Why Nobody Is Concerned With Lack Of Samsung Raw Tool For Mac

'.nrw' redirects here. For the German geographic domain for, see. Raw image file.3fr,.ari,.bay,.cr2.cr3,.cap,.data,.dcs,.dcr,.drf,.eip,.erf,.fff,.gpr,.iiq,.k25,.kdc,.mef,.mos,.nef,.nrw,.obm,.pef,.ptx,.pxn,.raf,.raw,.rwl,.rw2,.rwz,.srw,.tif,.x3f Type of format A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the of either a, or, or other. Raw files are named so because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be or edited with a.

Normally, the image is processed by a raw converter in a wide- internal where precise adjustments can be made before to a 'positive' file format such as or for storage, printing, or further manipulation. This often encodes the image in a device-dependent color space.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of raw formats in use by different models of digital equipment (like cameras or film scanners). Contents. Rationale Raw image files are sometimes described as 'digital negatives'; though they are not negative images, they fulfill the same role as in film photography: that is, the negative is not directly usable as an image, but has all of the information needed to create an image. Likewise, the process of converting a raw image file into a viewable format is sometimes called 'developing' a raw image, by analogy with the process used to convert into viewable prints. The selection of the final choice of image rendering is part of the process of.

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Like a photographic negative, a raw digital image may have a wider or color than the eventual final image format, and it preserves most of the information of the captured image. The purpose of raw image formats is to save, with minimum loss of information, data obtained from the sensor, and the conditions surrounding the capturing of the image (the ).

Raw image formats are intended to capture the characteristics of the scene, that is, physical information about the light intensity and color of the scene, at the best of the camera sensor's performance. Most raw image file formats store information sensed according to the geometry of the sensor's individual photo-receptive elements (sometimes called pixels) rather than points in the expected final image: sensors with hexagonal element displacement, for example, record information for each of their hexagonally-displaced cells, which a decoding software will eventually transform into the rectangular geometry during 'digital developing'. File contents Raw files contain the information required to produce a viewable image from the camera's sensor data. The structure of raw files often follows a common pattern:.

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A short file header which typically contains an indicator of the of the file, a file identifier and an offset into the main file data. Camera sensor which is required to interpret the sensor image data, including the size of the sensor, the attributes of the and its.

Image which is required for inclusion in any environment. These include the exposure settings, camera/scanner/lens model, date (and, optionally, place) of shoot/scan, authoring information and other. Some raw files contain a standardized metadata section with data in format.

An image. Most raw files contain a full size JPEG conversion of the image, which is used to preview the file on the camera's LCD panel. In the case of motion picture film scans, either the, or frame number in the which represents the frame sequence in a scanned reel. This item allows the file to be ordered in a (without relying on its filename). The sensor image data Many raw file formats, including IIQ , 3FR , DCR, K25, KDC , CRW CR2 CR3 , ERF , MEF , MOS , NEF , , PEF , RW2 and ARW, SRF, SR2 , are based on the TIFF file format. These files may deviate from the TIFF standard in a number of ways, including the use of a non-standard file header, the inclusion of additional image tags and the encryption of some of the tagged data. Panasonic's raw converter corrects geometric distortion and on such cameras as the, with necessary correction information presumably included in the raw.

's raw converter also offers corrections for geometrical distortion, purple fringing and keystone correction emulating the shift capability of in software and specially designed hardware, on most raw files from over 100 different cameras. The same holds for Canon's DPP application, at least for all more expensive cameras like all and the of compact cameras., the Adobe digital negative format, is an extension of the TIFF 6.0 format and is compatible with, and uses various and/or, including,.

Sensor image data In, the raw file plays the role that plays in. Raw files thus contain the full resolution (typically 12- or 14-bit) data as read out from each of the camera's. The camera's sensor is almost invariably overlaid with a (CFA), usually a, consisting of a mosaic of a 2x2 matrix of red, green, blue and (second) green filters. One variation on the Bayer filter is the of the, which exchanged the green in the RG rows with ' (a or color). Other sensors, such as the, capture information directly in RGB form (using three pixel sensors in each location).

