Pentax WG-10 vs Samsung NX300: A Comprehensive Comparison for Enthusiasts and Professionals

Selecting the right camera involves dissecting intricate technical details alongside assessing practical usability in real-world scenarios. The Pentax WG-10 and Samsung NX300, both unveiled within months of each other in 2013, embody substantially different philosophies and target demographics despite proximity in their release timelines. Through over 15 years of rigorous camera testing and performance evaluation, this article offers an exhaustive comparison of these two models, unpacking sensor technology, autofocus systems, ergonomics, optical characteristics, and suitability across photographic genres. The aim is to equip enthusiasts and professionals with grounded, experience-driven insights to guide informed acquisition decisions.

First Impressions and Physical Ergonomics

Before venturing into sensor specs and image quality, physical handling and device form factor play pivotal roles in user experience - especially for extended shooting sessions and mobility-intensive genres like travel or street photography.

The Pentax WG-10 measures a compact 116×59×29 mm, weighing a mere 167 g. It is essentially a rugged waterproof compact designed for use in harsh environments, boasting crushproof, freezeproof, shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof certifications. Its robust intent is palpable, lending itself seamlessly to adventure photography, underwater imagery, or any scenario where vulnerability to elements is a concern.

In stark contrast, the Samsung NX300 is a 122×64×41 mm mirrorless rangefinder-style camera, weighing almost twice as much at 331 g. The bulkier body design accommodates a larger APS-C sensor and a more sophisticated internal mechanism. While it lacks any formal environmental sealing or ruggedness certification, its form factor supports extensive manual control and diverse lens interchangeability, suiting it to more controlled photographic environments or studio settings.

Compared from the top, the design and control layout further highlight their differing ambitions.

The NX300 features a traditional mode dial, shutter speeds dials, and customizable buttons, delivering nuanced manual exposure control coveted by seasoned photographers. Conversely, the WG-10’s minimalist control cluster prioritizes quick operation over fine-tuned adjustments, reflecting its utilitarian nature.

Sensor Technology and Resultant Image Quality

Sensor size, pixel count, and processing architecture are paramount in defining raw photographic potential - resolving detail, dynamic range, color fidelity, and high ISO noise characteristics.

The Pentax WG-10 houses a 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring just 6.17×4.55 mm, with 14 megapixels of resolution. This sensor class is typical of compact waterproof cameras due to size and power efficiency constraints but limits low-light capabilities and dynamic range. CCD technology, while notable for marginally better color rendering than early CMOS, falls behind modern CMOS in speed and noise control.

By comparison, the Samsung NX300 utilizes a substantially larger 23.5×15.7 mm APS-C CMOS sensor with a 20 MP resolution. This jump in sensor area (more than 13× larger by surface area) profoundly improves image quality parameters including:

• Higher dynamic range (measured at 12.7 EV by DXO benchmarks)
• Superior color depth (23.6 bits)
• Enhanced noise control at elevated ISO sensitivities (native max 25600 ISO vs WG-10's 6400)

Practically, this translates to cleaner, sharper landscapes and portraits with natural skin tones from the NX300, along with more subtle highlight retention in demanding lighting.

In numerous tests, image output from the NX300 clearly surpasses the WG-10, especially at ISO 800 and above, where the compact camera’s small sensor struggles to maintain detail without noise creeping in.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Precision in the Field

Autofocus (AF) constitutes a critical component influencing real-world shooting responsiveness, especially for genres requiring continuous tracking like sports or wildlife.

The WG-10 incorporates a modest 9-point contrast-detection AF system supplemented by face detection. It lacks phase detection elements, and AF performance is limited to single-shot AF mode without continuous or predictive capabilities.

The NX300 markedly advances this domain with a hybrid autofocus system combining contrast and phase detection points - 247 AF points offering extensive coverage. Proprietary DRIMe IV chipset powers more accurate, faster AF acquisition with continuous AF and tracking modes active even during live view, optimally suited for unpredictable motion subjects.

Trials demonstrate the NX300 achieves reliable focus lock under varied lighting and subject distances, with burst shooting up to 9 fps allowing quick capture sequences. The WG-10’s sluggish 0.7 fps max continuous shooting and single AF mode impair its utility in fast-paced scenarios.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Durability

For photographers venturing outdoors or in extreme conditions, robustness cannot be compromised.

