Samsung NX300 review – LCD, viewfinder and video
The NX300’s rear LCD screen can tilt up approximately 90° and down 45°, whereas the screen in the NX210 is fixed. The display of the new screen is physically larger, too, at a class-leading 3.3in and with an improved 768,000-dot resolution. Being an AMOLED type, the screen has a bright, crisp display for a camera at this level. The clarity of display is hindered somewhat by reflections, and it is not quite as bright and colourful as the screen in, for example, the Nikon D7100, but it is crisp nonetheless and notably brighter than its predecessor.
More significant is the fact that the AMOLED screen is a capacitive touch type. I would expect a touchscreen from Samsung to work very well given the company’s strong smartphone line-up, and I am not disappointed. Being able to release the shutter, and focus, navigate menus and view images via touch, speeds up the camera’s handling. All in all, the screen is a significant improvement over its predecessor.
As the company’s more compact CSC, the NX300 does not include a viewfinder, or an accessory port in which to theoretically attach an electronic one. Despite its diminutive size, I did still occasionally find myself lifting the camera to my eye by mistake, only to be blinded by the rear screen! Most other competing models of a similar size at least offer an accessory port and optional EVF, as did the Samsung NX100, so perhaps the company will develop a new EVF unit and reintroduce the accessory port next time round.
A dedicated button to record video files is conveniently placed next on the thumb grip. Full HD 1080p videos can be captured at 60fps, 30fps and 24fps at 1920×810-pixel resolution, with stereo sound.
