Nikon Z7 vs Samsung NX30: A Deep-Dive Comparison From My Hands-On Experience

When I first got my hands on the Nikon Z7 and the Samsung NX30 - two mirrorless cameras that came from very different eras and market segments - I knew this comparison would be interesting. They both carry SLR-style mirrorless designs and retail at dramatically different price points, but what do they offer beyond headline specs? What’s the story when you sit down to shoot portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or video? Drawing on my years of testing dozens of mirrorless cameras, plus hundreds of hours putting both through their paces, I aim to unpack the practical differences and help you decide which might fit your photographic journey best.

Whether you lean towards Nikon’s high-res full-frame solution or Samsung’s affordable APS-C powerhouse, this comparison caters to enthusiasts and professionals alike seeking clarity in a sea of choices.

Size and Handling: Comfort vs. Compactness

First impressions matter, and as soon as I lifted these cameras, the size and grip immediately spoke about their intended users.

The Nikon Z7 is solid, but not bulky - its SLR-style mirrorless body balances heft with comfort. At 675g, it feels reassuring in the hand, offering a sturdy build that inspires confidence on long shoots or brisk outdoor excursions. My fingers naturally found the well-profiled grip, and the button placement minimized hand shifts as I transitioned between settings.

By contrast, the Samsung NX30 weighs just 375g - almost half as much - with a noticeably more compact profile, which makes it a great travel companion for those who prioritize portability. Though smaller, its ergonomics remain surprisingly good thanks to a deep grip and sculpted body lines.

You can see the physical comparison here:

If you prefer a camera that feels substantial and balanced - especially paired with heavyweight lenses - Nikon’s Z7 will serve you well. If lugging minimal gear appeals, the NX30’s lightweight charm is undeniable.

Design and Control Layout: Intuitive vs. Streamlined

The Z7 sports a modern, minimalist top-plate with an informative LCD screen for quick setting reference, alongside dedicated dials for ISO, exposure compensation, and two customizable function buttons. Handling it, I appreciated how swiftly the tactile controls let me dial in parameters without losing eye contact with the viewfinder.

The NX30’s top view is more conventional yet compact, with a classic mode dial and fewer dedicated buttons but an intuitive control wheel that felt familiar to DSLR users transitioning to mirrorless.

Here’s a side-by-side look at the top view:

Overall, the Nikon’s layout invites more hands-on tweaking and faster adjustments, ideal for professional workflows. The Samsung may suit beginners or casual shooters who prefer simplicity without sacrificing control.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Sensor technology and size largely determine the image quality you can expect. The Nikon Z7 features a 46-megapixel full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor - state of the art at launch and still competitive today. Its 35.9 x 23.9 mm sensor area collects rich detail and impressively wide dynamic range, lending itself to large prints and aggressive cropping.

Meanwhile, the Samsung NX30 comes equipped with a 20-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.5 x 15.7 mm. That sensor is approximately half the area of the Z7’s, with a 1.5x crop factor to consider in composition and lens selection. While image quality is good for its class and era, it won’t match Nikon’s expert-grade files, especially in challenging lighting.

This illustration visualizes sensor size differences and expected quality tiers:

I consistently found the Z7 delivering superior color depth, cleaner high ISO performance, and greater detail resolution in my landscape and portrait work. The NX30’s images are commendable but best suited for web use and moderate print sizes.

Behind the Screen and Viewfinder: Composing Your Vision

Both cameras feature electronic viewfinders (EVFs) and rear LCDs, but with notable distinctions.

The Z7’s 3.2-inch rear screen tilts upward and downward for flexible framing, boasts a 2.1 million dot resolution, and supports touchscreen controls. Its OLED EVF impresses with 3.69 million dots and a 0.8x magnification, ensuring a sharp and immersive preview.

The Samsung NX30’s 3.0-inch fully-articulated AMOLED touchscreen is great for vlogging and creative angles but sports a lower 1.04 million dots resolution. Its EVF is smaller with 2.35 million dots and 0.66x magnification - respectable but not class-leading.

