Samsung NX 20 50mm F3 5 5 6 ED Review | 54 Data compared

However, the compact build introduces several prominent compromises. Its core disadvantages include a complete lack of optical image stabilisation and a narrower focal range on both ends compared to a typical kit lens. The physical build relies heavily on an average plastic construction extending down to the mount, and the zoom ring exhibits a relatively high level of friction. Additionally, the front element rotates during focusing, which makes utilizing a polarizing filter highly cumbersome, while the focus-by-wire autofocus motor operates slower and with a slight high-frequency noise emission compared to the 18-55mm counterpart.

The Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED II is a compact, lightweight kit lens sold separately for 269€ that delivers higher-than-average image quality for a lens of its category. The second revision improves upon the body design, though the construction remains mostly plastic with somewhat wobbly expandable elements. Optically, the lens offers sharp results at its center across multiple focal lengths, specifically showing exceptional performance at 24mm (between f5.6 and f11) and at 50mm when stopped down to f11. Additionally, chromatic aberrations are negligible, and common flaws like distortion and vignetting are easily corrected in post-processing. However, the lens has notable disadvantages regarding performance, physical design, and functionality. Its autofocus is the slowest in the Samsung NX lineup, taking one to two seconds to focus while emitting a loud, awkward noise, making it poor for action or video. It completely lacks integrated optical image stabilisation (OIS) and does not feature an AF/MF physical switch. Filtration is highly restricted due to an uncommon 40.5mm filter thread and a rotating front element that disrupts polarising or neutral density filters. While the lens center is...

The Samsung NX100 kit lens delivers impressive optical sharpness across the frame at its 50mm setting, with very low chromatic aberration and only minor corner softness when shot wide-open. Its 3" AMOLED monitor provides outstanding viewfinder accuracy, achieving 99% coverage at wide-angle and a perfect 100% at full telephoto. Additionally, the camera successfully manages geometric distortion and chromatic aberration through its automated in-camera JPEG processing. However, the 20-50mm kit lens has notable limitations, including a restrictive 2.5x zoom ratio that fails to go as wide or as long as standard kit options. Its macro performance captures a larger-than-average area but suffers from an overall soft detail resolution. Furthermore, while the digital distortion correction keeps lines straight in JPEGs, it introduces noticeable artifacts like "jaggies" on straight edges—a flaw that can only be avoided by shooting in RAW and using external software.

The LensTip.com review of the Samsung NX 20-50 mm f/3.5-5.6 ED lens highlights its unique role as an ultra-compact, lightweight alternative to standard 18-55 mm kit lenses. To achieve its highly portable, pocket-friendly retractable design, the engineers made a deliberate compromise by omitting built-in image stabilisation and slightly narrowing the zoom range by 2 mm at the wide end and 5 mm at the long end. The review notes that the lens was synchronized and bundled with the compact mirrorless Samsung NX100 camera, serving as a well-conceived travel companion that delivers surprisingly high-quality optics despite its small stature.

The Samsung NX 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens is an impressively sharp and reliable standard zoom lens for mirrorless cameras, delivering excellent high-resolution figures across its entire focal range. Optically, it excels with very good center performance even at maximum aperture, alongside well-controlled lateral chromatic aberrations that stay below 1 pixel. It features a light, highly compact retractable design that pairs exceptionally well with small camera bodies. Furthermore, it boasts excellent sample centering quality, making it a highly cost-effective and dependable option when compared to Samsung's 18-55mm alternative. However, the lens does come with several distinct compromises. It produces a heavy 3.7% barrel distortion and 1EV of visible light falloff (vignetting) at the wide 20mm end, though the distortion is mitigated by mandatory in-camera JPEG auto-correction. There is also a bit of field curvature present at 20mm, and performance drops off noticeably at f/16 due to diffraction. On the mechanical and handling side, it lacks built-in optical image stabilization, features a somewhat reduced focal length range, and has a slower, noisier autofocus motor that makes it poorly suited for action photography. If...

The Samsung 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ED II NX is a sharp and compact kit zoom lens designed for Samsung's APS-C NX mirrorless system, originally retailing for a list price of $249. Measuring a portable 2.5 by 1.6 inches and weighing a mere 4.2 ounces, the lens utilizes a lightweight plastic mount and a space-saving collapsible barrel design. In performance testing, it earned a "Good" 3.5 rating due to its superb sharpness, which exceeds 2,100 lines at its widest aperture and reaches up to 2,400 lines when stopped down to f/8. It also handles distortion very well, registering a negligible 0.2% to 0.5% of pincushion distortion across its focal range. Despite its strong optical clarity, the lens has several physical and structural drawbacks. On the plus side, its primary pros are its excellent center sharpness, very minimal distortion, and highly compact footprint. However, its notable cons include a slow f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture, a less durable plastic lens mount, and a relatively limited 2.5x zoom range. Additionally, it features a rotating front element that prevents the practical use of circular polarising filters, and...