Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30 Comparison

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Samsung NX100

15 MP | APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Pentax K-30

16 MP | APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Samsung NX100, which was introduced in September 2010 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 15.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Pentax K-30, which was introduced in October 2012 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, NX100 is 2 years older than K-30. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Samsung NX100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-09-14

15MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

Samsung NX Mount

Digital only Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

3 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

282g. 120 x 71 x 35 mm

Pentax K-30 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-10-29

16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 25600)

Pentax KAF2 Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

6 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

650g. 130 x 97 x 71 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Samsung NX100 was replaced by Samsung NX200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Samsung NX200 vs Samsung NX100
Samsung NX200 vs Pentax K-30

Pentax K-30 was replaced by Pentax K-50. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Pentax K-50 vs Pentax K-30
Pentax K-50 vs Samsung NX100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Samsung NX100 over Pentax K-30

Number of Focus Points	15 vs 11	4 more focus points
Battery Life	420 shots vs 410 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Weight	282 g vs 650 g	368 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	26.02µm² vs 23.14µm²	12% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range	±3 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR

Reasons to choose Pentax K-30 over Samsung NX100

Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Optical vs Electronic (Optional)	Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 15 MP	6% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 614k dots	50% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/6000s vs 1/4000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	6.0fps vs 3.0fps	3 fps faster
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Color Depth	23.7 vs 22.6	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	13.0 vs 10.7	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	1129 vs 563	better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30

Image Stabilization	Digital only vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	614k dots vs 921k dots	High resolution screens
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Samsung NX100 has external dimensions of 120 x 71 x 35 mm (4.72 x 2.8 x 1.38″) and weighs 282 g (0.62 lb / 9.95 oz) (including batteries). Pentax K-30 has external dimensions of 130 x 97 x 71 mm (5.12 x 3.82 x 2.8″) and weighs 650 g (1.43 lb / 22.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30. Samsung NX100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 36mm thinner than Pentax K-30.

Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30.

Top View Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung NX100 is significantly lighter (368g ) than the Pentax K-30 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

NX100

K-30

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

NX100

K-30

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of K-30, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to NX100.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30: Sensor Comparison

Samsung NX100 has a 15.0MP APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DRIMe Engine processor. On the other hand, Pentax K-30 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Prime M processor.

Below you can see the NX100 and K-30 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 Cameras

Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that K-30 has a better overall score of 79, 17 points higher compared to NX100's score of 62.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Samsung NX100	62	22.6 bits	10.7 Evs	563 ISO
Pentax K-30	79	23.7 bits	13.0 Evs	1129 ISO

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Pentax K-30 has an advantage over Samsung NX100 There are 151 lenses for Pentax K-30's Pentax KAF2 mount, on the other hand there are only 32 lenses for Samsung NX100's Samsung NX lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type	# of Samsung NX100 Lenses	# of Pentax K-30 Lenses
Standard Zoom	4	22
Standard Prime	5	20
Wideangle Zoom	1	12
Wideangle Prime	11	24
Telephoto Zoom	2	21
Telephoto Prime	3	12
SuperZoom	1	15
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	4	3
Macro Prime	1	14
Perspective Control Prime	n/a	8
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	32	151

What types of Photography are Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Samsung NX100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-30 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-30 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Large Body
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-30 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
15 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-30 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
282g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
650g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax K-30 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax K-30: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Samsung NX100 and Pentax K-30 scores compare:

Samsung NX100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #100 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #425 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Pentax K-30

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #212 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Pentax K-30 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Samsung NX100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Samsung NX100. Otherwise, Pentax K-30 is the better camera overall.

Pentax K-30 vs Samsung NX100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Samsung NX100	Pentax K-30
Brand	Samsung	Pentax
Announced	2010-09-14	2012-10-29
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23.4 x 15.6 mm	23.7 x 15.7 mm
Area	365.04mm²	372.09mm²
Megapixels	15 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4592 x 3056	4928 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	15	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Samsung NX	Pentax KAF2
Number of Available Lenses	32	151
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	614k dots	921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic (optional)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.61x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/6000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Digital only	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash	12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync	1/180s	1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	6.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	282g	650g
Dimensions	120 x 71 x 35mm	130 x 97 x 71mm
Battery Life	420 shots	410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Optional	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	62	79
DxO Color Depth	22.6	23.7
DxO Dynamic Range	10.7	13.0
DxO Low Light ISO	563	1129
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