Samsung prices NX30 mirrorless, Android-powered Galaxy Camera 2, but is it Wi-Fi only this time?
posted Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 4:10 PM EDT
Early last month, Samsung announced a raft of new cameras at the Consumer Electronics Show. Key among these were a new flagship mirrorless camera, the Samsung NX30, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2, its second Android-powered, fixed-lens camera. Both bring worthwhile updates over their predecessors, with the NX30 sporting hybrid autofocus and a tilting electronic viewfinder, while the Galaxy Camera 2 offers a faster processor and a higher-capacity battery. One important part of the puzzle was missing, however: pricing and availability info.
Now, Samsung has answered both questions, revealing when it plans to ship the cameras, and at what price. Of the two, the Samsung NX30 is first to hit retail; it's available immediately, priced at around US$1,000. That's a handy US$100 below the list price of its direct predecessor, the NX20. The Galaxy Camera 2, meanwhile, will follow from the middle of next month, priced at US$450. For that model, the price remains unchanged -- the Galaxy Camera Wi-Fi likewise sold for $450.
And it's here that we have an interesting note: There's still no mention of variants of the Galaxy Camera 2 with cellular connectivity. For the original Galaxy Camera, these were the first to ship, with a Wi-Fi only version following some time later. This time around, though, there's been no suggestion that cellular variants will be offered at all -- in fact, the very opposite. While we don't have a definitive answer, our sources indicate that a 4G variant is unlikely, and hence that there may only be a Wi-Fi version this time around.
That wouldn't be terribly surprising, as we'd imagine the need for an extra SIM card and a monthly surchage on your wireless bill likely kept many potential customers away from the connected versions of the Galaxy Camera, but the news may still disappoint those who liked the original model for its no-fuss, share-almost-anywhere philosophy.
You'll find more details on these models in our Samsung NX30 preview and Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 preview.