Samsung really wants you to make the change from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras. At 1 p.m. Eastern today (July 14), the company will be hosting a one-hour virtual event on Amazon with video, demos and product information on its NX mirrorless camera system. During this session, you'll get a coupon for $250 towards the purchase of a Samsung NX300 or NX30 (see review) if you trade in a qualifying DSLR, as well as tips from photographers on how to use Samsung's products. Both models are on the Tom's Guide Best Mirrorless Cameras 2014 roster.
This is part of Samsung's #DITCHtheDSLR campaign, which began with a Ditch Day event this June in New York, where Samsung gave hundreds of attendees a new NX30 ($999 value) in exchange for a qualifying old DSLR. While you don't get a new camera in exchange for your old DSLR this time around, the $250 could shave off a quarter (or more) of the price of one of Samsung's NX cameras. With Amazon having already discounted the NX30 by $200, you could pick up what had been a $1,000 camera (with lens) for $550.
MORE: DSLRs vs Mirrorless Cameras: Which Should You Buy?
Both DSLRs and mirrorless systems are cameras for prosumers and enthusiasts that often pack DSLR-size sensors and autofocus technology, high-end image processors and interchangeable lens capabilities (as these Samsung cameras do). DSLRs are often heavier than their mirrorless counterparts, but otherwise the two systems are more or less on par in image and video quality — at least in the mainstream-consumer range.
We liked the NX30 for its crisp images with great color and exposure, and it could even be powerful enough to replace a DSLR. Purists may still prefer a traditional optical viewfinder as on DSLRs to the electronic viewfinder on the NX30, though.
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