Samsung EX1

Below URL is article about EX1.
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/equipment/review/Samsung_EX1_12155.php

AP Award Winners 2011

Below URL is an article about NX100.
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/AP_Awards_2011_news_305140.html

What`s Dust TF team!? : How the NX10 was developed

A year has already passed since Samsung’s mirrorless camera, the NX10, was launched. Since then, the NX100 and NX11 were launched in sequence. Today, we are going to meet the NX10 development team that made all this possible. Are you ready to listen to how they went about developing the camera and other behind-the-scene stories?

I heard that defining a new standard is very challenging. What do you have to say?

Sungwook Choi (Opto-Mechanics Lab) : That’s true. If there is a predefined standard, you only need to develop the functions and spec based on that; however, for the NX10, we had to virtually start from scratch. This included developing everything from the body to the lens, flash and even the buttons.

Hongju Kim (Product development Group) : Because of that, there was a lot of going back and forth of reports and business plans between the product planning team and the development team. We call this ‘pingpong,’ which basically means that if the planning team sets the spec based on existing point-and-shoot camera and sends the draft to the development team, they will reply back saying something like ‘With this brand new camera, this is not enough to develop anything. We need more specifics!’ and will return the plan back to the planning team. Some members in the planning team were a bit frustrated in the beginning because they thought they did all they could do only to be rejected.

Youngbae Kim (Product planning Group) : The camera turned out to be a new-to-the-world thing, nothing like the point-and-shoot cameras or DSLR. Much confusion was caused because the concept was new to both the product planning and the development team. So, We ended up creating a cross-functional team of planning, development, and design and practically lived together for three months while working, eating and pulling all-nighters.

Myunggyu Kim (Mechanical Design Lab) : Many are still crammed in that room burning the midnight oil in order to develop the follow-up version.

Hongju Kim : It was not only the Samsung employees that had a hard time; the parts developers also had to struggle to come up with something brand new.

Myunggyu Kim : If you look at Japan, the camera industry is advanced across the whole value chain, so you simply need to pick and choose the parts you want. But, The market in Korea is not as developed, so we had to go through an arduous process of developing every single part from button to shutter with the parts manufacturer. It was the first time for them to develop such parts, so they probably had a hard time, too.

Hongju Kim : At one time, when we were developing a shutter and I accidently broke a sample shutter that cost something like $10,000. Luckily, we were able to repair it, but I was really worried at the time. I still have the sample on my desk.

So, it seemed like the development process was really bumpy. Were there any issues once you completed the product?

Sungwook Choi : QA(Quality Assurance) was also an issue. Being the new concept as it was, we didn’t have a good idea of what to do to pass the quality test. You can’t drop an interchangeable lens camera from whatever meters high as you would do with an existing point-and-shoot camera, you know.

Hongju Kim : Oh, and the dust! (Everyone suddenly laughs at the word ‘dust.’

Youngbae Kim : It was definitely dust that gave us a hard time towards the end.

Myunggyu Kim : We had no idea at the beginning. We simply thought that we would do the assembly at the clean room, just like when we do it for point-and-shoot cameras, but this turned out to be totally different. First, the camera is bigger than point-and-shoot so the dust was way more visible. In addition, having a clean environment was not enough. Every single part that went in was covered in plenty of dust when they were shipped from the parts supplier. It’s not like we use a handful of parts, so dealing with this became a huge issue.
All in all, we even set up a ‘Dust TF (Task Force)’ team and visited all the parts suppliers to ask them to do vacuum-wrapping and to manage dust throughout the whole distribution process.

A ‘Dust TF’?
Myunggyu Kim : Dust may seem trivial, but as it was critical, we put a lot of time and effort into it. It was, in fact, a great achievement for us to have controlled dust to the level that we did in such a short timeframe.

Sungwook Choi : ‘Dust TF’ team really worked hard. Pulling an all-nighter was a daily routine.

Myunggyu Kim : We even came up with our own way of swiping dust out. After a long research, we did a special coating on the optical filter that goes into the image sensor to prevent dust from gathering.

What is your assessment of the NX10?

Sungwook Choi : Not only the lens, but also the image sensor, DSP, AMOLED, battery and the molding were all developed using Samsung’s technology, ensuring quicker response and better quality. It is not an exaggeration to say that the camera is ‘the culmination of Samsung’s cutting-edge technology’.

