By Claire Reilly
Samsung is launching its latest smart camera offering into Australian retail stores this month with a high profile campaign featuring world’s fastest runner, Usain Bolt.
Bolt will appear in globally in Samsung’s digital imaging campaigns, and is being used specifically to promote the brand’s NX300 interchangeable lens camera. Samsung is focusing specifically on the camera’s fast frame rate and autofocus capabilities, as well as the suite of Smart 2.0 connectivity features that it offers — all summed up under the Bolt-endorsed tagline, “Shoot fast, share faster”.
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Speaking at yesterday’s Australian launch of the new digital camera, Samsung Australia head of digital imaging Craig Gillespie said the NX 300 offered “consumer-friendly features as well as high-end functionality”.
“In terms of camera functionality, performance and value, as well as the Smart 2.0 features that have been launched previously, what we’ve done is bring them together into a really groundbreaking product,” he said. “It is absolutely incredible. Samsung has now picked up the pace.”
On the fast shooting side of the equation, the 20.3-megapixel NX300 features 1/6000 second shutter speed and up to 8.6 frames-per-second continuous shooting in full resolution. The brand is also boasting superior and speedy Hybrid Auto Focus with 105 auto focus points — a claim that Current.com.au had the chance to validate with a hands-on demonstration.
In terms of fast sharing, the NX300 falls into Samsung’s Smart 2.0 range of products, with features such as Wi-Fi connectivity, Direct Link hot key for one-touch sharing with a compatible camera, smartphone or tablet, and NFC compatibility.
As the “hero” of Samsung’s digital imaging range, the NX300 is set to be supported by a solid retail marketing campaign with a strong focus on the Usain Bolt connection. At the point of sale, the brand will be rolling out more traditional materials such as stands and counter mats, as well as new elements to bring some “theatre” to the sales process, as Gillespie explained.
“We’re creating ‘Standees’ of Usain Bolt [Life-sized, 3D cutouts] which are roughly 1.8 metres high, and they’ll have more of a retail call to action,” he said. “There’ll be Usain Bolt with the product as well as the NX300 execution behind them. We’re also working with some retailers at the moment on things like a blue running track leading to the product.
“We’ve created some point of sale, which retailers can contact their account managers about, with hands-on display units of the NX300 that can be shown next to the Usain standing image. And that stand not only calls out the Usain imagery, but it also talks about the functional benefits of the product, and also keeps the camera powered.
“That’s a key thing in terms of customers getting hands on and experiencing the full frame rates per second and the speed of the auto focus. It’s going to be the key differentiator.”
The NX300 will be available in brown and white, with the single lens kit (18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) hitting stores from “mid-May” for RRP $899. A twin lens kit is due next month, with both a brown and white camera body available, for RRP $1,199.
The NX300.
A comparison showing the camera's "Forest" filter (for dynamic landscape shots) and the hipster-worthy "Retro" filter.
One of Samsung's Usain Bolt "Standees" taking in the sights at Sydney Harbour.