Samsung has today officially unveiled its first interchangeable lens digital compact camera in the shape of the 14.6-million-pixel NX10.

UK PRICE CONFIRMED HERE

Samsung’s bid to keep the upcoming launch secret was scuppered by ‘leaked’ reports that surfaced on the internet well before Christmas.

The mirrorless NX10, due in shops in mid-January, carries an APS-C size CMOS imaging sensor and will come kitted out with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.

Samsung has told us that the NX10 will not be available body-only in the UK.

The firm has also confirmed that the sensor on its first hybrid camera is the same as that featured on Samsung’s GX-20 digital SLR.

Samsung hopes to tap into what it describes as ‘unmet needs’ of compact camera and DSLR users.

Among these requirements, according to Samsung, is compact camera users’ need for high image quality, fast AF and manual control.

Samsung also sees the ‘low depth-of-field’ offered by the NX10 as a key advantage over smaller sensor compact cameras.

The 350g Samsung NX10 will aim to rival the quality of DSLRs – yet be ‘small and light’, with a VGA-resolution EVF claimed to be ‘more responsive’ than Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds cameras, for example.

The EVF offers 100% field of view and allows the photographer to see a preview of the image result, before the picture is recorded.

The NX10 is also billed as the first interchangeable lens compact with an AMOLED screen.

The 3in ‘higher contrast’ monitor is built to deliver close to a 180 degree angle of view and be viewable in ‘bright sunlight’.

Samsung claims that the screen also boasts lower power consumption and is designed to deliver up to 400 shots before battery recharging.

Also featured is a ‘Supersonic Dust Reduction’ system and dynamic range mode called Smart Range. The latter aims to capture and display bright and dark areas of the scene in the same frame.

And an HD movie option aims to deliver 720 pixels frames at 30 frames per second.

The NX10 will include HDMI output for viewing images on a TV screen, plus the ability to flick through frames using a TV remote control.

The NX10 is designed to shoot up to three frames per second at full resolution or at a maximum of 30 fps at 1.4MP.

Features include equivalent ISO sensitivity of 100-3200 and lens-shift image stabilisation.

Samsung made clear to Amateur Photographer that the NX-mount model is the first in a series of such cameras and hinted at plans to launch a higher-spec version in future.

The firm has not ruled out a ‘touch screen’ version at some future date.

By installing easy-to-use settings such as ‘scene mode’ Samsung hopes to attract consumers seeking ‘point and shoot’ as well as those after DSLR image quality.

In-camera ‘picture wizard’ can be applied to JPEG files. This allows the photographer to customise colour, saturation and contrast, for example.

To complement its new camera system Samsung has also unveiled three filters, including a neutral density filter.

Though the NX10 includes a built-in flash, there will be two optional hotshoe flash units designed for the NX10; a ‘mini’ flash and a traditional flash unit.

A Samsung spokesman told us that the GX-series flash units will not be fully compatible with the NX10.

Samsung will group lenses by their intended use, using a ‘consumer-centric’ approach. For example, a 50mmm f/1.8 lens will be described as a ‘portrait’ lens, while a 50-200mm zoom will be termed an ‘Action’ lens.

Samsung also plans to launch a 30mm f/2 pancake lens and a 50-200mm f/4-5.6 zoom.

A K-mount lens adapter will be available at launch but this will not allow AF control via the lens. The adapter features an aperture control ring.

The camera measures 123x87x39mm

The NX10 will be available in a choice of black or silver.

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