These RGB raw data still need to be processed to make an image file, because the raw RGB values correspond to the responses of the sensors, not to a standard color space like. These data do not need to be, however. And sensors are typically straight narrow RGB or RGBI (where 'I' stands for the additional infra-red channel for automatic dust removal) strips that are swept across an image. The is able to store the infrared raw data, which can be used for, as an additional 16-bit channel. The remainder of the discussion about raw files applies to them as well.

(Some scanners do not allow the host system access to the raw data at all, as a speed compromise. The raw data are processed very rapidly inside the scanner to select out the best part of the available dynamic range so only the result is passed to the computer for permanent storage, reducing the amount of data transferred and therefore the bandwidth requirement for any given speed of image throughput.) To obtain an image from a raw file, this mosaic of data must be converted into standard RGB form.

This is often referred to as 'raw development'. When converting from the four-sensor 2x2 Bayer-matrix raw form into RGB pixels, the green pair is used to control the luminance detail of the processed output pixel, while the red and blue, which each have half as many samples, are used mostly for the more slowly-varying component of the image. If raw format data is available, it can be used in conversion, as a simpler alternative to the multi-exposure HDI approach of capturing three separate images, one underexposed, one correct and one overexposed, and 'overlaying' one on top of the other. Standardization Providing a detailed and concise description of the content of raw files is highly problematic. There is no single raw format; formats can be similar or radically different. Different manufacturers use their own proprietary and typically undocumented formats, which are collectively known as raw format. Often they also change the format from one camera model to the next.

Several major camera manufacturers, including Nikon, Canon and Sony, portions of the file in an attempt to prevent third-party tools from accessing them. This industry-wide situation of inconsistent formatting has concerned many photographers who worry that their valuable raw photos may someday become inaccessible, as computer operating systems and software programs become obsolete and abandoned raw formats are dropped from new software. The availability of high-quality software which decodes raw image formats, particularly, has helped to alleviate these concerns. An essay by and Juergen Specht stated 'here are two solutions – the adoption by the camera industry of A: Public documentation of RAW sic formats; past, present and future, or, more likely B: Adoption of a universal RAW sic format'. 'Planning for US Library of Congress Collections' identifies raw-file formats as 'less desirable file formats', and identifies DNG as a suggested alternative. DNG is the only raw image format for which industry-wide buy-in is being sought. It is based upon, and compatible with, the ISO standard raw image format ISO 12234-2, and is being used by ISO in their revision of that standard.

This section may require to meet Wikipedia's. The specific problem is: should this go to or? Please help if you can. (November 2010) The ISO standard raw image format is ISO 12234-2, better known as. (TIFF/EP also supports 'non-raw', or 'processed', images).

TIFF/EP provided a basis for the raw image formats of a number of cameras. For example, 's NEF raw files are based on TIFF/EP, and include a tag which identifies the version of TIFF/EP they are based on.

Adobe's DNG raw file format was based on TIFF/EP, and the DNG specification states 'DNG. Is compatible with the TIFF-EP standard'. Several cameras use DNG as their raw image format, so in that limited sense they use TIFF/EP too. Launched this DNG raw image format in September 2004. By September 2006, several camera manufacturers had started to announce support for DNG in newer camera models, including, Pentax, (native camera support); and, (export). The Leica Digital-Modul-R (DMR) was first to use DNG as its native format. In September 2009 Adobe stated that there were no known intellectual property encumbrances or license requirements for DNG.

(There is a 'Digital Negative (DNG) Specification Patent License', but it does not actually state that there are any patents held on DNG, and the September 2009 statement was made at least 4 years after this license was published). TIFF/EP began its 5-year revision cycle in 2006. Adobe offered the DNG specification to to be part of ISO's revised TIFF/EP standard. A progress report in October 2008 from ISO about the revision of TIFF/EP stated that the revision '. currently includes two 'interoperability-profiles,' 'IP 1' for processed image data, using '.TIF' extension, and 'IP 2' for 'raw' image data, '.DNG' extension'. It is 'IP 2' that is relevant here. A progress report in September 2009 states that 'This format will be similar to DNG 1.3, which serves as the starting point for development.'

