Remembering Samsung's Camera Legacy: An Untimely Exit?

The Bay Area has some amazing flea markets and classifieds for film cameras. Though I usually look for film cameras, stumbling upon a Samsung compact camera (EX2F) sent me on a nostalgia trip. It’s rare to spot Samsung cameras nowadays since Samsung exited the camera business. I have fond memories of shooting with a Samsung camera (NX500) and sensor (Pentax K-7). I wish they had continued producing cameras or open-sourced them upon exiting; we might have had a worthy competitor to Sony.

Samsung Camera? don’t raise your eyebrows :) I’m not just some camera novice. I am privileged to have a miniature camera museum with vintage beauties from the ’50s to difficult-to-find digital marvels like the Sigma DPx Merrills, Quattros, Sony RX1R2 and RX1, Nikon Coolpix A, and more common ones like the Sony A7RIII, Fuji X-E3, Pentax, and more. So, my take on Samsung cameras is not random.

Samsung cameras are like In-N-Out Burger’s not-so-secret menu—most people have no idea it exists, but those who do can appreciate it! For those unfamiliar with camera history, Samsung had a brief but brilliant camera era. One of their best, the Samsung NX1, had remarkable specs for 2015: a 28-megapixel BSI sensor, 15 fps, 4K video with HEVC, a beautiful high-res EVF, and USB 3.0. These specs even outpaced many top-tier cameras of that time, showcasing Samsung’s commitment and brilliance. Even the EX2F is possibly one of very few compacts with an f1.4 aperture.

Unfortunately, it ended soon. Despite producing some excellent mirrorless cameras, Samsung ultimately exited the market. Possibly, it was a matter of timing. As I learned from TringMe, even great products can struggle if they’re too ahead of market readiness. While Samsung was producing wonderful mirrorless cameras, professionals were still wary of mirrorless. Even the Sony full-frame A7 series faced skepticism. I remember a Bollywood friend saying then, “If we use mirrorless and not DSLR, customers won’t take us seriously.” It was a time of Canon, Nikon, and Hasselblad; they established themselves as the brands for professional photographers, and convincing this audience to switch to a relatively new player was an uphill battle. Maybe the declining camera market was another reason for Samsung to exit.

Though Sony turned the tide in their favor with persistence and a clear vision (and possibly by engaging photography “gods” worldwide to promote them), Samsung failed despite having equally good products. Samsung’s decision to leave the camera market and shift focus to the more lucrative smartphone market was successful for its overall business strategy. However, given its substantial market cap and diverse range of products (even washing machines), it could have sustained its camera product line. If it had, Samsung might have been a formidable competitor to Sony in the camera market. Interestingly, while Sony captured the camera market, it struggled to maintain its market share in mobile phones.

Whatever the case, I see their exit from the camera industry as a missed opportunity, not just for Samsung, but for the industry as a whole. I liked Samsung for its product innovation, and Samsung’s presence could have accelerated camera innovations.

I wonder how things might have turned out if Samsung had open-sourced their camera firmware for developers to build upon after their exit. Magic Lantern is a prime example, transforming even the low-end consumer camera like the Canon EOS-M into a kind of commercial grade 14-bit raw video camera through custom firmware. Samsung’s open-sourcing could have unlocked similar possibilities, potentially advancing computational photography and other innovative developments in the ever-evolving world of tech and photography.