Samsung NX1 Shooter’s Report Part I: An initial impression from the eyes of a sports photographer

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posted Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 3:21 PM EST

 
 

On paper, the new Samsung NX1 looks like an all-out beast of a camera: rugged, weather-sealed, all-metal construction; massive 28-megapixel APS-C sensor with up to 15fps continuous burst shooting; fast hybrid autofocus with on-chip phase detect; as well as 4K video capture and robust wireless connectivity. Built and shaped like a mid-sized DSLR, this new flagship, pro-level NX-series mirrorless camera takes aim squarely at the major league players such as Canon and Nikon with hopes to sway many a sports and action photographer over to the mirrorless camp.

The NX1 is also an appealing option to landscapers, portrait photographers and others with large, high-res images as well as cinematographers with lots of pro-level video features, including 4K internal recording, clean HDMI output up to 4K resolution, and a new H.265 video codec with space-saving compression. 

After a host of rapidly-released firmware updates since our Samsung NX1 review unit arrived at our door, we've at long last sent this bad boy out into the wild for some hands-on, real-world shooting. In this intial, first impressions Shooter's Report Part I, our news editor and photographer Gannon Burgett takes the NX1 and the new 50-150mm f/2.8 S lens our for some tough conditions at both a hockey game and an indoor collegiate volleyball match.

 
50-150mm f/2.8 S OIS lens: 150mm, f/2.8, 1/800s, ISO 3200, manual exposure

Based on Gannon's initial assessment, the Samsung NX1 is "one heck of a camera," although it does falter somewhat in a few important areas. To find out what those are and more, head over to the Samsung NX1 Shooter's Report Part I for all the details.

And, of course, stayed tuned for more shooting and more testing this high-end camera's vast array of features!

 
50-150mm f/2.8 S OIS lens: 85mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 6400, manual exposure

[Quick Links: Samsung NX1Lab SamplesGalleryShooter's Report Part I]