Video Quality
Here’s a sample from the Samsung EX1…
At 640×480 and 30 frames per second, it’s nothing to write home about. Video is clear and the colors are good, but the lack of a hood gives the camera the same issues with lens flare as most point and shoots.
Wide Angle
If the 24mm wide end of the lens isn’t wide enough for you, an attachment lens is available for the EX1. A simple twist of the ring attached to the lens reveals a threaded outer edge to which you can attach conversion adapters.
The LWCEX01 is a 0.75x converter, meaning it will further widen the 24mm lens to 18mm. It’s a pretty simple process and I didn’t see any visible difference in image quality as a result of putting more glass in front of the camera’s sensor. The converter is built very well and feels extremely solid but on the other hand, that means it increases the size and weight of the EX1 significantly when attached.
It turns a 24mm shot like this…
…into a 18mm shot.
Perhaps the most important problem I found with the LWCEX01 is that I couldn’t find anywhere that actually sold it. None of the usual suspects like Adorama or B&H had it listed online and I only found a Canadian online store I had never dealt with that had it listed for $199.99. The price reflects the quality of construction but is still very steep.
Considering the EX1 retails at $449 US, another two hundred on top of that makes the setup very expensive. I couldn’t possibly justify spending $650 on a compact digital camera when several DSLRs are roughly the same price. Granted an 18mm lens will probably cost quite a bit on any DSLR system but even when you compare the EX1 to the Panasonic GF1 with a 20mm lens, the EX1 doesn’t win any price battles.
Final Thoughts
The EX1 is a good camera with some minor flaws. There are a few interface issues but nothing particularly annoying. The dual stabilization mode is a nice idea but mostly unnecessary. However, the problem is the price puts it to close to the range of cheaper DSLRs such as the micro 4/3rd’s mirrorless cameras which have similar features and size. It’s also quite a bit more expensive than most compact cameras which will not have the great bright lens or degree of control but usually cost half as much or even less as sub-$200 cameras are getting better. That and they’ll shoot video in HD.
There are plenty of things to like about the EX1 including the fantastic f1.8-2.4 24mm wide lens and a clear, bright articulated LCD screen but the market is changing and there’s a reason there are few high-end compact cameras on the market. It’s a good camera but there aren’t enough pros to justify buying one.
Pros
- Image quality is excellent
- f1.8-2.4 is nice and bright, seldom seen on any compact camera
- 24mm wide angle
- Low noise up to ISO 800
- Great articulated rear OLED screen
- Shoots in RAW, lots of control
- Good battery life
Cons
- A little expensive
- Only shoots video in VGA, no HD option
- Mostly useless flash
- Dual stabilization option is limited
- Front dial isn’t ideally placed
- Manual focus is almost unusable
Overall Rating: 7.0 / 10.0
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