As photography becomes more and more accessible to everyone, trends start to shift. It was only a matter of time until selfies became so big that companies started making cameras to make taking them easier. The camera in step with the new trend is the Samsung NX 3000. It is a camera built for self-portraits. It also provides an excellent bridge to help get people off their cell phone and using a real camera.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The NX3000 is light and easy to carry around.
- It comes with a decent kit lens.
- One can easily take selfies with the NX3000
Cons
- The video button is too easy to hit.
- The camera is not weather sealed
Gear Used
I carried the NX3000 on a BlackRapid shot. I carried the camera on my arm mostly. To take a selfie I mounted the camera on my Cullmann Magnesit Copter Mini Tripod.
Tech Specs
Tech specs taken from Amazon
- NX3000 Smart Camera with 16-50mm Lens and Flash (Black)
- High-resolution 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity for instant sharing
- 3-inch flip-up LCD display
- Smart Mode presets for ease of use
- Control via smartphone with Remote Viewfinder Pro
- Captures 1080p Full HD video
Ergonomics
The NX3000 is light and easy to carry. While the camera does not take up all the palm space of those with larger paws, it fits nicely in the hands of my wife and kids. The buttons are easily reached, sometimes too easy. Once I got accustomed to using the camera I stopped hitting the record button. The button layout overall is designed for shooting selfies.
The camera is easy to set up and easy to use. The buttons are well placed and almost anyone can tell what they are easily. Many people will just use this camera in auto and that’s alright.
The back of the camera is not complicated. It’s fairly simple to maneuver through the buttons to change your settings or go through your photos.
The most important part is the screen. It tilts up so you can see yourself. Once in that position the camera goes into selfie mode. It’s an easy process that we’re positive many selfie-obsessed folks will appreciate.
Build Quality
The Samsung NX3000 not only felt decent to hold but it also felt well put together. Its low weight made it easy to hold and carry around. It did not feel like it would fall apart though. I took this camera on local photo walks and street fairs with the kids. You can get it in and out of a bag without a problem. It is a selfie camera. A teenager is likely to buy it. The engineers thought about this and made sure it can a take a little abuse. When it comes to cameras like this, their build quality has been constantly improving. This is a prime example of that.
Autofocus
The NX3000’s autofocus is very fast. It can lock on a fast moving subject like a running child. There is little fear of missing a shot. You could really just point and shoot–it’s really that simple. This made working with the camera easy. In low light the camera’s focusing performance isn’t as great.
Ease of Use
Anyone can use the Samsung NX3000 right away–which is one of the camera’s strong points. The camera can be used by a kid or a grandmother without an issue. The Auto setting works very well. If you want to be more adventurous with your photography, the options are there to make that happen. Navigating the menus is a breeze.
Image Quality
Overall the image quality is pretty good. The sensor in this camera cranks out very nice images with great color and contrast. The camera rendered skin tones nicely.
Raw File Versatility
For a consumer level camera, we were surprised by how good the RAW files are. This gives the camera real versatility. A prosumer can save their kids’ photos if they manage to screw up the shot (sort of hard with this camera but not impossible).
You can easily open up the shadows. You can easily correct the files in Lightroom or any other image editing program that supports the files. I was surprised at how much I could do with the RAWs.
High ISO Results
The NX3000 handles high ISO pretty well especially around 3200. The auto ISO rarely went above that. There was little noise there. For what the camera is meant for the ISO quality seems to be able to work well in a variety of situations. Most people using the camera will never have the camera off a computer screen so people will be able to use the camera files anywhere.
Sample Images
Conclusions
Likes
- The NX300 makes it easy to take a self-portrait.
- The camera is very intuitive.
- A child can use it with very little explanation
Dislikes
- The screen does only faces one direction in self-portrait mode.
This camera hits a fantastic sweet spot. Using the Samsung NX3000 may just be the camera to get people to stop just looking at them selves and looking at the rest of the world. This thing works incredibly well yet keeps a nice low profile. The camera is quite quick and very easy to use. The NX3000 is a nice option for those who are tired of using their cell phones and want to move up to use something a little better. The NX3000 is actually cheaper than some newer smart phones as well
We rate this camera a 4 out of 5
Recommended Lenses and Accessories
- Samsung 20mm NX Pancake lens for NX Series Cameras.I think this lens would fit the camera better. It faster smaller and help the camera fit into a coat packet.
- A trickle charger could keep the camera going all day.
- Sandisk Ultra 64GB MicroSDXC Class 10 UHS Memory Card This camera benefits from fast memory.