DNG has been used by open-source developers. Use by camera makers varies: the largest companies such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, and some others, do not use DNG. Smaller companies and makers of 'niche' cameras who might otherwise have difficulty getting support from software companies frequently use DNG as their native raw image format. Pentax uses DNG as an optional alternative to their own raw image format. There are 15 or more such companies, even including a few that specialize in movie cameras. In addition, most Canon point & shoot cameras can support DNG by using.

Canon Raw v2, CR2, is mostly based on TIFF and lossless Jpeg ITU-T81 Canon Raw v3, CR3 is based on ISO Base Media File Format (ISO/IEC 14496-12), with custom tags, and unknown 'crx' codec. Processing. See also: To be viewed or printed, the output from a camera's has to be processed, that is, converted to a photographic rendering of the scene, and then stored in a standard format such as. This processing, whether done in-camera or later in a raw-file converter, involves a number of operations, typically including:. decoding – image data of raw files are typically encoded for compression purpose, but also often for obfuscation purpose (e.g. Raw files from Canon or Nikon cameras).

– interpolating the partial raw data received from the image sensor into a matrix of colored pixels. Sample before/after where highlights and shadow detail was recovered using the levels tool, left (raw file), right (jpg final result) When a camera saves a raw file it defers most of this processing; typically the only processing performed is the removal of defective pixels (the DNG specification requires that defective pixels be removed before creating the file ).

Some camera manufacturers do additional processing before saving raw files; for example, Nikon has been criticized by for applying noise reduction before saving the raw file. Some raw formats also allow. This nonlinearity allows the compression of the raw data without visible degradation of the image by removing invisible and irrelevant information from the image. Although noise is discarded this has nothing to do with (visible) noise reduction. Benefits Nearly all digital cameras can process the image from the into a JPEG file using settings for, and that are either selected automatically or entered by the photographer before taking the picture. Cameras that produce raw files save these settings in the file, but defer the processing. This results in an extra step for the photographer, so raw is normally only used when additional computer processing is intended.

However, raw has numerous advantages over JPEG such as:. Many more shades of colors compared to JPEG files - raw files have 12 or 14 bits of intensity information per channel (4096-16384 shades), compared to JPEG's 8 bits (256 shades). Higher image quality.

Because all the calculations (such as applying, white balance, contrast, etc.) used to generate pixel values (in RGB format for most images) are performed in one step on the base data, the resultant pixel values will be more accurate and exhibit less. Bypassing of undesired steps in the camera's processing, including and. JPEG images are typically saved using a format (though a compression is now available). Raw formats typically use or high-quality lossy compression. Finer control. Raw conversion software allows users to manipulate more parameters (such as, white balance, saturation, etc.) and do so with greater variability.

For example, the white point can be set to any value, not just discrete preset values like 'daylight' or 'incandescent'. Furthermore, the user can typically see a preview while adjusting these parameters. The can be set to whatever is desired. Different algorithms can be used, not just the one coded into the camera. The contents of raw files include more information, and potentially higher quality, than the converted results, in which the rendering parameters are fixed, the color gamut is clipped, and there may be and artifacts. Large transformations of the data, such as increasing the exposure of a dramatically under-exposed photo, result in fewer visible artifacts when done from raw data than when done from already rendered image files.

Raw data leave more scope for both corrections and artistic manipulations, without resulting in images with visible flaws such as. All the changes made on a raw image file are non-destructive; that is, only the metadata that controls the rendering is changed to make different output versions, leaving the original data unchanged. To some extent, raw-format photography eliminates the need to use the technique, allowing a much better control over the mapping of the scene intensity range into the output tonal range, compared to the process of automatically mapping to or other 8-bit representation. Drawbacks. Camera raw file size is typically 2–6 times larger than JPEG file size. While use of raw formats avoids the compression artifacts inherent in JPEG, fewer images can fit on a given.

