Samsung VP Discussing Plans for Mirrorless

Delos

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His statement kind of surprised me, and I'm not sure if it bodes well for 2012.
http://youtu.be/9yoUSSGApDA

Apologies if this has been posted before. I did a search but didn't see it in this forum.
 
Agreed, that video was very disappointing, particularly in light of Samsung's prior comments about being a serious player in the mirrorless space.

I was also struck by how huge the 85/1.4 was relative to the NX200 body. After seeing that I think I would have to spend a fair amount of time actually handling one prior to laying down the $1000 MSRP for it.
 
It's clear now that Samsung is not expecting big things from its NX system. Samsung seems to have good engineers and good ideas...the lenses are a strong point, and i-function, while not overly useful, at least points to some innovative thinking...but they really seem to struggle getting product to market. 170,000 units in 2012 is a bit of a joke really. I'll continue using my NX100 with kit lens and 20mm pancake, but I will not put another cent into NX until I see some evidence that Samsung is actually committed to developing its NX system. Comments like these do not leave me hopeful for 2012.
 
For a variety of historical reasons related to technology, I have learned to never bet against Samsung. A big promise was made for the CES show in Jan, let's see what develops.

keoj
 
maybe samsung should focus on a decent jpeg engine..

seems like most people are whining about high iso jpeg smearing.. which i dont care because i use raw and even if i shoot jpeg who need real high iso anyways(when was the last time you printed an awesome photo which had to be shoot at iso3200?)

anyways.. why not make the jpeg engine to basically ignore luminance noise (grain) and only correct the ugly chroma noise.. thats what i and probably most people do with raw anyways..
 
His statement kind of surprised me, and I'm not sure if it bodes well for 2012.
http://youtu.be/9yoUSSGApDA

Apologies if this has been posted before. I did a search but didn't see it in this forum.
Well they made the NX1** series and the NX2** series is apparently on the way. They have committed to quite a few really competent lenses. I cannot see what the bother is. As long as they sell enough gear to make it worth while they don't need to win the sales championship. Sometimes it is best to hasten slowly. If you own Samsung NX of any description you are not any better off if everyone in the neighbourhood owns one as well.

There seems some sort of mantra that a camera is not a success unless is sells in huge numbers. Wipe Leica if that were any criterion.

--
Tom Caldwell
 
He said they expected to sell between 170,000 and 250,000 units out of the total mirrorless market of 3,000,000. i.e. market share of up to 1/12th of the total market. Considering the head start that Sony, Panasonic and Olympus have plus the entry of new players to the market (Pentax, Fuji, Nikon no less), that seems a reasonably realistic target to me.
 
Well they made the NX1** series and the NX2** series is apparently on the way. They have committed to quite a few really competent lenses. I cannot see what the bother is. As long as they sell enough gear to make it worth while they don't need to win the sales championship. Sometimes it is best to hasten slowly. If you own Samsung NX of any description you are not any better off if everyone in the neighbourhood owns one as well.

There seems some sort of mantra that a camera is not a success unless is sells in huge numbers. Wipe Leica if that were any criterion.
I meant no offense, nor did I mean to imply that Samsung, as a camera company, was making any sort of mistake. I was mainly surprised that an executive would be so forthcoming about the corporate plans for a low volume run. My comment about "not bode well" was intended to indicate that product would be scarce.

As a new (camera should arrive tomorrow) NX200 owner, I want this company to succeed. From what I've read, Samsung lenses are 1st rate. That is the reason I chose this camera sight unseen over Sony (that I had handled). To me, it's the glass, not the fan base, the jpg engine, dpR reviews, or tilting view screens. If Samsung can consistently make quality glass (and the camera doesn't fall to pieces), I may end up a customer for life.

I know what you mean about Leica, too.
 
I've actually predicted this and posted that on the forum, that the mirrorless is a bit of an experiment they are seeing to the end, but they are more serious with their garbage level cams and are betting everything there.
 
If you own Samsung NX of any description you are not any better off if everyone in the neighbourhood owns one as well.
I'm not so sure about this Tom; if the camera does not sell in big numbers you will get no third party interest. No extra lenses, no little gadgets, no software wired control and if you sell prints it makes people question your choice.

I want the extra choice that a popular camera brings. I would jump ship but the other cams are not perfect for my taste either.
 
Exactly.

The other thing is their support is limited, at best. Samsung got in over its head with marketing higher end cams, so they will see that project through, then go back to such things as the MV800, which will lose against cameraphones capable of better IQ.
If you own Samsung NX of any description you are not any better off if everyone in the neighbourhood owns one as well.
I'm not so sure about this Tom; if the camera does not sell in big numbers you will get no third party interest. No extra lenses, no little gadgets, no software wired control and if you sell prints it makes people question your choice.

I want the extra choice that a popular camera brings. I would jump ship but the other cams are not perfect for my taste either.
 
If you own Samsung NX of any description you are not any better off if everyone in the neighbourhood owns one as well.
I'm not so sure about this Tom; if the camera does not sell in big numbers you will get no third party interest. No extra lenses, no little gadgets, no software wired control and if you sell prints it makes people question your choice.

I want the extra choice that a popular camera brings. I would jump ship but the other cams are not perfect for my taste either.
Tom, Ian, you both make great points, but I see even more fundamental issues with Samsung's low NX production volume. They are a large company that tends to benefit from economies of scale. They won't make the margins they want if the volumes on the NX product are low. Eventually that will prompt them to start cost-reducing the NX product, and that could dampen interest, which in turn could dampen further production, etc.

I realize that Leica is not a huge volume producer, but they can afford not to be due to the profit margins that their glorious history allows them to maintain.
 
Is suspect most of these sales will be in South Korea where they have duty protection from the Japanese competition. Their market share will be in the lower single digit elsewhere which impacts things like service, marketing and distribution. It looks like they are in a holding pattern outside of South Korea, which is not good news for those looking to invest in a new system.
He said they expected to sell between 170,000 and 250,000 units out of the total mirrorless market of 3,000,000. i.e. market share of up to 1/12th of the total market. Considering the head start that Sony, Panasonic and Olympus have plus the entry of new players to the market (Pentax, Fuji, Nikon no less), that seems a reasonably realistic target to me.
 
Put it like this- I was in an electronics chain store the other day. NX200 with lens was 799 euros. Right next to it, a sale on the Pentax K5 with kit lens for 899. That's abnormal, I know, but it didn't help that the Sony NEX cams were right next to it, too. When the Nex7 is out, then it will be in a class the NX can't touch.

At the least with Sony, one can use nearly any lens out there.
 

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