Question about reliability: NX20

I have been a long time lurker but this is my first post.

I used to own a NX11 which I regretfully sold last year.  I am looking at purchasing an NX20 through an online retailer (B&H).  Problem is that I purchased two copies here at a local store (same company; two different locations).  Each one had a defect.  In one, the front control dial did not work. I exchanged it for a second.  In the second, the viewfinder diopter would move in and out of focus.  The retailer kindly allowed me to return the second one but after that experience I did not want to purchase the camera as there appeared to be quality issues (at least in the batch that was sent to my city).

So my question is: how is the reliablility on the NX20 from your experience?  I never had any issues with the NX11 when I owned one.  I have a credit with B&H and they have a really good deal now ($557).  My concern is that I will get another dud and I may have trouble with getting it repaired under Samsung's US warranty as I live in Canada.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all!  -Taras

saratw3 wrote:

I have been a long time lurker but this is my first post.

I used to own a NX11 which I regretfully sold last year.  I am looking at purchasing an NX20 through an online retailer (B&H).  Problem is that I purchased two copies here at a local store (same company; two different locations).  Each one had a defect.  In one, the front control dial did not work. I exchanged it for a second.  In the second, the viewfinder diopter would move in and out of focus.  The retailer kindly allowed me to return the second one but after that experience I did not want to purchase the camera as there appeared to be quality issues (at least in the batch that was sent to my city).

So my question is: how is the reliablility on the NX20 from your experience?  I never had any issues with the NX11 when I owned one.  I have a credit with B&H and they have a really good deal now ($557).  My concern is that I will get another dud and I may have trouble with getting it repaired under Samsung's US warranty as I live in Canada.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all!  -Taras

I just returned my NX20 for a broken viewfinder diopter (viewfinder went all blurry and couldn't be adjusted at all).  I don't abuse it at all, but don't baby it either.

On the plus side Samsung Warranty work in US seems fast, I shipped the camera on Saturday priority mail and they finished it yesterday and are shipping it back today.  I don't know the quality of service yet, but speed of service seems extremely fast.  I might get this camera back before I get my NX300 I ordered to hold me over while my NX20 was being fixed.  I figured it would take a month

Since you are in Canada, as you say, could have more issues with warranty.  I don't know if you would have to ship back to US for service or just ship to service center in Canada.  For the price though you can't go wrong.  Mine went about 49 weeks before I had an issue, it failed 1 week before warranty was up based on pre-order date (or about 3 weeks left based on ship date).  Don't know which they enforce.

Overall I have been pleased with Samsung, those two problems seem frequent (control dials and viewfinder diopters in NX20, I think NX10/11 is fine, don't know).

Eric

Eric: thanks for replying to the question about NX20 reliability.  I thought I was going blind as I adjust my NX20's diopter knob continusously.  It seems to go out of focus when switching to/from manual, or most commonly when zooming.  I can still bring the picture back into focus but based on what you and others have discovered, I am sending my NX20 to Samsung to have them repair the diopter.  One of the biggest reasons I chose the NX20 over my recently returned Sony NEX-6 was that I couldn't get a large enough range on the NEX-6 diopter so my shots with the Sony seemed blurry through the EVF.   BTW, I really, really like the NX20.  And it is so much lighter than lugging around all my DSLR gear and lenses, especially on long backpacks.

Gary

GDB wrote:

Eric: thanks for replying to the question about NX20 reliability.  I thought I was going blind as I adjust my NX20's diopter knob continusously.

I thought I was going blind also.

It seems to go out of focus when switching to/from manual, or most commonly when zooming.  I can still bring the picture back into focus but based on what you and others have discovered, I am sending my NX20 to Samsung to have them repair the diopter.

I hate that tiny dial, I can barely get my fingers on it and the "clicks" are "mushy".  I don't know if I am turning it or not half of the time.  I go back and forth and finally just settle some where, a little frustrated at times.  Can they actually "fix it"?   I am reluctant to send it in if it is going to come back similar to the way it is now.  I was "writing it off" to poor design.  Does anyone know what it is like after it is "repaired"?

