Pentax RS1500 vs Samsung NX300: A Hands-On Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital cameras, it’s easy to get swept up by dazzling new releases that push sensor sizes, autofocus speed, and video capabilities to new extremes. But take a breath - and a step back - because sometimes comparing two very different cameras across class and generation reveals not only how far tech has come but also what suits your style and budget.

Today, I’m diving deep into a fairly unique pairing: the Pentax Optio RS1500, a humble compact from 2011 with a small sensor and fixed lens, versus the Samsung NX300, a 2013 entry-level mirrorless that brought APS-C sensored power to the masses at a tempting price. While clearly from different tiers, exploring their real-world performance across photography genres, technical specs, and practical usability hopefully helps photographers - from hobbyists to pros looking for a pocketable backup - weigh their options.

Already, this looks like a classic David vs Goliath story. So grab your coffee; we’re diving into the details.

Size and Ergonomics: Pocketability vs Grip and Control

First impressions set expectations, right? The Pentax RS1500 is a small sensor compact designed for grab-and-go lifestyle shooters. Its physical dimensions are petite at 114 x 58 x 28 mm and weighs just 157 grams - perfect for slipping into a jacket pocket or handbag. The RS1500’s fixed lens folds flush, keeping the profile sleek.

Meanwhile, the Samsung NX300, measuring 122 x 64 x 41 mm and tipping the scales at 331 grams, is substantially larger and heavier. What it offers in return is a more substantial grip, rangefinder-style body, and a system built around interchangeable lenses. You’ll definitely notice the difference holding this mirrorless in your hand for extended shoots.

Here’s a direct size and ergonomics comparison to put it visually in perspective:

From my experience testing thousands of compacts and mirrorless bodies, this size delta translates into two distinct shooting philosophies: spontaneous and discreet versus controlled and versatile. The RS1500’s minimal controls serve casual snapshots, while the NX300 beckons you to slow down and immerse yourself in composition and manual settings.

Working with both, I found the NX300’s heft also lends stability - important for telephoto or low light shooting, whereas the RS1500’s tiny frame feels a bit fragile and less ergonomic during long sessions.

Design and Control Layout: Who’s the Speed Racer?

Beyond size is how each camera wants you to interact with it. The RS1500 opts for simplicity - a minimalist spread of buttons around a small 2.7-inch fixed-type TFT screen with only 230k dots resolution. No touchscreen, no viewfinder, no customizable dials - it’s barebones, just the essentials.

On the other hand, Samsung’s NX300 pushes the envelope with a larger 3.3-inch tilting OLED touchscreen at 768k resolution, much more vivid and flexible for shooting angles. Although it has no viewfinder - something I felt keenly when shooting outdoors in harsh sunlight - the touchscreen design encourages direct, tactile control.

Let’s look at their top-view control layout side by side:

The NX300 supports dedicated exposure modes like shutter and aperture priority and manual exposure - where RS1500 offers none of these - making it far more attractive for photographers wanting control. Pentax’s camera is more of a point-and-shoot wonder, perfect for “set it and forget it” scenarios, but it quickly shows its limits when you want to craft an image beyond the basics.

In practice, I rarely found myself reaching for the limited controls on the RS1500, whereas the NX300’s flexible layout invited a more engaged shooting style, making it easier to adapt to varied shooting conditions or creative goals.

Sensor and Image Quality: Tiny CCD vs Robust APS-C CMOS

Here’s where the generational and category split is most evident. At the heart of any camera lies the sensor - the canvas capturing photons into images. The RS1500 packs a 1/2.3-inch 14MP CCD sensor sized at 6.17 x 4.55mm, whereas the NX300 rocks a considerably larger APS-C 20MP CMOS sensor measuring 23.5 x 15.7mm.

That difference in sensor size is enormous, and it translates directly to image quality, low light performance, and dynamic range. CCD sensors like in the RS1500 tend to offer decent color rendition but struggle with noise at high ISO and limited dynamic range, especially due to their smaller pixel pitch. CMOS sensors on APS-C bodies, especially the Samsung DRIMe IV engine-driven NX300, provide higher resolution, broader tonal range, and cleaner images in low light.

A side-by-side sensor size comparison makes it clear:

In practical shooting tests, the NX300’s images had far more detail, richer colors, and cleaner shadows. Shooting at ISO 1600 and above, the RS1500’s images deteriorated rapidly with noise creeping in, while the NX300 maintained crispness and colors reasonably well even close to ISO 3200.

Pentax’s JPG-only output with no RAW support limits post-processing flexibility - something more serious photographers will find constraining. On the flip side, Samsung supports RAW, opening a huge pipeline for editing latitude.

For landscape enthusiasts seeking finely detailed files with excellent dynamic range or portrait shooters hoping to preserve subtle skin tones in mixed lighting, the NX300’s sensor is the clear winner. The RS1500 feels more suited for casual snapshots or family photos where convenience trumps image fidelity.