However, the large sizes and low prices of modern memory cards mitigate this. Tends to be slower and shorter due to the larger file size. Most raw formats implement to reduce the size of the files without affecting image quality.

But some others use where quantization and filtering is performed on the image data. Sony’s lossy 11+7 bit delta compression of raw data causes posterization under certain conditions. Several Nikon cameras let photographers choose between no compression, lossless compression or lossy compression for their raw images.

Introduced.r3d Redcode Raw with compression ratio from 3:1 to 18:1 which depends on resolution and frame rates. The standard raw image format (ISO 12234-2, ) is not widely accepted., the potential candidate for a new standard format, has not been adopted by many major camera companies.

(See ' section). Numerous different raw formats are currently in use and new raw formats keep appearing, while others are abandoned. Because of the lack of widespread adoption of a standard raw format, more specialized software may be required to open raw files than for standardized formats like JPEG or TIFF. Software developers have to frequently update their products to support the raw formats of the latest cameras but open source implementations like make it easier. The time taken in the image workflow is an important factor when choosing between raw and ready-to-use image formats. With modern photo editing software the additional time needed to process raw images has been greatly reduced but it still requires an extra step in workflow in comparison with using out-of-camera JPEGs. Software support Cameras that support raw files typically come with for conversion of their raw image data into standard RGB images.

Other processing and conversion and are available from vendors that have either licensed the technology from the camera manufacturer or the particular raw format and provided their own processing algorithms. Operating system support Apple macOS and iOS In January 2005, released 5, which offered basic support for viewing and editing many raw file formats. In April 2005, Apple's brought raw support to the operating system's ImageIO framework, enabling raw support automatically in the majority of macOS applications both from Apple (such as Preview, macOS's PDF and image viewing application, and, a photo post-production software package for professionals) as well as all third party applications which make use of the ImageIO frameworks. Semi-regular updates to macOS generally include updated support for new raw formats introduced in the intervening months by camera manufacturers. In 2016, Apple announced that would allow capturing raw images on selected hardware, and third party applications will be able to edit raw images through the operating system's framework. Microsoft Windows Windows Camera Codec Pack supplies the free Windows Camera Codec Pack for and later versions of Microsoft Windows, to integrate raw file viewing and printing into some Microsoft Windows tools. The codecs allow native viewing of raw files from a variety of specific cameras in and, in.

As of October 2016, Microsoft had not released an updated version since April 2014, which supported some specific cameras by the following manufacturers: Canon, Casio, Epson, Fujifilm, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, and Sony. Windows Imaging Component (WIC). Main article: Microsoft Windows supports the Windows Imaging Component (WIC) codec standard. WIC was available as a stand-alone downloadable program for Windows XP Service Pack 2, and built into, and later versions. Windows Explorer / File Explorer, and Windows Live Photo Gallery / Windows Photo Gallery can view raw formats for which the necessary WIC codecs are installed. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax have released WIC codecs for their cameras, although some manufactures only provide codec support for the 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows.

Commercial WIC codecs are also available from Ardfry Imaging, and others; and installs a set of WIC-enabled image decoders. Android 5.0, introduced in late 2014, can allow to take raw images, useful in low-light situations. Free and open source software. is a raw-workflow tool for macOS, Linux and other open Unix-like operating systems. Features native 32-bit floating point processing and a plugin architecture. is a program which reads most raw formats and can be made to run on operating systems not supported by most commercial software (such as ). Is an library based on dcraw, offering a more convenient interface for reading and converting raw files.

