Samsung NX1000 Photographic guide_01_to_10

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A subject captured jumping using a 1/500 sec shutter speed.

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A photo taken with a slow shutter speed of 30 sec, showing waves with a misty effect.
18mm ISO100 f11 30s

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M mode allows you to use the camera's exposure level indicator and select the
shutter speed and the aperture values manually. In this mode, the exposure com-
pensation function is not applied, and nor is it necessary. M mode allows users
to decide the exposure for themselves by setting their own chosen value, so it is
primarily used for shooting creative photos.
To use M mode, you will need a certain level of knowledge about exposure to get
the image you want. Although you may experience inconvenience having to make
manual adjustments to the aperture level and shutter speed, you can create high
quality images using the technique of exposure control. M mode is a great tool for
helping beginners to understand the concept of exposure.
You don't need to use manual exposure unless you are going to shoot photos at
night or with an exposure level exceeding ±3EV from the exposure level deter-
mined by the camera (for example, when you need to shoot very dark photos dur-
ing the daytime). Use the Bulb shutter for special cases such as fireworks.

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⇠ Example. The screen display
may differ depending on the
setting.
Shutter speed Aperture A red mark for the exposure status shown in the
(-) direction means insufficient exposure and in
the (+) direction means overexposure.

When using M mode, you need to observe the exposure level indicator at the bot-
tom of the LCD screen of the camera. When you set the shutter and aperture, the
indicator shows the difference between the exposure you have set and the expo-
sure as measured by the camera, where the exposure level located at the center
of the indicator is the appropriate exposure. When you adjust the shutter speed
with the jog dial on the top of the camera, and adjust the aperture value with the
wheel on the back, a red bar at the bottom of the screen will move to the right(+)
in the case of overexposure, or to the left(-) in the case of insufficient exposure.
Again, when simply shooting within an exposure value of ±3EV from the expo-
sure value set by the camera, you are better off using the exposure compensation
method in P, A and S mode for faster and easier shooting, since there is no point in
using manual exposure in this case.

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A photo taken with exposure adjustment in M mode
in order to shoot a golden sunset scene.
ISO100 f9.5 1/180s

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Panorama shooting enables you to shoot a wide landscape that won't normally fit
into a single shot even with a wide angle lens. In Panorama mode, you can take
multiple shots of a 180 degree landscape and merge them together to make one
photo; this sort of function is normally available only on a computer program such
as Photoshop, or other optional software, but Samsung has included it in the cam-
era. Using panorama shooting is simple. If you set the camera to Panorama mode,
press and hold the shutter, and move the camera slowly in the direction you want
to shoot, the camera will shoot multiple photos automatically, and merge and store
the photos together as one photo.

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The principle of a panorama photo is to take slightly overlap-
ping photos while the camera is rotating, and then join them to-
gether to make a single photo, using a program that eliminates
the overlapping parts. Rotating the camera too fast could blur
the photos, so it should be rotated slowly. For the best results,
fix the camera on a tripod, and rotate the camera slowly and
horizontally.

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7Utilization of Interchangeable Lens

The best reason for using a camera with interchangeable lenses is that users can
change the lens according to their subject. It would be very convenient to be able
to shoot everything and express any subject with just one lens, but lens character-
istics make this impossible. Lenses can be categorized by angles of view: a wide
angle lens for giving a wide angle of view, a standard lens which takes pictures
similar to what we can see with our eyes, and a telephoto lens for enlarging sub-
jects that are far away.
There are also special function lenses including close-up lenses for taking pho-
tos of small subjects from close up: zoom lenses with a changeable focal length
between wide angle and telephoto, video lenses that suppress the noise of the
zoom motor and are suitable for video shooting; and large optical lenses for taking
portrait photos. Proper understanding of the characteristics and specifications of
these different types of lenses is necessary in order to use interchangeable lenses
appropriately.

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A specification that indicates the lens capacity is printed on the side of an inter-
changeable lens, and you need to understand the meaning of the numbers to use
an interchangeable lens effectively.

Aperture value
1 The range of supported aperture values.

For example, 1:3.5-6.3 indicates a maximum aperture value range from 3.5 to 6.3.

Focal Length

This represents the distance between the center of the lens to its focal point on the image

2 sensor. This is expressed in a range from "minimum length to maximum length" for a zoom
lens. The longer focal lengths result in narrower angles of view and

a smaller shooting range (the subject is magnified), and the shorter focal lengths result in

wider angles of view and a bigger shooting range.

ED

3 ED stands for extra-low dispersion. Extra-low dispersion glass is effective in minimizing
chromatic aberration (the color distortion that occurs when a lens fails to focus all the colors

created by the refraction of light).

