Like Sony's NEX series, the NX200 has a compact, reasonably well-designed body that tends to get overwhelmed by many of the lenses.
Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Like Sony's NEX series, Samsung's NX200 has a relatively compact body that tends to be dominated by the lenses. While it's nicely balanced by the 18-55mm kit lens and pancake primes fit comfortably, some of the larger i-Function primes overwhelm the body. In fact, the barrel of the 85mm f1.4 SSA lens is so large that you can't fit the hot-shoe GPS unit on the body with it.
2 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Top controls
The NX200's adjustment dial is set back a little too far for my comfort, but I got used to it. The mode dial has the usual assortment of PASM, automatic, and scene modes, movie capture, panorama, plus a Magic mode, which contains Samsung's Magic Frame and Smart Filter modes, and its i-Function mode, which allows you to select the scene modes and Smart Filters via the dial on the lens. Samsung's filters include some novel options, such as Defog, halftone, a couple of scratchy-looking Old Film modes, and negative.
3 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Back
I have no complaints about the back control layout; it's pretty similar to most mainstream cameras, and the back dial has a nice, responsive, clicky feel. In addition to the four-way-navigation switch (which pulls up drive modes, ISO sensitivity, autofocus mode, and display options), plus a central OK button that lets you select the focus area, there's a Fn button that pulls up an interactive display for changing other settings, and a user-programmable button.
The grip is comfortable, though I do have an annoying tendency to hit the dial with the base of my hand because it's more comfortable to rest my thumb next to the thumb rest instead of on it.
4 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
USB and Mini-HDMI ports
Yup, they're there.
5 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
i-Function lens
One of Samsung's innovations in the NX series is its i-Function lenses, which allow you to change various settings using a ring on the lens rather than through the camera controls, if you want to. When I remember it's there, I like it, but it's not sufficiently more streamlined than the traditional alternative to remember it's there.
