THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE HINTS & TIPS FOR GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS TAKE GREAT PICTURES OF: YOUR FAMILY PARTIES LANDSCAPES HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL NATURE, PLUS LOTS MORE...
WELCOME THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX CONTENTS CONTENTS 4 Anatomy: Beginner NX A detailed look at the camera’s external features 6 Anatomy: Advanced NX A detailed look at the camera’s external features WELCOME... ...to our pocket guide to photography with the Samsung NX series of digital cameras 2 We believe that taking memorable, fun and interesting pictures should be easy.
NX ANATOMY: BEGINNER THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX BEGINNER THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FOCUS ASSIST LIGHT In low light this LED shines to aid accurate focusing NX ANATOMY: BEGINNER LENS RELEASE BUTTON Press and hold this to remove and exchange lenses Let’s take a look at the key functions of the buttons and dials of Samsung’s entry-level NX digital camera DISP Scroll through the information displayed on the rear screen FN This gives quick access to some of the camera’s functions that ar
NX ANATOMY: ADVANCED THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX ADVANCED THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX NX ANATOMY: ADVANCED MICROPHONE Record the sound of your HD movies FOCUS ASSIST LIGHT In low light this LED shines to aid accurate focusing Let’s take a look at the key functions of the buttons and dials of the advanced-level Samsung NX digital camera MENU This is to access the cameras complete list of options and customisation ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER This multifunction viewfinder enables you to compose
NX NAVIGATION THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX MENU HELP Here’s how to access the Scene modes and Picture Wizard within your NX series cameras [1] [2] [3] 8 SCENE MODES There are 13 Scene modes to chose from, covering a wide range of subjects from Beach & Snow to Fireworks. To access them, turn the top mode dial to ‘Scene’ [1] and then press the button [2]. Using the large circular button [2], press ‘up’ and then scroll left and right to select the desired shooting mode.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM i-FUNCTION Make fast changes to camera settings using Samsung’s unique one-touch option on NX lenses 10 The i-Fn button is a revolutionary leap forward in camera functionality that enables fast, intuitive changes to be made on iFn-enabled lenses. Pressing the button on an iFn lens brings up the menu for fast, precise but easy to use alterations for shutter speed, aperture value, exposure value, ISO sensitivity and white balance.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX APERTURE Learn how to control what details appear sharp in the background of your pictures using your aperture 12 The aperture (known by photographers as an ‘f-stop’) is used to control the amount of depth-of-field, or what appears in sharp detail from the front to the back of an image. A small number (or wide aperture) of, say, f/3.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM SHUTTER Learn how to freeze action subjects by using the camera’s shutter speed 14 The amount of light that enters the camera is controlled by the shutter speed. The brighter the conditions, the faster the shutter speed will be – or can be. Another way to think of it is the brighter the conditions, the shorter the amount of time the shutter needs to be open to expose the scene properly.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM ISO The NX’s sensitivity to light can be altered to suit the conditions or left in auto for peace of mind 16 The ISO is a way of altering the camera’s sensitivity to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive the camera’s image sensor is and the longer the shutter speed needed to form a correctly exposed image. The higher the number, the greater the sensitivity and the shorter the shutter speed needed to expose an image correctly.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX AUTOFOCUS From static portraits to the fastest action, there is a focusing mode that’s perfect for every situation 18 The NX series has four different types of focus mode for different shooting situations. Single AF mode is ideal for static subjects, such as a portrait or landscape. There is also a Continuous AF mode that, once locked on, tracks the subject as it moves around and is ideal for action subjects such as kids in a playground or cycling.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM EXPOSURE With the Samsung NX cameras, you have an array of automatic modes or you can take complete control 20 These days, thankfully, cameras are so much more sophisticated and can recognise a scene and calculate the correct exposure accordingly. This means that you can largely forget about your images being too dark (underexposed) or too light (overexposed).