OIS

4 OIS stands for optical image stabilization, meaning an optical compensation function against
shaking. Lenses with this feature can detect camera shake and effectively cancel out the

movement inside the camera.

ø
5 The lens diameter. When you attach a filter to the lens, make sure that the diameter of the

lens matches the diameter of the filter.

Understanding the meaning of the numbers
printed on the lens helps when you are
purchasing a lens.

(Ex.) SAMSUNG 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 ED lens

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You can confirm the available shooting range of a lens by examining its focal
length. A shorter focal length means a wide angle lens, which can shoot a broad
range; whereas a longer focal length denotes a telephoto lens, with a narrow view
angle, which can enlarge a far-off subject.

Short focal length Long focal length
Wide angle lens Telephoto lens

Capture a wide view. Capture a far-off subject.
Wide view angle. Narrow view angle.

Angle of view 94° 84° 75° 63° 45°

28° 24° 18°
12°
8° 4° 2°

300 6001200
200
85 100 135

Focal length (mm) 20 24 28 35 50

Wide angle Standard Telephoto

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A photo captured with a 21mm extreme wide angle lens
A photo captured with a 200mm telephoto lens

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A fixed focus lens is a lens with fixed focal
length, and a lens with a changeable focal
length is called a zoom lens. Fixed focus lenses
can be brightened, and produce reliably good
photos using only a few lens elements. But the
focal length cannot be changed, so users need
to move forwards or backwards to get their im-
age into focus. In contrast to a fixed focus lens,
zoom lenses cannot be brightened and are of-
ten bulky and cumbersome due to the many
lens elements they need, so the quality of the
lens may not be as good as that of a fixed focus
lens.

20mm pancake lens 18-200mm zoom lens

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20-50mm F3.5-5.6 II
What are the advantages of using a fast lens? Why are photography lovers so
eager to have expensive top-of-the-range fast lenses? With a faster lens, the aper-
ture can be opened wider in low light, so the shutter speed can be faster.
When you shoot a photo with a slow lens, the shutter speed slows down, resulting
in a blurred photo even if you fully open the aperture, but with a fast lens, you can
use a lower aperture value, increasing the shutter speed, and ensuring that your
photo will be clear.
For example, an 18-55mm lens has a maximum aperture of f3.8. Suppose you
take a photo with this lens in an indoor area without flash. In a dark indoor area, an
18mm f3.8 lens will tend to take the shutter speed down below 1/15 sec, so if you
are holding the camera in your hands and taking a photo, your shot will certainly be
100% blurred. However, if you have a 30mm f2 lens, you can use an f2 aperture
with 1/60 sec shutter speed, which is 4 times faster than the f3.8, and thus you can
avoid blurred photos.
In addition to the faster shutter speeds, a wider aperture provides greater out-of-
focus effects, so a fast lens is frequently used for shooting portraits; for example,
an 85mm f1.4 lens is very suitable for portrait shooting.

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The 16mm lens equates to 24mm if converted to film camera
focal length. This lens shoots an 84°angle of view, which is close
to an extreme wide angle shot, and is used for shooting a wide
landscape photo or a small indoor space. Wide angle lenses
create distortion, so you will need to check the horizontals and
verticals when you take a photo of a building.

16mm ISO100 f8 1/400s

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16mm ISO100 f8 1/125s

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The 20mm lens equates to 30mm if converted to film camera
focal length. An f2.8 lens with a 50.2°angle is very useful. The
lens can be used in different ways, from landscape photos to
interiors, portraits, and photos of children. Because it is versatile
and compact, and conforms to a medium wide angle lens, it is
commonly used, replacing the standard lens.

20mm ISO100 f7.1 1/250s

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A 20mm lens can create unique portrait photos.
20mm ISO100 f11 1/125s

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The 30mm lens equates to 46mm if converted to film camera
focal length. As a fast, thin f2 lens in pancake style, this lens is
very portable, and popular for providing strong out-of-focus ef-
fects when shooting with a large aperture. The large aperture
enables you to shoot indoor photos without concerns over cam-
era shakiness.

30mm ISO100 f2.8 1/160s

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A photo taken on a cloudy day with a tripod
and f16 aperture to create good depth of field.
30mm ISO200 f16 1/30s

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This is the most widely-used standard zoom lens suitable for
snap shots in daily life or landscape photos. The basic features
of this lens are the same as existing 18-55mm lenses, except
that the mount area is reinforced with metallic material instead
of plastic.

55mm ISO100 f8 1/640s

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18mm ISO100 f5.6 1/400s

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The 20-50mm lens is a very practical lens, covering angles of view from wide
angle to medium telephoto. This lens can be used for everything from landscape
shooting to portrait shooting. Its angle of view is similar to that of an 18-55mm lens,
but its portability is better because of its smaller size.

