With a 16-50mm lens, the Samsung NX500 is $7999.99. It packs many features in a small package, such as Wi-Fi and a quick 9fps capture speed. The Samsung NX500 uses the same 28-megapixel APSC image sensor as the higher-end NX1 ($1,499.99 on Amazon). It also ships with a compact zoom lens. Although it's an excellent mirrorless camera, editing footage on multiple computer systems can be difficult due to the video codec. The Sony Alpha 6000 is our Editor's Choice for this category. It shoots faster, has an EVF, flash, and costs $549.99.
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Design and Features
The NX500 ( Amazon) is sized in line with most other mirrorless cameras of its type. It measures 2.5 inches by 4.7 inches by 1.7 inches (HWD), and is 10.1 ounces in weight. The top plate of all versions has a silver color. However, you can choose to have it covered in a leatherette, black or brown. It is quite substantial and adds depth to the camera's body. The grip extends past the lens mount. Olympus E-M10 at Amazon has a slightly deeper grip but it is larger (3,7, and 1.8 inches respectively) thanks to the in-body EVF, flash and image stabilization.
The NX500 omits all of these—stabilization is lens based, an external clip-on flash is included, and there's no EVF or way to add one. You can stabilize the included 16-50mm Power Zoom OIS (Amazon: $349.95) lens, however, if you need a flash or EVF for a Samsung body, you will have to upgrade to the NX30 ($1,299.93 Amazon).
You will find the flash clip in the hotshoe, which is located at the usual spot behind the lens on the top plate. You'll also find the dedicated button for Wi-Fi activation, as well as a control wheel and standard mode dial. You will find the power switch, shutter release and Autoexposure lock (AEL) buttons at the very top of your handgrip.
The tilting display is to the left of the rear controls. The rear controls are located at an angle next to your thumb rest. A rear control dial is just left of your thumb. Rear buttons can also be used to adjust exposure, focus, alter the LCD information, set autofocus, control the ISO mode and set menu and playback functions.
You can also use the Fn button. This button displays a list of all the shooting functions on screen. These functions include the shutter speed, aperture, shutter speed and drive mode. However, you can also access the menu to view the preset values and make adjustments via touch or dial. This display allows you to control white balance, picture output mode and flash output. You also have the ability toggle face detection.
Samsung chose AMOLED technology to make the NX500's back display. This produces a more vibrant image and gives it a stronger look than traditional rear LCDs. The 3-inch display is plenty sharp—it squeezes 1,036k dots into its frame—and I had no issues using it outdoors on a bright spring day. You can touch the display to adjust focus or exposure. This is an exclusive feature of Samsung cameras. The display can be tilted to see from the bottom, top, or forward, and you can also flip the hinge over for self-portraits.
Samsung is a leader in Wi-Fi integration in cameras. The NX500 remains the market leader in connectivity. Dual-band Wi Fi is available, so it can be connected to both 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks as well as Bluetooth. This feature is only available for Android phones. It can set the date, time and add GPS data to photos.
You will need to connect manually to the NX500's Wi Fi if you own an iOS device. This is more common scenario. You can connect to the NX500's Wi-Fi using the Samsung Camera Manager App. This allows you to transfer images or videos to your phone and also gives remote control to the camera. You can adjust the zoom level and manual control the zoom lens if it is attached to your camera.
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Conclusions and Performance
The NX500 is an efficient performer. The camera takes about 1.5 seconds to capture an in-focus image. This is impressive considering that the power zoom lens has to extend every time it starts up. In bright lighting, the camera can focus in less than 0.1 second and very low light in as little as 1.2 seconds. The Sony Alpha 6000 is a little slower to start, requiring about 1.9 seconds, but focuses a bit quicker—0.02-second in bright light and 0.8-second in dim light.
Images are produced at a speed of just 9 frames per second by the NX500. The sensor supports both contrast and phase focus, making it capable of tracking fast action. The burst speed drops to just 8fps when the camera is set up for continuous AF. While some images from our test with moving targets were slightly blurred, the majority were sharp and clear.
Only problem is the fact that you can only shoot 6 images in Raw or Raw+JPG modes. Even with fast SanDisk 228MBps cards, this took 7.5 seconds for Raw+JPG and 4.5 seconds to clear the buffer. The NX500 can capture 45 JPG images per clip and takes 7.1 seconds for the buffer to be cleared after a full burst. At 11.1fps the Alpha 6000 runs a bit quicker and can capture 22 Raw+JPG images or Raw images or 48 JPG photos.
Imatest was used to test the sharpness and quality of the 16-50mm lens. We were pleased with the performance of the NX3000 (20-megapixel) lens when we reviewed it for the first time. Although the NX500's 28 megapixel sensor yields excellent results, the edges don't fare as well. The lens' 16mm focal length of f/3.5 is sharp enough to meet our 1,800 line requirement. However, edges show just 1,327 lines. Performance across the entire frame is improved by stopping down to f/5.6 (2,978 lines) and edges rise to an impressive 2,283 lines.
