why I chose this over all the other options

Just got to spend my first 3 days with the NX500. On a family vacation, so I didn't exactly have time to slow down and be a photographer, but still got in my first 500 photos or so. I had the original Samsung NX camera, the NX100. I loved it. Then got sucked away by the NEX line and their better high iso performance. Since then I've had something from just about every manufacturer and form factor, from DSLRs to full frame to micro four thirds. Most recently I had lots of micro four thirds gear for a couple of years. But that's all gone, back to Samsung now, and happy as can be.

First thoughts on the NX500:

Form factor

Initially felt slippery, but in three days of actual use at the beach I never even noticed the grip - it did great.

It's a genuine dual-control-dial camera. Pretty remarkable in a little compact form like this. Yes, the dials are tiny and you could never use them with gloves (I live in Southern California....). No, they don't feel professional grade. But they surely worked great, and I loved being able to switch to M mode and have two dials to control, or hold the exposure comp button and spin a dial. That's pretty remarkable on a $500ish compact mirrorless.

Touch screen is beautiful and works very well, and the touch screen + ifunction is really useful. My only reason for not using it more is the slight delay when pushing the ifunction button (in that time I can spin one of my dual dials :-).

Yes, there is no viewfinder. But I knew that up front, and did just fine in 3 days of photographing in the glare of beach sunlight.

Fully articulating screen might be nice, but the up and down screen is all I need 90% of the time.

Software

Since the NX100 I've loved the simplicity of Samsung's interface. I think they get it right, most of it it is very intuitive (a few strangely named items in the menus). I was especially excited to see that using video on this camera is very easy and intuitive (like Panasonic), after dealing with the misery of trying to do serious video with an Olympus E-M5 II (I sold that camera to get this one, and I am glad!).

The interface is also very fast.

Focusing is very fast.

Kit Lens

Is just fine, the zoom ring feels much nicer than you expect on a kit lens, the ifunction button is truly useful. The sharpness, etc. is what you'd expect from a good kit lens (i.e., it's not amazing but not bad). The IS seems to work about average for a kit lens. IS is not much use for video movement other than steadying your hand. It gets jerky as soon as you incorporate much more movement (but that was also true with the E-M5 II in-body stabilization).

Sensor

Love this sensor. Having 28mp to work with is wonderful (yes, I know that 16mp is sufficient for most everything; but 28mp is also more sufficient for most everything :-). The dynamic range is great - I was working in very contrasty situations and had tons of wiggle room in post processing. Color depth seems very good, though I didn't push it super hard. High ISO is a bit disappointing (similar to the recent MFT sensors), but it's 28mp so it's easy to cover up any weakness there. I used 6400 in a pinch.

Video

So happy! I've loved my Panasonic cameras for their great video, but I wanted great video and great stills in the same package. Here it is. H265 files are small, easily converted, and work great after conversion.

I don't mind the crop factor at all - it really has its benefits in some situations. I also have an NX1 for when I need to go wider.

Other stuff

I miss having a silent shutter, but I know it introduces all sorts of problems of its own.

I use my manual Canon FD lenses on it, and they work great. Could still be some more functionality added for manual focus assistance, but I didn't have any trouble. The only frustration was not being able to move the loupe/zoom window. And I do wish for full-time focus peaking.

Conclusion

When I purchased the NX500 I knew exactly what I wanted:

• A great sensor with at least 20mp resolution
• Great video including 4K (with a good interface for video)
• A small form factor
• A touch screen
• Affordable lenses that hit all the focal lengths I really needed (with some compact lens options)

Here I found it, and at a great price. It beat out the A6000, Full Frame E-Mount cameras, micro four thirds including E-M5 II and GX8, all Fuji options, and all DSLR options.

A few pics from the family trip are here

Tim

I know Samsung NX is a great system. I am a fan of NX300 and NX Galaxy for a long time. Their 85mm 1.4 is seriously flagship killer among all 85mm 1.4 lens.

I got the NX500 for $375 last couple month, however I sold it. And the reason I left Samsung NX system is:

+ Sony A7 Full Frame used right now around $700 - $800 only. You can adapted EF, Nikon, FD, M43 , M42 to A7 Camera. With Full Frame that mean DOF is better.
+ The NX1, NX500 are great, but seriously, I don't like noise reduce to my JPG. I shoot raw, and I like NR = OFF, on my A7, I can shoot ISO 3200 - 6400+++ easy on raw, and noise like film grant, so beautiful.
+ I betray NX500, and my NX300, my first and my favor camera for long time, because No EVF.
+ I pick A7 and Olympus OMD, OMD give me EVF, body 5 Axis, lens at f/0.95, I can shoot at night with ISO 400 easy.

I don't shoot Video. However if I shoot Video, then Sony A7S is flagship killer.

Sorry Samsung, you betrayed us, no EVF for NX500, NX1 is too pricy compare to A7 FF. Samsung, I know you have great lens system already, but your camera design is just something ... I don't like the design.

I like vintage, retro design, bring me to camera world.. maybe not only me love this, but A7, Olympus OMD , the small factor and design bring more photographers to them.

The NX1 Design <-- I don't like it.

