Under an unpretentious appearance,
the Samsung NV10 hides a dramatically new type of
user interface. This camera, part of a series called New
Vision has a 10-megapixel resolution, a 3X optical
zoom and a 2.5-inch monitor.
The top of the camera supports
three controls. The Power Switch, recessed
into the surface so the camera cannot be turned on accidentally,
and ringed by a blue light when the camera is on. To its right
are 5 small holes that indicate the presence of the clear
sounding speakers.
The Shutter Release, which has a blue dimple,
is positioned on top of the small extension created by the
grip on the front of the camera, making it not only easily
accessible, but also identifiable by feel. The shutter release
is a 2-stage release, with metering and focus activated at
the halfway point, and locked as long as the release is held
there.
The Mode Dial
is on the edge of the body, its diameter matching the curve
of the camera's side precisely. The Mode Dial has eight positions:
Auto mode
handles most camera settings, simplifying the user's task.
Still, colour tone (warmer or cooler colours) and brightness
(more or less) can be adjusted, macro focus can be selected,
and the flash mode, self-timer, image size and quality
can be set.
P
Program
mode allows access to all camera settings such as white
balance and ISO sensitivity, while the camera selects
the aperture and shutter speed.
M
Manual mode
is the most advanced camera mode, offering a shutter speed
range that covers from 1/1500 second to 15 seconds
and apertures of f2.8 or f7.1 when the zoom is set to
the wide angle end, and f5.1 or f13.1 at the telephoto
end, as well as control over all other camera settings.
ASR mode
stands for Advanced Shake Reduction.
It serves to capture sharper images when there is insufficient
light. It works by increasing ISO sensitivity gradually
and by processing the image post-capture. Capture time
is longer than normal, the camera indicating "Capturing!"
and then "Processing!" on the monitor, a period
during which the camera is not supposed to be moved.
Special Effect
mode serves to add filters to images: Black and White,
Sepia, Blue Tone, Red Tone, Green Tone, Negative or User,
which allows setting RGB values. In addition, it offers
the possibility of adding frames to images; or creating
an animated Motion GIF by capturing a burst of images
(400 x 300 or 320 x 240 pixels at 5 or 2 fps to a maximum
of 50 images) or by combining 2, 3 or 4 shots into a single
image.
SCENE provides
access to the 11 Scene modes of the
NV10, which preset the camera to photograph the selected
subject.
Choosing the specific scene mode is accomplished using
the Smart Keys that are aligned on
the right side and bottom of the monitor.
Night
Portrait
Children
Landscape
Close-up
Text
Sunset
Dawn
Backlight
Firework
Beach
and Snow
Movie Clip
mode allows capturing video clips in MPEG-4 format at
either one of two frame sizes:
640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second, or 15
frames per second.
320 x 240 pixels at 30 frames per second, or 15
frames per second.
Focus, metering and white balance are continuously
adjusted as the recording progresses. The optical zoom
remains available, but sound recording is temporarily
suspended when it is used, in order to prevent the sound
of its motor being captured. Recording can last as long
as there is space on the memory card.
Photo Gallery
mode corresponds to a Playback mode, and serves
to review photos and movies captured with the camera.
All the other external controls
of the NV10 are on the right and below the 2.5-inch,
230,000 pixel monitor.
The Zoom control is conventional, offering
the usual functions when the NV10 is in playback mode. When
the control is pushed up, towards the telephoto side,
an image on screen can be zoomed into up to 11.4X. And, when
the control is pulled towards the wide angle side, ,
images can be seen in an index view with 9 thumbnails per
screen.
A round button, labeled ,
located at the bottom right corner of the monitor starts the
camera in Playback mode without extending
the lens when it is pressed for more than one second. Should
the shutter release be pressed while the camera is in playback
mode started with this button, the camera switches to the
capture mode, extending the lens; pressing the button a second
time turns off the NV10.
The 13 Smart Keys
(6 on the right and 7 below the monitor) are used for navigation
— up/down using the keys on the right and right/left
using those below the monitor— and to adjust settings
on the NV10. In fact, with the exception of the Setup menu,
the NV10 does not have a traditional menu, as options are
immediately presented on screen as soon as one of the Smart
keys is brushed. The functions are superimposed on the screen
at the bottom and on the right, using their current setting.
To change a given setting, the
button closest to the icon or current setting is pressed,
displaying all the possible settings so the new setting can
be selected with the opposite buttons, which also confirms
the change.
In the capture modes — the Manual
mode is shown here as it offers the greatest number of options
— more options can be displayed by pressing the Extension
Menu button, identified by an escalator icon, ,
whose little arrow indicates the presence of another level
of options. When accessed, the new settings' icons move the
existing line up, or when the icons are in a column on the
right side of the monitor, move them to the left allowing
the additional settings' icons to take their place. The icon's
arrow then changes to the opposite direction , ,
indicating the way to return to the previous row or column
of settings.
Using this system, all photographic settings can be adjusted,
and as a last option, the Setup menus can be accessed.
The Photo Gallery
mode (Playback) of the NV10 works the same way: the
Smart keys below the monitor serve to navigate through the
images, while those on the right serve to select the playback
options. And, whatever the mode, the BACK
button serves to backtrack our of a setting.
For more details about the options offered in all modes,
see the Characteristics and the
Interface and Software sections
of the review.
The NV10 is equipped with a
small pop-up flash built into the top of the camera. When
the camera is set to a Scene mode, or the Auto mode, the flash
opens automatically. While when the camera is set to the Program
or Manual modes, the flash must be set to Auto for it to open
automatically.
With the ISO sensitivity set to Auto — the only mode
available in all but the Program and Manual modes —
the flash is able to light from 0.4 to 4.5 m (15.6 inches
to 14.76 ft) with the zoom at the wide angle end, and from
0.5 to 2.5 m (19.5 inches to 8.2 ft) at the telephoto end.
The Samsung NV10 is markedly different from the cameras Samsung
produced a few years ago. The fit and finish is exceptional,
and the way it operates is quite different from what other
manufacturers are doing. The way the camera is controlled
is ingenious, even in comparison with touch-screen cameras.
Nevertheless, some practice is required to use the camera
effectively, and occasionally the buttons are not as responsive
as they should be. The one drawback we noted, however, was
that the system seems to be quite power hungry.
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Introduction
,
an image on screen can be zoomed into up to 11.4X. And, when
the control is pulled towards the wide angle side, 
,
images can be seen in an index view with 9 thumbnails per
screen.
,
located at the bottom right corner of the monitor starts the
camera in Playback mode without extending
the lens when it is pressed for more than one second. Should
the shutter release be pressed while the camera is in playback
mode started with this button, the camera switches to the
capture mode, extending the lens; pressing the button a second
time turns off the NV10.
,
whose little arrow indicates the presence of another level
of options. When accessed, the new settings' icons move the
existing line up, or when the icons are in a column on the
right side of the monitor, move them to the left allowing
the additional settings' icons to take their place. The icon's
arrow then changes to the opposite direction , 
,
indicating the way to return to the previous row or column
of settings. 
