Samsung NX1000 – lightweight system camera with built-in wi-fi

What is it?

It’s a light, portable compact system camera with built-in wi-fi, so you can wirelessly back up, email and share your photos.

It’s the entry level version of the mid-range NX210 and larger and pricier NX20.

It is equipped with the same 20.3Mp APS-C CMOS sensor as the NX210, but it’s lighter at 220g thanks to it’s plastic body.

There are other slight cosmetic differences – the NX1000 only has an LCD screen rather than the AMOLED screen of the NX210, so expect images to look less punchy on the NX1000′s screen. Like all of hte models in the range there’s no viewfinder, so you’re reliant on the screen.

The NX1000 has more of a focus on wirelessly sharing shots, swapping the zoom dial on the NX210 for a ‘smart link’ button. This provides quick access to remote control options and the wi-fi photosharing function.

Find out more about the NX1000 in our first look video:

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Below are our first impressions based on a short time with the product, not a full review. Read our Digital SLR reviews for full reviews of the latest DSLRs and Compact system cameras and to see which produce the sharpest shots and sport the quickest speeds. Read about how we test digital SLRs for an in-depth breakdown of all our DSLR and compact system camera tests.

Samsung NX1000 – Katie’s first impressions

The plastic casing makes it feel a little cheap, but on the plus side it also feels very light.

If you take photos for the purpose of sharing them the smart link button will let you do this quickly, but having this at the expense of a zoom dial seems a little odd.

It’s not a major issue though – the zoom ring on the camera lens is an easy way to zoom, even though it means you have to use the camera two handed – which given the light weight you’d be less inclined to do out of necessity.

Wi-fi in cameras is handy for uploading photos without the faff of finding cables. You also have the opportunity to back-up to the Skydrive cloud services – this may cost extra.

The iFunction button on the lens makes it simple to adjust settings using the second ring on the lens and is a feature of the 20-55mm kit lens.

When can I buy it?

It’s available now priced at £479 with the 20-55mm kit lens. A detachable flash which fits onto the hotshoe is also included in the box. It’s also available in pink.

More on this…

• New at Photokina – find more cameras on show at Photokina 2012
• Samsung NX210 review – read the full review of the NX210.
• Best cheap DSLR and system cameras - great models for less than £500.