FujiFilm X-T200 vs Samsung NX10: An Expert’s Detailed Hands-On Comparison

Selecting the right mirrorless camera can be quite the balancing act - juggling image quality, ergonomics, autofocus performance, and value, all tailored to your shooting style. Having spent countless hours putting cameras through their paces in every imaginable photography discipline, I’m excited to share a detailed, experience-backed comparison between the FujiFilm X-T200 (2020) and the Samsung NX10 (2010). Both are categorized as entry-level mirrorless cameras, but they differ significantly in technology and practical capabilities given the decade separating their launches.

I’ve compared these two across technical specs, real-world performance, and usability factors to equip you with an informed perspective on which might best suit your photography aspirations today. So grab a cup of coffee - this is going to be a technical yet approachable deep dive into two mirrorless cameras with very distinct flavors.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Design Philosophy

One cannot underestimate how much ergonomics influence the creative process. The FujiFilm X-T200 impresses right out of the box with its classic SLR-style design - compact yet thoughtfully contoured for comfort. It features a 3.5-inch fully articulated touchscreen, which immediately modernizes the user experience, especially for vloggers and shooting at unconventional angles.

In contrast, the Samsung NX10 adopts a similarly classic SLR-style body but leans on more rigid construction with less emphasis on user interface flair. It sports a fixed 3-inch Active Matrix OLED display, respectable a decade ago but quite basic by today’s standards.

Physically, the X-T200 is lighter and a bit more compact with dimensions of 121x84x55 mm at 370 g, compared to the bulkier, heavier NX10 at 123x87x40 mm and 499 g. The X-T200’s modest weight reduction and smaller footprint make it noticeably more portable and camera-bag friendly - a clear advantage for travel and street photographers keen on discretion and minimized fatigue.

Diving deeper, the top panel of the X-T200 is adorned with an intuitive control layout that places dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and drive modes within reach. Samsung’s NX10, while sporting a competent button arrangement, relies more heavily on menu diving due to the lack of customizable dials.

From hands-on experience, Fuji’s tactile dials deliver faster adjustments in the field, accelerating creative workflow - something I felt distinctly while shooting fast-paced street scenes.

Sensor Technology: The Heart of Image Quality

At the core of every camera’s imaging prowess lies its sensor. Here, the FujiFilm X-T200 uses a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor sized 23.5 x 15.7 mm, yielding a total sensor area of approximately 369 mm². The sensor incorporates an anti-aliasing filter to manage moiré and aliasing artifacts. This sensor’s 24MP resolution offers ample detail for large prints and cropping flexibility.

In comparison, the Samsung NX10’s sensor is a slightly smaller APS-C CMOS measuring 23.4 x 15.6 mm (365 mm²) but with only 15MP resolution. While eight years separate their release dates, Samsung pushed its DRIM Engine processing chip to deliver vibrant colors and decent noise management for its time, though it’s relatively muted compared to today’s standards.

Based on extensive side-by-side real-world testing under varied lighting scenarios, the Fuji X-T200’s sensor outperforms the NX10 markedly in dynamic range, color depth, and low-light noise handling. PXProcessing improvements in the X-T200 allow clean ISO performance up to ISO 3200 and usable extended ISO up to 12800, with the boosted ISO going as high as 51200 for emergencies.

Conversely, the NX10’s base ISO starts at 100, but its maximum ISO 3200 can often struggle with noise, losing fine detail - particularly evident in shadow zones during landscape and night photography. For portraiture, the X-T200 provides smoother gradation in skin tones and more accurate color rendition, partly due to Fuji’s renowned film simulation profiles.

Autofocus System: Fast and Accurate or Dated and Basic?

The autofocus (AF) system often defines how much a camera can keep up with your creative intentions, especially in dynamic genres like wildlife and sports.

The Fuji X-T200 boasts a sophisticated Hybrid AF system featuring 425 focus points that employ both phase-detection and contrast-detection mechanisms. This combination yields snappy autofocus acquisition and reliable continuous tracking capabilities - including face detection and eye-detection autofocus for humans (though lacking animal eye detection, which remains rare in this class). Touch focus via the LCD and AF tracking during video recording add extra versatility.

Samsung’s NX10, by contrast, features a contrast detection-only 15-point AF system, modest in coverage and speed. Lacking phase detection and face or eye tracking, the NX10 struggles to maintain precise focus on moving subjects, displaying a noticeable tendency to hunt, especially in lower contrast situations.