Hongju Kim : Not only those who made the outer surface, but the software developers worked very hard as well. They practically lived together for almost half a year. Once the device is ready, the ball goes to the software team and it’s in their hands where the NX10 finally comes to life.

You have spent more than 3 years working on the NX10. Any symptoms?
Sungwook Choi : Hurting back? (laughs)

Myunggyu Kim : Phobia for a phone that rings around the clock?

Hongju Kim : When we developed the CIS (CMOS Image Sensor), we focused a lot of attention on noise. When I am walking on the street and see a square shape in the pathway, I think of noise.

Sungwook Choi : I guess you all dreamed of working? (Everyone nods in agreement)

Myunggyu Kim : It’s like trying to solve an issue you couldn’t during the daytime in your dreams. (Everyone laughs)

The meeting with the NX 10 product planning and development team was more like a nice chat with friends, rather than a formal interview. These five developers who now boast perfect teamwork are currently devoted to the next NX series. I cannot wait to see how the next NX will look like!

AP Award Winners 2011

Amateur Photographer is world's oldest consumer weekly photographic magazine. British photography magazine amateur Photographer is published weekly since 10 October 1884. The magazine provides articles on equipment reviews, photographic technique, and profiles of professional photographers.
.Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY)
APOY is an annual competition run by Amateur Photographer. Each years competition is run on a monthly basis, for the AP Award 2011 the magazine has announced the winners in several categories. There were 18 categories for 2011, 15 of which are for excellence in product design and function, two for outstanding people of our time, and a further category for god retail service.

Winner of Advanced Compact System Camera of the Year – Samsung NX10 and Winner of Entry Compact System Camera of the Year – Samsung NX100
I am very proud of NX10 and NX100. Using NX10 was the best way for me to feel the difference among many other cameras. Both are Samsung’s mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Especially, NX10 gave me strong first impression when I saw the reviews of NX10. NX10’s mirrorless interchangeable lens is giving me many different experiences that I am not able to experience by using other cameras. What ever objects I take, photos and videos are always made in high resolution and easy to adjust the setting by just turning focus lens. So I never lose any shots. Except that, compact body, high resolution, and rapid AF sensor delivered me high satisfaction and fulfilled my needs.
In addition, AP praised the NX series as the best value for money. ‘It’s easy to use and has a nice grip and excellent image quality compare with other competitor’s products.’
Meanwhile, Samsung EX1 has been nominated for ‘Enthusiast Compact Camera’, and the i-Function Lens has been nominated for ‘Technical Innovation’.
A full list of this year’s star performers is published here.

AP Award Winners 2011: the NX100 and the NX10!

‘ Amateur Photographer ‘ has awarded Samsung’ s mirrorless system cameras, the NX100 and the NX10, for AP Award 2011.

According to Wikipedia, Amateur Photographer is the world’s oldest consumer weekly photographic magazine, first hitting the newsstands on 10 October 1884; making it over 125 years old. The Test Reports from past publications can be purchased online from TestReports. There are nearly 9,000 tests available; consisting of reviews of cameras, lenses and other equipment. To read more information, click here.

The magazine has announced the AP Award 2011 winners in several categories. The Amateur Photographer Awards has recognised the best photographic equipment for 35 years. There were 18 categories for 2011, 15 of which are for excellence in product design and function, two for outstanding people of our time, and a further category for good retail service.

Winner of Entry Compact System Camera of the Year – Samsung NX100

The Samsung NX100 is Samsung’s third mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, following in the footsteps of the closely related NX5 and NX10 which launched in April and June 2010, respectively.

Winner of Advanced Compact System Camera of the Year – Samsung NX10

The NX10 is Samsung’s first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera whose compact body, high resolution, and rapid AF sensor fulfilled the needs of its users.

AP praised the NX series as the best value for money. ‘It’s easy to use and has a nice grip and excellent image quality compare with other competitor’s products.’

Meanwhile, Samsung EX1 has been nominated for ‘Enthusiast Compact Camera’, and the i-Function Lens has been nominated for ‘Technical Innovation’.

A full list of this year’s star performers is published here.

ST80, New Samsung WiFi Digital Camera

ST80, New Samsung WiFi Digital Camera

Hi, this is the review of WiFi and AllShare technology of the ST80.

[WiFi]
Uploadable Websites -- YouTube, Facebook, Photobucket, Picasa, Samsungimaging.com
E mail

[AllShare-DLNA]
Share Files between Cameras
Transfer files to electronics with DLNA device