Samsung NX10

Recording Options (7.00)

The Samsung NX10 uses the H.264 compression system and saves its video files in an MP4 container. This is a similar compression system to what is used on Samsung’s HD camcorders, but we had more trouble working with the files from the NX10 in Final Cut Express. In addition to the NX10’s 1280 × 720 HD record mode, the camera also has two standard definition recording options (all three settings record using a 30p frame rate).

In addition to the three recording modes, the NX10 also has two quality settings for shooting video: Normal and High Quality. We assume the only difference between these two settings is recording bitrate. Find out how the NX10 performed in our video image quality test.

Format	Resolution	Codec	Bitrate
1280 (HD)	1280 x 720	MP4 (H.264)	30p
640	640 x 480	MP4 (H.264)	30p
320	320 x 240	MP4 (H.264)	30p

Video Controls (4.25)

You can only shoot video on the NX10 when the camera’s mode dial is set to video mode. When in video mode you have the option of shooting with auto exposure or in aperture-priority mode. Neither mode offers manual shutter speed or ISO control.

Auto Controls

There is a continual autofocus setting on the NX10, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as the autofocus function on a regular camcorder. It is much slower, louder, and you must press a button to activate it.

Auto exposure wasn’t bad on the NX10, but we did notice some choppiness when moving between light and dark scenes. The transitions were gradual for the most part, however. Exposure metering can be set to spot, center-weighted, or multi.

Zoom

The zoom controls on the Samsung NX10 are located on the camera’s lens (just like every other video-capable DSLR). The zoom ratio is, of course, determined by what lens you have mounted to the camera. We did all our testing using the camera’s kit lens, which is an 18 – 55mm lens (roughly a 3x optical zoom).

Focus

The Samsung NX10 does have a continual autofocus feature, but it doesn’t work very well. The camera often takes a few seconds to achieve focus in video mode, and the process is rather loud (the sound will definitely be picked up by the camera’s built-in mic). To perform a live autofocus (while recording video) you must press the depth of field preview button on the front of the camera.

You can always use the manual focus ring on the camera for a quieter, more efficient focus, but this will require the use of two hands. You can also autofocus prior to recording by pressing the shutter button down halfway (just like you would for taking a photo).

Exposure Controls

Exposure can be set on the Samsung NX10 and the camera has a range of adjustment from -3 to +3 in 1/3 EV steps. You can set exposure when the camera is in auto mode and you can do so during or prior to video recording. Shutter speed cannot be set manually in video mode.

If you switch the camera to aperture-priority mode you can set the aperture for video recording. This action can also be performed while recording video, but the noise of rotating the aperture dial will definitely be picked up by the camera’s built-in mic. Allowing for manual aperture control is very important for video-capable DSLRs, as it enables the user to play around with depth of field when recording video.

Other Controls

The Samsung NX10 has no manual ISO control in video mode, but you can use any of the camera’s picture wizard effects when shooting video. There are also a number of white balance presets on the camera—as well as a custom white balance setting—and you can add faders to your videos.

Audio Features (0.50)

The NX10 isn’t loaded with audio features. In fact, all the camera has is a built-in mic that records mono audio and a basic wind cut feature. The built-in microphone has the same issues that plague most video-capable DSLRs—it picks up tons of extraneous noise when you’re shooting. This essentially renders the audio recording on the NX10 unusable. The built-in mic will pick up noise from the camera’s autofocus mechanism, as well as any noise associated with pressing buttons or rotating dials (these noises sound a lot louder than you’d expect when they’re picked up by the built-in mic).

If you’re serious about getting clean audio, then you should definitely use a separate audio recording device when shooting with the Samsung NX10. This same theory applies to all of the video-capable DSLRs we compared to the NX10 (see the table below). Some of the higher-end DSLRs have external microphone ports, which allows you to record much cleaner audio than the tiny built-in mics on these devices.