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Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 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 A37

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

Sony A37
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Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 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 Sony A37, which was introduced in May 2012 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. There is 20 months difference between NX100 and A37 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A37, especially in sensor tech.

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 Sony A37 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 A37 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-05-16
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.6" Tilting Screen
  • 1440k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 6 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 506g. 124 x 92 x 85 mm
  • Replaced Sony SLT-A35 Compare

Samsung NX100 was replaced by Samsung NX200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Samsung NX200 vs Samsung NX100
Samsung NX200 vs Sony SLT-A37

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Samsung NX100 over Sony SLT-A37
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.6" 0.4 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
614k dots vs 230k dots 166% higher resolution screen
Weight
282 g vs 506 g 224 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
26.02µm2 vs 22.87µm2 13% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony SLT-A37 over Samsung NX100
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 15 MP 6% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
Continuous Shooting
6.0fps vs 3.0fps 3 fps faster
Battery Life
500 shots vs 420 shots 80 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
23.3 vs 22.6 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
12.9 vs 10.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
799 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 SLT-A37
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
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Samsung NX100 and Sony SLT-A37
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.6" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37: 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 A37 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 A37 has external dimensions of 124 x 92 x 85 mm (4.88 x 3.62 x 3.35″) and weighs 506 g (1.12 lb / 17.85 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Samsung NX100 and Sony A37. Samsung NX100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 21mm shorter and 50mm thinner than Sony A37.

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Samsung NX100 and Sony A37.
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 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 (224g ) than the Sony A37 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 A37 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
A37
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

NX100
A37
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Samsung NX100 nor Sony SLT-A37 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
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung NX100's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A37's 2.6" screen.

On the other hand, Sony A37 LCD screen has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Samsung NX100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A37.
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37: 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 A37 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the NX100 and A37 sensor size comparison.

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 Cameras


Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 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 A37 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A37 has a better overall score of 75, 13 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 A37 75 23.3 bits 12.9 Evs 799 ISO
Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37 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 A37 has an advantage over Samsung NX100 There are 143 lenses for Sony A37's Sony/Minolta Alpha 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 Sony A37 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type # of Samsung NX100 Lenses # of Sony A37 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 20
Standard Prime 5 9
Wideangle Zoom 1 11
Wideangle Prime 11 18
Telephoto Zoom 2 26
Telephoto Prime 3 12
SuperZoom 1 19
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 4
Macro Prime 1 12
Perspective Control Prime n/a 10
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 2
TOTAL 32 143

What types of Photography are Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Samsung NX100 and Sony A37 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 A37 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 (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A37 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 (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A37 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
3 Cross Type Focus sensors
15 Focus Points
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A37 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
Large Body
506g
Body Thickness 85mm
Read the details

Samsung NX100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony A37 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
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Samsung NX100 vs Sony A37: 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 A37, 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 A37 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 A37
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #22 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #186 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony A37 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 A37 is the better camera overall.

Samsung NX100
Samsung NX100
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Sony A37
Sony A37
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Sony A37 vs Samsung NX100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Samsung NX100 Sony SLT-A37
Brand Samsung Sony
Announced 2010-09-14 2012-05-16
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact SLR
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 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4592 x 3056 4912 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 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 15
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Samsung NX Sony/Minolta Alpha
Number of Available Lenses 32 143
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 2.6"
Resolution 614k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,440k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.73x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
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
Max Flash Sync 1/180s 1/160s
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, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 282g 506g
Dimensions 120 x 71 x 35mm 124 x 92 x 85mm
Battery Life 420 shots 500 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 62 75
DxO Color Depth 22.6 23.3
DxO Dynamic Range 10.7 12.9
DxO Low Light ISO 563 799
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