Samsung's budget first-generation mirrorless — 14.6MP APS-C, NX mount, EVF plus 3in LCD, 720p, 2010
The Samsung NX5 was an SLR-styled mirrorless camera announced on 1 June 2010 as the budget entry in Samsung's first NX generation, sitting below the NX10 it closely resembled. It arrived in the earliest days of mirrorless systems, when an APS-C sensor in a compact body was still a novelty.
It uses a 14.6-megapixel Samsung APS-C CMOS sensor (23.4 x 15.6mm, 1.5x crop) with ISO 100-3200 and a 1/4000s top shutter speed. Focusing is contrast-detect with multi-area, selective point and face detection, composition is via an electronic viewfinder or the fixed 3in 230k-dot LCD that replaced the NX10's AMOLED panel, and video records 720p30 in H.264. CIPA battery life is rated at 400 shots and the body weighs about 499g at 123 x 87 x 40mm.
It suits budget-conscious buyers wanting DSLR-sized image quality in a smaller kit, and students learning exposure on a proper sensor. First-generation contrast AF is deliberate by modern standards, so it favours portraits, travel and static subjects over action.
The NX system is discontinued, so lenses, batteries and chargers come from the used market — check what glass is bundled, as a body alone can be hard to pair with affordable lenses. Inspect the sensor for dust via a plain-wall test shot, confirm the EVF and rear LCD both display cleanly, and test the shutter at several speeds. Working chargers matter more than cosmetics.