LCD Screens and User Interface: OLED vs Basic TFT

Displaying your image vividly and intuitively elevates the shooting experience. The RS1500’s fixed 2.7” TFT LCD with anti-reflective coating is utilitarian - adequate indoors or overcast days but struggles under direct sunlight or bright outdoor conditions. Moreover, very low 230K pixel resolution gives a soft, pixelated view for framing or playback.

In contrast, the NX300 sports a 3.3-inch Active Matrix OLED touchscreen. This setup offers rich color, deep black levels, and a smooth user interface that feels responsive and fun to use. The tilting mechanism further enables creative angles for street photography or macro shots.

This back-screen comparison shows just how stark the difference is:

I particularly liked the NX300 for fast menu navigation and touch-to-focus operations - features that Pentax’s camera lacks altogether. While purists might lament the lack of a viewfinder in both models (it’s a compromise of weight and cost), on the RS1500 this absence is more limiting since the screen itself is less versatile.

Shooting Performance: Autofocus and Burst Rates Matter

Autofocus timing and reliability can make or break critical shots, especially moving subjects like wildlife or sports. The RS1500 offers a rather modest autofocus system with 9 contrast-detection points and only single-shot autofocus modes. Its contrast-detection AF tends to hunt in low light or complex scenes, and there is no continuous tracking to maintain focus on moving subjects. Burst rate? A glacial 1 frame per second.

Samsung’s NX300 comes with 247 AF points combining contrast and phase detection, which dramatically improves focus accuracy and speed. It supports continuous autofocus tracking even in burst shoots, which can zip along at 9 frames per second. This makes it far more capable for wildlife, sports, or street photography where split-second decisions matter.

In my comparative tests, the NX300 nailed sharp focus on fast-moving subjects, including pets and cyclists passing by. The RS1500 struggled to maintain focus beyond static scenes.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Reach: Fixed 4x vs Interchangeable System

Let’s talk glass. The RS1500 features a non-removable zoom lens equivalent to 28-110mm at F3.5-5.5, which offers versatility for general daylight shooting but limits wide-angle landscapes or telephoto compression. Its minimum focus distance of 1 cm for macro is impressive for a compact, allowing close-ups with fairly good detail. However, no optical image stabilization means you need steady hands or bright light.

The Samsung NX300 rides the advantage of its Samsung NX lens mount with over 30 native lenses covering everything from ultra-wide to super-telephoto, fast primes to macro lenses. This openness lets you tailor your kit to your genre, be it portraiture, birding, or astrophotography.

The focal length multiplier of 1.5 means a 50mm lens acts like a 75mm equivalent, a classic portrait focal length. Because stable tripod and lens-based stabilization optics are options, shooting sharp handheld images across focal lengths is easier.

So when choosing between the two:

• If you want an all-in-one pocket camera that just works with no fuss, the RS1500’s fixed lens can suffice.
• But for flexibility, creative lens choice, and critical image quality, the NX300’s interchangeable lens system is far and away the better bet.

Build Quality and Durability: Pentax’s Environmental Seal vs Lightweight Samsung

Pentax cameras have historically been lauded for ruggedness, and the RS1500 continues this tradition with environmental sealing designed to resist dust and some moisture exposure. That’s quite a feat for a budget compact and could be attractive for outdoor casual shooters worried about tough conditions.

However, keep expectations realistic - it’s not waterproof or shockproof.

Samsung’s NX300 is a plastic-bodied mirrorless with no weather sealing. It’s sturdy but definitely needs more caution when exposed to elements.

So if your shooting adventures take you hiking, beaches, or light rain, Pentax might protect your gear a fraction better, although the NX300’s more modern technology arguably justifies the extra care you’ll need to give.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying Power for a Long Day’s Shoot

When I’m testing cameras in the field, battery longevity is always a concern. The RS1500 uses the compact D-LI92 battery rated for approximately 260 shots per charge - okay for casual use but not marathon shoots. The NX300’s BP1130 battery is rated for 330 shots, a respectable number for a mirrorless in this class.

Both cameras use a single SD card slot supporting SD, SDHC, and SDXC standards, with no dual card backups. So, back up often (and carry spare batteries).

Note the NX300’s larger body comfortably houses a bigger battery, which partly explains the extra power endurance.

Connectivity: Wireless and Ports

The RS1500 is pretty bare-bones - no wireless connectivity, no Bluetooth, no NFC. It includes simple USB 2.0 and HDMI ports, sufficient but a bit dated in a world increasingly reliant on wireless file transfers and social media sharing.

Samsung, meanwhile, equipped the NX300 with built-in wireless and NFC for easy connection to smartphones and tablets. This makes image sharing and remote camera control easier. No microphone or headphone jacks for video enthusiasts, though, which puts some constraints on professional video work.

