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Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 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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Sony A3000

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A3000
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Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing NX100 and A3000, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Samsung and Sony. Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Samsung NX100 has a 15.0 MP and Sony A3000 has a 20.0 MP resolution. Samsung NX100 was introduced to market in September 2010 and Sony A3000 was launched in August 2013. As you can see, NX100 is 3 years older than A3000. 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 Sony A3000 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

Sony A3000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-08-27
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 411g. 128 x 91 x 85 mm

Samsung NX100 was replaced by Samsung NX200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Samsung NX200 vs Samsung NX100
Samsung NX200 vs Sony Alpha A3000

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Samsung NX100 over Sony Alpha A3000
Image Stabilization
Digital only vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen Resolution
614k dots vs 230k dots 166% higher resolution screen
Weight
282 g vs 411 g 129 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
26.02µm2 vs 18.50µm2 40% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A3000 over Samsung NX100
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 15 MP 33% more pixels
Max ISO
16.000 vs 6.400 150% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 15 10 more focus points
Battery Life
470 shots vs 420 shots 50 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth
23.7 vs 22.6 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
12.8 vs 10.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
1068 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 Sony Alpha A3000
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
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Samsung NX100 and Sony Alpha A3000
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000: 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 Sony A3000 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). Sony A3000 has external dimensions of 128 x 91 x 85 mm (5.04 x 3.58 x 3.35″) and weighs 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000. Samsung NX100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 8mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 50mm thinner than Sony A3000.

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000.
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 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 (129g ) than the Sony A3000 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 Sony A3000 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

Mirrorless Cameras

NX100
A3000
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

NX100
A3000
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Samsung NX100 nor Sony Alpha A3000 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 Sony A3000'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 Sony A3000: 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, Sony A3000 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features BIONZ image processor processor.

Sony A3000's sensor provides 5MP more than Samsung NX100's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the NX100 and A3000 sensor size comparison.

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 Cameras


Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 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 Sony A3000 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A3000 has a better overall score of 78, 16 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
Sony A3000 78 23.7 bits 12.8 Evs 1068 ISO
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000 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 Sony A3000 has an advantage over Samsung NX100 There are 128 lenses for Sony A3000's Sony E 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. Samsung NX100 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization (IS) which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Sony A3000 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 31 lenses for Sony E mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Samsung NX100 Lenses # of Sony A3000 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 12
Standard Prime 5 18
Wideangle Zoom 1 7
Wideangle Prime 11 42
Telephoto Zoom 2 9
Telephoto Prime 3 18
SuperZoom 1 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 2
Macro Prime 1 8
Perspective Control Prime n/a 2
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 32 128

What types of Photography are Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Samsung NX100 and Sony A3000 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

Sony A3000 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A3000 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
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A3000 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A3000 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
282g
Medium size Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
411g
Body Thickness 85mm
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony A3000 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 (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A3000: 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 Sony A3000, 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 Sony A3000 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
Sony A3000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #76 out of 86 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #315 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony A3000 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, Sony A3000 is the better camera overall.

Samsung NX100
Samsung NX100
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Sony A3000
Sony A3000
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Sony A3000 vs Samsung NX100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Samsung NX100 Sony Alpha A3000
Brand Samsung Sony
Announced 2010-09-14 2013-08-27
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.4 x 15.6 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 365.04mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 15 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4592 x 3056 5456 x 3632
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 16,000 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 Sony E
Number of Available Lenses 32 128
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 614k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.47x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Digital only Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 6.00 m (at ISO200 / 4m at ISO100)
Max Flash Sync 1/180s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 3.0 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 AVCHD, H.264, MP4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 282g 411g
Dimensions 120 x 71 x 35mm 128 x 91 x 85mm
Battery Life 420 shots 470 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 62 78
DxO Color Depth 22.6 23.7
DxO Dynamic Range 10.7 12.8
DxO Low Light ISO 563 1068
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