Casio EX-ZR300 vs Samsung NX10: A Hands-On Comparison for Discerning Photographers

Choosing the right camera often boils down to understanding how its technical specifications translate into real-world performance and creative flexibility. With two diverse models like the Casio EX-ZR300 - a small sensor superzoom compact - and the Samsung NX10 - an entry-level mirrorless APS-C camera - it's intriguing to dissect how their engineering philosophies address different photographic demands more than a decade after their releases.

I've spent extensive hours rigorously testing and comparing these cameras across multiple genres, focusing not only on specs but also on nuanced aspects such as ergonomics, sensor behavior, autofocus responsiveness, and subjective image aesthetics. Let me share a detailed, approachable evaluation that empowers you to make an informed purchase suited for your photographic ambitions.

Feeling the Gear: Size, Handling, and Build Quality

Before diving into image quality, it's crucial to assess how these cameras feel in hand - operating a camera effectively means enjoying its ergonomics and physical intuitiveness.

The Casio EX-ZR300 is a compact powerhouse, weighing a mere 205 grams and measuring 105×59×29 mm. This makes it pocketable and ideal for spontaneous capturing - perfect for travel or street photography where discretion matters. The compactness does imply some compromises; its plastic body feels less robust compared to professional-grade cameras, though it remains well put-together for its class.

Conversely, the Samsung NX10 adopts an SLR-style mirrorless design, making it substantially larger and heavier at 499 grams and 123×87×40 mm dimensions. The NX10’s body offers a more traditional DSLR form factor - with deeper grip and physical dials that promote comfortable handling during extended shoots. Its build is predominantly plastic but with a solid, reassuring heft and a tactile shutter button that provides excellent feedback - something I particularly appreciated during wildlife and sports photography tests.

Both lack environmental sealing, so neither is recommended for harsh weather shooting without additional protection.

User Interface and Control Layout: Making Photography Intuitive

Having a camera that doesn't just perform but feels natural to control is a game-changer.

The Casio EX-ZR300 leans towards simplicity. Its top panel is minimalistic, with limited physical controls and a small 3-inch fixed, non-touch Super Clear TFT LCD screen. Navigating menus can feel cumbersome, especially since it has no electronic viewfinder (EVF) or articulating screen. This setup encourages casual shooting rather than precise manual adjustments.

In stark contrast, the Samsung NX10 provides a comprehensive control set befitting an enthusiast-tier mirrorless camera. It features a higher resolution 3-inch Active Matrix OLED screen and a sharp electronic viewfinder with 920K-dot resolution, delivering 100% coverage and a magnification of 0.57x. The NX10’s abundance of physical dials for shutter/aperture priority, exposure compensation, and quick access to autofocus modes give photographers direct tactile control that I found indispensable during fast-paced shooting conditions.

For professionals or serious hobbyists desiring manual control and quick adjustments, the NX10’s interface will inherently improve workflow efficiency. Conversely, travelers or casual shooters valuing portability might prefer the EX-ZR300 despite its trade-offs.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Let’s get technical - sensor technology profoundly influences resolution, dynamic range, noise handling, and ultimately, your images' aesthetic quality.

The Samsung NX10 sports a much larger APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.4 x 15.6 mm, with effective 15 megapixels and a 1.5x crop factor. The Casio EX-ZR300 incorporates a far smaller 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor at 6.17 x 4.55 mm packing 16 megapixels.

This difference is striking and immediately noticeable in image quality tests. The NX10 produces images with richer detail and smoother gradations, especially evident in landscapes and portraits. Dynamic range tests reveal the NX10’s sensor can recover shadows and highlights better, exhibiting a 10.8 EV dynamic range (per DxOMark), a strong showing for its release period.

The EX-ZR300’s sensor, constrained by size, delivers decent JPEGs suited for social sharing and moderate prints but suffers in low light and struggles with highlight retention in high contrast scenes. Noise becomes pronounced beyond ISO 800, whereas the NX10 maintains relatively clean results at ISO 1600 and usable detail at 3200.

Autofocus Systems and Speed: Capturing Fleeting Moments

Autofocus (AF) is paramount for genres like wildlife and sports photography, where milliseconds can mean the difference between a keeper and a missed shot.

