The Samsung NX-M 9mm f/3.5 ($199.99) is one of a pair of lenses that launched with Samsung's NX Mini camera system. It's a compact prime that covers a 24mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) field of view, with a modest f/3.5 aperture. The image it captures is sharp through most of the frame, with some softness at the edges, and just slightly noticeable barrel distortion. Its size makes it a fine companion for the slim NX Mini, but photographers who prefer the versatility of a zoom should consider buying the camera along with the NX-M 9-27mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS ($299.99).
The 9mm is small, measuring just 0.5 by 2 inches (HD) and weighing in at a mere 1.1 ounces. There's no front filter thread, so don't expect to add a circular polarizer or neutral density filter, nor is there a way to attach a hood. Despite its wide field of view, we didn't notice any flaring when shooting with the lens in the field, and adding a hood would take away one of the NX-M 9mm's biggest selling points, its size. It can focus as close as 4.3 inches, but even when locked that close, its narrow maximum aperture doesn't provide as much background blur as you'd get with a 24mm equivalent lens paired with a larger image sensor. This isn't to say that bokeh is impossible, it's just that it never gets to the point where the objects in the background are completely devoid of recognizable detail.
I used Imatest to check the performance of the lens when paired with the NX Mini. It betters the 1,800 lines per picture height that we require to call an image sharp at every tested aperture. At f/3.5 it shows 2,080 lines on the center-weighted test, with good sharpness at all but the very edges of the frame, which record just 1,150 lines. Narrowing the aperture to f/4 shows very marginal improvement, but at f/5.6 the average score (2,255 lines) and edges (1,715 lines) improve. Diffraction, which limits sharpness, sets in at f/8; the overall score drops to 2,095 lines here and edges show 1,625 lines. There's just a little bit of barrel distortion, 1.4 percent, which gives images a very slightly noticeable outward curve.
If you're looking to get started with the NX Mini system, your current choices limit you to one of two lenses—this 9mm or the 9-27mm zoom. There's a 17mm f/1.8 coming soon, but it's unlikely that will be sold as a kit, and the NX Mini isn't available as a body only, so you're going to have to choose between starting with a prime or a zoom. Samsung hasn't yet provided a 9-27mm for testing, but there are a couple differences that are clear on paper; the 9-27mm is larger, but it zooms, and it is optically stabilized. Stabilization isn't a huge deal at wide angles when shooting stills, but it will help you get steadier handheld video. There's a little bit of softness at the edges of the frame with the 9mm prime, but it's nothing to worry too much about; shooting at f/5.6 largely resolves them, and the modest distortion is just barely noticeable. It's a good starter lens for the NX Mini system; smartphone shooters who are used to not having a zoom will find its field of view comfortably wide, and its slim size makes the camera pocketable.
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