And AZImage are some of the commercial applications that use Libraw. Jrawio is another library, written in pure code and compliant to the standard Java Image I/O API. is an advanced digital photo management application for Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X that supports raw processing.

supports the reading, writing and editing of metadata in raw image files. ExifTool supports many different types of metadata including, GPS, Photoshop IRB, AFCP and ID3, as well as the maker notes of many digital cameras., a software suite for image manipulation and conversion, reads many different raw file formats. Is available for Linux/Unix, Mac OS, Microsoft Windows, and other platforms. is a photo editing program providing the ability to edit many raw formats natively. Most tools are raw converters, but LightZone allows a user to edit a raw file as if it were TIFF or JPEG. The project was discontinued in September 2011 and reinstated as an open source project in December 2012.

is a raw format developer. is a raw developer supporting Linux, OS X and Microsoft Windows operating systems. It features a native 32-bit floating point pipeline. is an image organizer available for all major operating systems with the ability to view and edit raw images and has built-in social networking upload capability. is a which uses as a. It can be used as a plugin and is available for most operating systems. Proprietary software In addition to those listed under operating system support, above, the commercial software described below support raw formats.

Dedicated raw converters The following products were launched as raw processing software to process a wide range of raw files, and have this as their main purpose:. (now ). 's Phocus relies on operating system support to process non-Hasselblad files. Others.

is photo management and editing software that supports the raw formats of 21 camera manufacturers. supports raw formats (as of version CS2). supports raw formats. DNG Viewer is a free (32bit) viewer for Microsoft Windows based on. The very simple viewer is installed as RAW Image Viewer, supports some lossless operations, and can save raw images as,. FastRawViewer is a dedicated raw viewer that runs on Mac and Microsoft Windows, and currently claims to support all raw formats except Foveon. supports raw formats.

is a freeware/shareware basic editor with support for raw files. support for raw formats is based on dcraw.

contains raw support, although as in the case of most editors updates to the program may be necessary to attain compatibility with newer raw formats as they are released. supports raw formats. (development discontinued) is a free editor and organizer from. It can read and display many raw formats, but like, Picasa provides only limited tools for processing the data in a raw file. supports raw formats. Wild Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP) support for raw formats is based on libraw. support for raw formats is mostly based on dcraw.

HTML5 browser-based apps A new class of raw file processing tools appeared with the development of -. Raw.pics.io is able to render and apply basic adjustments to raw and DNG files. Raw filename extensions and respective camera manufacturers.3fr.ari.bay.cri.cr2.cr3.cap.iiq.eip.dcs.dcr.drf.k25.kdc.erf.fff (Imacon/ raw).mef. (, ).mos.mrw (, ).nef.nrw.pef.ptx.pxn.R3D.raf.raw.rw2.raw.rwl.dng.rwz.srw.x3f Raw bitmap files Less commonly, raw may also refer to a generic image file format containing only pixel color values. For example, 'Photoshop Raw' files (.raw) contain 8-bits-per-channel RGB data in top-to-bottom, left-to-right pixel order. Dimensions must be input manually when such files are re-opened, or a square image is assumed.

Due to its simplicity, this format is very open and compatible, though limited by its lack of metadata. Especially in photography and graphic design, where color management and extended gamuts are important, and large images are common.

See also. References. Luminous Landscape. 2 March 2011. Digital Preservation.

Retrieved 2014-03-11. The Online Photographer. Imaging Resource.

Archived from on 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2011-12-11. Imaging Resource. Retrieved 5 October 2011.

Retrieved 5 October 2011. July 16, 2003. 15 July 2003. Retrieved 2007-12-09. Dave Coffin, creator of the program, discusses some of his successful reverse-engineering in this interview, and mentions his enthusiasm for the format.; Specht, Juergen (May 2005).; Specht, Juergen (May 2005). Archived from (DOC) on 2012-09-20.; Specht, Juergen (May 2005). Archived from (PDF) on 2011-01-06.

Planning for US Library of Congress Collections:. Barry Pearson:. Adobe: (scroll down a bit).

^ Barry Pearson:. Barry Pearson:. Barry Pearson:. Adobe Labs: (final bullet point).

Adobe:. I3A (International Imaging Industry Association):.

