Samsung launches the EX2 (super lens!)
Samsung finally unveiled the new EX2 compact camera. You can already preorder it at Bhphoto. The 24-80mm f/1.4-s.7 lens is much faster and wider than the big Sony RX100 competitor. An astonishing achievement! The only “downside” compared to the Sony camera is the much smaller 1/1.7-inch sensor compared to Son’y full 1 inch size.
neeming
12 months ago |Smaller 1/1.7-inch sensor the only downside. You made it sound as if it was just one of those many things. But sensor size is a dominating factor. Comparing the lens compactness achievement of two cameras which have a vastly different sensor sizes carries very little meaning.
Miroslav
12 months ago |+1
Less than half the stop of light Samsung lens has at the wide end cannot compensate for several times smaller sensor. I like EX2 shape and features more, but RX100 remains a benchmark IQ wise. EX2 is a good Canon S100/G12 competitor, but RX100 is way above.
matt
12 months ago |-1 for that fugly flash. Shades of old lumpy German engineering.
Miroslav
12 months ago |Yes, that’s hideous
, but I think it’s becoming a trend in compacts at the moment.
Mars Observer
12 months ago |Which will collect more light – the 1/1.7″ sensor with f1.4 lens… or the 1″ sensor with f1.8 lens?
Both lenses are sure to be nice optically (Schneider / Zeiss)
Catalin
12 months ago |It’s not “less than half a stop”. It’s more than half a stop.
mocha
12 months ago |Actually, it is a 5.3mm lens with F1.4 at wide end. The shallow depth of field can only be achieved by close focus. In theory, F1.4 with 4.68X crop factor just can produce image similar to 24mm w/ F6.5. I think Samsung make a decision of using 1/1.7″ CMOS too early. Prosumer P&S must use 1″ sensor to compete with the potential future model. Sony already has RX100, Olympus, Panasonic may make another one. Let’s wait and see.
Ryan
12 months ago |They really don’t….the Sony is nice….but it lacks in areas. A 1″ sensor is not a must have to compete. Lx5 users will pick a a cheaper lx7 with a fast lens and wide angle over the Sony. I’m sure the ex1 fans are super happy about the ex2. 24mm wide angle, tilt screen, tons of external controls, a boost in the video department. For some people….that’s what they need. Not a compact where the iso/shutter speed would change drastically by zooming in.
Ryan
12 months ago |So now 1/1.7 sensor compacts don’t have large enough sensors? Just cause Sony came out with one larger?
Hmmm…oh well I guess people will never be happy. I’m sure the next lx6/7 or xz-2 will have the 1/1.7 sensors as well. I’m sure they will be great cameras. I love my xz-1! The sensors not “huge” but it can provide a shallow DOF at the long end for head and shoulder shots. Its the first compact I’ve had that could do that!
Miroslav
12 months ago |Sony raised the bar with RX100 AFAIC. For me, it’s low light capabilities and DR that count, not DOF, and that’s where RX100 is head and shoulders above compacts with 1/1.7″ sensor.
obican
12 months ago |The predecessor of this camera also had a 24mm(equiv) f/1.8 lens, but the real trick is, it has a shipload of distortion which is corrected in JPEGs but not correcter on RAWs. Check dpreview.com:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/samsungtl500/7
Catalin
12 months ago |I wouldn’t bet on this. The Sony has a 20 megapixel sensor while the Samsung has a 12 megapixel sensor. The difference in pixel density is not as large as the sensor difference.
AnuN
12 months ago |Actually the Sony lens is quite a bit faster. The crop factors differ by factor of (:)) 1.7, thus to compare the properties of the systems you should multiply the Samsung apertures (and focal lengths) by 1.7.
The f-numbers are not cross-format compatible. If one wants to compare across formats one needs to convert them.
Pipo
12 months ago |…f-numbers don’t have to be converted. Only if you want to compare DOF. But regarding light f-numbers stay f-numbers no matter what the sensor size is.
(I’ve read this myth so many times that I almost believe it…)
mocha
12 months ago |I always urge the manufacturers to produce prime lens P&S with large aperture. Ricoh GRD series is still quite a good example of its compact size balance of control. I believe Ricoh may make one too.
Physica
12 months ago |woho……
1/1.7″ is not large enough to compete with 1″ ,
1″ is not large enough to compete with M43, X2.7, X1.85……
M43s(and others) are not large enough to compete with APS-C,
APS-C are not large enough to compete with APS-H,
APS-H are not large enough to compete with FF size Cmos,
FF are not large enough to compete with 645D or MF Digital Back
Woho…….what the people in need is a MF 645 camera or a MF Digital Back , all the others are not competitive and their good selling point could be ignored~ good job! Phase One and Pentax! LOL~!
matt
12 months ago |who cares about the sensor, theyre all point and shoot cameras anyways. Why do so many ppl shit themselves everytime they find out that a PS camera has a small PS sensor?
Kylberg
12 months ago |The Sony RX100 and Nikon 1 sensors are NOT 1″! It is just marketing bragging (exagerarting is 30%)! True size is 13,2 x 8,8mm which is significantly smaller. Still, the sensor is at least twice as big as the Samsung.
The Sony is smaller, lighter, longer zoom range and more mpix. As I always work RAW and am disappointed by RAW from small sensor cameras, I prefer the Sonty. Why I am disappointed? RAW from small sensor you can work with but very soon image starts falling apart quality wise. In reality you can change very little.
I can agree with with Physica above that you cannot expect MF IQ from a small sensor camera. But – within the high end compact segment the Samsung looks big, heavy and a little behind in everything but aperture. Also never liked files from Samsung cameras. Had a Samsung camera with RAW and when I accidently dropped it on concrete it was a relief!
TigerAndy
12 months ago |Sony RX100 and Nikon 1 sensors definitely ARE 1″ in the same way as EX2 sensor is 1/1.7″ and typical p&s sensor is 1/2.3″… The inch value doesn’t have exact relation to diagonal sensor size, look here: http://www.dpreview.com/news/2002/10/7/sensorsizes
Art
12 months ago |Kylberg, that’s dumb logic. In that case, EX2 sensor is not 1/1.7″ either, but what does it matter? What matter is that the naming system is used consistently to describe all p&s and cellphone sensors. RX100′s 1″ sensor (yes that’s the correct name) is still 2.8 times bigger than EX2′s 1/1.7″ sensor.
gadgetfreak
12 months ago |You guys are funny, why don’t you wait til the cameras are actually available, before you start saying which one is better
Mr.Tritium
12 months ago |I don’t find the EX2 aperture range so impressive.
Sure f1.4 at 24mm is a breakthrough, but f2.7 at 80mm falls behind the Olympus XZ1 which still gives you f2.2 at 85mm. And The Oly can still zoom to 105mm f2.5, while the EX2 stops at 80mm.
I can’t find the full EX2 aperture vs focal length anywhere, but I assume that the Olympus lens becomes brighter above ~50mm approx.
BdV
12 months ago |But for some people especially the 24mm setting is interesting.
Crapo
12 months ago |I thought Samsung dropped the P/S cameras to focus on their NX system since
the cell-phone market was taking over?
henrik
12 months ago |Dunno why you should shout “(super lens!)” in the title? Have you tested it? Is Samsung well known for good lenses? You could say “(unusually specced)”. We don’t know yet if it is super, even though i doubt it – whatever prestigious name may be written onto it.