Samsung EX2F - A Worthy Contender

Introduction

A few months back we had a friend ask for our advice on buying a digital camera. She wanted something compact, yet had manual controls so that she could have more creative control over her shots. We recommended a mirrorless system camera but she didn’t like the idea of having to swap lenses all the time. She wanted something convenient, something she could throw in her bag and just whip out whenever she felt like shooting.

Unfortunately, our friend didn't fancy any of the models that were available. The Panasonic LX5, Canon S100, Olympus XZ-1; none appealed to her. However,  it seems more choices are now available to her as there's a wave of new digital premium compacts being released.

Just two weeks ago we had the opportunity to test the Sony RX100, and it impressed us with its low light performance and good image quality which was due to its large lens sensor. Without having the chance to catch our breath, it’s now the Samsung EX2F’s turn for a shot at the spotlight. So what does the EX2F bring to the table?

While its sensor is typical of a camera in this market segment (1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor), the EX2F is capable of shooting at F1.4 and sports an external flash hotshoe and a swiveling AMOLED screen among its other features. A digital compact that offers more power than a conventional point-and-shoot, the EX2F is also offering convenience in the form of Wi-Fi capability. This means you can share your videos and photos wirelessly to a PC, smartphone or any other networked devices. We've initially previewed this camera a couple of months back, but it's now time for us to take the retail unit for a good spin. Interested to find out more? Read on as we bring you more details of what the EX2F is capable.

Design and Handling

The EX2F has a very strong, masculine design. Unlike some of its peers, the EX2F does not have a lens barrel that retracts into the camera body when it’s powered down. Thus, it also comes with a lens cap to protect the lens when it’s not in use. We did notice though, that the lens cap does have a habit of coming off at times when we threw the camera in our bag. Do also take note that the officially stated dimensions do not include the lens barrel, which protrudes a tiny bit past the camera’s hand grip even when powered down.

So while it’s still compact enough to fit into a small bag, you might be hard-pressed to slip it into the back pocket of a more fitting pair of trousers or jeans. However, the EX2F’s hand grip and its slightly thicker dimensions give it a very assuring feel in your hand, which also contributes to a more secure grip.

The body is constructed from magnesium alloy, which is commonly used to construct DSLR bodies as well. This gives the EX2F a very sturdy and premium feeling when you’re handling it. Similar to its predecessor the EX1, the EX2F only supports in-camera charging. This means no removable battery. This presents an inconvenience for those looking to charge a battery pack separately while using a spare to shoot away simultaneously.

At the top plate we have the Power button, which sits flush against the surface though we would have preferred a slightly raised one. The EX2F sports not one, but two dials. One is the drive mode dial which lets you adjust the various timer, continuous shooting and bracketing options while the other is the standard exposure mode selection dial. This may feel odd to those used to handling a conventional compact, but after spending some time shooting with the EX2F, we found that it’s useful to be able to switch from single shot to burst mode with a turn of the dial instead of going through layers of menus.

The built-in flash is located on the left and pops out when you slide the switch. Pushing it back down keeps it out of view again. If you’re not satisfied with the strength of the built-in flash, Samsung has also included a flash hotshoe on the EX2F, which lets you mount an external flashgun.

On the front of the camera you have the AF-assist light and a small wheel located on the hand grip. This wheel is used to adjust the settings for the current exposure mode that you’re shooting in. So you can choose to either use the wheel on the hand grip or the scroll wheel on the rear of the camera to adjust shutter speed while in Tv mode (shutter priority), and tinker with aperture when shooting in aperture priority mode. The wheel adjusts shutter speed while the scroll wheel takes care of the aperture when you're shooting in full manual mode.

Although we found utilizing the wheel to be a useful method of changing settings on the fly, having a control ring similar to those found on the Canon S100 and Sony RX100 is a tad more convenient. How so? Because you will need to take your right forefinger off the shutter release button in order to rotate the dial, while it’s quicker to turn the control ring with your left hand and snap a shot without needing to take your right forefinger off the shutter release button.



The 3-inch AMOLED screen takes up most of the rear of the camera; it’s definitely sharper and has a deeper color saturation when compared to normal LCD screens. It also swivels out, which we found useful when taking shots from unusual angles such as taking shots on ground-level or overhead. Button layout is standard for a digital compact, with the menu button, playback button, delete and function (Fn) button surrounding the navigation pad. The navigation pad is framed by a scroll wheel, which not only lets you navigate the menu system but also adjust the aperture or shutter speed in the respective modes.

The Fn button is a useful button found on most Samsung cameras, which lets you access and change settings on the fly without needing to enter additional sub-menus.

However, you cannot assign functions or settings to the Fn button, so in essence the Function button is more like a Quick Menu button rather than a traditional Function button. In this regard, there’s a definite lack of customization when trying to adapt the handling of the EX2F to suit your shooting style.