These differences shine when put to the test:

• Wildlife and sports: The X-T200 executes bursts at 8 fps with continuous AF tracking smoothly maintaining focus. The NX10’s 3 fps burst rate and slower AF reduce action capture success, limiting use in fast-paced environments.
• Portraiture: Eye-detection on the X-T200 enables tack-sharp portraits with confident focus on the subject’s eyes; the NX10 requires manual AF intervention or focus confirmation, adding friction.
• Macro: Although focusing close distances isn’t fundamentally different in AF system design, X-T200’s advanced AF ensures more precise and quicker acquisition on small subjects.

In short, the X-T200’s autofocus represents a decade’s worth of technological progress, making it the practical choice for photographers who require speed and accuracy across disciplines.

Display and Viewfinder: Windows to Your Image

FujiFilm’s X-T200 comes outfitted with a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) boasting 2,360k dots, 100% coverage, and 0.62x magnification. Its 3.5-inch fully articulating touchscreen offers 2,780k dots, making touch-to-focus, menu navigation, and selfie-friendly operation seamless.

Samsung’s NX10, while innovative for 2010 with its Active Matrix OLED screen, has a fixed 3-inch display and a comparatively low-resolution EVF at 920k dots and 0.57x magnification. The NX10 lacks a touchscreen, which by today’s standards feels restrictive, especially for intuitive focus selection.

These interface differences impact shooting style significantly. The X-T200’s larger, higher-resolution, and tilting screen encourages composition from unconventional angles and facilitates vlog-style video capture. The NX10 pushes more toward traditional waist-level or eye-level shooting.

For photographers who depend on accurate color preview and focus confirmation through the EVF or rear screen, the X-T200’s advances facilitate confidence and reduce the number of “inch-worm” focusing attempts.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Your Creative Toolbox

A camera’s value multiplies drastically with an available lens ecosystem rich in quality glass and options.

The Fujifilm X-T200 taps into one of the most dynamic APS-C mirrorless lens catalogs out there, courtesy of Fuji’s X-mount. The system currently includes roughly 54 lenses, spanning primes (such as the adored 23mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.2), zooms covering ultra-wide to telephoto, and several specialized lenses optimized for macro, portrait, and landscape work.

Samsung’s NX mount, introduced alongside and exclusive to their NX series, suffers from limited availability with 32 native lenses total - many discontinued or hard to find. Key drop-offs in lens choices have constrained the NX system’s longevity and appeal among passionate photographers. Third-party support is minimal.

For the photographer weighing future-proofing and creative diversity, Fuji’s ecosystem is decisively more attractive and robust. Whether you need a fast prime for portraits or a super-telephoto for wildlife, Fuji’s offerings maintain high optical quality with solid autofocus compatibility on the X-T200.

Image Stabilization and Build Quality

Neither the X-T200 nor the NX10 feature in-body image stabilization (IBIS), relying instead on optical stabilization present in some compatible lenses. This omission means shooters seeking stabilized walking shots or low-light handheld macro work will have to ensure they invest in stabilized lenses.

Build quality for both cameras feels typical for entry-level designs - polycarbonate bodies over magnesium frames, with neither offering professional-grade environmental sealing. Neither is weather or dust proof.

That said, Fuji’s 2020 craftsmanship offers a more refined tactile finish and control response. The Samsung NX10 feels bulkier and less ergonomic for extended shoots.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting Duration in the Field

Battery longevity is one of those quiet but crucial specs photographers often overlook.

Samsung’s NX10, with its BP1130 battery, boasts around 400 shots per charge - fine for a decade-old mirrorless but showing limits for travel days or prolonged sessions without spares.

Fuji’s X-T200, powered by the NP-W126S, rates lower at approximately 270 shots per charge. While this might seem less competitive on paper, modern Fuji batteries recharge faster and support USB charging (subject to use with external power sources), offering convenience for on-the-go photographers.

Both utilize a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot supporting UHS-I speeds, adequate for casual shooting but lacking dual card redundancy that pros increasingly demand.

Connectivity and Video Capabilities

Here the X-T200 showcases obvious advantages. Fuji integrates built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity with Fuji’s intuitive Image App ecosystem, enabling easy remote camera control, seamless file transfer, and even geotagging. This contrasts starkly with the NX10’s lack of wireless connectivity - wired USB 2.0 is its sole data transfer option.