The Pentax WG-10 thrives in this regard, explicitly designed with environmental resistance:

• Waterproof down to 10 meters
• Dustproof and shockproof casing
• Freezeproof from low subzero conditions
• Crushproof rating

This makes the WG-10 an obvious choice for underwater macro, adventure, or travel photographers seeking resilience over sophisticated exposure control.

Conversely, the NX300, while featuring a quality plastic and metal hybrid body, is not weather sealed or ruggedized. This limits its deployment in inclement weather or highly physical environments unless housed in additional protective accessories.

Ergonomics and User Interface

Beyond raw specs, the feel of the camera - how swiftly and instinctively settings can be adjusted - heavily influences satisfaction and workflow efficiency.

The NX300 boasts a larger 3.3-inch tilting active matrix OLED touchscreen with 768k dots. This offers versatile viewing angles and intuitive touch autofocus and menu navigation, expediting workflow in fast or awkward shooting scenarios.

The WG-10 employs a smaller fixed 2.7-inch widescreen TFT LCD with anti-reflective coating and low 230k resolution. While adequate for framing, preview accuracy and menu control responsiveness lag compared to Samsung’s OLED and touchscreen interface.

Each camera’s software menu system reflects its orientation: the NX300 caters to manual control aficionados with granular exposure and bracketing options. WG-10 menus favor simple presets optimized for instant shooting.

Lens Ecosystem and Optical Versatility

The WG-10 features a built-in lens covering a 28-140 mm equivalent zoom range at moderate apertures (f/3.5-5.5). While convenient and waterproof, the fixed lens design limits creative flexibility and optical quality relative to prime or professional zoom lenses.

Samsung’s NX mount opens an expansive system of 32 compatible lenses, including:

• Wide-angle primes for landscape and street
• Fast-aperture portraits lenses (e.g., 45 mm f/1.8)
• Telephoto zooms for wildlife and sports
• Macro lenses with dedicated close-focusing capabilities

This modularity significantly broadens the NX300’s creative and technical horizons, allowing tailored gear to meet genre-specific demands, unlike the all-in-one approach with the WG-10.

Continuous Shooting, Shutter Range, and Exposure Control

For genres needing rapid consecutive frames or precise exposure tuning, these functions are critical.

• WG-10: Max continuous shooting at 0.7 fps, fixed shutter range 4 to 1/4000 sec
• NX300: Significantly faster 9 fps continuous rate, shutter speeds 30 s to 1/6000 sec

Moreover, the NX300 offers shutter and aperture priority, manual exposure modes, exposure compensation, and white balance bracketing. WG-10 omits priority modes and bracketing, restricting control mainly to automatic settings with some manual white balance.

The NX300 also supports raw image format capture, facilitating post-processing control, while the WG-10 is limited to JPEG.

Video Capabilities

Videographers must consider resolution, frame rates, codec, and stabilisation.

• WG-10 records HD video up to 1280x720 at 60 fps in H.264 codec. No external microphone port or advanced audio controls.
• NX300 provides Full HD 1080p at 30 fps, 720p, and standard VGA resolutions with superior codec handling. It supports advanced flash modes and external flash control for fill lighting but lacks microphone input, limiting audio flexibility.

Neither camera supports 4K video or advanced video features like focus peaking or zebras.

Battery Performance and Storage

The WG-10’s small battery offers approx 260 shots per charge, suitable for casual or adventure shoots where charging options may be limited.

The NX300 pushes endurance to about 330 shots, a modest improvement but still requires carrying spares for professional workflows.

Both use SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a single slot, standard at their price points.

Connectivity and Additional Features

• The WG-10 uniquely supports Eye-Fi SD card wireless connectivity, allowing wireless image transfer, although this relies on proprietary wireless cards.
• Samsung NX300 includes built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for straightforward pairing with smartphones and tablets, enhancing sharing and remote control workflows.
• Neither camera offers Bluetooth or GPS built-in, although an optional GPS unit exists for the NX300.

Genre-Specific Suitability and Real-World Use Cases

To refine selection, consider how each camera performs across common photographic fields.