A photo of a landscape at sunset taken with a 20-50mm lens,
reduced aperture, and fast shutter speed to emphasize the sunset.
50mm ISO100 f11 1/250s

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The 20-50mm lens can be used for wide shots, due to the
suitability of its angle of view, and natural perspective.
40mm ISO100 f7.2 1/45s

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The 50-200mm zoom lens has angles of view from medium tel-
ephoto to extreme telephoto. It is used mainly for portraits and
sports, and also gives excellent results for close-up shooting.

It is a good lens for composition, as well as for creating
a reduced perspective with a narrow angle of view.
150mm ISO100 f6.3 1/500s

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For a photo of a bird far away in the distance, a telephoto lens is essential. When using
a telephoto lens, you need to use a tripod to prevent camera shakiness because the
lens has a narrow angle of view and is heavy.
200mm ISO100 f5.6 1/125s

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This lens can shoot almost all subjects, from wide angle to ex-
treme telephoto. Its ultrasonic motor reduces the noise from the
zoom operation, so it is also very effective in shooting video.
However, although it can shoot almost everything, you need
to use a tripod to prevent camera shakiness for anything over
150mm.

A photo taken using an 18mm wide angle to emphasize the perspective.
18mm ISO100 f8 1/125

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A photo taken using a 50mm angle of view that is good for
keeping a suitable distance from a subject. This angle of view is
also frequently used as it offers natural perspective.
50mm ISO100 f13 1/180

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The 85mm lens is the fastest f1.4 lens of all commercial lenses. This lens is the
best for shooting portraits, due to its beautiful out-of-focus effect. Taking a photo
with an f1.4 lens inevitably creates a strong out-of-focus effect, which makes fo-
cusing difficult, so it is recommended to confirm the depth of field with the DOF
preview, and decide on an appropriate aperture before shooting.

A photo taken using an f1.4 lens; only the eyes are
in focus - everything else is out of focus.
85mm ISO100 f1.4 1/800s

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A proper focus range is set with the aperture two steps down.
85mm ISO400 f2.8 1/125s

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This lens is designed for taking close-up shots only. When you take a photo with

a lens that is not designed for close-ups, the area surrounding the subject will be

blurred; the macro lens is designed to resolve this problem. When you open the

aperture in close-up shooting, the depth of field will be low, so you need to calcu-

late the effect in advance to decide on the appropriate aperture value. The low

noise motor reduces noise at the time of shooting, and its built-in image stabilizer

reduces camera shakiness. In addition to close-up shooting, you can also use the

fast aperture feature for portrait shooting.

60mm ISO100 f32 1/200s

60mm ISO100 f22 1/160s

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8Guide for
Portrait Photos

Portrait shots are everywhere, including daily photos, advertisements, fashion
photography, and documentary films. And yet most photographers consider por-
trait shooting to be both the easiest and the hardest part of their job. The develop-
ment of digital cameras has led to a revolution in portrait photography. A variety of
digital filters are used to shoot and create better portrait shots using photo editing
programs, but the best way is still to take a great photo in the first place.
When beginners shoot a portrait photo, it's evident that although they are hoping
for a great photo, they often end up as victims to novice techniques. They may try
to take the photo too far away from their subject in order to capture a full length
portrait, or shoot the subject when he or she is facing the sun, or position the sub-
ject at the exact center of the shot. With portrait shots, it's important to emphasize
the personality of the subject, and create a beautiful portrait. Let's study how we
can do this.

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Most people shoot portrait photos too far away from their sub-
ject. Keep the distance from the subject as close as possible
unless it is a shot in which you also want to capture a large
background or landscape.

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When the subject is at the center of a
photo, it can make the photo feel heavy.
The best way to compose a portrait is to
place the subject a little to the right or left,
to create an unequal space on one side.

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If a subject is placed slightly off-center, the larger of the two ar-
eas on either side of the subject should be the area towards
which the subject is looking. Sometimes composing a portrait in
an unexpected way can create a refreshing tension in the shot.

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People tend to look awkward and stiff when being
photographed, so it's important to learn to talk to the
subject to help them relax and look natural.

If you help the subject relax and adopt a comfortable pose and expression, they will
appear more natural in the shot. ISO100 f4.5 1/45s

Backlight Chapter 8 149

Cross light Cross light
Side light
Direction of light

Side light

Plain light Plain light

Front light

In a studio or indoor shooting situation, photographers can use lighting, but out-
doors, they have to depend only on sunlight. The light can completely change the
look of a photo. For example, on a clear day the sun can be very bright, shadowing
a subject's face, which may lead to an unattractive photo, likewise, the color of the
subject's face may look slightly blue in the morning or red in the evening.

