quality ratio of the Panasonic GH4 and the Samsung NX1. The first seems obvious, since this camera is a kind of benchmark for many periodicals when it comes to video with system cameras or SLR cameras. Last year, the Panasonic GH4, in particular due to the unmatched options with video, won a GoodStuff Award from us as the best professional system camera in 2014. Firmware update 1.2 of the Samsung NX1 has turned the tide: if I had to choose right now, then the Samsung NX1 would beat the Panasonic GH4. And with that, all the other cameras that we have reviewed. |