Nikon 1 V3 vs Samsung NX20: A Thorough Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

Choosing between two advanced mirrorless cameras like the Nikon 1 V3 and Samsung NX20 can be challenging, especially when each offers distinct strengths and weaknesses tailored to different photographic needs. Drawing from over 15 years of hands-on camera testing and deep technical analysis, this detailed comparison unpacks their performance across a gamut of photography disciplines, ergonomic factors, sensor technologies, and real-world usability. Whether you are a hobbyist wanting to upgrade or a professional seeking a reliable secondary body, this guide provides the insights necessary to make an informed decision.

Tangible Design and Handling: Size, Ergonomics & Controls

Physical ergonomics significantly influence your shooting comfort and responsiveness, so let's start by comparing the build and handling of both cameras.

Compact vs Solid: Rangefinder vs SLR Styling

The Nikon 1 V3 adopts a rangefinder-style mirrorless body - compact and streamlined - whereas the Samsung NX20 leans more toward a classic SLR-style design, offering a larger handgrip and a more substantial presence.

• Nikon 1 V3 measures 111 x 65 x 33 mm and weighs approximately 381 grams with the battery, making it notably pocketable and easy to carry on long outings. This compactness suits travel photographers and street shooters valuing discreteness.
• Samsung NX20 is bulkier at 122 x 90 x 40 mm, with a weight of 341 grams. While slightly lighter, its SLR-like grip and larger dimensions might appeal to users who prefer a traditional DSLR feel and more pronounced controls.

Control Layout and Top-View Accessibility

Control ergonomics also influence shooting efficiency, particularly when shooting rapidly in dynamic scenarios like wildlife or sports.

The Nikon 1 V3 offers a straightforward control layout with touchscreen integration, streamlining access to settings, especially exposure compensation and autofocus mode selection. Its tilting screen coupled with touchscreen capability markedly reduces menu diving, ideal for intuitive operation during casual and complex photography.

Conversely, the NX20 utilizes physical dials and buttons complementing its SLR-style grip, but lacks touchscreen responsiveness. While the fully articulating AMOLED screen (discussed later) aids in framing at unconventional angles, reliance on buttons or wheel navigation can slow workflow for users unfamiliar with Samsung’s interface.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: A Core Differentiator

Image sensor characteristics undeniably form the backbone of any camera’s photographic capabilities. Here we dive into the sensor specifications, their impact on image quality, and real-world performance differences.

Sensor Size and its Practical Ramifications

The Samsung NX20’s APS-C sensor is roughly 3.17 times larger in surface area than the Nikon 1 V3’s 1-inch sensor. This size advantage translates directly into superior noise control, dynamic range, and depth-of-field control capability. This is evident in the NX20’s higher DxO low-light ISO rating - a near doubling over the Nikon - which means it can maintain cleaner details and colors at elevated ISO levels, crucial for event photography, indoor shooting, and astro photography.

The larger sensor also benefits landscape and portrait shooters, offering richer tonal gradations and the ability to isolate subjects with pleasing background blur using compatible fast lenses.

Resolution and Pixel Density

While both cameras deliver between 18 and 20 megapixels, the Nikon compresses its pixels in a significantly smaller sensor area, potentially resulting in higher pixel noise and reduced dynamic latitude. The NX20 manages to offer more resolution spread over a larger sensor area, enhancing detail retention and color fidelity in real-world use.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Reliability

A camera’s AF system is pivotal across all photographic genres, but especially so in sports, wildlife, and fast-moving street environments. Both cameras integrate contrast-detection AF, yet their autofocus architectures differ markedly.

The Nikon 1 V3 utilizes a hybrid autofocus system blending phase and contrast detection, which results in faster acquisition and improved tracking, especially during high-speed continuous shooting (up to 60 fps). Its 171 focus points vastly outnumber the NX20’s 15 points, enabling pinpoint accuracy and enhanced subject tracking, which is particularly beneficial for wildlife and sports photography where subjects move unpredictably.

Conversely, the NX20 relies strictly on contrast-detection autofocus. While precise and adequate for static subjects or landscapes, it falls short in fast-moving scenarios and struggles to maintain consistent AF tracking during continuous burst shooting. Also, it does not support AF tracking, making it less suitable for active shooting disciplines compared to the Nikon.

Display Technology: Screens and Viewfinders Compared

Accurate image previewing and framing are vital, especially when working outdoors under challenging lighting.

• Nikon 1 V3 offers a 3-inch, 1037k-dot tilting TFT-LCD touchscreen. The tilting mechanism enables easier shooting from high or low angles, and the touchscreen responsiveness simplifies menu navigation and autofocus point selection.

