Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000 Comparison

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Sony A55

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

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Samsung NX3000

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Sony A55

Samsung NX3000

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Sony A55

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Samsung NX3000

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Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A55, which was introduced in August 2010 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Samsung NX3000, which was introduced in May 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, A55 is 4 years older than NX3000. 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 the Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A55 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-08-24

16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 25600)

Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fully Articulated Screen

1150k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

500g. 124 x 92 x 85 mm

Samsung NX3000 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-05-26

20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600

Samsung NX Mount

3.00" Tilting Screen

5.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

230g. 117 x 66 x 39 mm

Replaced Samsung NX2000 Compare

Sony A55 was replaced by Sony SLT-A57. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony SLT-A57 vs Sony SLT-A55
Sony SLT-A57 vs Samsung NX3000

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Sony SLT-A55 over Samsung NX3000

In-built Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control under bright light
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	record your image locations
Number of Cross Type Focus Points	3 vs 1	2 more cross type focus points
LCD Resolution	921k dots vs 461k dots	99% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 5.0fps	5 fps faster
Battery Life	380 shots vs 370 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Sensor Pixel Area	22.87µm2 vs 18.48µm2	23% larger pixel area
Selfie & Vlogger LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

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Reasons to choose Samsung NX3000 over Sony SLT-A55

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected	Better connectivity
Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
Max Native ISO	25.600 vs 12.800	100% higher Max Native ISO
Number of Focus Points	35 vs 15	20 more focus points
Weight	230 g vs 500 g	270 g lighter
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

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Common Strengths of Sony SLT-A55 and Samsung NX3000

Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Tilting	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	Easy focusing on portrait shots
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Sony SLT-A55 and Samsung NX3000

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A55 has external dimensions of 124 x 92 x 85 mm (4.88 x 3.62 x 3.35″) and weighs 500 g (1.10 lb / 17.64 oz) (including batteries). Samsung NX3000 has external dimensions of 117 x 66 x 39 mm (4.61 x 2.6 x 1.54″) and weighs 230 g (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Sony A55 and the Samsung NX3000. Samsung NX3000 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 46mm thinner than Sony A55.

Comparison image of the Sony A55 and the Samsung NX3000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000.

Comparison image of the Sony A55 and the Samsung NX3000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000.

Top View Comparison image of the Sony A55 and the Samsung NX3000 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung NX3000 is significantly lighter (270g ) than the Sony A55 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 also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 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

A55

NX3000

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A55

NX3000

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Sony SLT-A55 nor Samsung NX3000 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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 DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

Samsung NX3000 features a Tilting-only screen which is mostly only good for shooting from waist or over-the-head levels. On the other hand, Sony A55 sports a Fully Articulated screen which is more flexible and useful, especially for taking selfies and video.

Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000: Sensor Comparison

Sony A55 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor. On the other hand, Samsung NX3000 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the A55 and NX3000 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 Cameras

Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the Sony A55 or the Samsung NX3000, including hyperfocal distance.

Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Sony A55 has an advantage over the Samsung NX3000. There are 143 lenses for the Sony A55's Sony/Minolta Alpha mount, but on the other hand, there are only 34 lenses for the Samsung NX3000's Samsung NX lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A55 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, Samsung NX3000 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 7 lenses for Samsung NX mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type	# of Sony A55 Lenses	# of Samsung NX3000 Lenses
Standard Zoom	20	4
Standard Prime	9	5
Wideangle Zoom	11	1
Wideangle Prime	18	11
Telephoto Zoom	26	2
Telephoto Prime	13	4
SuperZoom	19	1
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	4	4
Macro Prime	12	1
Perspective Control Prime	9	n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime	2	n/a
TOTAL	143	34

What types of Photography are Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 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.

Sony A55 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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

Check the Best Sony Alpha Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Samsung NX Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Sony A55 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Samsung NX3000 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Check the Best Sony Alpha Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Samsung NX Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Sony A55 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
3 Cross Type Focus sensors
15 Focus Points
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Sony Alpha Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
35 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Samsung NX Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Sony A55 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
500g
Body Thickness 85mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
230g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Sony A55 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung NX3000 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Sony Alpha Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Samsung NX Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Sony A55 vs Samsung NX3000: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision regarding which camera best suits your needs and budget. However, if you're curious about how we rated the Sony A55 and the Samsung NX3000, below you'll find their scores across five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Sony A55 and Samsung NX3000 scores compare:

Sony A55

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #8 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #261 out of 1384 in all Cameras

Samsung NX3000

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #102 out of 157 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #587 out of 1384 in all Cameras

Sony A55 has a higher Overall Score than the Samsung NX3000 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony A55

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Samsung NX3000

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General	Sony SLT-A55	Samsung NX3000
Brand	Sony	Samsung
Announced	2010-08-24	2014-05-26
Body Type	Compact SLR	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23.5 x 15.6 mm	23.5 x 15.7 mm
Area	366.60mm²	368.95mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	4912 x 3264	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	12,800 ISO	25,600 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	35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony/Minolta Alpha	Samsung NX
Number of Available Lenses	143	34
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Tilting
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	921k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	None
Viewfinder Resolution	1,150k dots	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	0.73x	n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	10.00 m (@ ISO 100)	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/160s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	500g	230g
Dimensions	124 x 92 x 85mm	117 x 66 x 39mm
Battery Life	380 shots	370 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	73	not tested
DxO Color Depth	23.0	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	12.4	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	816	not tested
	Report a correction	Report a correction

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