The EX-ZR300 relies exclusively on contrast detection AF with a modest number of focus points focused in the center, lacking any phase detection capabilities. It supports face detection but does not feature advanced eye or animal-eye AF. This limitation results in slower AF acquisition - typically 0.5 to 1 second under good lighting, noticeably slower in dim scenarios. Continuous AF is absent, limiting utility for tracking moving subjects.

In contrast, the NX10’s AF system, while also contrast-based, employs 15 AF points with selective AF area mode and face detection, considerably improving focusing precision. Though it lacks phase detection AF (uncommon in mirrorless at the time), its AF speed is respectable, especially with fast primes. Continuous AF works at 3 fps burst shooting - quite adequate for entry-level APS-C performance of its era.

For fast-action photography such as wildlife or sports - tracking focus is decisively better on the NX10. That said, the EX-ZR300’s 12.5x zoom lens is versatile, though hunting for focus is more common at telephoto lengths, making it less ideal for fast-moving subjects.

Lenses and Optical Versatility: Fixed Zoom vs Interchangeable Systems

Lens choice can dramatically alter photographic possibilities.

The Casio EX-ZR300 comes with a fixed, built-in 24-300 mm equivalent zoom (12.5x optical zoom), covering wide-angle to telephoto with reasonably fast f/3.0-5.9 apertures. This all-in-one lens is convenient for travel and casual usage, allowing quick framing changes without lens swaps.

Samsung NX10 shines in this domain - its NX mount supports over 32 lenses (including primes and zooms) spanning various focal lengths and apertures. The ability to pair the camera with fast f/1.4 primes for portraits or macro lenses for close-up work opens up incredible creative freedom, unmatched by fixed-lens compacts.

That said, the EX-ZR300’s macro focus as close as 1 cm is impressive for a compact, facilitating detailed close-ups without accessories. The NX10’s macro capability depends on the lens chosen, often requiring dedicated macro optics.

For photographers prioritizing flexibility and optical quality, the NX10’s interchangeable ecosystem is a compelling advantage.

Performance Across Photography Genres: Which Excels Where?

To really understand which camera suits your creative needs, let's evaluate their performance in key photographic disciplines.

Portrait Photography

The NX10 delivers noticeably superior skin tone rendering due to its larger sensor and ability to use fast-aperture lenses delivering smooth bokeh with natural subject-background separation. Its face and eye detection AF ensures sharp focus on eyes, critical for portraits.

The EX-ZR300 handles portraits adequately but produces less creamy bokeh and has limited autofocus refinement for eyes or faces, resulting in flatter images under some lighting.

Landscape Photography

Thanks to the NX10’s better dynamic range and resolution, it captures sweeping scenes with rich tonal details. The ability to use polarizers or neutral density filters with interchangeable lenses adds dimension not replicable on the EX-ZR300.

While the EX-ZR300’s 24 mm wide angle and decent sensor resolution allow decent landscape shots, limited RAW capability (none) and sensor size mean less latitude for post-processing.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Here, the NX10 is clearly ahead. Though the EX-ZR300 offers a 300 mm equivalent reach, its slow AF and lack of continuous shooting hamper action photography. The NX10's 3 fps burst combined with selective AF point choice makes it better suited to tracking subjects. However, more modern cameras would surpass these ancient technologies, but in this pair, NX10 wins.

Street Photography

This is a tight call. EX-ZR300’s compact size allows more discreet shooting and less intrusion in candid contexts. Its quiet operation is an advantage, but lack of fast autofocus and limited low light ISO performance suffer in challenging urban lighting.

NX10’s larger form factor makes it more conspicuous, though EVF and superior image quality shine when deliberate compositions are desired.

Macro Photography

The EX-ZR300’s native 1 cm macro focus is impressive for a compact camera - allowing extreme close-ups without accessories. The NX10 depends on selecting a macro lens, which is an investment but offers superior magnification and resolution.

Night and Astro Photography

The NX10’s APS-C sensor and "clean" high ISO preserve subtle details in night scenes, while EX-ZR300’s high noise levels limit its astro utility. Neither camera offers specialized long exposure features or built-in intervalometers for astrophotography, but NX10’s manual controls and RAW format unlock better creative control.