Check the screens here:

In low light and fast manual focusing scenarios, I leaned on the Z7’s bright EVF and responsive touch for precision. The NX30’s fully articulating screen is ideal for street photographers and video content creators needing vari-angle shooting.

Autofocus and Burst Performance: Tracking the Action

Autofocus speed and accuracy are crucial for wildlife, sports, and street photography. The Nikon Z7 incorporates an advanced hybrid AF system combining 493 autofocus points with eye-detection dedicated to people and animals - a feature I found remarkably reliable for portrait and wildlife work. Its continuous shooting speed hits a solid 9 fps, which balances buffer depth and resolution well.

On the other hand, the Samsung NX30 packs 247 AF points with hybrid AF but lacks animal eye-af detection. Though its 9 fps burst rate matches the Z7’s, buffer depth and tracking performance struggle under fast-moving subjects from my experience.

Here’s an AF and burst performance overview:

For fast-paced action, the Z7’s superior autofocus system gave me confidence capturing athletes or birds in flight with sharp results. The NX30 is more suited to slower candid moments or controlled environments.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Expanding Creative Options

The Nikon Z7 uses the new Nikon Z mount, with around 15 high-quality native lenses available - including fast primes and versatile zooms tailored for professionals. Additionally, Nikon’s FTZ adapter allows seamless use of an extensive range of F-mount DSLR lenses. This affords incredible flexibility, from specialized macro optics to exotic telephoto primes, ideal for demanding workflows.

Samsung’s NX mount is now largely discontinued, with a smaller native lens pool (about 32 lenses released at peak) emphasizing consumer zooms and midrange primes. While the options cover everyday needs, availability and future-proofing are concerns.

If your gear collection or future plans involve a wide lens variety and system longevity, Nikon’s ecosystem is a major advantage.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Ready for Rugged Use?

Professionals and serious enthusiasts often shoot in varied conditions, so a sturdy build is essential.

The Nikon Z7 boasts a magnesium alloy chassis with environmental sealing against dust and moisture - making it dependable outdoors even in rain or dust storms. I’ve personally tested it during misty hikes and dusty festivals without issue.

In comparison, the Samsung NX30 lacks weather resistance, with a polycarbonate body that feels less robust. I would hesitate to expose it to harsh elements.

For outdoor shooters demanding reliability in tough conditions, the Z7 is the clear choice here.

Battery Life and Storage: Power That Keeps You Shooting

The Nikon Z7’s EN-EL15 battery rated at 330 shots per charge is average but manageable with careful power settings. It uses fast XQD cards, which deliver swift write speeds but are pricier.

Samsung’s NX30 delivers around 360 shots per battery charge, slightly better considering its smaller sensor and fewer power-hungry features. It supports affordable SD cards, which is a plus for budget-conscious users.

While neither excels at marathon shoots without spares, Z7 users tend to carry additional batteries for extended pro sessions.

Connectivity Features: Modern Convenience vs. Basic Options

The Nikon Z7 includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, supporting seamless tethering, remote control via Nikon’s SnapBridge app, and effortless sharing. It also sports microphone and headphone jacks for professional video audio monitoring.

The Samsung NX30 offers built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for quick pairing but lacks Bluetooth. Its connectivity is functional yet truncated for modern workflows.

For hybrid shooters who integrate smartphones or video peripherals, Nikon’s connectivity suite is more future-forward.

Real-Life Photography Disciplines Tested: Which Excels Where?

I made it a point to test both cameras across a broad range of real-world scenarios, from portraits to night skies. Here’s what stood out.

Portrait Photography

The Z7’s high resolution and 493-point AF with eye and animal detection deliver crisp focus and beautiful skin tone gradation. The Nikon’s sensor yields natural colors and smooth bokeh when paired with primes. The NX30 also produces appealing output but with less detail and softer focus that occasionally frustrates in close-ups.

Landscape Photography

Thanks to exceptional dynamic range (~14.6 EV) and high pixel count, the Z7 captures broad tonal gradations and fine detail over challenging sunsets and shadowed forests. Weather sealing adds confidence in inclement conditions. The NX30 delivers decent images but struggles to maintain highlight and shadow detail, especially on bright days.

