Samsung NV9

Joining Samsung’s NV series of slick premium compacts is the feature-clad NV9, but can this jack of all trades be a master of any? We find out…

If you came across the Samsung NV9 being proudly displayed alongside its shiny-shelled peers in your local electronics store, you’d probably feel that you were looking at the runt of the litter. But take another look, a longer look and that old cliché of judging books by their covers will ring in your eyes, for the beauty of the NV9 isn’t what you see on the outside, but what rests within its sleek frame: top-notch specs and a bustling feature set.

The premium compact, realistically purchasable for a tempting £150, stacks a 5x optical zoom lens, offers a 10.2-megapixel CCD sensor, a larger-than-average LCD screen of 2.7 inches, multimedia capabilities and a stack of must-have Portrait Detection modes.

A true standout asset of the device is the incorporation of dual image stabilisation technology, common within the bridge and prosumer arena of models, and it’s great to see the technology put to good use in the premium line of the brand’s compacts. Supported by a highly sensitive ISO 3200, albeit restricted to use when shooting at 3MP, the NV9 is a serious contender for operating in low-lit and motion-focused environments.

The newcomer inherits similar design DNA from its NV family, and we’re glad to see that the focus on a slim and stylish look has been retained. No larger than a packet of cigarettes, the NV9 won’t endanger your health nor will it be a bother to carry – and because the control buttons situated on the rear have been raised, customers with chunkier digits need not fear operating the svelte gadget. The tour de force here is the inclusion of a mini dashboard featuring status gauges. Perhaps a tad cutesy for some, but the twin dials do offer instant feedback of the camera’s battery and memory status.

Enticing us to take a closer look into the NV9’s feature palette is the Auto Contrast Balance (ACB), which attempts to correct shadows and correctly expose for the whole scene, making it ideal for daytime or low-light shooting. What is more, those with a penchant for portraits will love the bevy of profile-perfecting technology. The choice of options includes Face Detection, Blink Detection, Smile mode and Beauty Shot. Extra niceties include a MJPEG Movie mode that records at 30fps and allows editing and zooming during filming. Furthermore, the NV9 reveals a portfolio of split personalities, for this is no ordinary point-and-shoot; it is actually being marketed as a seven-in-one Portable Multimedia player. So not only is the NV9 a camera and camcorder, it also turns tricks as an MP3 player, text viewer, voice recorder, storage device and users can also take advantage of its jack-of-all-trades nature and watch downloaded movies.

Excited by the list of fascinating abilities, we were slightly disappointed by its actual performance. While it claims to have a glowing CV of things it is willing to do, getting it to do any of them is a bit of a guessing game. First of all, the menu layout isn’t as intuitive as its rivals and results in users having to trawl through menu page after menu page to select appropriate features. Then when you do stumble across the feature you wanted, you may find you can’t use flash in conjunction with it, for example, or you have to be further away from the subject than you are currently. In theory, the technology should make shooting a piece of cake with results to marvel at, but in reality you’re left frustrated and with the feeling that as long as you’ve captured something in the frame you are happy. Of course, like everything in life, practice makes perfect, so with a few days of hard graft you’ll be ready to have some fun.

When you’ve perfected your technique, you’ll realise the results of your endeavours will have made the wait worthwhile. Colour rendition is accurate and details appear crisp when shot at anything below ISO 400, but hold up well at full zoom. The lack of manual controls results in users wielding little influence over their images, and use in Auto offers little to praise as the camera often overexposes, but exposure compensation can be altered in Program mode so all is not lost.

Final Verdict Attempts to be a jack of all trades, seven in fact, but succeeds as a master of a handful. For the price tag the NV9 has a lot to offer – when you get a handle on the beast you won’t be too disappointed. OVERALL

Backed with a journalism degree, Natalie has worked in the magazine industry for over five years. Since joining DP she has reviewed a plethora of cameras, gadgets and accessories, and is never afraid of telling it like it is.