Above the Fn button we have the auto exposure lock (AEL) button and the video record button. The AEL button lets you lock down the exposure so you can fire a series of shots with the same exposure setting, which is a welcome addition for the more experienced shutterbug. While the video record button sits flush against the surface of the camera (which we felt was intentional on Samsung’s part to prevent depressing it by accident), there were a few times we still started recording unintentionally.

The EX2F also has built-in Wi-Fi capability so it allows for easy sharing of images and videos via Facebook or Picassa. It also features DLNA device connectivity for output of content. You can even use your Android smartphone or iOS device as a remote viewfinder; this allows you to frame your shots with your smartphone screen and release the camera’s shutter remotely. Accessing all these features is as easy as setting the mode dial to the Wi-Fi option, and selecting the desired feature (check out our preview video below the product shot where we've demoed these features briefly). Handling the camera has proven to be a pretty simple affair, something we suspect was Samsung’s intention all along in order to cater to those who want a fuss-free shooting experience. But for the photography enthusiast, you will be relieved to know that the EX2F also shoots in RAW.

Image Quality and Performance

The EX2F’s main draw is its F1.4 lens, which offers better low light performance and also a much more shallow depth-of-field when compared to the normal lenses found on run-of-the-mill models.

The EX2F has generally good image performance, though we noticed that there’s a slight loss of vibrancy in color when shooting in JPEG. The dynamic range of the EX2F appears to be good when viewed on the AMOLED screen, though the slight loss of color vibrancy becomes apparent when viewing the same images on a computer. Due to the EX2F’s slightly larger sensor, there’s more detail captured in shots, with the EX2F scoring 2000LPH both horizontally and vertically in our resolution test.

Autofocus is quick most of the time so you won’t be frustrated by the slower speeds exhibited by lesser compacts. While it’s very tempting to shoot at f/1.4 all the time, do remember that the depth-of-field is extremely shallow and thus the area of focus will be very small. Don’t be surprised to find that the area of focus may be slightly off when reviewing the enlarged images on a computer.

Shooting in the day with f/1.4 may also result in overexposed images, especially when you intend to keep the shutter open for a longer exposure time. This is when the EX2F’s built-in ND filter comes in handy as it allows you to keep the shutter open for longer or use a larger aperture without resulting in overexposed shots. The macro function of the EX2F is also something noteworthy, as it allows you to focus as close as 1cm to the subject.

With the larger sensor size, the EX2F performs well in low light situations. Given a normal digital compact’s dismal low light performance, you will be pleased to know that the Samsung EX2F retains a good amount of detail and keeps noise to a minimum all the way until ISO800. In fact, if the images are for online use, even ISO1600 is useable. But as they say, the devil is in the details. So zooming in at 100% will reveal that details start to get lost at ISO800, with ISO1600 the absolute maximum you should shoot at in case of any “emergency” photographic opportunities. Details start to smudge at ISO800 and far too much detail is lost at ISO1600 if you intend to zoom in more than 60%.

Sample Images

These are sample photographs shot with the Samsung EX2F. The photos have not been post-processed and are copyright to SPH Magazines. They are provided for your reference only and we ask that you do not reproduce them elsewhere. Click for the full-resolution images.

Conclusion

The EX2F is undoubtedly Samsung’s best digital compact so far. With solid build and a magnesium alloy body, the EX2F definitely feels like the flagship model of Samsung’s compacts. The AMOLED display is a joy to use, and it offers more flexibility in composing your shots with its ability to swivel. However, its size does make it less portable than some of its competitors like the Sony RX100 and Panasonic LX7, though it won’t be an issue if you won’t be carrying it around in your pocket.



While the EX2F does hold its own when faced with competition, there are, however, some issues that need to be addressed. Image quality is generally good, but JPEG images lack a slight bit of color vibrancy despite what the AMOLED display suggests. Detail in images and noise control is better than the average compact, but some competitors, such as the Sony RX100, sport a larger sensor and hence, better low light performance and general image quality.

The lack of a control ring on the lens barrel (found on some premium compacts) and the inability to assign functions to the Fn button does make using the EX2F a slight bit more restrictive than some other cameras, though this will not be an issue to those who rarely customize or fiddle with the controls. In this regard, we feel that the EX2F is geared towards the casual shutterbug who wants to explore some manual controls, but still demands a relatively simple shooting experience. One other niggling aspect is its in-camera battery charging which could be troublesome depending on your expectations and immediate usability at times.

Samsung hasn’t always been taken as a serious contender in the digital compact camera arena, but that’s all set to change with the EX2F. While it does not offer anything groundbreaking, image quality is good and the camera feels solid and robust in our hands. It’s also easy to use, which is not what every digital compact camera can claim to be, and also offers convenience with Wi-Fi connectivity for those who wish to share their videos and photographs immediately. If you're in the market for premium compacts, you should take a close look at the EX2F for a fuss-free digital compact with good performance without breaking the bank.

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