Samsung ECX1
Samsung introduced the ECX 1 in 1994. It was designed by Porsche Design and won some prestigious industry awards when it launched. What were they thinking?
The ECX 1 is loaded with features. A large LED screen on top attempts to lay them out but if you planning to use them, read the manual. The lens zooms from 38mm to 140mm and has a panorama setting (that only masks off the top and bottom of the frame). There are a long list of shooting modes for everything and nothing I want or need.
Not sure what design team at Porsche was on the ECX 1 job, but I'm guessing it is not the same team that brought us the Speedster, the 356 or the 911. It l may have been the team that went on to design the Panamera. Like the Panamera, the ECX 1 feel like a camera trying to be all things to all people and ending up bloated and out of place.
My Take:
Shooting the ECX 1 was no more fun than looking at it. In the hand it feels like one of the early generation race wheel for the wii. It is noisy and slow to focus. It is embarrassing to fully extend the zoom in public. It looks like you are trying to compensate for something - maybe that was the Porsche Design contribution.
Image quality was ok but not amazing. The autofocus really struggled on moving subjects. If you like over done early 1990s design or the Panamera, the ECX 1 is for you. If you want a nice point and shoot that will not scare small children - keep looking.
Film: FujiColor 100
Lens: Samsung Xoom Lens 38-140mm AUTO MACRO
