Overview
The Samsung Digimax NV20 is a 12 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. It will just about squeeze into a pocket. The Digimax NV20 is a bit different to most digital cameras. This is true in terms of looks and also the way in which the camera's menu system works. Therefore I would suggest taking a look at one and seeing if the camera suits you before buying. For more advanced work it has a basic manual exposure mode.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
3x
2.5 inches
96.5 x 60 x 18.6 mm
151g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
4cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
The Digimax NV20 does not get off to the best of starts. There are two problems with the photo that worry me. The first is the way the camera handles the glare from the sun. This camera was tested in a group with other digital cameras. The majority of the other models handled glare better than this camera manages. This means there is a danger of lighter areas of a photo being over exposed and detail being lost on bright, sunny days. The second issue is the degree of pixilation showing in the photo. This causes the sky to look quite unnatural in places.
Focusing is acceptable without being especially sharp. There is also a decline in sharpness as you move away from the centre of the photo.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
When it comes to focusing quality the Digimax NV20 sits roughly in the middle when compared to other digital cameras. There are a couple of issues that do concern me though. On the left hand side of the photo you will see a blue and white boat. Along the edges of some of the windows and the door I can see purple fringing when the photo is blown up. This is where a purple line is added to the photo. The other problem is a recurrence of the pixilation seen in the first picture. This shows even when the print is not especially large.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
With the zoom fully extended the camera takes a better shot. Focusing is once again average or slightly above average.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
This is easily the best shot so far. The picture works well with a pleasant balance of colours. I have used a white balance setting of cloudy to adjust the colours. Focusing is also spot on. To help the camera with focusing I used the face detection setting.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
When compared with other cameras I detect a lack of colour in this shot. This effects more than the skin tones. I would like to have seen more colour throughout the picture. The camera has a built in red eye removal tool. This has managed to remove most of the red eye in the photo.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
Without flash the Digimax NV20 compensates for the lower light found indoors and creates a very bright photo. The result is much brighter than most cameras manage in these conditions. Noise does creep in as expected and reduces the quality somewhat. Despite this you do have the option to take photos in lower light without flash, as long as the available light remains fair.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
This is one of the better shots produced by the Digimax NV20. It is bright and clear and is sharper than average. There is just a hint of purple fringing in places.
Colours:
The colours produced by the camera are about right, but I would like to see a bit more zest in some areas.
ISO 400:
Noise, purple fringing and colour problems all show up at ISO 400. This effort is below average.
ISO 1600:
Not surprisingly the problems that show up at ISO 400 are magnified at this level. Overall picture quality is a problem.
Summary
My assessment of the camera places it somewhere in the middle range or lower. I must admit to being a bit disappointed with quality in a number of pictures.
Style
This camera is a bit different to other models. It is quite a classy looking camera. It has a grip on the right hand side of the camera to help you hold the camera steady and the lens unit protrudes on the front of the camera even when the camera is turned off.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.39 seconds
7.57 seconds
0.45 seconds
10.42 seconds
Ease of Use
The menu system on this camera is very different to any camera outside of the Samsung NV range. Although it takes a bit of getting used to it does do a very good job of placing controls at your fingertips and there is no need to burrow down through different menu levels to find what you are looking for.
Points I Like
Looks good - feels good it the hand
Where it Could Improve
Noise/pixilation in some pictures - purple fringing in places
Verdict
The Samsung Digimax NV20 falls short in some key areas when it comes to taking pictures. It has a lot going for it in terms of looks and features, so it is a shame it is not that bit better when it comes to the all important business of taking a photo.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Related Pages
Samsung Digimax NV20 Review Samsung Digimax NV20 Specification Samsung Digimax NV20 Sample Images Samsung Digimax NV20 Features
Review Date
January 2008