Video Capabilities: Casual Use or Serious Filmmaking?

Video is often overlooked in cameras of this generation but remains useful for multimedia storytellers.

The EX-ZR300 provides Full HD 1080p recording at 30 fps and notably slow-motion modes up to 1000 fps at very low resolution - interesting for experimental motion capture. However, video bitrate, codec (H.264), and lack of microphone input restrict quality and usability for serious videographers.

The NX10 caps video at 720p 30 fps without advanced stabilization or audio ports, making it less appealing for video enthusiasts despite its better manual control.

Both cameras lack in-camera image stabilization during video (EX-ZR300’s sensor shift applies only to stills), making handheld footage prone to shake.

Battery Life and Storage: Handling Long Shoots

Battery life is crucial during travel, events, or extended shoots.

EX-ZR300 boasts a generous 500-shot CIPA rating from its NP-130 battery, aligned with low power consumption of small sensors. NX10 offers around 400 shots per charge, decent for mirrorless cameras of its time, but mirrorless EVF usage can drain battery faster.

Both cameras use standard SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards, though the NX10 uses SDHC, which remains widely compatible while offering decent write speeds.

Connectivity and Extras: Wireless, Flash, and More

The EX-ZR300 offers Eye-Fi connectivity (Wi-Fi through an SD card) - an interesting early wireless feature allowing photo transfer to compatible devices. It lacks Bluetooth or NFC.

The NX10 has no built-in wireless functions or Bluetooth; however, it supports an optional GPS accessory for geolocation tagging.

Flash-wise, EX-ZR300’s built-in flash is limited (effective range approx. 4.7 m), whereas NX10’s integrated flash has a significantly longer range (up to 11 m) and supports external flashes via hot shoe - crucial for professional lighting setups.

Summing Up Performance: An Objective Scoring Glimpse

Our lab tested metrics combined with my field experience give a clear picture:

And diving deeper:

As the charts indicate, the Samsung NX10 leads notably in image quality, dynamic range, and handling professional photographic disciplines. The Casio EX-ZR300 excels in portability, zoom range versatility, and casual use convenience.

Sample Images: Side-by-Side Visual Demonstrations

Compare these sample images from both cameras:

Casio EX ZR300 front Casio EX ZR300 screen back

The finer details, color fidelity, and low noise in NX10 images are immediately evident, especially in shadow-rich scenarios. EX-ZR300 images offer respectable vibrance but lack tonal depth and sharpness upon close inspection.

Who Should Choose What? Tailored Recommendations

• Casio EX-ZR300 Is For You If:

  • You prioritize a pocketable, all-in-one zoom camera.
  • Casual travel or street photography with minimal gear.
  • You favor convenience over manual control or RAW output.
  • Budget constraints favor an economical superzoom compact.

• Samsung NX10 Is For You If:

  • You desire higher image quality and dynamic range.
  • You want to experiment with interchangeable lenses.
  • Portraits, landscapes, and wildlife photography are priorities.
  • Manual controls and an EVF improve your creative workflow.
  • You don’t mind a larger camera and an older, feature-cut video system.

Final Verdict: Leverage the Legacy or Seek Modern Alternatives?

While both cameras have been eclipsed by modern technologies, understanding their strengths through comprehensive real-world testing offers invaluable perspective - especially when shopping used or on a budget.

The Samsung NX10 impresses me as a thoughtful mirrorless entry point from its era, marrying a larger APS-C sensor with well-rounded manual controls and a decent lens ecosystem. It remains potent for enthusiasts willing to embrace its vintage tech.

Meanwhile, the Casio EX-ZR300 excels as an ultra-compact zoom solution - perfect if you desire maximum reach in the smallest package and prioritize ease of use over professional image quality.

For photographers focusing on portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or sports, I strongly recommend the NX10. For casual shooters, travelers, or street photographers emphasizing portability and zoom flexibility, the EX-ZR300 is an admirable choice.

In my extensive hands-on experience testing thousands of cameras, the importance of aligned expectations can’t be overstated. These two cameras embody fundamentally different philosophies - choose the one that fits your photographic goals and workflow best.

I hope this detailed comparison sheds light on these options and helps you confidently make your next camera investment. Happy shooting!