Video recording capabilities illustrate how much ten years make a difference.

• X-T200: Shoots 4K UHD at 30p with H.264 encoding, stereo Linear PCM audio, and 1080p at up to 120fps for slow motion. It supports external microphones and headphones, essential for high-quality audio, and offers time-lapse recording.

• NX10: Stuck with 720p HD video at 30 fps, no mic or headphone jacks, and no 4K option. While acceptable for basic video capture, it falls far short for content creators needing crisp video and audio control.

Given the X-T200’s articulated screen and touch interface, it doubles effectively as a hybrid photo-video solution ideal for travel, vlogging, and event coverage.

Performance Overview: How Do They Score Across Genres?

To synthesize these findings, I assessed each camera’s performance across major photographic disciplines, combining technical specs and hands-on shooting feedback.

Fujifilm X T200 front Fujifilm X T200 screen back

• Portrait photography: The X-T200 edges out comfortably with higher resolution sensor, superior color science, and eye-detection AF.
• Landscape: X-T200’s dynamic range superiority enables richer shadow detail; absence of weather sealing, however, keeps both cameras from professional outdoor abuse.
• Wildlife: The faster burst and hybrid AF of Fuji make it better suited for moving subjects than NX10’s sluggish contrast-based AF.
• Sports: Again, Fuji leads with higher fps and tracking; NX10 is too slow and prone to focus misses.
• Street: X-T200’s smaller size, weight, and quiet shutter modes favor discretion and low-light shooting.
• Macro: Both equal in magnification limits, but Fuji’s precise AF is a plus.
• Night/Astro: Fuji’s high ISO performance and manual exposure modes win decisively.
• Video: FujiFilm is a clear-cut winner offering vastly superior resolutions, frame rates, and audio capabilities.
• Travel: Lightweight, wireless, and versatile – X-T200 is built for travel-focused creators.
• Professional work: Neither should be considered a high-end pro tool, but the X-T200’s RAW file support and reliability sit slightly ahead.

The graph above plots comprehensive scores based on weighted factors such as sensor quality, AF performance, video capabilities, ergonomics, and connectivity - underscoring FujiFilm’s substantial lead in most categories.

Putting It All Together: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose the FujiFilm X-T200 if:

• You want a modern, versatile camera suitable for a range of genres from portraits to fast action.
• Video is an important part of your workflow and you need 4K recording with robust audio input options.
• You crave a lightweight, ergonomically refined camera with a modern touch interface and fully articulating screen.
• You want access to an extensive and growing lens ecosystem with quality optics.
• Wireless connectivity for quick sharing or remote operation is necessary.
• Budget up to $700 works within your plan for a camera that blends current technology with user-friendly controls.

Choose the Samsung NX10 if:

• You are on a very tight budget for an entry-level camera to learn the basics of mirrorless photography.
• You don’t require advanced video features - 720p may suffice for casual family use.
• You prefer a sturdier grip and don’t mind the larger, heavier body.
• You are interested in collecting or using legacy Samsung NX lenses (though expect limited future support).
• Battery life is critical and you want longer shooting sessions per charge.

Final Thoughts: A Clear Evolution in Mirrorless Technology

In wrapping up, the FujiFilm X-T200 represents a significant leap forward across the board - in sensor resolution, autofocus sophistication, video, connectivity, and ergonomics. It showcases what current entry-level mirrorless cameras are capable of delivering to enthusiasts and budding professionals alike. Meanwhile, the Samsung NX10, a pioneer of its time, feels increasingly dated, hampered by limited resolution, sluggish AF, and basic video.

Having thoroughly tested both cameras side-by-side in controlled and real-world conditions, I strongly recommend the X-T200 for anyone who seeks a camera that will remain relevant, adaptable, and enjoyable to use in multiple photography disciplines. That said, the NX10 could still appeal to those with nostalgia for early mirrorless systems or those constrained by budget - but at the expense of technological compromises.

Photographers seeking to invest in a system today - especially those who value fast AF, superior image quality, and extensive lens choice - will find the Fujifilm X-T200 the more future-proof, performance-packed option.

Whether you prioritize portability for street work, expansive dynamic range for landscapes, or hybrid video shooting on the go - the X-T200 stands out as an unequivocal winner. My hours testing these cameras substantiated this verdict time and time again.

Happy shooting - and may your next camera choice inspire your best work yet!