I love NX500, NX300 design, but plz, an EVF like Sony A6000 or Fujifilm X-E2 take too much space on your camera ? No. You just want EVF for NX1, NX30, NX Galaxy, that why we left your system.

Anyway, Samsung Lense is good or better than Canon L lens for sure. They lost the battle, because they didn't listen to their customers, they think they make an inovation, but we need something to shoot everyday, real world.

I will make an comeback to you, Samsung, when you make camera with 5 Axis body, vintage design, small factor with EVF. I miss my Samsung NX 45mm 1.8, 30mm f/2, tiny and mighty.

P/S: Also, Samsung, plz make your NX Software public, no one need it if they don't have your NX camera. Why you don't public the software? We always lost the CD all the time, f.u.k you, even I contact support, they have no link to download. Very hard to find someone use Samsung share that software on internet. D.A.M.N

NX500 and NX1, when you shoot ISO 3200 --> RAW Dead already, no much details. Their photos are only good with JPG Output, not RAW. You can confirm this. This is the one stopped me from NX1.

EVF is not only help shooting under the Sun. I used NX system before, and I know NX OLED screen is very beautiful and strong enought to shoot under the Sun. However, when u hold the camera and shoot with the EVF, the camera shake will be reduce, because your 2 hands with your head hold the camera more stable, so we don't need 5Axis or 3Axis in this case. An EVF also help shoot bird and moving objects easier. These reason make Sony A6000 sell more and more famous than NX300.

Jusy try it and you will see, Hold your hand with Live View, shoot at 1/20, your photo will blurry. Use EVF, shoot at 1/20, your 2hands + head will make the photo look better than Live View. It's act like 2 axis for sure.

P/S: Also, other camera, even M43 have HSS Flash. And Samsung only have 1 flash support HSS, cost $500+ , no one sell it used. Seriously ? And the Flash itself is big like a Canon Flash. No High Speed Sync = No Bird Shooting, No Serious Outdoor Portrait for their 85mm 1.4... Too bad Samsung, Good bye.

.. who the hell use NX1 for bird shooting when you never make a 300mm lens and high speed sync flash? No one, that why even the spec of NX1 is crazy, you can never beat the old king 7D... not even 7DII.

"NX500 and NX1, when you shoot ISO 3200 --> RAW Dead already, no much details. Their photos are only good with JPG Output, not RAW. You can confirm this. This is the one stopped me from NX1."

The .Jpg is the camera processing the raw.
No offense, but if you think the Jpg looks better than raw it's because your processing needs work... It's not possible that the raw doesn't have the potential to look better than the JPG.

Banh Mi wrote:

NX500 and NX1, when you shoot ISO 3200 --> RAW Dead already, no much details. Their photos are only good with JPG Output, not RAW. You can confirm this. This is the one stopped me from NX1.

EVF is not only help shooting under the Sun. I used NX system before, and I know NX OLED screen is very beautiful and strong enought to shoot under the Sun. However, when u hold the camera and shoot with the EVF, the camera shake will be reduce, because your 2 hands with your head hold the camera more stable, so we don't need 5Axis or 3Axis in this case. An EVF also help shoot bird and moving objects easier. These reason make Sony A6000 sell more and more famous than NX300.

Jusy try it and you will see, Hold your hand with Live View, shoot at 1/20, your photo will blurry. Use EVF, shoot at 1/20, your 2hands + head will make the photo look better than Live View. It's act like 2 axis for sure.

P/S: Also, other camera, even M43 have HSS Flash. And Samsung only have 1 flash support HSS, cost $500+ , no one sell it used. Seriously ? And the Flash itself is big like a Canon Flash. No High Speed Sync = No Bird Shooting, No Serious Outdoor Portrait for their 85mm 1.4... Too bad Samsung, Good bye.

.. who the hell use NX1 for bird shooting when you never make a 300mm lens and high speed sync flash? No one, that why even the spec of NX1 is crazy, you can never beat the old king 7D... not even 7DII.

You are right, if you want to shoot birds, Canon is the way to go. Otherwise, I would certainly take NX1 over the 7DII. But I used a NX500, the tiny flash that came with it together with the very good high ISO is all I need. I don't know how you shot you high iso photos, but my NX500 high iso is pretty near my Sony A7. And the reason I didn't get the Sony A6000 instead is because I found Samsung has better quality lens for my needs. In fact, feel free to take a look at my brief comparison at f8 between the Sony A7 kit and the NX500 kit and draw you own conclusion.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/80630092@N07/albums/72157658933267806

Oh, I also have an Olympus EPL5 (yeah, I know I am gear head), but FYI I do really really prefer the sensor on the NX500.

parakalien wrote:

"NX500 and NX1, when you shoot ISO 3200 --> RAW Dead already, no much details. Their photos are only good with JPG Output, not RAW. You can confirm this. This is the one stopped me from NX1."

The .Jpg is the camera processing the raw.
No offense, but if you think the Jpg looks better than raw it's because your processing needs work... It's not possible that the raw doesn't have the potential to look better than the JPG.

Well put - I'm glad you said something in the right way; the only thing I could think of would probably have come across as insulting and I didn't want to do that.