Samsung NV15 review

Performance
We'd love for this stylish, clever camera to give equally stellar image quality, but we were underwhelmed. Images are certainly decent, but all that intuitive manual control doesn't seem capable of images as crisp as some of the scene modes. Nonetheless, colours were vibrant and detail stood up well. We felt the default sharpening was a little brisk, but that's a matter of personal taste, and it is adjustable.

Our overlaid grid shows the barrel distortion that affects the NV15 at the wide end of shots. Noise is also an issue in this shot at maximum ISO 3,200

Speed is respectable, if not electrifying. Shutter lag is around 0.5 seconds, and shot-to-shot time averaged 1.6 seconds without flash. Continuous mode was a let-down, however, at 2.8 frames per second. Motion-capture mode captured up to 20 images in 2-second bursts, but only at a substantially lower resolution. We'd really prefer something in between these two shooting options.

Image quality
Noise was, as always, the major issue. Images taken at the maximum ISO 3,200 were pebbledashed with so much noise and smeared with so much noise reduction that they looked like they'd been coloured with crayon. Even at speeds as low as ISO 200 lighter areas had a gritty feel. We also noticed some slight barrel distortion (see picture above), but this was only noticeable when photographing regular patterns such as the periodic table we use in our test shots.

Our underwhelmed take on the NV15's performance is more a product of our high expectations for this great camera than a reflection of any real weakness. Image quality and speed are certainly respectable for a compact, and if that sounds like faint praise, it's only because we found everything else about the NV15 to be so exceptionally designed.

Conclusion
Users unwilling to skate the learning curve required by the NV15's unusual interface will probably be happier with a more conventional camera, such as the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z1080. Another feature-rich alternative with an intuitive interface is the Ricoh Caplio R7, which boasts a simple mini joystick. But the NV15's smart touch system is definitely worth getting to grips with as part of an outstandingly well-designed compact camera.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday