Samsung's 2014 flagship APS-C mirrorless — the high point of the NX system.
The Samsung NX1 is the flagship APS-C mirrorless camera Samsung announced at Photokina in September 2014, the high-water mark of the NX system and, as it turned out, effectively the company's swansong in serious cameras before its withdrawal from the market.
It packs a 28.2-megapixel back-side-illuminated APS-C CMOS sensor — the first BSI sensor of that size in any camera — driven by the DRIMe V processor. Headline capabilities include 15fps continuous shooting with autofocus, a 205-point phase-detection hybrid AF system covering nearly the whole frame, 4K/UHD video recorded in the then-novel H.265/HEVC codec, a 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder, a tilting Super AMOLED touchscreen and a magnesium-alloy, weather-sealed body with a top-plate status LCD.
The NX1 matters because it out-specced most rivals of its day and remains a cult favourite: its sensor and video pipeline were years ahead of 2014's Canon and Nikon APS-C offerings. Samsung's exit from cameras around 2015-2017 froze the system in time, which is exactly why complete NX1 outfits — especially with the premium 16-50mm f/2-2.8 S lens — now trade at strong money on the UK used market.
UK used-buying checks: confirm firmware is at the final v1.41 release (it added substantial AF and video improvements and can no longer be obtained from Samsung's shuttered support channels, so a camera already updated is worth more); check the shutter count and test 15fps burst; remember H.265 files need a reasonably modern computer to edit; BP1900 batteries are discontinued, so count how many genuine cells are included; and be aware there is no official UK repair route — any fault means independent technicians or parts donors, so test EVF, rear screen and both card slots thoroughly. Kits with the 16-50mm S lens justify the £1,000+ asking prices seen; bare bodies should be markedly cheaper.