One of the biggest reasons I chose the NX20 over my recently returned Sony NEX-6 was that I couldn't get a large enough range on the NEX-6 diopter so my shots with the Sony seemed blurry through the EVF.   BTW, I really, really like the NX20.  And it is so much lighter than lugging around all my DSLR gear and lenses, especially on long backpacks.

Gary

I too "really, really like" both the NX10 and the NX20.  It only cost $400 and I take it everywhere, because if I need to, I can put a 30mm on it and stuff it in my pocket.  I simply use it all of the time.

Shuutrr

shuutrr wrote:

GDB wrote:

Eric: thanks for replying to the question about NX20 reliability.  I thought I was going blind as I adjust my NX20's diopter knob continusously.

I thought I was going blind also.

It seems to go out of focus when switching to/from manual, or most commonly when zooming.  I can still bring the picture back into focus but based on what you and others have discovered, I am sending my NX20 to Samsung to have them repair the diopter.

I hate that tiny dial, I can barely get my fingers on it and the "clicks" are "mushy".  I don't know if I am turning it or not half of the time.  I go back and forth and finally just settle some where, a little frustrated at times.  Can they actually "fix it"?   I am reluctant to send it in if it is going to come back similar to the way it is now.  I was "writing it off" to poor design.  Does anyone know what it is like after it is "repaired"?

I think it is poor design, mine is working now, as new, which is to say it is a little tough to turn and rattles a bit if you shake the camera, but at least I can see through the viewfinder now

Mine has definitive click stops and will move through the range.  Before it was broken/jammed somehow and couldn't be adjusted at all.

Eric

viking79 wrote:

shuutrr wrote:

GDB wrote:

Eric: thanks for replying to the question about NX20 reliability.  I thought I was going blind as I adjust my NX20's diopter knob continusously.

I thought I was going blind also.

It seems to go out of focus when switching to/from manual, or most commonly when zooming.  I can still bring the picture back into focus but based on what you and others have discovered, I am sending my NX20 to Samsung to have them repair the diopter.

I hate that tiny dial, I can barely get my fingers on it and the "clicks" are "mushy".  I don't know if I am turning it or not half of the time.  I go back and forth and finally just settle some where, a little frustrated at times.  Can they actually "fix it"?   I am reluctant to send it in if it is going to come back similar to the way it is now.  I was "writing it off" to poor design.  Does anyone know what it is like after it is "repaired"?

I think it is poor design, mine is working now, as new, which is to say it is a little tough to turn and rattles a bit if you shake the camera, but at least I can see through the viewfinder now

Mine has definitive click stops and will move through the range.  Before it was broken/jammed somehow and couldn't be adjusted at all.

Eric

Thanks Eric, that sounds about as I expected, I am going to live with that poor design.  It is nice to know that it wasn't just me who was having issues with that dial.  Hopefully my problem will not escalate, it's a minor annoyance, so far, compared to all of the good things that camera offers.

Was it that something came loose inside, so you couldn't adjust it at all?  Or was it just not holding it's position?  If it's the latter, there would be the possibility of putting a little bit of transparent silicone glue (aquarium glue) over it to keep it in place.  This could be pulled off without damage to the camera.  I've never had any problems with my NX20, but I haven't had it for quite as long.

Timmbits wrote:

Was it that something came loose inside, so you couldn't adjust it at all?  Or was it just not holding it's position?  If it's the latter, there would be the possibility of putting a little bit of transparent silicone glue (aquarium glue) over it to keep it in place.  This could be pulled off without damage to the camera.  I've never had any problems with my NX20, but I haven't had it for quite as long.

Mine was physically broken or jammed somehow such that it was stuck out of focus and I couldn't turn the knob to adjust it, so the viewfinder was unusable.  It wasn't the case where it was loose and not hold.  That is a good idea to keep in mind, I never actually adjust the diopter anyway, I shoot with my glasses on and leave it fixed.

Eric