Samsung NX and manual lenses - don't match

Hi there!

It's my first post here, but I've been visiting dpreview for years. I've decided to start a new thread, as I have a problem with both my NX300M and NX30. They don't want to work with manual lenses. I've managed to force them via service menu to take shots, but they still lack magnification option or focus peaking.

I've found the hack to get to service menu here, but I didn't find anything about my other problems.

Thanks in advance.

I have a NX300 and a NX3000.  I use both with MF lenses.

I prefer the NX300 as it has good magnification and strong focus peaking.

When you attach a MF lens you must switch the AF setting to MF to get the focus peaking.

My OIS lenses have a AF/MF switch that switches to MF mode automatically.

With dumb manual lens you must manually switch to MF.

I have had much success attaching older Minolta primes to my NX300.

Skip to 2:00 for information on manual focus assist. (use the OK button while taking a photo)

Samsung cameras may fail to detect the presence of a manual lens due to an aspect of the NX mount. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55784403
If you don't like using the hidden menu, an adapter from a different manufacturer might work.

Hope this helps.

This does sound like an adaptor issue, some adaptors are very poorly manufactured.

Do you have a different adaptor to try?

I have over a dozen different-fitting adaptors, from various manufacturers. Most work flawlessly, but one is very difficult to 'lock' onto the camera body and a couple of the others don't allow infinity focus, so manufacturing tolerances are obviously 'loose'.

YMMV - good luck!

Ensure you have peaking and MF Assist enabled. I haven't tried with "no lens release enable" set, perhaps that needs to be reverted.

Pablo 1979 wrote:

Unfortunately non of the above hepled.

Neither NX300M nor NX30 have magnification with manual lenses:

- 2 different adapters

- MF switched of before attaching manual lens

OK button isn't responding, no magnification, no focus peaking.

I think you have adapters, that will work well with the older NX10/20/100. With later models, Samsung changed to tighter tolerances for the little switch in the mount, which tells the camera that a lens is mounted. Of my old adapters, bought for the NX10, some work with the NX30, some don't. If you look through the threads here in the Samsung Talk forum, you will find some posts, where the adapters were modified, to actuate the switch of the newer cameras. I never tried it myself,  I just took part in the adapter lottery with another cheap adapter from China and got myself a Sony A7 II for my manual lenses, when it became available. Not that there was no lottery with adapters too, since the A7 II got a more sturdy mount than the previous NEX and A7 models, one of the adapters I got for the Sony did not fit at all. Unfortunately the NX series is dead, so you will have to take what's still available.

Pablo 1979 wrote:

Unfortunately non of the above hepled.

Neither NX300M nor NX30 have magnification with manual lenses:

- 2 different adapters

- MF switched of before attaching manual lens

OK button isn't responding, no magnification, no focus peaking.

I had this problem with Fotodiox brand adapters. Switched to Fotasy brand and all of those have worked perfectly.

Pablo 1979 wrote:

P.S.

No NX to PK or M42 adapters by Samsung?

Not quite sure what you're asking here, but for the price Samsung were asking for their own-brand ED-MA9NXK PK-NX adaptor I'd be surprised if they sold any at all! They seem to be almost as scarce as the GPS adaptor!

Fooling the little lens-sensor switch with a bit of plastic is easy enough and will soon demonstrate if it's your adaptors at fault.

MichaelP828 wrote:

Hi I have a Samsung NX3000 and so far I haven't found a video that explains how to get over the no lens issue , can you please help ?

I don't think there is a solution. With some cameras such as the nx1000 you press a sequence of buttons to enter the developer menu and one option is to shoot without lens. However, I don't believe you can do this with the NX3000, at least I never figured out a way how to.

MichaelP828 wrote:

Hi I have a Samsung NX3000 and so far I haven't found a video that explains how to get over the no lens issue , can you please help ?

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Disassembling+Samsung+NX3000/55943#s121695

You simply need to have this pin pressed down.