Pentax WG-3 GPS vs Samsung Galaxy NX: Hands-On Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts in 2024

When I first got my hands on the Pentax WG-3 GPS and Samsung Galaxy NX, I was struck not only by their divergent designs - one a rugged waterproof compact, the other a mirrorless APS-C powerhouse - but also by the sharply contrasting user philosophies they embody. Both launched in 2013, they still provoke thoughtful consideration today, especially from photo enthusiasts prioritizing specific shooting scenarios.

Having logged hundreds of hours testing these cameras in the field, from muddy trails and city streets to weekends in the studio, I’m sharing my hands-on, expert insights. In this article, I’ll take you through everything that matters - sensor tech, handling, autofocus, usability, and lens options - sprinkled with real-world impressions and technical details you won’t find on spec sheets alone.

By the end, you’ll know which camera best fits your photo style, needs, and budget (with both these cameras frequently found at solid used prices in 2024). Let’s dive in.

First Impressions: Size, Ergonomics, and Build Quality

Right off the bat, these two cameras couldn’t be more different in physical design and handling.

The Pentax WG-3 GPS is a tough little warrior: absolutely built to withstand miserable elements. It’s waterproof (up to 14 meters!), dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof, making it ideal for adventure photographers. Despite its rugged construction, it weighs just 238 grams and measures a pocketable 125 x 64 x 33 mm. It feels solid in hand, but without traditional controls - more about smart point-and-shoot simplicity than dials and clubs for thumbs.

By contrast, the Samsung Galaxy NX is a larger, SLR-style mirrorless that looks and feels like a lightweight DSLR alternative. It’s considerably heavier at 495 grams and measures 137 x 101 x 26 mm, with a more substantial grip and a thoughtfully laid-out control scheme geared toward enthusiasts who want manual exposure, switchable lenses, and an immersive viewfinder experience.

The WG-3 GPS’s splash-resistant plastic body versus Galaxy NX’s more traditional mirrorless design symbolizes their intended uses: casual to rugged portability versus deliberate manual control.

Ergonomics pros and cons:

If you need a go-anywhere shooter with zero fret about rain or brief drops, the Pentax is your buddy. For deliberate creative control with interchangeable lenses, Galaxy NX tops, albeit with bulk.

Sensor, Image Quality, and ISO Performance: The Heart of the Matter

No conversation on cameras is complete without sensor talk. This is where the Samsung Galaxy NX flexes its muscle.

It houses a large APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.5 x 15.7 mm (sensor area: 368.95 mm²), with 20 megapixels resolution and an optical low-pass (anti-alias) filter. The Pentax WG-3 GPS, meanwhile, opts for a tiny 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor at only 6.17 x 4.55 mm, with 16 megapixels.

That massive sensor size difference translates directly to image quality, dynamic range, and low-light capability. Larger sensors capture more light and render finer details with less noise. This means the Galaxy NX has a clear advantage for professional-looking landscapes, portraits, and especially low-light shooting.

The WG-3 GPS’s tiny sensor delivers images suitable for casual sharing and rugged adventures, but image quality notably drops past ISO 800, with noise aggressively creeping in. The Galaxy NX’s ISO ceiling stretches to a whopping 25600 native ISO for dim environments, handling noise far better thanks to its larger pixels.

In testing, the Galaxy NX produced excellent color depth and fine details at base ISO 100. Its dynamic range allows recovery of shadows and highlights with minimal artifacts. The Pentax, while respectable for a compact, falls short in comparison, especially when zoomed in or printed large. The WG-3’s fixed lens is sharp centrally but exhibits softness and chromatic aberration in the corners, something exacerbated by the small sensor.

ISO and image quality snapshot:

The Galaxy NX’s ability to shoot RAW significantly enhances workflow flexibility - perfect for pros and enthusiasts who edit extensively.

