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Samsung NX1 Review - The glory of technology


Andrew Reid
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I had some trans-coding issues using the recommended software. There support team gave me some tests to try. It worked fine to transcode the h.265 4k footage to 1080p .mov mode but the only option for 4k was h.264 and it gave me an error. Unfortunately using a PC you cant transcode to ProRes even though Premiere uses it just fine. I can post updates but beware for those using PC's that you only have 1 4k format to pick from and h.264 is still not the greatest for editing. I really wish Atomos made a version of the Ninja Star with 4k. I'd be all over that but $2000 + drives is a bit steep for me right now just to add 4k vs having 1080p with the $300 Ninja star or the transcoding option worked with no issues for 1080p.

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I had some trans-coding issues using the recommended software. There support team gave me some tests to try. It worked fine to transcode the h.265 4k footage to 1080p .mov mode but the only option for 4k was h.264 and it gave me an error. Unfortunately using a PC you cant transcode to ProRes even though Premiere uses it just fine. I can post updates but beware for those using PC's that you only have 1 4k format to pick from and h.264 is still not the greatest for editing. I really wish Atomos made a version of the Ninja Star with 4k. I'd be all over that but $2000 + drives is a bit steep for me right now just to add 4k vs having 1080p with the $300 Ninja star or the transcoding option worked with no issues for 1080p.

 

Hey there my good man, try this.I have yet to receive my NX1 so I've only been able to play with the files other people on the net have been kind enough to upload, seems to work great though, he's just split the exe into 32 and 64bit versions too.

http://www.mydiyworld.net/?p=1805

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Hey there my good man, try this.I have yet to receive my NX1 so I've only been able to play with the files other people on the net have been kind enough to upload, seems to work great though, he's just split the exe into 32 and 64bit versions too.

http://www.mydiyworld.net/?p=1805

That's right. All you need to transcode to ProRes is ffmpeg - and a gui for the convenience.
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Managed to get out with the NX1 in some decent light today and I'm very pleased with the results. First camera I've had with focus peaking, which after the GH3, just seems too easy.

 

Handling is generally good, but I would like to be able to adjust the ISO after hitting movie preview. Also once you start recording, you're locked into either the screen or EVF, depending on which was chosen when you hit record.

 

Very disappointed with Samsung's conversion app. First file went from 160mb to 773mb, with a loss of sharpness, contrast and saturation. Probably can be recovered in grading, but compared to the gorgeous image straight out of the camera - very poor.

 

Then went on to batch convert the remaining 66 clips and it wouldn't allow me to select the quality from the drop down menu!

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Just got the NX1 and I was very disappointed you have no manual audio control while filming! I thought that was a pretty basic thing in just about every camera in this range of video centered cameras (7D2, 5D3, GH4, A7s, D750). I am looking everywhere for that control and it doesn't appear to be there. Also, I wish it had a dedicated movie spot on the dial so I can keep separate settings for movie and photos. So far I set up one of the custom modes for movie shooting but obviously those reset back to the saved state when I go back to manual or another custom mode. Not very good for bouncing between video and photos. 

 

Also, you have all of these buttons but few options for customizing compared to many other cameras I have used. I don't use the AEL button much but you can't change it to something unrelated...you can just change the affect it has when you use it which is limited. 

 

So far I have yet to pass judgement on the quality but the controls and customization are more in line with cheaper cameras and less in line with something like the GH4 or Sony A7s. This is definitely not one of those. Also, you still have the 30 minute recording limit unlike the GH4 (can't we get rid of this and just pay the tax!!! How much could it be?). 

I don't think I can get over not having audio control while filming. Very limiting to me and mandates an external recorder which I was hoping to make optional. Quality might be good but usability is not quite in the league of the GH4 and A7s...at least for video. 

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@Vesku - Interesting to see that the colour can be pulled back from those cream infill panels on the carriage. Your version looks similar to my 360 degree pano: http://uktripper.com/visits/bridgnorth-cliff-railway/

 

Highlights seem to wash out quite easily in bright light. This camera needs some flattish custom profiles.

 

Although the DR doesn't appear to be that broad, I do like the overall quality of the image.

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So wait you cant change the ISO while recording? What else can't be changed?
That's very disappointing.

 

It is a little annoying. Once in movie preview/movie standby and when recording, ISO appears to be locked and the IFunction button on the lenses appears to be disabled. Shutter and aperture can still be adjusted using the wheels, but effectively what it means is that Movie Preview mode - isn't!

 

Unless I missed something (very likely), you have to set ISO in manual stills mode, then either go into movie standby or hit the record button to tweak your aperture or ND.

 

Focus peaking (without magnification) and overexposure continue to work so you can pull focus while recording and get a good idea of DOF.

 

I think Andrew already pointed out that you can set the stills framing to 16:9, but this still doesn't offer an exposure preview.

 

You can shoot video in Shutter priority mode but the camera shifts to auto ISO and a Samsung lens goes to maximum aperture. With autofocus on it gives you a kind off full auto mode. Not tried video in any other modes yet and waiting for Santa to bring Nikon adapter to try manual lenses.

 

The other thing that is locked when you hit record or movie standby is your choice of screen or EVF. It ceases to automatically switch between the two.

 

For me personally, none of these issues detracts to the point where I want to go back to my GH3 or consider a GH4.

 

Battery time seems pretty good. 3 hours and 67 video clips in pretty cold conditions took the battery down to 38%.

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Thankfully pretty much almost every issue for the camera is likely only a firmware update away...manual audio control while recording, iso adjustment or auto ISO while in manual, maybe even h.264 1080p files, flat picture profiles...things like that. Unfortunately, there is no indication at this point that Samsung is working on this. If I heard an announcement that these were coming in the next 90 days, I'd keep this camera but as of now I'm a bit on the edge. 

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So wait you cant change the ISO while recording? What else can't be changed?
That's very disappointing.

I am able to change the ISO while recording. I'm even able to do auto ISO while in manual for video recording. It looks like this is working fine. It doesn't like you can do exposure compensation using auto ISO in manual mode but you can't do that on most cameras. I wish you could because sometimes I have an unmanned camera set up at an outdoor wedding and using Auto ISO is great for that to make sure that when the sun goes behind a cloud, the video gets brighter. Often exposure compensation is needed though depending on the scene. 

 

The only huge locked video feature is manual audio control while recording but I will also say that your focus options are limited when video recording. You only get focus peaking in manual focus mode (I like it to verify the AF is doing it's job because I don't quite trust AF yet) and the only way to engage manual mode is with the lens which is very clicky and moves the camera. It would be nice to do it with the touch screen. Also, I can't seem to change the type of focus mode such as moving from single point to face detect while recording but that is minor.

 

I still wish there was a mode dial for video or at least a way to auto update the custom modes when changes are made. I find I sometimes shoot both video and photos (with very different settings) and with a mode dial, I can bounce between photo manual where my settings are geared for photos and movie mode manual (like the Canon 5D) where I have completely different settings. I have set up a custom mode for video but the issue is that if I make any changes, those changes are lost as soon as I jump back into another mode such as manual or another custom mode. Every time I jump back in the custom mode, the original saved settings are recalled. I'd love to setup C1 to auto update settings and then have C2 constant...this would allow me to somewhat simulate the workflow I am used to with DSLRs being able to have different settings for photos and videos. 

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