Samsung is releasing the NX500, a compact mirrorless camera that caters perfectly to step-up users or hobbyists who are keen on anything that is smaller than a DSLR and is also good for daily use.
The NX500 is designed to shoot both cinematic 4K and UHD 4K. It is the successor to the NX300, although it can also be like the NX1's kid brother, which has the same 4K shooting capacity and the same sensor.
So far, the NX500 copied most of the form-factor of its predecessor. What somehow sets it apart is the redesigned grip with matching sculpted-down front.
Another upgrade is the shift from the NX300's 3D capture ability to the NX500's 4K capture prowess. Moreover, a number of the camera specs have also received notable enhancements.
The NX500 utilizes the familiar DRIMe V image processor and the newly developed 28MP back-illuminated APS-C sensor found in the NX1. Burst speed is calculated at 9 fps while the native ISO range is measured to be 100 to 25,600. Likewise, shutter speed is said to be 1/6000 sec.
On its official site, Samsung described the NX500's DRIMeV processor as something that "boasts superior color production, improved noise reduction and enhanced image quality, providing users with results that serious photographers crave."
The new palm-sized NX500 boasts an ergonomic design that gives the camera a comfortable hold at all times. It's also the best companion to selfie buffs who can take advantage of the camera display's bright visual feature. It becomes all the more obvious with its tilt and flip up function in order to achieve the perfect selfie shot.
Moreover, the NX500 features a seamless and wireless setup with NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The latter, coupled with the camera's impressive data transfer speed, allows the users to quickly send both large video files and images to other devices such as tablets and smartphones.
Camera recording is done using the HEVC Codec, which is a type of compression technology that enables the recording of 4K and UHD-based contents into high-speed SD cards. Users can also create time-lapse videos in UHD format. Cinema 4K recording has 24 fps while UHD is at 30fps. The only setback is the camera's HDMI port, which can only handle an output that is in full HD.
Other features of the NX500 include a Super AMOLED touch display of three inches, battery of 1130mAh, weight of 287g (with no battery and memory card), and dimensions of 119.5 x 63.6 x 42.5 mm (with no projection included).
Samsung is launching the NX500 in a trio of colors: black, white and brown. Priced at $799, the camera will be available in the middle of March.
