If you want to get fast and effortlessly in the world of the 4K acquisition without hurting your bank account, the new Samsung NX500 compact mirrorless camera might get you into the game. Rumours of the “baby NX1” circled the Internet recently, and earlier today Samsung officially announced the NX500. The new camera sports the same 4K video capabilities from the bigger NX1, wrapped into the brand new (still a struggle for many) HEVC (H.265) codec for the half of NX-1’s price. The 28MP APS-C sensor, DRIMe V processor, flappable AMOLED display from the NX1 are ported over to the NX500 in addition to the compound autofocus system, an ISO range up to 51,200 and WiFi, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity options. The EVF is not present, 1080p is maxed out at 60p as opposed to 120fps in the NX1, the burst rate is toned down, but for $800 the NX500 takes the price-to-features ration to a whole new level.
It’s not a big surprise to anyone that the new NX-500 will be a major competitor in the sub-$1,000 compact camera segment which will be the perfect camera for many video enthusiasts eager to join the 4K party. Some of the rumoured specs that had already leaked just a week ago were confirmed by today’s official announcement, others such as the 2.5 video recording was denied. Certainly, the biggest surprise is the fact that the smaller NX500 will be the only camera in this price range able to record full DCI-compliant 4K (4096 x 2160p) video on SDHC/SDXC cards.
The things are getting even better considering the fact that for $800 one can get the new NX500 body plus the Samsung 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom Lens. Many filmmakers are already quite impressed by the build and image quality of the NX-1 so it is possible to see the new NX-500 as a go-to B-camera for many NX1 owners. The NX-500 provides almost everything the bigger brother NX-1 has, except the dedicated EVF and probably the clean HDMI out.
Here are the specs already officially confirmed by the recent announcement:
- 28.2MP 6480 x 4320 BSI APS-C CMOS sensor
- 4096 x 2160: 24 fps
- 3840 x 2160: 30 fps
- 1920 x 1080: 60 fps, 30 fps, 24 fps, 50 fps, 25 fps
- 1280 x 720: 60 fps, 30 fps, 24 fps, 50 fps, 25 fps
- 640 x 480: 60 fps, 30 fps, 24 fps, 50 fps, 25 fps
- HEVC/H.265 Codec for 4K and UHD
- 3” Super AMOLED Touch FVGA Tilt / Flip Display
- Continuous shooting up to 9 fps
- ISO 100-25,600 (Extended Mode: 51,200)
- Micro-HDMI, USB 2.0, No Microphone or Headphone port, Built-In Mic
- 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi capability coupled with Bluetooth 3.0 technology
- 30-minute clip limit
- Samsung NX Lens Mount
- Availability: March 2015
- Price: $800 with 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom ED OIS Lens
Unfortunately, the NX-500 is missing the headphone and microphone jack which probably will be a significant drawback for many professionals and enthusiasts, but for the price of $800 for a 4K camera we can’t be complaining too much, right? The Samsung NX500 will come in brown, black and white body versions and is expected to start shipping in mid-March 2015.
Pre-order the Samsung NX500 via the links below:
B&H Order Links:
Samsung NX500 Mirrorless Camera w/ 16-50mm Lens (Black)
AdoramaOrder Links:
Samsung NX500 Mirrorless Camera w/ 16-50mm Lens (Black)
Samsung NX500 Mirrorless Camera w/ 16-50mm Lens (White)
Samsung NX500 Mirrorless Camera w/ 16-50mm Lens (Brown)
[via Gizmodo and NoFilmSchool]
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