Some quick NX Mini questions...

OK - so I just found a brand new NX Mini (green version) with 9-27 lens for only $349. It is an excellent ebay vendor that I've purchased several cameras and lenses from in the past. I've been mulling an NX Mini purchase for over a year now, but some of the prices I've seen are ridiculous.

Question number 1 is - in the event that the camera may still have the original FW that came when the camera was first released, is updating the firmware to FW versopm 1.10 fairly easy to do manually?

Or better yet, is the iLauncher software still capable of updating the Mini? I've downloaded the FW file already manually from this site:

http://samsungnx.herokuapp.com

If the FW updates are no longer stored on the Samsung website, then I imagine the iLauncher software will be worthless and it will have to be done manually.

OK - so some of you will be wondering why in the hell I even thought about the Mini. Quite simply - I've seen some outstanding imagery coming from that camera. Sure you would argue that the current crop of 1" sensor models from Canon and Panasonic will probably be better (and faster). But it's not a Samsung and I prefer the way colors are rendered by the Samsung - not to mention the svelte design of the Mini.

Question number 2 is - Any hints on how to attach a lens hood? Otherwise, I'll do what I always do - that is, if the lens accept a filter (which is does at 39 MM), I can add a step-up ring to place a lens hood on the lens an avoid vignetting.

Ben Herrmann wrote:

OK - so I just found a brand new NX Mini (green version) with 9-27 lens for only $349. It is an excellent ebay vendor that I've purchased several cameras and lenses from in the past. I've been mulling an NX Mini purchase for over a year now, but some of the prices I've seen are ridiculous.

Question number 1 is - in the event that the camera may still have the original FW that came when the camera was first released, is updating the firmware to FW versopm 1.10 fairly easy to do manually?

Or better yet, is the iLauncher software still capable of updating the Mini? I've downloaded the FW file already manually from this site:

http://samsungnx.herokuapp.com

If the FW updates are no longer stored on the Samsung website, then I imagine the iLauncher software will be worthless and it will have to be done manually.

OK - so some of you will be wondering why in the hell I even thought about the Mini. Quite simply - I've seen some outstanding imagery coming from that camera. Sure you would argue that the current crop of 1" sensor models from Canon and Panasonic will probably be better (and faster). But it's not a Samsung and I prefer the way colors are rendered by the Samsung - not to mention the svelte design of the Mini.

Question number 2 is - Any hints on how to attach a lens hood? Otherwise, I'll do what I always do - that is, if the lens accept a filter (which is does at 39 MM), I can add a step-up ring to place a lens hood on the lens an avoid vignetting.

I don’t have  NX mini, so can’t answer specific questions related to that.

Regarding updating the software: as long as it is similar to NX series, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Regarding iLauncher: yes, it still works, and updates software without any problems. I updated a NX3300 few days ago without any issues.

Kind regards,

Massao

I appreciate the response and clarification.  

I have been using this lens cap on my mini zoom lens, works fine after years of use.

https://www.amazon.com/JJC-ALC-NXM927-Samsung-Camera-9-27mm/dp/B00MYFJN8E

It's cheap and although Amazon doesn't mention it, the delivery time frame indicates that its coming from China, so it should get here in two weeks or so.

But finding one new - with the stock kit lens - the prices are higher obviously.

I like the mini a lot. I got some great photos out of it on a Hawaii trip. In the end the kit zoom failed on my which is pretty common. There is a tutorial on how to fix it. Also, it is an odd animal because it is small but still too think to slide into jeans pockets with anything other than the lens coverless 9mm. I ended up switching to a Sony RX100 iii as my compact camera. The mini produces beautiful photos like all Samsung camera that are mostly superior to the Sony RX100. The 17mm is a real gem too if you can find one. The 9mm is worthless outdoors as it is a mess of lens flare.

enjoy it and have fun!

That link would be good to have just in case.

Here is the thread I started a few years ago. Ppgflyer responds a ways down with the fix. Others report that it worked. Hopefully you don’t have an issue.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57564844

A video would be so much better as I'm a visual learner.  Or is this thread what you were talking about?

This is all I have, although I know I remember seeing other threads. Not sure where. But who knows how  spread this was. I’d just enjoy it and if things go bad, worry about it then! 😀 maybe it was isolated to a single build lot.

Kinger wrote:

The 9mm is worthless outdoors as it is a mess of lens flare.

I can't agree with this statement. If the lens is clean, I don't have trouble with flares. With fingerprints and dust it looks bad, but it's not like my Nikon P900, which flares badly at the short end, especially when the lens is dirty.

Actually I bought my NX Mini four years ago as a cheap demonstrator with the 9mm. It had fingerprints on the frontlens, the rear lens and the sensor. The first images I took did look really bad.

enjoy it and have fun!

It was a new kit, so I imagine it will come with a cap.  It should be here within the next week.

I've already positioned what I need to do.  I have a box of step-up rings along with various miniature wide-angle hoods.  I've got 39 MM filters.

Before I purchase any camera system, in particular these smaller ones, the first thing I look at are filter sizes, will it require a hood (I always put hoods on my lenses, even if I have to customize being able to do so with step-up rings, etc.

Of course, as is the case with any "new" kit of a camera that has been out of circulation for awhile, it's all a gamble.  So far I've been fortunate.  If this was another brand camera, I would not have done it.  However, since I'm so enamored with various Samsung cameras, I had to jump on this NX Mini.

Hey gang...just one more question here.

I'm looking at this NX Mini, have read tons of info about it, and yet nowhere does it mention anything about a dustbuster or sensor cleaning device.  Does the NX Mini have a built-in sensor cleaner as all contemporary cameras do?  I know that in the regular NX line, you have an option in the menu structure to have the sensor cleaning begin either on turn-on, or on turn-off, or both.

Ben Herrmann wrote:

Hey gang...just one more question here.

I'm looking at this NX Mini, have read tons of info about it, and yet nowhere does it mention anything about a dustbuster or sensor cleaning device. Does the NX Mini have a built-in sensor cleaner as all contemporary cameras do?

No, the Mini hasn't a sensor cleanig mode. I don't see the need in the NX Mini, with the easily reachable hardened glas in front of the sensor.

But I can definitely state, the NX Mini mount isn't dust proof. After a little accident with my bicycle, my NX Mini not only has some nice scratches on the display, it was also covered with dust inside (rear lens and sensor, but the 9mm was still mounted) and out. I just blew the dust away with my rocket blower, brushed the remaining dust away with a soft brush and gave it an additional wet clean, to flush the remainder away. As easy as getting rid the fingerprints on the sensor after I bought the Mini.