At 33mm f/5, the center-weighted average is a fine 2,208 lines, but edges are a bit dull at 1,525 lines; stopping down to f/8 shows only modest improvement—the average score is 2,421 lines and edges show about 1,650 lines. The lens produces approximately 1,934 lines at F/5.6 with an edge performance of around 1,600 lines when zoomed in all the way to 50mm.
The lens performs better at f/8 with an edge score just shy of 2000 lines and a center-weighed score 2,398 lines. The NX500 compensates for distortion when shooting Raw or JPG. And we're not overly surprised to see some loss of fidelity at the periphery of the frame; other compact zoom designs like this one—including the Sony 16-50mm ($154.94 at Amazon)—show issues at the edges. Samsung's approach to this lens is the best.
Imatest can also check photos for noise. This could affect details or add grain to images as the ISO (sensitivity to light) is increased. Despite having 28 megapixels, the NX500 can keep noise below 1.5 percent with ISO 12800. A BSI sensor design—which puts less silicon between the lens and light-gathering photosites—helps here, as does some in-camera noise reduction. To see how images performed when the camera was pushed to its limits, I looked closely at ISO test photos on an NEC MultiSyncPA271W ($999.00 at Amazon). There is a small drop in the fidelity of JPGs shot at ISO 800 and beyond. Images still hold up well at ISO 6400. ISO 12800 is a little too soft and blurry for me, however it's still acceptable if you want to upload photos to the Internet. You should avoid ISO 25600 and 51200 when shooting JPG—even with JPG noise reduction disabled in-camera, they suffer when compared with Raws processed using Lightroom ($9.99/Month at Adobe).
If you are a photographer with high ISO, Raw is the best way to shoot. Although there is some noise at ISO 12800 I find the detail to be strong enough to allow me to go that high even though I am printing images. ISO 25600 can be used, although it is not perfect. It doesn't matter what format you use to shoot images, ISO 51200 is a great option. In terms of high ISO image quality, the NX500 is up against the Sony Alpha 6000. Both cameras are excellent and the results look close enough for me to consider them a tie.
The NX500, like the NX1, can record 4K (4,096 by-2,160), at 24fps and UHD (3,840-2,160), at 30fps. It also records 1080p video at 60fps. The NX500, unlike its more expensive sibling the NX1, must crop the active area to the sensor for 4K and UHD video. The APS-C sensor introduces a 1.5x crop to the active area of the sensor when compared to full-frame. This limits the coverage of your wide angle. It's similar to shooting 1080p or stills at full frame. When you switch to 4K, the view becomes 41mm. That severely limits your wide-angle capabilities—even if you own the Samsung 12-24mm f/4-5.6 ED ($754.95 at Amazon), you're left with a moderate 31mm field of view.
The MP4 video footage is stunning once it's converted to an editable format. Wondershare was able to convert the NX500's h.265/HEVC codec to a format that I could see on my iMac. Samsung includes a video converter as well—it's accessible via the iLauncher interface that displays when you plug the camera into a computer via USB. You'll need to go through this even if you're just shooting in 1080p—although that's sure to change with time as the h.265 codec is implemented in more computer systems.
Pro video shooters know how to transcode, but it can be difficult for consumers with a model such as the NX500. When you couple in the lack of a mic input—a feature that pros demand—it's even more confusing. Samsung sold the EM10 mic add-on for older NX300 models ($895.00 Amazon). However, it is no longer for sale and no comparable mic for NX500.
You can play back video in camera. However, there's a micro HDMI port that allows you to connect to an HDTV. The micro USB port is right beside it, and this can be used to charge the battery. The AC adapter came with my laptop and I was able charge it via USB. You should consider buying a separate battery charger if you are a photographer who likes to have a spare. Otherwise, the NX500 will not be charged. You can use standard SDHC and SDXC cards with the camera.
Although the Samsung NX500 camera is promising, there are a few issues that prevent it from earning top marks. Although we love the fact that the camera records 4K video, the quality of the footage is not great and there is no external microphone option for serious videographers. When you add in the requirement to transcode all video footage—including run-of-the-mill 1080p clips—for editing and playback on most computers, you end up with an experience that's just a little bit more frustrating than it needs to be.
This is probably a better second camera for NX1 owners—who are used to transcoding video and might appreciate the greater effective reach that the cropped footage delivers—than it is a primary camera for more casual shooters.
The NX500's still image quality is excellent, despite some issues with the video. The autofocus is quick, the ISO settings are high, and the 16-50mm zoom (which is not a professional-grade zoom) is compact and lightweight. The NX500 will be a good choice if you are happy using Samsung's lenses system. We still prefer the Sony Alpha 6000 to be our Editors Choice.
The Sony Alpha 6000 is faster than the previous model, has a flash and an EVF, can shoot for longer periods of time, takes high ISOs well, and video editing and viewing are much easier. Olympus OM-D E-M10, another solid entry in this category of camera is the Micro Four Thirds Lens System.