Web archive of widely distributed email:. DPReview:.

I3A (International Imaging Industry Association): 2008-10-23 at the. (scroll down a bit). NPES:, see 14f. R. Ramanath; W.E.

Keigo Hirakawa. Nanette Salvaggio (2008). Kasdorf (2003). Columbia University Press. Archived from on 2004-07-08. ^ (PDF): 61. Kevin Carter (March 3, 2014).

Larry Strunk (2006-03-19). Archived from on 2007-12-10. 14 June 2016.

Retrieved 16 June 2016. Retrieved 2015-02-18.

2007-10-12 at the. Rietschin, Axel. Rietschin, Axel. FastPictureViewer Imaging Products by Axel Rietschin Software Developments. Paul Monckton. Retrieved December 27, 2014. Archived from on 2011-11-14.

Retrieved 2017-09-01. External links. Adobe: '; background on how camera sensors treat raw files.: a of photographers, software engineers and other people interested in advocating the open documentation of digital camera raw files. Atkins, Bob: '; common file formats compared.

Coupe, Adam: '; Article with diagrams explaining raw data and its advantages. Goldstein, Jim M.: '; an editorial. A pros and cons approach to the discussion of shooting in Camera Raw. Clevy, Laurent: '. Foi, Alessandro: '; with Matlab software and raw-data samples of Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm cameras. Clevy, Laurent: '.

By — Posted on May 7, 2014 - 12:13PM 05.7.14 - 12:13PM Samsung recently released “the world’s slimmest and lightest interchangeable lens camera.” Hold the ($449 with 9mm kit lens, $549 with 9-27mm) in your hands and you’ll be amazed you can swap lenses on a camera slightly larger than a smartphone or pocket-sized point-and-shoot camera. The fact the world’s largest smartphone maker introduced it, leads to some fascinating speculation – could it represent the shape of a future Samsung Galaxy smartphone with an interchangeable lens mount, a predecessor to some later version of the Galaxy K? Before leaping into possibilities, let’s deal with reality – how good is this very small ILC?

Features and design Cute and adorable are two words we rarely use when reviewing compact system cameras (CSCs) and DSLRs. Yet, that’s exactly what popped to mind when we took the 20.5-megapixel Mini out of its very small carton. This camera is amazing since it weighs a little more than 5 ounces and is less than an inch thick, without a lens (4.35 x 2.44 x.89 inches, to be exact). Put on the f/3.5 9mm pancake lens that came with our kit and it’s about 2-inches thick. You can easily carry it in your pocket and barely notice it’s there. You’ll be amazed you can swap lenses on a camera slightly larger than a smartphone.

The Greater Than Gatsby range of Lightroom presets and brushes can be used for any type of photography, but we have designed specific collections of presets for newborns and children, portraits, fashion & editorial, vintage, retro, film, and weddings. Lightroom 5 presets free download for mac download. Take a look at our incredible selection of presets and see what’s included in each preset collection and enjoy creating your new look!

Design wise, the Mini is as plain and clean as can be, with hardly an intimidating camera function dial to be seen. Our review sample was white but it’s available in brown, mint green, black, or pink. The camera is constructed out of magnesium alloy, so it has a solid feel that’s more common with higher-end cameras. The key feature on the front is the new NX Mini (NX-M) mount. At this point there are only two lenses available, the 9mm pancake and an f/3.5-5.6, 9-27mm OIS zoom ($179). An f/1.8, 17mm OIS prime is in the works but no official release date or price has been given.