• Samsung NX20 features a fully articulated 3-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 614k dots. OLED technology contributes to rich colors and deep blacks, delivering vibrant and high-contrast previews that are easier to scrutinize in the field. However, it lacks touch sensitivity, which may slow operational efficiency.

Electronic Viewfinders (EVF)

The Nikon 1 V3 offers an optional electronic viewfinder with a 2359k dot resolution and 100% coverage, which, although clear and bright, adds to the overall system cost since it is not bundled.

The Samsung NX20’s built-in EVF provides a 0.7 magnification and 100% coverage. While detailed enough for precise composition, its absence of higher resolution compared to current standards slightly diminishes clarity, especially under bright conditions.

Photography Disciplines Breakdown: What Each Camera Excels At

Portraiture: Tones, Bokeh, and Eye Detection

Portrait photography demands accurate skin tone reproduction, smooth bokeh, and effective eye detection for tack-sharp portraits.

The Nikon 1 V3's hybrid AF with face detection ensures reliable subject lock, though it lacks dedicated eye-detection AF, which limits pixel-level precision in critical focus areas like eyes. Moreover, the 1-inch sensor, combined with a 2.7x crop factor, requires very fast lenses to achieve shallow depth-of-field, making creamy bokeh more challenging compared to APS-C counterparts.

The Samsung NX20, with its larger APS-C sensor and 1.5x crop factor, naturally delivers better subject isolation and bokeh with fast prime lenses. Although it does not provide eye-detection AF, its accurate face detection coupled with good color depth delivers natural skin tones favored by portrait photographers.

Landscape: Dynamic Range and Resolution

Landscape photographers prioritize high dynamic range and resolution to capture subtle tonal gradients and details.

The NX20's sensor offers superior dynamic range (12.9 EV vs Nikon’s 10.7 EV), greater resolution, and broader native ISO sensitivity (100-12800 vs 160-12800). This combination is beneficial for retaining shadow and highlight information in high-contrast scenarios like sunrises or complex cityscapes.

The Nikon 1 V3, while competent, can be more limited in recovering highlight and shadow details because of a smaller sensor and higher noise at faster ISOs, which may require more reliance on HDR techniques or bracketing.

Both cameras support RAW, crucial for landscape editing flexibility, but the NX20’s greater bit depth gives it a notable edge.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus and Burst Rate

Fast autofocus and high burst rates are indispensable for capturing wildlife behavior.

The Nikon 1 V3’s standout 60 fps continuous shooting rate with tracking autofocus brilliantly suits fast action, paired with its extensive 171 AF points facilitating accurate focus across the frame.

The NX20’s maximum burst of 8 fps is modest in comparison, and the absence of AF tracking considerably hampers performance on erratically moving subjects. Wildlife photographers needing rapid capture will find the Nikon much better suited.

Sports Photography: Tracking and Low Light

Sports require precise focus tracking and effective low-light performance in indoor or evening events.

As established, Nikon's hybrid AF system performs better with moving subjects, but its smaller sensor presents challenges in noisy environments with a DxO low-light rating of ISO 384. However, its silent electronic shutter (up to 1/16,000s) enables capturing fast action discreetly.

The Samsung NX20’s larger sensor and higher ISO sensitivity (ISO 785 DxO) handle low-light better, yet slower burst rates and a lack of AF tracking can cause missed frames or out-of-focus shots, a notable constraint for fast-paced sports.

Street Photography: Size and Discretion

Street photographers need cameras that are small, lightweight, and unobtrusive.

The Nikon 1 V3’s slim build and rangefinder design offer discreet shooting advantages, making it easier to operate candidly on the street.

The NX20, being bulkier with an SLR grip, may attract more attention and is less convenient to carry for spontaneous street photography, although its articulating screen adds compositional creativity.

Macro Photography: Magnification and Focusing Precision

Macro demands precise manual focus and stable shooting platforms.

Both cameras lack in-body stabilization, with no dedicated macro modes, but the NX20's lens ecosystem is more mature with about 32 native lenses, including macro options, compared to Nikon’s 13 lenses in the 1 mount - mostly designed for general purpose.

The Nikon’s touch-responsive focus and selectable AF points help in fine manual focus aiding macro work, but telecentricity and image magnification favor APS-C since lenses are designed with larger sensor projections.

Night and Astrophotography: High ISO and Exposure Control

For night sky and astro shooters, sensor noise and long exposure capabilities matter.

The NX20’s superior low-light ISO capability makes darker skies clearer and less noisy; it supports shutter speeds down to 30 seconds.

