Samsung’s recent unveiling of the first model in its real-world NX series digital camera – the interchangeable-lens model NX 10 – is being touted as the harbinger of the “next generation” of digital cameras.

Scheduled to hit the markets in 2010 spring, the new Samsung NX 10 features a 14.6-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor and a big 3.0-inch AMOLED screen. The sleek and lightweight camera weighs 0.78 pounds without the lens; and has 4.8-inch width, 3.4-inch height, and 1.6-inch depth.

Boasting the ability to shoot 720p HD video as MPEG-4 files at 30 frames per second, the mirror box-less NX 10 has a more compact casing than a DSLR, though it still retains the capability to swap lenses.

Among the other notable specifications of the NX 10 are - a pop-up flash on top; a HDMI port to allow play back of videos on an HDTV screen; and a supersonic dust-removal system for the APS
-C sensor. In addition, the camera’s autofocus speed is one of the key advantages of its DRIMe II Pro imaging engine.

Talking about the NX 10, the Samsung CEO SJ Park said: “With specialist equipment open to everyone and no longer restricted solely to the professional, more and more people want to capture something creative and tell a story through their camera – but they also want something compact that they can carry around with them all day.”