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Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 Comparison

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Samsung NX100

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

Samsung NX100
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Pentax Q10

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax Q10
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Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing NX100 and Q10, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Samsung and Pentax. Samsung NX100 has a 15.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Pentax Q10 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. Samsung NX100 was introduced to market in September 2010 and Pentax Q10 was launched in September 2012. As you can see, NX100 is 2 years older than Q10. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 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 Q10 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-09-10
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Pentax Q Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 200g. 102 x 58 x 34 mm
  • Replaced Pentax Q Compare

Samsung NX100 was replaced by Samsung NX200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Samsung NX200 vs Samsung NX100
Samsung NX200 vs Pentax Q10

Pentax Q10 was replaced by Pentax Q7. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Pentax Q7 vs Pentax Q10
Pentax Q7 vs Samsung NX100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Samsung NX100 over Pentax Q10
Max Sensor Resolution
15 MP vs 12 MP 25% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution
614k dots vs 460k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
420 shots vs 270 shots 150 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth
22.6 vs 21.1 higher color depth
Low Light ISO
563 vs 183 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
26.02µm2 vs 2.34µm2 1011% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Pentax Q10 over Samsung NX100
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 15 10 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Weight
200 g vs 282 g 82 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Dynamic Range
10.9 vs 10.7 higher dynamic range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10
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
Viewfinder
Electronic (Optional) vs Optical (Optional) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10: 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 Q10 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 Q10 has external dimensions of 102 x 58 x 34 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.34″) and weighs 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10. Pentax Q10 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 18mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Samsung NX100.

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10.
Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax Q10 is significantly lighter (82g ) than the Samsung NX100 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 Samsung NX100 has an APS-C sized sensor and Pentax Q10 has a smaller 1/2.3" sensor, Pentax Q10's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Samsung NX100 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

NX100
Q10
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

NX100
Q10
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Samsung NX100 nor Pentax Q10 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10'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 Q10: 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 Q10 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the NX100 and Q10 sensor size comparison.

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 Cameras


As seen above, Samsung NX100 has a 13.0x Larger sensor area than Pentax Q10. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark 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. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, NX100 has scored 62, 13 points higher than Q10.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Samsung NX100 62 22.6 bits 10.7 Evs 563 ISO
Pentax Q10 49 21.1 bits 10.9 Evs 183 ISO
Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10 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 Samsung NX100 has an advantage over Pentax Q10. There are 32 lenses for Samsung NX100's Samsung NX mount, on the other hand there are only 8 lenses for Pentax Q10's Pentax Q lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 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 Q10 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 1
Standard Prime 5 2
Wideangle Zoom 1 1
Wideangle Prime 11 1
Telephoto Zoom 2 1
Telephoto Prime 3 1
SuperZoom 1 n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 1
Macro Prime 1 n/a
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 32 8

What types of Photography are Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Samsung NX100 and Pentax Q10 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 Q10 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax Q10 for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax Q10 for Sports Photography

GOOD
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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax Q10 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
282g
Medium size Body
Read the details
200g
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax Q10 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Samsung NX100 vs Pentax Q10: 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 Q10, 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 Q10 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 Q10
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #58 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #293 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Pentax Q10 has a higher Overall Score than the Samsung NX100. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that Q10 trails behind the NX100: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Samsung NX100. If not, we recommend the Pentax Q10.

Samsung NX100
Samsung NX100
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Pentax Q10
Pentax Q10
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Pentax Q10 vs Samsung NX100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Samsung NX100 Pentax Q10
Brand Samsung Pentax
Announced 2010-09-14 2012-09-10
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C 1/2.3"
Dimensions 23.4 x 15.6 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 365.04mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 15 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4592 x 3056 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 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 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Samsung NX Pentax Q
Number of Available Lenses 32 8
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 614k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
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 7.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/180s 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 5.0 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 200g
Dimensions 120 x 71 x 35mm 102 x 58 x 34mm
Battery Life 420 shots 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 62 49
DxO Color Depth 22.6 21.1
DxO Dynamic Range 10.7 10.9
DxO Low Light ISO 563 183
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