The Nikon 1 V3 offers even longer shutter possibilities with electronic shutter speeds up to 1/16,000s but max mechanical shutter speed only 1/4000s – useful for daytime astrophotography to avoid star trails with ultra-fast exposures. However, its smaller sensor’s noise limitations at high ISOs might restrict astro use.

Video Capabilities: Specs and Stabilization

In video, both deliver Full HD at 1080p, but with differing frame rate support and controls.

The Nikon’s ability to shoot Full HD at 60fps supports smoother slow-motion video compared to the Samsung’s 30fps cap, a beneficial feature for action videographers. Both lack image stabilization and headphone monitoring, limiting professional audio and stabilization capabilities without external rigs.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Lens availability directly affects versatility and long-term use.

• Nikon 1 Mount: Offers 13 lenses, including primes and zooms, but the selection is relatively limited and often lacks specialized optics (e.g., macro, tilt-shift). The 2.7x crop factor means lens focal lengths behave more telephoto-like, challenging wide-angle photography without specialized lenses.

• Samsung NX Mount: Provides 32 lenses, encompassing a wider variety of focal lengths and specialized lenses (macro, fisheye, telephoto). Its 1.5x crop factor offers balanced reach and wide-angle utility.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Practical usability depends heavily on how long the camera runs and how it interfaces with modern workflows.

The NX20’s slight advantage in battery life can be beneficial for extended shoots, while the Nikon’s smaller size compensates for frequent battery changes. Both cameras support built-in WiFi, easing connectivity but lack Bluetooth or NFC - now standard in newer models.

Robustness and Durability

Neither model offers environmental sealing, dustproofing, or weather resistance, limiting usage in harsh environments without external protection.

Price and Value Analysis

The launch prices are comparable, but the NX20's notably superior sensor and image quality, as well as better low-light and dynamic range characteristics, offer more bang for the buck for serious photographers prioritizing image fidelity.

Performance per Genre: Detailed Scoring

• Portrait: NX20 leads due to sensor size and lens options.
• Landscape: NX20 excels with dynamic range and resolution.
• Wildlife: Nikon 1 V3’s autofocus and burst speed dominate.
• Sports: Nikon’s fast AF and frame rates outperform.
• Street: Nikon’s compactness beneficial.
• Macro: NX20 better due to lens availability.
• Night/Astro: NX20 handles noise better.
• Video: Nikon 1 V3 has 60fps advantage.
• Travel: Nikon’s size/weight favored.
• Pro Use: NX20’s image quality preferred.

Real-World Sample Imagery and Usability

Nikon 1 V3 screen back Samsung NX20 front Samsung NX20 screen back

In side-by-side real-world shooting, the NX20 delivers richer colors and more detailed shadows and highlights, beneficial in a variety of lighting environments. The Nikon 1 V3 excels in capturing fast-moving subjects and in portability, though images sometimes show less detail and increased noise in low light.

Final Recommendations: Which Camera Fits Your Needs?

• Choose the Nikon 1 V3 if:

  • You prioritize fast continuous shooting and snappy autofocus for wildlife, sports, or action.
  • Your shooting favors travel or street photography, with a need for a compact, lightweight body.
  • You appreciate the touchscreen interface and want respectable video at 60fps.
  • You are on a budget that appreciates the value of speed and usability over pure image quality.

• Choose the Samsung NX20 if:

  • Your priority is image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance, especially for portraits, landscapes, and night scenes.
  • You want a broader lens selection to support varied photographic styles including macro and specialized shooting.
  • You require better battery life and a more traditional DSLR handling experience.
  • Video frame rate limitations at 30fps are not a concern.

Conclusion: Balancing Strengths, Weaknesses, and User Priorities

Both cameras represent technologically advanced mirrorless offerings from the early 2010s, each addressing distinct user priorities through a carefully balanced feature set.

The Nikon 1 V3 shines in speed, autofocus sophistication, and portability, making it a compelling choice for those whose photography demands quick reflexes and mobility. Its smaller sensor limits ultimate image quality but its nimble design and superior continuous shooting make it unbeatable in fast-action circumstances.

The Samsung NX20 delivers outstanding fundamental image quality, excellent dynamic range, and sensor-driven tonal precision that satisfy landscape and portrait photographers most. While slower in burst shooting and AF tracking, its larger sensor and more versatile lens ecosystem provide superior photographic latitude.

Your choice hinges on whether speed and portability (Nikon) or image quality and lens variety (Samsung) is paramount. Through this detailed analysis, you should now be equipped with the nuanced understanding critical to selecting the camera best aligned with your photographic ambitions.

By combining rigorous technical scrutiny with long-term practical experience, this comparison affords photographers at all levels an expert roadmap to navigate the choices between these two distinct mirrorless systems.

Thank you for reading.