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM COLOUR To ensure accurate colour, you need to set the right white balance for the lighting conditions... or use auto 22 The everyday light sources we encounter emit a colour cast to their light. For example, fluorescent lights turn the scene green and household lightbulbs turn everything orange. Our brains are very clever at removing this colour cast to make the light look as neutral as possible.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FLASH The built-in and accessory flash units do a whole lot more than just illuminate dark subjects... 24 Use the automatic in-built flash or an accessory flash to shoot in low light conditions, to add fill-in light and soften shadows in bright sunshine, and to add an attractive catchlight into people’s eyes to make them sparkle.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FILTERS: 1 In-camera Smart Filters are great fun to play with and add an extra dimension to your photos THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM HOW TO FIND THEM: [3] Press the Playback button [1] and then the ‘Fn’ [2], scrolling through to Smart Filters [3]. The effect is shown on the display. Press ‘OK’ and a new file is created. You can apply effects, or Smart Filters, to your images after you have taken them when in the Playback mode.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FILTERS: 2 Create coloured effects to your images after taking them using the Photo Style Selector THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM HOW TO FIND THEM: [3] Press the Playback button [1] and then the ‘Fn’ [2], scrolling through to Photo Style Selector [3]. The effect is shown on the display. Press ‘OK’ and a new file is created.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX JARGON BUSTER Technical and photography terms explained... EVF (ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER) This is an optional accessory for some NX models that attaches to the Smart Shoe giving you the choice to compose on the display or the EVF. You’d use this when you can’t see the display clearly in very bright sunshine or to save on battery power. 30 IMAGE SENSOR This is the part of the camera that turns light into an image.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FAMILY & FRIENDS BABIES Capture those first few precious moments of your newborn’s gurgles, smiles and toe-grabbing 32 All too quickly babies turn into toddlers and before you know it they’ll be off to school, so as parents it’s so important to capture those first precious months. And not just pretty portraits with fluffy hair and sparkling eyes, but all the little things that we may forget.
FAMILY & FRIENDS THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX CHILDREN Children never stop moving but this is why they make such fun and interesting subjects to photograph 34 It’s always best to get your children absorbed in an activity and then start snapping away as the images appear more natural and are easier to shoot. From playing with their toys in the garden, while on a climbing frame at the local park, to being in their own little world in their bedroom simply colouring or playing with dolls.
FAMILY & FRIENDS THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX GROUPS The secret to great family shots is to try and capture everyone interacting together 36 Trying to be a bit more creative with your group shots can yield more pleasing results. Getting the group to interact in some way, even taking them to a location that makes that interaction possible, say a woodland, park or garden, adds an extra dimension – and they don’t all have to be looking at the camera.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FAMILY & FRIENDS PARTIES Capture your friends and family enjoying themselves and some funny memories to boot 38 From Uncle Bob doing his moves on the dance floor to kiddies bouncy castle action, these wonderful moments are all the more special when caught candidly. What you need is a small and light camera that can react at a moment’s notice to events as they happen.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FAMILY & FRIENDS WEDDINGS Let the camera do all the hard work for you so you can relax and grab memories that make it special 40 From walking up and down the aisle in a dimly lit church to sunny shots of the bride and groom posing after the ceremony, you need to take a flexible approach at weddings.
FAMILY & FRIENDS THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SPORTS DAY Record great shots of your budding Olympians as they run, jump and throw their way to victory 42 More often than not, school sports days end up being organised chaos, but they are just so much fun and very rewarding to photograph. Their unpredictability means you need to be ready to capture anything from the egg and spoon race to a full on sprint at a moment’s notice.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FAMILY & FRIENDS AT HOME Shoot lifestyle pictures of friends and family in the comfort of their own home in natural light Pictures showing friends and family in natural settings have become very fashionable, particularly as many are shot in the comfort of a person’s home and take on a relaxed and more natural feel.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FAMILY & FRIENDS NIGHTTIME Capture atmospheric memories of people and places after sunset with or without flash 46 Taking pictures at night can really show the atmosphere of a place or location, and also make great memory snaps to show friends and family back home; from a modern city scene with hundreds of bright lights to an after-hours BBQ at a friend’s place, your flash or high ISO ability will come to the fore.
