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With only one current mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (ILC), the NX200, and one relatively old model from 2010 (the NX10), plus a model that the company didn't even release in the U.S., the NX11, it's easy to think that Samsung doesn't consider the US a terribly important market for these cameras -- especially compared to the usual barrage from Sony, Panasonic and Olympus. But it looks like that's changing a bit as Samsung rolls out three models for 2012.

All the models are based around the same excellent 20-megapixel sensor and image processor that debuted in … Read more

With retro designs the in thing these days, rumor has it Samsung has decided to milk the trend by launching an NX200 RS interchangeable lens camera (ILC) this weekend.

According to Photo Rumors, the NX200 RS is functionally identical to the original NX200. What separates the two is that the new RS variety would be fitted with a metallic-chrome top plate.

Although it does appear uniquely different, we hardly think it looks retro. Aside from aesthetics, we feel shutterbugs are also looking for more usability in the form of dedicated buttons, common in older film cameras, that simply the whole photo-taking process. … Read more

A new firmware update for Sony's Bravia TV series has arrived, enhancing the built-in YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter widgets.

The YouTube experience on Sony's TV sets now has the ability to play HD video. Previously, the output was mediocre at best, but it should now should offer a crisp, high-definition image for videos with that capability.

Those accessing their Facebook accounts can now look at photos and videos in full-screen resolution. Posted URLs on Facebook are now accessible in the built-in Web browser found in most current Sony televisions. Unfortunately, that browser is somewhat slow and due to the lack of processing power, operates worse than the one included with the PlayStation 3. … Read more

There's a lot to like about the KDL-NX720 series. Sony's least expensive TV with that lovely Monolithic styling, it still costs a mint but will reward investors with some of the best 2D images we've seen on any LCD with an edge-lit LED backlight. And despite lacking an app store and Vudu, Sony's Internet selection is chock-a-block with video from sources both mainstream and otherwise. As long as you don't care about its picture quality in 3D, the Sony KDL-NX720 series competes well against the best edge-lit LED TVs on the market.

Read the full review of the Sony KDL-NX720 series.… Read more

Back-to-school shoppers looking for a space-saving printer to fit in a dorm room may find a match in Epson's newest desktop printer, the Stylus NX430. The company is so proud of its ultracompact chassis that it's inventing a new category for it, along the same lines as the Ultrabook, except the printer version is being touted as the Small-in-One. Get it?

Despite its small stature, the NX430 competes with larger models with an ample 2.5-inch touch panel and a vibrant screen for light-duty photo editing directly on the machine, superquiet operation, and the mobile benefits of Epson Connect, another proprietary way to print from the cloud by sending jobs to a unique e-mail address assigned to each printer.… Read more

In the face of early February's partner announcements for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount lenses, Samsung must be feeling the squeeze for its proprietary NX-mount interchangeable-lens camera (ILC) family. That may explain why Samsung's announcement of its entire 2011 NX lens roadmap now strikes me as a somewhat too-little-too-late-ish. Samsung offers an NX adapter for Pentax K-mount lenses, and Novoflex offers a variety of "dumb" adapters (which can't take advantage of the cameras' features), but these are hardly substitutes for real third-party lenses designed for the system.

More annoyingly, the company has, once again, refused to provide pricing, even for the products it expects to ship the soonest. The point of the announcements is to keep you from buying into a competing system, but witholding prices undercuts the warm-and-fuzzy feeling of future certainty the announcement is supposed to generate. But I'll view this as Samsung kindly providing us with the opportunity to use our imaginations. So let's play "The Price is Right." … Read more

Jumping the CES gun by a little bit, Samsung decided on an early announcement for a couple of its 2011 cameras. In addition to the WB700, the company is adding the NX11 to its interchangeable-lens camera line. Ostensibly a follow-on, rather than replacement for the NX10, the NX11 seems to offer minor tweaks and a different kit for a slightly lower price.

The main change over the NX10 is support for the i-Function lens system that was introduced with the NX100. i-Function allows you to use one of the lens rings to adjust shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, white balance, … Read more

COLOGNE, Germany--Samsung, showing off its new higher-end compact NX100 camera, declared its ambition Monday to become a power in the camera industry.

"I believe the NX100 will be the catalyst for photo innovations in the digital camera industry and will propel Samsung forward to become one of the world's leading manufacturers," said Sangjin Park, president of Samsung's digital imaging division, speaking at press event at the Photokina show here.

Compact ILC (interchangeable lens camera) models are all the rage as the industry seeks to build new demand in a somewhat saturated market. Olympus and Panasonic led the way with their compatible Micro Four Thirds models, and Samsung and Sony have now arrived with models of their own featuring a larger sensor and their own proprietary lens mounts. These higher-end models aren't cheap: Samsung's costs $599 with a 20-50mm lens and $649 with a 20mm lens.

The ILC trend is still in its early days, though, and InfoTrends analyst Ed Lee believes it'll take the arrival of the industry's high-end camera powerhouses, Canon and Nikon, to truly legitimize the market.

But Samsung isn't waiting. Front and center in the effort to make more usable cameras is a new feature called i-Function to control camera settings that the company hopes will attain that holy grail, a camera that's easy to use but that offers a wealth of creative possibilities. Control over details such as shutter speed and aperture has never been simple, but Samsung promises i-Function will be different.

It works through a button on the side of an i-Function-compatible lens, of which Samsung plans a range that begins with a 20mm f2.8 pancake and a 20-50mm f3.5-5.6 zoom. Pushing the button cycles through various parameters that can be set--shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation--while turning the lens' focus ring changes the setting. … Read more

Last Spring, Samsung Germany announced the camera that was ostensibly supposed to be the cheap little brother to the company's NX10 ILC (interchangeable-lens camera). That model never seemed to materialize--I can't find it for sale anywhere online--an unfortunately not-uncommon occurrence for Samsung. Let's hope the company delivers on its U.S.-bound little brother, the NX100. Though only a bit less expensive than the NX10, the NX100 has a different body design and introduces a new lens-based interface for some features.

The NX100's shape has more in common with its competitor, the Olympus E-PL1, than it does with the NX10; It's more rectangular, but still curvy. It's very attractive, and comfortable to hold, and comes in a deep brown as well as the traditional black. Samsung also plans a white model, but we're unlikely to see that here. Most of its innards will be the same as the NX10, with the same specs. The new kit lens introduces the novel i-Function and Lens Priority capabilities. i-Function allows you to use one of the lens rings to adjust shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO sensitivity, while Lens Priority works in conjunction with the body to choose among scene presets based on the lens' characteristics.

However, Samsung seems to cut costs by jettisoning the EVF and flash, and the kit lens has a 20-50mm focal length, which is a smaller range than most; plus, it lacks image stabilization. I would've thought that those three hardware features would add up to more than the $100 price difference between the two models.

Here's a summary of how the NX100 compares to the NX10 and similarly priced competitors:… Read more