Samsung Reveals NX Series

Samsung officially unveiled its new NX Series of hybrid digital cameras today. Similar in concept to the Micro Four Thirds camera system, the NX Series differs in that it uses a larger, APS-C sensor. The new NX Series is designed to combine the performance and image quality of an SLR with the convenience and portability of a point and shoot.

Like conventional DSLRs, the NX Series uses an APS-C sized image sensor. This provides a greater surface area to gather light and produce higher-quality images than you’d find on smaller digital camera systems. But unlike a DSLR, the NX Series does not use a mirror box or optical viewfinder. Instead, it uses an EVF (Electronic Viewfinder). By using an EVF, Samsung was able to reduce the size and weight of the new camera system. The distance between the lens and the image sensor is also reduced by about 60% compared to a traditional DSLR. In addition to using the EVF, users can frame an image using Live View functionality on the NX Series’ high-resolution screen.

Recently, Samsung increased its focus on the digital imaging market and created a separate company, Samsung Digital Imaging Company, which is dedicated to digital imaging. The goal of the new company is to become the world’s leading digital imaging company. To that end, Sang-jin Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging Company, said, “We estimate that the hybrid digital camera market will be over 20% of the global digital still camera market by 2012…. With the release of the NX Series, a digital camera that combines the strengths of a DSLR and compact digital camera, Samsung Digital Imaging will become a global leader in the new hybrid digital camera market and achieve the company’s goal to become the global leader in the digital camera market by 2012.”

Look for the first model of NX Series to be available in the second-half of 2009.