FAMILY & FRIENDS THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX YOUR PET Photograph your favourite four-legged friends, capturing their characters and having fun at the same time 48 From soft and fluffy fur and bright, colourful feathers to hard and shiny scales, we all love our pets, and they can make superb studies with your camera. Every pet has its own character so it’s this we want to try and bring across in your pictures.
JARGON BUSTER THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX JARGON BUSTER Technical and photography terms explained... PICTURE WIZARD There are nine different preset Photo Styles that you can apply to your pictures to create a look or atmosphere, though each one is also customisable. 50 SCENE MODES 13 preset automatic modes that optimise camera settings for common shooting situations, from Children to Fireworks to Text, for example.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL IN THE TOWN Take memorable pictures of new places you are exploring with your camera and lenses 52 What better place to see another culture than a town with all its sights, sounds and smells. There is so much to aim the camera at, from candid portraits to ancient architecture, transportation, food stalls, advertising signs – in other words, life.
HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE BEACH Photograph special moments of the whole family having fun in the sun while on holiday 54 Beaches are places of relaxation, fun and colour. They can also be places of harsh light and deep shadows, open space and a challenge for photography. Things to look for include the obvious portraits of kids making sandcastles and licking drippy ice creams.
HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX ON SAFARI Ensure you come back from your once-in-a-lifetime trip with images you can hang on your walls at home 56 Though the ‘big five’ you hope to photograph when on safari are generally large, slowmoving animals, the distances involved can be incredible. So when a once-in-a-lifetime photographic opportunity arises in front of you, say lions on a hunt or baby elephants playing, you want to be able to ensure you get superb photos.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL ICE & SNOW Capture all of the drama and action while out enjoying yourself on the white stuff 58 Skiing is an exhilarating, fast-moving sport for all the family with anything from action shots to portraits to be captured on camera. The lighting can be very dramatic and the colours bright and punchy too, which can fool a camera into underexposing. But don’t worry the NX series have an automatic Beach & Snow Scene mode for just such conditions.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL NIGHT LIFE When the sun goes down and lights come on you don’t have to put your camera away... As the sun dips below the horizon, many destinations come alive as night sets in. Lights twinkle on and you get to see a very different side. So whether you are out for supper, shopping or sightseeing, make sure you take your NX.
HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX MARKETS Take your camera with you to record the hustle and bustle of local life, where better to go... Market places are the cross-roads of life and are ideal for photo expeditions. From candid shots of smiling stallholders, locals and tourists using a longer focal length, to closeups of exotic foods, colourful fruit and the repeating patterns of clothing with your wideangle lens.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL FUNFAIRS Capture the laughter, cuddly toys and candyfloss – and come back home with memory cards full of smiles... 64 From kids on carousels, to candyfloss and clowns, fairs are fun, colourful and photographically rewarding.
JARGON BUSTER THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX JARGON BUSTER Technical and photography terms explained... 66 I-FUNCTION Press the i-Fn button on an i-Function lens for quick access to commonly used settings for the mode you are in, making selections via the focusing ring. You can view via the rear display or the electronic viewfinder (EVF). SELF-PORTRAIT AF Turning the camera around to shoot a selfportrait makes it tricky to check accurate focus.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SCENICS & NATURE WALKING Heading out into the hills and dales keeps us healthy and refreshed, just remember to take your NX... 68 We are a nation of walkers and ramblers, but then we have some beautiful countryside to wander in. But these landscapes can also be superb to capture in photographs too. Fortunately the NX series is small and light so doesn’t add to the burden of weight.