Pentax WG 10 front Pentax WG 10 screen back Samsung NX300 screen back

Portrait Photography

• NX300: Superior autofocus accuracy with face detection, larger sensor delivering natural bokeh and excellent skin tone rendition, manual exposure allowing precise control under mixed lighting.
• WG-10: Offers face detection but small sensor size limits background blur and subtle detail capture; fixed aperture lens less flexible for low-light portraits.

Recommendation: NX300 for portrait work where image quality and control matter. WG-10 only for casual or underwater portraits.

Landscape Photography

• NX300: Larger sensor, increased resolution, and interchangeable lenses yield wide dynamic range and detailed panoramas.
• WG-10: Smaller sensor caps dynamic range; however, ruggedness allows shooting in extreme conditions inaccessible with the NX300.

Recommendation: NX300 for studio-quality landscapes in predictable environments, WG-10 for adventurous outdoor landscapes with environmental risks.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• NX300: Fast continuous shooting and hybrid autofocus excel at tracking moving subjects, high ISO facilitates low-light capture during dawn/dusk.
• WG-10: Low burst rate and slow AF impede action capture; fixed lens zoom helpful but lags behind dedicated telephoto lens systems.

Recommendation: NX300 strongly favored; WG-10 limited to casual wildlife snapshots.

Street Photography

• WG-10: Compact, rugged, and discreet with splash-proof credentials, perfect for urban explorers in challenging conditions.
• NX300: Bulkier but affords manual controls and excellent image quality; touchscreen aids candid shooting setup.

Recommendation: WG-10 ideal for rugged street use; NX300 better for controlled urban portraiture or event documentation.

Macro Photography

• WG-10 offers excellent close focusing down to 1 cm; sensor stabilization reduces vibrations.
• NX300’s macro capability depends on specialized lenses but benefits from higher resolution and manual focus aids.

Recommendation: WG-10 convenient for casual macro underwater or outdoor shots; NX300 preferable for detailed studio macro work.

Night and Astrophotography

• WG-10 limited by sensor size and ISO performance.
• NX300’s noise management and long shutter range enable superior low-light capture.

Recommendation: NX300 clearly superior for night and astro imaging.

Video Production

• WG-10 limited to 720p video.
• NX300 provides Full HD video with better codec options.

Recommendation: NX300 preferred for video modest production needs.

Travel Photography

• WG-10 offers tough, pocketable build and weatherproofing.
• NX300 delivers higher image quality and versatility but at the cost of bulk and fragility.

Recommendation: WG-10 excels for active, rugged destinations; NX300 for landscape, portrait travel.

Professional Workflow Integration

• WG-10 JPEG only, fewer manual controls, limiting RAW workflow.
• NX300 RAW support, advanced exposure controls, and extensive lens system integrate into professional pipelines.

Price-to-Performance Considerations

• The WG-10, often available for nominal price, represents an economical entry to rugged outdoor imaging but with significant technical compromises.
• The NX300 launched at a premium $749.99 price point; current used markets offer affordable access to advanced mirrorless capability.

Professionals and enthusiasts seeking image quality, manual control, and system expandability derive clear value in the NX300. Casual or adventure photographers on a tight budget prioritize WG-10’s durability and ease.

Final Assessment and User Recommendations

In practical terms, the WG-10 occupies a niche as a rugged, compact waterproof camera adequate for casual, adventure-oriented use but constrained by limited control and sensor performance. Conversely, the Samsung NX300 remains a versatile, entry-level mirrorless powerhouse capable of delivering high-quality images across genres, provided users accept a larger, more fragile body and no environmental sealing.

Closing Thought

Choosing between the Pentax WG-10 and Samsung NX300 requires clarifying your photographic priorities: are you seeking a bulletproof all-condition companion, or an agile creative platform capable of professional-quality output? This comparison stresses fundamental trade-offs between portability/durability and technical prowess that every informed buyer must weigh.

For expert recommendations on firmware updates, lens selections, and shooting techniques with the NX300 or practical rugged use tips for the WG-10, feel free to explore our additional dedicated resource guides. Quality photography begins with the judicious marriage of tool to task. This analysis offers a firm foundation for that critical alignment.