NX300 vs NX3000

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

I suspect they have the same sensor, which is great. NX300 has faster AF and FPS

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

If you do not have the EM10, don't waste your money on something you can use with a couple of - dated, admittedly- cameras.

I believe the NX30 has a mic in, which is a much better idea, buy the Rode Micro for cheap, or a Sennheiser MKE 400 for better and more directional quality, or the MKE 440 if you want the best - in my opinion of course - for a ON camera placed microphone (stereo, and directional, win win!).

As of the features, and as a camera, the NX300 is amazing. NX3000 is almost primitive in front of the NX300, BUT, I had the NX300, I gave it away, and I bought a NX3000, only 25/30frames video, but the codec is a lot "milder", what a basic Canon dSLR could offer, while the NX300's codec is "broken", definitely not usable for me (search in this forum, there are a couple of very detailed threads about the matter).

If you care a lot more for photography, NX300, if you care more for video with a dedicated microphone..well, maybe you should look on the NX1, or a Panasonic camera, or the new Canon M50. I believe the NX30's codec is similar with the NX300, but I have never use a NX30, so I do not know for sure.

Be warned that NX300 has a weird issue with video codec which looks like a scene is reset every second or two even with completely static scenes. It's not visible in highly dynamic environments, but for talking heads and the like it's a deal breaker.

otto k said:

Be warned that NX300 has a weird issue with video codec which looks like a scene is reset every second or two even with completely static scenes. It's not visible in highly dynamic environments, but for talking heads and the like it's a deal breaker.

Click to expand...

Also terrible with foliage, greens, trees, walls, sea, water, dark areas!

In general the codec is of very low quality, probably destined for a low video capability device, certainly not worthy of the very good 20mgpxl APS-C sensor.

Kisaha said:

otto k said:

Be warned that NX300 has a weird issue with video codec which looks like a scene is reset every second or two even with completely static scenes. It's not visible in highly dynamic environments, but for talking heads and the like it's a deal breaker.

Click to expand...

Also terrible with foliage, greens, trees, walls, sea, water, dark areas!

In general the codec is of very low quality, probably destined for a low video capability device, certainly not worthy of the very good 20mgpxl APS-C sensor.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info on the NX300 for video, which was my main reason for thinking of it.

Now I'm thinking of the GoPro Hero 6 Black, which looks like a good fit. Between that and the NX3000 it'd be sweet!

The NX3000 audio actually is pretty good. The right channel was sometimes too noisy but I followed the ifixit dis-assembly instructions to get to the top place, where the mikes are, cleaned it a bit, reassembled and it now works pretty good. The dis-assembly and re-assemby was pretty easy with a precision screw driver set (from walmart, about $7)

If I could figure out how to upload a test video I'd let everybody listen and comment on the sound quality, and that's from across the room about 7-8 feet!

It sounds good enough that I no longer feel the need to also record with the Samsung G Track Pro - and then do the "alignment dance". Of course this is just for my own personal use so I don't know if others would agree with me!PluralEyes looks very good but it's money and isn't fully automated, it's easy but still takes a person to do it. Looks very nice though.

I was surprised I couldn't find an open-source or donation-ware "auto-align" program.

Do you think there would be any demand for something like that?

Thanks again

I know people who bought an adapter and put gopro on top of the main camera (with zoom lens) in place of the external flash. They seem quite happy with the combination.

otto k said:

I know people who bought an adapter and put gopro on top of the main camera (with zoom lens) in place of the external flash. They seem quite happy with the combination.

Click to expand...

That's a cool idea!

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

My usual canned reply on this question:

I dumped my NX3000 because of it`s undependable and slow AF, especially in less than ideal lighting situations. I went with the NX300 and never looked back. AF is more important to me than ultimate IQ although I never did compare image quality so I can`t comment on which was better . I really loathe using a camera with a mediocre AF focus capability and the NX3000 was just that.
That all said the NX 3300 IS a newer model and could very well have improved IQ but If the AF is anything like in the NX3000 , forget it. It`s not worth the trade off , not for me anyway.