SCENICS & NATURE THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SUNSETS There are few more richly coloured spectacles in nature than a sky catching fire at the end of the day 70 Sunsets create very dramatic light that isn’t actually that common, which means you need to be ready for it at a moment’s notice. Individually the sky itself makes an interesting picture. Far better, though, is to place something else in the frame to contrast against it: trees, buildings, a landscape or cityscape, or even a person.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SCENICS & NATURE THE PARK From flowers and insects to adventure playgrounds, there is always something to snap at the park There is such a variety of things to explore with your camera in a local park or garden – action shots of kids playing on climbing frames and adventure playgrounds, dads pretending to be Frank Lampard, reflections of ducks and swans gracefully gliding across ponds, ground-level portraits of squirrels being fed, using a telephoto lens, colourful flow
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SCENICS & NATURE THE BEACH As places that are ever-changing, beaches make interesting detail and abstract studies with a camera 74 Beaches are great places to search out details and abstracts, such as water-worn wooden groynes, sea-washed pebbles and sun-faded paint on beach huts, and let’s not forget the seals, birds and mini beasts in rockpools too. Look for shapes in rocks that may make patterns, reflections in pools and tiny flowers blowing in soft breezes.
SCENICS & NATURE THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX FLOWERS Why not go on your own garden safari in search of delicate blooms and bright summer colour There are few more beautiful subjects than flowers, whether they are from your own garden or elsewhere. From close in macro shots of fine details or abstracts, to an individual flower head cropped in tight, to wide-angle shots of great swathes of colourful flowers in a field all bobbing in a gentle breeze.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX SCENICS & NATURE THE WOODS Woods and forests are magical places with something new around every corner to excite and inspire 78 From dappled sunlight down woodland tracks, backlit leaves against a bright sun, abstract patterns of leaves on the floor to close-ups of interesting bark and fungi, woods and forests are superb places to go exploring with your NX.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX PANORAMAS A unique style of image that looks great for wild landscapes and cityscape vistas There are times when your camera cannot capture enough of a scene, for example, a beautiful mountain vista or coastscape. You could shoot a few images and join them together on your computer. However, far simpler and easier is the Panoramic mode that at the twist of the NX’s dial will automatically create a beautiful wide shot.
SCENICS & NATURE THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX JARGON BUSTER THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM ACCESSORIES From additional batteries and camera protection to flashguns, filters and a GPS, get more from your NX Technical and photography terms explained... GREAT FOR: CAMERA PROTECTION 82 IMAGE DESIGN (OR COMPOSITION) Composition of an image is a very important part of taking pictures.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX GREAT FOR: LOW LIGHT & FILL-IN FLASH GREAT FOR: SATURATING BLUE SKIES SAMSUNG FLASHGUNS SAMSUNG C-PL ED-SEF15A/20A/42A CIRCULAR POLARISING FILTER Attaching to the camera’s hotshoe, these automatic flashguns are more powerful than the built-in unit so offer a greater range and coverage. You can also tilt the head for bounced flash effects. The SEF42A is the most powerful, with a tilting and rotating head.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX LENSES THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM GREAT FOR: SPORTS & ACTION 200mm Get more from your Samsung NX and your picture taking with some alternative lenses GREAT FOR: WIDE APERTURE PORTRAITS & LANDSCAPES 86 87 50-200mm f/4.0-5.6 NX iFN TELEZOOM This is what’s called a wide-angle fixed focal length, or prime lens.
THE NX SYSTEM THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX GREAT FOR: ALL-ROUND THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM GREAT FOR: ALL-ROUND 18mm 20mm 88 89 18-55mm II 20-50mm This is what’s called a standard or kit lens and comes boxed with the Advanced-level NX cameras. Covering wide-angle to short telephoto focal lengths, this zoom is perfect for most everyday picturetaking moments, allowing anything from a landscape to a head and shoulders image to be captured with ease.
THE NX SYSTEM GREAT FOR: ALL-ROUND THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE SAMSUNG NX THE NX SYSTEM NEW iFN LENSES Four new Samsung NX lenses* for 2011... 90 16mm f/2.4 An ultra wide-angle prime lens with a fast aperture and excellent optics. 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 ED OIS Going from wide-angle to telephoto, this lens makes the ideal travel lens. 60mm f/2.8 MACRO ED OIS Open up to a whole new world of close-up photography. 85mm P f/1.