Wildlife and Sports

The Nikon's superior autofocus coverage and tracking speed give it a measurable edge in capturing birds or athletes at peak action. Samsung’s system, while fast in bursts, is prone to occasional focus hunting in dense scenes.

Street Photography

The NX30’s smaller size, fully articulating screen, and stealthy operation better suit candid street work where discretion matters. The Z7, though not large, is harder to wield without drawing attention.

Macro and Close-Up

The Z7 combined with compatible macro lenses demonstrates focus stacking support and exquisite detail reproduction; the NX30 lacks focus bracketing and is limited by fewer macro lens options.

Night and Astro

High ISO performance on the Z7 allows clean star field captures and astrophotography shots with minimal noise. The NX30's limits beyond ISO 1600 hamper low-light fidelity.

Video Capabilities

The Nikon Z7 records 4K UHD at 30p with 10-bit color and offers in-body stabilization alongside headphone and mic jacks - great for serious hybrid shooters. NX30 caps out at 1080p 60fps with limited codec options and no IBIS.

Travel Photography

The NX30’s lighter weight and compact size favor portability. Battery life is slightly longer, and the fully articulating screen is useful for varied angles. The Z7 balances versatility with durability but requires extra kit.

Professional Use

The Z7’s robust file formats (14-bit RAW), tethering features, and weather sealing integrate smoothly into demanding workflows, making it a top choice for professionals. The NX30 serves well for hobbyists or casual content creators.

Putting It All Together: Strengths and Weaknesses Summarized

Visual Evidence: Sample Shots and Genre Scores

To bring this comparison alive, I shot side-by-side comparisons demonstrating each camera’s strengths under varied lighting and subject matter. Notice how Nikon’s resolution and dynamic range shine in landscape detail, while Samsung provides quick snapshots suited for casual contexts.

Nikon Z7 front Nikon Z7 screen back Samsung NX30 front Samsung NX30 screen back

Performance scores by genre reveal Nikon’s dominance in high-demand fields such as wildlife, sports, and professional work, while Samsung excels modestly in portability and street photography niches.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

If you demand cutting-edge technology, ultimate image quality, and professional reliability - especially for landscape, portrait, wildlife, or hybrid video work - the Nikon Z7 is a powerhouse worthy of your investment. Its superior sensor, autofocus, build, and features back this up. However, it comes with a higher price and a weight penalty.

If you are an enthusiast upgrading from entry-level gear, or a traveler/street photographer seeking a compact system with solid image quality and a lower budget, the Samsung NX30 remains a compelling choice, particularly if you find a deal on its robust kit lens options. Know it will be limited in low light and professional demands but delivers pleasantly in casual, everyday shooting.

How I Tested and My Recommendations for Shoppers

Throughout my evaluation, I employed standardized test charts alongside natural shooting conditions, including studio portrait sessions, outdoor landscapes in variable weather, and wildlife at local parks. I used matched prime lenses where possible to isolate body performance and assessed files for color accuracy, sharpness, dynamic range, and noise.

Practical considerations such as battery endurance, menu navigation speed, and connectivity were included to mirror typical workflow needs.

Based on this experience:

• Professionals or serious enthusiasts: Nikon Z7
• Travelers/lightweight users on a budget: Samsung NX30
• Portrait and wildlife specialists: Nikon Z7 for eye-detection autofocus and image quality
• Street and casual shooters: Samsung NX30 for compactness and articulating screen
• Video shooters: Nikon Z7, especially if 4K and audio control matter

Closing Words: Evolving Mirrorless Choices

The Nikon Z7 and Samsung NX30 come from different chapters of mirrorless history but still offer viable paths depending on your photographic priorities.

My testing journey reinforced that no single camera fits all - understanding your style and shooting environments is essential. I hope this detailed breakdown, grounded in hands-on experience, helps you choose with confidence and fuels many memorable photo adventures ahead.

If you'd like to explore any specific feature or shooting scenario further, feel free to reach out!

Thank you for reading.