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Here I go again... The Em10 is excelent, but both the Nx300/Nx3000 ruin audio, because of the AGC - Automatic Gain Control. There is no manual audio levels on any of both cameras. The EM10 is a trap... becarefull... Trust me, I've got the EM10, so I know what I'm saying... the AGC change audio levels abruptly... Is the worst thing I've seen until Trump got elected ... The only camera that has a good AGC is the NX500, despite not having manual audio levels, but guess what, the EM10 doesn't work on the NX500, so forget it.... after Samsung had finally solved the AGC ability to ruin audio on their NX cameras, with their last NX camera, the NX500, they made the EM10 not compatible with it, WHY?!?!?? Because they are nuts, that's why.... You are just wasting money. Mine is boxed... now, if there was a way of disabling the DAMN AGC.... I hate him, oh!!! MY god... I realy hate that guy LOL

Anyway, the AF of the NX300 is much better, than the AF of the Nx3000 for video...

flip 21 said:

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Here I go again... The Em10 is excelent, but both the Nx300/Nx3000 ruin audio, because of the AGC - Automatic Gain Control. There is no manual audio levels on any of both cameras. The EM10 is a trap... becarefull... Trust me, I've got the EM10, so I know what I'm saying... the AGC change audio levels abruptly... Is the worst thing I've seen until Trump got elected ... The only camera that has a good AGC is the NX500, despite not having manual audio levels, but guess what, the EM10 doesn't work on the NX500, so forget it.... after Samsung had finally solved the AGC ability to ruin audio on their NX cameras, with their last NX camera, the NX500, they made the EM10 not compatible with it, WHY?!?!?? Because they are nuts, that's why.... You are just wasting money. Mine is boxed... now, if there was a way of disabling the DAMN AGC.... I hate him, oh!!! MY god... I realy hate that guy LOL

Anyway, the AF of the NX300 is much better, than the AF of the Nx3000 for video...

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting your experiences with the EM10. It's pretty sad samsung didn't continue with it and support it on the NX500. Samsung could have easily went to a 2-3 year upgrade cycle their products were so ahead of the competition

Since I cleaned up the microphone on my NX3000 I'm happy with the audio for my purposes. Maybe since I'm using it indoors in a static environment the AGC doesn't have to work so hard.

Still I'm thinking that the GoPro Hero 6 is a good match for me. For $350 + trade in (an old Fuji F20) it seems like a good deal.

foot said:

flip 21 said:

foot said:

I have a chance to buy a used NX300 which I find interesting since it supports the Samsung EM10 external microphone. Two questions maybe someone could help me with.

1) Is the image quality of the NX300 substantially different than the NX3000? I know the NX300 has PDAF and 1080p at 60fps.

2) The big feature for me is the support of the Samsung EM10 external microphone. However this does not seem to be available on the used marked. I checked all the usual places. Ebay, amazon. Am I missing something? Does anyone have one they wish to part with?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Here I go again... The Em10 is excelent, but both the Nx300/Nx3000 ruin audio, because of the AGC - Automatic Gain Control. There is no manual audio levels on any of both cameras. The EM10 is a trap... becarefull... Trust me, I've got the EM10, so I know what I'm saying... the AGC change audio levels abruptly... Is the worst thing I've seen until Trump got elected ... The only camera that has a good AGC is the NX500, despite not having manual audio levels, but guess what, the EM10 doesn't work on the NX500, so forget it.... after Samsung had finally solved the AGC ability to ruin audio on their NX cameras, with their last NX camera, the NX500, they made the EM10 not compatible with it, WHY?!?!?? Because they are nuts, that's why.... You are just wasting money. Mine is boxed... now, if there was a way of disabling the DAMN AGC.... I hate him, oh!!! MY god... I realy hate that guy LOL

Anyway, the AF of the NX300 is much better, than the AF of the Nx3000 for video...

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting your experiences with the EM10. It's pretty sad samsung didn't continue with it and support it on the NX500. Samsung could have easily went to a 2-3 year upgrade cycle their products were so ahead of the competition

Since I cleaned up the microphone on my NX3000 I'm happy with the audio for my purposes. Maybe since I'm using it indoors in a static environment the AGC doesn't have to work so hard.

Still I'm thinking that the GoPro Hero 6 is a good match for me. For $350 + trade in (an old Fuji F20) it seems like a good deal.

Click to expand...

The AGC acts harshly if you don't have any background noise, like if you are recording at home, etc. But is still realy bad. I had a Panasonic camcorder where the AGC worked flawless...