Most small-bottom interchangeable lens cameras go in the wrong direction. But the Samsung NX mini should be an exception, with a thin, compact body and 180° selfie screen, as well as a variety of stylish colorways and a relatively affordable price. Most importantly, if Samsung’s camera sticks around for a few more years, we might see an interchangeable lens phone with a Type 1 sensor around 2016.
Product Overview
Released on March 19, 2014, the Samsung NX mini is an interchangeable lens camera with a Type 1 back-illuminated CMOS. Thanks to its very short flange distance, it is only about 22.5mm thick (and includes a 180° folding LCD screen).
Key parameters.
1 Approx. 20.5MP Back-illuminated CMOS | NX-M mount | Standard sensitivity ISO 160-12800 | Contrast detection AF | Maximum continuous shooting speed 6FPS | FHD 30p video recording support | 3-inch approx. 460k-dot flip-up touch screen | microSD card | Standard weight approx. 196g
Brief Review
Compared to the Pentax Q series, Nikon 1 series and other “small-bottom” interchangeable lens camera systems, the Samsung NX Mini seems more unprofessional. This is not meant to be derogatory. Small-bottom interchangeable lens cameras should focus on lightness, ease of use, style, and low price. I was under the impression that the NX Mini was on sale for RMB 3000 (and includes a lens), which is basically the same as the BlackBerry RX100 series with a Type 1 sensor. The stylish styling, 180-degree folding touch screen, and relatively complete network connectivity are all still very competitive.
I’ve seen an internal Samsung product development PPT that mentions a concept that integrates the S-series phones with the NX Mini interchangeable lens camera. Given that Samsung had launched the Galaxy S4 Zoom with a high magnification retractable zoom lens and the Galaxy NX with Android built-in, I had no doubt about the authenticity of this information. But unfortunately, Samsung ended its consumer camera business around 2016. In the end, we didn’t wait for either the NX Mini “2” or a phone with an NX-M mount.
The NX Mini 2 is rumored to have an interchangeable front cover design.
In November 2022, Xiaomi showed off the Xiaomi 12S Ultra concept with a Leica M mount. I thought of the Samsung NX Mini at that time — but I was also well aware that even if domestic phone makers today have the will to make interchangeable lens phones, it’s hard to have the strength and drive to build a set of lenses.
Learn more
The Samsung NX Mini system has three lenses: 9mm F3.5, 9-27mm F3.5-5.6, and 17mm F1.8.1 The equivalent factor of the sensor is 2.7x, so the equivalent focal lengths of the three lenses are 24mm, 24-72mm, and 46mm. Not much.