The most important point in using the light is selecting an appropriate light direction
before taking the shot, based on the position of the subject. Since the shadow on
a subject's face varies according to the direction of the light, very different photos
can be created although the subjects is the same depending on the direction of
the light.

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Often, the most unfavorable conditions for photographers are
in sunlight from 11AM to 3PM. This is because sunlight from
directly overhead creates heavy shadows on a subject, and
makes landscape photos flat and expressionless.
In portrait photos, the subject should not be facing sunlight. Fac-
ing the sunlight can create lots of shadows on the subject, creat-
ing an unattractive photo.

A strong shadow appears under the subject's eyes due to the light from the sun over
the subject's head. 50mm ISO100 f5.6 1/40s

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The most favorable light for portrait photographers is backlight.
Photographers enjoy using backlight, where they face the sun
and the subject stands with the sun behind them. In this situa-
tion, no shadows are created on the subject, and the backlight
creates a highlight around the subject's head, creating a vivid
photo in which a sense of dimension is added.

A photo with no shadows on the
subject's face and highlights around
the subject's head demonstrates
the subject taken using a backlight
effect.
50mm ISO100 f5.6 1/40s

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Backlighting can create a great photo, but one problem when shooting in backlight
is that the subject may appear somewhat darker. Therefore, exposure compen-
sation is essential for this type of shot. In order to compensate for the exposure,
shoot the photo 1-2 steps brighter. Another way to do this is to select a spot for the
exposure measurement, then measure the exposure on the subject's face only,
and shoot.

To measure the exposure, select spot measurement, focus on the subject's face and
half-press the shutter.

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Flash can also be used to compensate for exposure in a backlit
photo. If you have an external flash, compensate for the expo-
sure using the flash in the open air.

When using flash, the subject's face will
be brighter but also tends to look flat and
expressionless, and flash reflection may
occur. However, flashlight can also reflect
from the subject's eyes, forming the so-
called 'catch light', and illuminating the
subject's eyes.

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Light has an important effect on portrait photos. The most com-
fortable light for portrait shooting is diffused light. Diffused light
is similar to the light produced by the sun hidden behind clouds,
like on a cloudy or rainy day, or in a bright indoor space (as in an
indoor gym, an amusement park or a greenhouse).

30mm ISO100 f2.0 1/200s

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It is quite easy to take an out-of-focus
photo. Use a lens with the widest ap-
erture (the lowest f number) and set
the shooting mode to Aperture Priority
mode. Stand as close as possible to
the subject, focus on the upper body
of the subject, and shoot. However,
keep the background as far away as
possible.
A wide angle lens is not suitable for
taking out-of-focus photos. If you have
a zoom lens, use it to zoom in, focus-
ing on the subject's torso and face.
30mm f2, 60mm Macro, 85mm f1.4,
18-200mm and 18-250mm are ap-
propriate lenses for portrait shooting.

A photo taken with a 60mm lens and
the aperture opened to create a blurred
background.
60mm ISO100 f2.8 1/200s

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Wide angle lenses are not required for out-of-focus shooting but
are very effective for shooting surrealistic portrait photos. You
can capture the whole person plus the beautiful landscape in
one photo. Wide angle lenses include 16mm, 20mm, and 18-
200mm lenses.

18mm ISO100 f5.6 1/125s

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A photo taken in a dark indoor space at ISO 400, with
the camera placed on a table to prevent shakiness.

Shooting portraits indoors is very difficult due to the low lighting. This is because
the amount of light indoors is significantly lower than it is outdoors, so shutter
speeds are slower even if you open the aperture to the maximum - and slow shut-
ter speeds make blurred photos.
In these cases, the best way to proceed is to use a tripod for your photo, or you
can use a desk or table as a firm base for the camera if you don't have a tripod. If
there is no available support for the camera, increase the ISO sensitivity, watch-
ing the display, until the shutter speed reaches 1/60 sec. However, be aware that
higher ISO sensitivity levels create more noise, which may have an adverse effect
on your image quality.

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A pop-up flash has been built in the
NX20 - GN(Guide Number) 11 - for
better close portrait shooting. As with
all the NX systems, you can use an
external flash unit (sold separately).
The electronic flash is even synchro-
nized with the exposure system, so
you can use it without expert knowl-
edge if you set both the camera and
the flash in auto mode and shoot.
The flash is very useful for poor light
conditions, indoor areas, or night
shooting, and you can also use it
freely in outdoor areas when the
light level is low and there is a risk of
camera shakiness, such as in very
shaded places, early dawn, or late
afternoon.
⇢ Flash
NX20 → Built-in popup, external exclusive flash
NX210, NX1000 → External exclusive flash