Looking to upgrade from my Samsung NX300

I've owned my Samsung NX300 for almost 2 years now, and while it has served me well, I feel like it's time to upgrade to a more advanced camera/system. My budget is around $1200 (~1000 euros), including the camera body and a relatively fast zoom lens.

My top requirements are:

1) Good/sharp image quality out of the box

2) Good lens selection (including telephoto zoom lenses)

3) A good viewfinder

4) Articulating screen (touch sensitive would be a plus, but not a deal breaker)

5) Relatively compact size

6) Good battery life and/or the ability to add a battery grip

7) Relatively fast auto-focusing

I've considered buying a DSLR, like the Nikon D5500 along with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 lens, but honestly I would prefer to stick with a mirrorless camera instead (strictly for the portability factor).

I've also looked into some micro four thirds cameras (e.g Olympus's OM-D E-M5 II) but I fear that my image quality would suffer in the long term.

I would appreciate it if any more experienced photographers/camera owners would offer some suggestions.

Thank you.

Since this is the Samsung forum I would say you really are already using a very good camera.

At the moment the NX 30 is a very nice upgrade to the 300. It really has a light small form factor with an very versitile touch articulating screen, batter life is great.

You could get the NX 30 and the incredible S lens right around your budget point.

Those of us who have or used the 30 can attest that it is an absolute steal at today's prices.. Couple a 30mm prime lens and it is almost stealth .

In a few weeks the CES goes off in Las Vegas. The huge question of Samsung for the future is what they release. It is possible that the NX50 will be shown which will incorporate the 28 meg BSI sensor. Keeping the physical form factor of the NX30. Although with an S lens this will not hit your budget it will tick more of your boxes than any other camera would.

I would wait a another 2 months until after CP+ and CES for new camera announcements before diving in.

If your budget is with lens included there is no other option but compact dslr body with third party lens. Every first party 2.8 standard zoom is at least 900 usd, even for m43. So, something like D5500 would suit you fine. Regarding compactness, once you get into even short telephoto there is almost no lens size advantage of mirror or not (take a look at canon 50/1.8 STM - it's as small as they come yet it's full frame dslr lens, and a cheap one too).

There are from time to time bundles like omd em1 with 2.8 zoom for ~1500 usd, but you have to hunt for them (and you just missed on biggest sales).

Honestly, I would wait for two months, not because someone will announce your next camera at cp+, but after everybody and their aunt announces new cameras, current models will become old models and will have their price reduced.

Also, if you are in Europe, those 1000 euro are nowhere near the value of 1200 usd in USA (do notice that most dollar prices are without taxes as they can be somewhat avoided in USA but not in Europe).

Kisaha wrote:

I were in a similar position and upgraded to the NX500. With that said my problem with the NX line isn't the bodies but the lenses and I wished I'd either got a Sony mirrorless FF (love FF) or maybe a micro four thirds for the lens selection...

It is very easy to do it.

You can sell the NX500 for 500€(in Greece, as it is more than 700€ new), and you can go for the A7Rii for 3800€ (in Greece, body only), or can get a Panasonic GX8(the only mFT I would consider worth buying) for 1250€(body only, Greece again) and give a thousand or so for a good fast mFT zoom (which they are some excellent choices).

If you have 5000 to buy the Sony and the good zoom (the cheap kit lens is terrible), then you can even give your 500 as a present, or keep it as a super compact.

But then again, I kept the NX500( and the 300) and I am waiting for the NX1 which is considerable better that the GX8, and I do not like the Sony A7 experience so far(especially for the money). Maybe in 2-3 years the Sonys will be amazing, and then I can move to that territory, for now, NX is fine for me.

I read this yesterday but had no time to reply. I have a question:

The mft fast zooms (12-35 or 12-40 2.8) are real fast lenses?

I 've done the math:

12mm f2.8 is near or less the same of 16mm f3.5/f.4 of the power zoom. At the tele end 40mm f2.8 is just 1.3 stops faster than 50mm f5.6 where the Samsung premium lens get 2 full stops of advantage.

We could say that a 12-40 f2.8 equals an nx lens like 16-55 f3.5-f.4. Will this still be considered a fast zoom?

I know that the "pro" zoom for mft is sharper from corner to corner but i cannot see this worth 5 time the price. With the price of the mft pro zoom i can go for:

- 16-50 pz

- 50-200

- 16 mm prime

- 30 mm prime

- 45 mm prime

Looks like a better investment of my money... am i wrong?