Wireless connectivity certainly makes the NX300 feel ahead of its time and friendly to modern workflows.

Video Capabilities: Basic vs More Versatile

Video recording on the RS1500 maxes out at 720p (1280x720) at 30 fps using Motion JPEG codec, which is not very efficient for long clips and has lower image quality. There’s no microphone input, so audio capture is limited.

The NX300 ups the ante with Full HD 1080p video at 30 fps, encoded in H.264 (a more efficient and widely supported format). While it lacks external mic input or headphone jack, the image quality and autofocus during video is smooth and pleasing.

Neither camera offers 4K or advanced video options, so video shooters will probably look elsewhere (or consider the NX500 successor for Samsung fans).

How They Stack Up Across Popular Photography Genres

Now let’s translate these specs and impressions into performance across major photography disciplines. Below is a summarized scorecard comparing their relative strengths:

Portraits:

• NX300 shines with large sensor, eye-detect autofocus, and option for fast lenses delivering smooth bokeh and accurate skin tones.
• RS1500 is limited by small sensor and fixed lens performance; good for snapshots but won’t produce creamy portraits.

Landscape:

• NX300 pulls ahead with superior dynamic range, higher resolution, and RAW support.
• RS1500 serviceable for casual landscapes but details and tonal gradation fall short.

Wildlife:

• NX300 wins via faster AF, higher burst rates, and telephoto lens options.
• RS1500 lack of continuous AF and slow burst make it a no-go for action.

Sports:

• Again NX300 dominates with reliability in tracking and speed. RS1500’s slow non-continuous AF stalls fast subjects.

Street:

• RS1500’s compact form and quiet operation is an advantage here for stealth;
• NX300 is less discreet but flexible with quick AF and flipscreen.

Macro:

• Both offer close focus capabilities, with RS1500’s 1cm close-up surprisingly good. NX300 can outperform with dedicated macro lenses but less pocketable.

Night/Astro:

• NX300 is easily better with high ISO capability and longer exposures. RS1500 noise and dynamic range limit this use.

Video:

• NX300 delivers more usable HD video versus RS1500’s basic clip quality.

Travel:

• RS1500 is marvelously pocketable for travel snapshots;
• NX300 offers versatility and better image quality but requires a bag.

Professional Work:

• NX300 fits entry-level workflows with RAW, exposure control, and wireless connectivity; RS1500 is limited to casual usage.

Real-World Sample Gallery

To bring these differences alive, here are direct image samples from both cameras, shot across genres and lighting. Pay attention to detail, noise, color rendition, and dynamic range differences.

Pentax RS1500 front Pentax RS1500 screen back Samsung NX300 screen back

Final Scores and Value Analysis

Here’s how I’d score their overall tech and performance:

While the Pentax RS1500 scores modestly as a basic compact, its ultra-portable frame and simple interface still appeal to casual users or as a light travel companion. The Samsung NX300’s strong sensor, flexible controls, and lens system push it clearly into enthusiast territory, delivering excellent value around its price point (around $750 on release).

In today’s market, the RS1500’s aging specs and limited features mean it is only worth considering for collectors or very casual point-and-shooters. The NX300, while superseded by newer mirrorless models, still holds up well, especially if you find it used at a bargain.

Recommendations: Which One Fits You?

Pick the Pentax RS1500 if:

• You want the smallest, simplest camera that fits easily in your pocket.
• You primarily shoot casual photos in good lighting and don’t mind limited manual control.
• Ruggedness with environmental sealing is important in a compact (a rare combo).
• Your budget is ultra-tight and you’re happy with JPEGs and basic HD video.

Pick the Samsung NX300 if:

• You want significantly better image quality and creative control via an APS-C sensor and interchangeable lenses.
• Fast autofocus, high burst frames, and video quality matter for your shooting style.
• You value a modern touchscreen and wireless connectivity with your camera.
• You plan to experiment with different genres and need versatility.
• You’re okay managing a camera a bit larger but packed with enthusiast features.

Wrapping Up This Tale of Two Cameras

The Pentax RS1500 and Samsung NX300 arrived from different worlds - compact simplicity vs mirrorless versatility - and different technological eras. My experience with both confirms that despite the RS1500’s admirable niche in portability and durability, the NX300’s advanced capabilities make it a far better tool for most enthusiasts and semi-pro shooters.

If you’re after just a convenient quick shooter for sunny vacations, the RS1500 could suffice. But if you want to grow your photography with image quality, interchangeable lenses, and better autofocus, the NX300’s a compelling choice - especially as prices soften.

Ultimately, knowing your style, needs, and budget will steer you to the right side of this divide. And remember: no camera is perfect, but a well-chosen camera lets you focus more on creativity and less on compromise.

Hope this detailed dive helps you see beyond specs and numbers to what really matters when you pick up a camera and make a photograph.