Because the lenses are smaller and lighter, they feel more delicate than sturdier, larger interchangeable lenses we are accustomed to. The Mini has a 2.7x digital crop factor due to its 13.2 x 8.8mm chip, so the 35mm equivalent for the lenses are 24.3mm, 24.2-72.9mm, and 45.9mm, respectively (smaller than the APS-C sensors found in Samsung’s larger NX models). It’s the same size/factor as the Nikon 1 series of CSCs. The ($400) would be the closest competitor from that group, but it’s larger and doesn’t have Wi-Fi. Pentax still has its Q7-series of small ILCs but they have tiny 12.4-megapixel 1/1.7-inch sensors (7.6 x 5.7mm), making them glorified digicams; their bodies are larger and heavier than the Mini as well. Note: Samsung offers an optional NX mount adapter ($149) so you can use the Mini with Samsung’s larger lineup of NX glass. Doing so would overwhelm the Mini, as many of these lenses are larger than the Mini itself, but at least the option for varied lenses is there (just remember the smaller crop factor).

Given its minimalist design, there are only a few things on the front besides the NX-M mount. There’s a built-in flash, a near-field communication tag (NFC, for quick pairing between the camera and another NFC device, such as a smartphone), the AF-assist lamp, and a lens release. Most of the surface has a textured finish but there’s no raised grip on the edge. Since it’s so small, the lack of a grip isn’t an issue, but may feel too tiny in large hands.The top deck has a mono speaker, compartment for an external flash, Wi-Fi Direct Link button, power on/off key, and shutter button. We’re not thrilled about the mono sound but hopefully the next version will offer two-channel stereo. Forget any top-mounted mode dial since all of the adjustments are done via the touchscreen LCD.

The buttons – especially on/off – are really small and slightly recessed, making them a bit difficult to operate. This is slightly annoying but not the end of the world, given the Mini’s diminutive size.

The Mini very much resembles a point-and-shoot in form and function, but much more. Like in the recently reviewed, the Wi-Fi Direct Link button gives access to a variety of wireless options including MobileLink, AutoShare, and Remote Viewfinder. MobileLink lets you pick individual photos to send to your smartphone (via the companion app, Samsung Smart Camera, for iOS and Android), AutoShare sends all of them, while Remote Viewfinder lets you use your smartphone as a viewfinder and control basic shooting parameters. Samsung also offers a Baby Monitor function but you need to download a companion app to your phone in order to make use of it. Pairing the Mini to our Droid 4 via Wi-Fi was a breeze and there were no issues transferring images back and forth.

The back has a tilting 3-inch touchscreen monitor rated a so-so 461K dots. The display has reflectivity issues and since there’s no electronic viewfinder, you’ll need to adjust your viewing angle in broad daylight even with the brightness cranked to the max. On the plus side, the screen flips up all the way into perfect selfie position, a feature that’s sure to be quite popular with the Mini’s intended users. To the right of the screen are the typical digital camera controls: there’s a red-dot movie button as well as four keys surrounding the four-way controller (Menu, Mode, Delete, and Playback). Around the center OK button is access to AF, Shooting Parameters, Burst Mode, and Display. From a usability standpoint, the Mini very much resembles a point-and-shoot in form and function.

If you’ve used a digital camera, you probably won’t need to look at the owner’s manual. But should you want to learn more about the features and advanced shooting modes, the manual is nicely written and illustrated, just like the one supplied with the new NX30. There’s a compartment on the right side that has all your connections, plus slots for the battery and memory card.

There are USB- and HDMI-out ports, MicroSD card slot, and the battery slot. The power pack is rated an excellent 650 shots when using the 9mm prime – far more than much larger CSCs. The figure drops to 530 when using the 9-27mm zoom, but that’s still respectable. We’re not big fans of MicroSD cards since they’re so small and prone to misplacement, but something’s got to give in order to create such a tiny ILC. What’s in the box The Mini comes inside an equally mini-sized carton. In it you’ll find the body and either the 9mm or 9-27mm kit lens, depending on which kit you purchase.

You also get the battery, an AC adapter, and USB cable; the battery charges in-camera. There’s also a wrist strap, two CDs (one with the Samsung i-Launcher software and the full 199-page owner’s manual, while the other is a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom), and two quick-reference guides (Quick Start and Quick Reference).

Getting a full version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (version 5.0) editing software is like getting an ongoing Christmas gift from Samsung. The software alone cos.