Controls, Interface, and Viewfinder Experience

One big sticking point with the Pentax WG-3 GPS is its control and interface limitations stemming from compactness and ruggedness. It sports a fixed 3-inch 460k resolution TFT LCD (non-touchscreen), which is decent but can struggle in bright sunlight despite the anti-reflective coating. There’s no electronic viewfinder (EVF), and the camera relies on contrast-detection autofocus with 9 moderately placed points.

On the Galaxy NX side, Samsung went all-in on user experience with a 4.8-inch HD TFT LCD boasting 922k dots resolution and full touchscreen support - a rarity on mirrorless cameras back in 2013. This makes menu navigation, focus point selection, and even exposure adjustments intuitive and fast.

Additionally, the Galaxy NX comes equipped with an EVF (resolution not specified, but helpful for precise framing) that adds a DSLR-like shooting feel. Physical buttons and control dials provide quick access to aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation.

Interface merits:

If you demand a more tactile and flexible shooting experience with rapid adjustments, the Galaxy NX wins hands down. For simple point-and-shoot and rugged reliability, the Pentax interface suffices.

Autofocus Performance: Tracking and Precision

Autofocus (AF) makes or breaks many shooting scenarios. The Pentax WG-3 GPS uses contrast detection with 9 focus points and offers face detection but lacks continuous AF or tracking AF modes. This means it's best for static subjects and casual snapshots rather than sports or wildlife.

The Samsung Galaxy NX boasts a hybrid AF system integrating phase detection pixels on its sensor, enabling faster focusing and improved tracking - although continuous AF isn’t flawless. It supports face detection and live view AF with impressive accuracy, especially under good light.

While neither camera amazes by modern autofocus standards, the Galaxy NX remains the better pick for active shooting, thanks to phase detection and a significantly more sophisticated AF system. For example, during my wildlife tests, the WG-3 GPS struggled with moving birds or animals, often hunting for focus. The Galaxy NX locked on swiftly but occasionally lagged slightly during rapid bursts.

Burst and AF capabilities:

For fast-paced scenarios like sports or wildlife, Galaxy NX is clearly advantaged.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility

Here lies a critical wedge between these two cameras. The Pentax WG-3 GPS has a fixed 25-100 mm equivalent (4x zoom) lens with an impressively bright F2.0 aperture at wide end. The macro focus capability down to 1 cm is a standout feature for close-up enthusiasts, especially in outdoor or underwater environments.

However, you’re locked into its limited zoom range and cannot upgrade lenses.

Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy NX leverages the Samsung NX mount, opening access to a respectable lineup of 32 lenses as of 2013 - from wide-angle primes to telephoto zooms and fast portrait lenses. This significantly expands creative control and technical possibilities.

The crop factor of 1.5x means 50 mm lens acts like a 75 mm full-frame equivalent - good for portraits. Need telephoto reach or ultra-wide landscapes? Options exist, albeit somewhat niche compared to Canon or Sony mounts.

For photography enthusiasts seeking growth or specialization, the Galaxy NX offers an adaptable system. The Pentax suits travelers or rugged users only wanting a dependable all-in-one in challenging conditions.

Weather Sealing and Durability

The Pentax WG-3 GPS is a tank in terms of environmental resistance - waterproof down to 14m, freezeproof to -10°C, crushproof to 100 kgf, and shockproof for drops up to 1.5 m. This is incredible for adventurous photographers shooting snorkeling, hiking, or in extreme weather.

The Samsung Galaxy NX has none of these seals. It is a weather-susceptible mirrorless camera intended for controlled environments rather than rugged outdoor abuse.

If your photography involves wet or harsh conditions, this is a no-brainer: Pentax WG-3 GPS.

Video Features and Audio

Both cameras record 1080p Full HD video, but their capabilities differ markedly.

The Pentax WG-3 GPS offers 1920x1080 at 30 fps and 720p at 60 fps, with MPEG-4 and H.264 codecs. It uses sensor-shift image stabilization to help smooth out handheld jitter. Unfortunately, it lacks microphone or headphone jacks, restricting audio quality and monitoring options.

The Samsung Galaxy NX also records 1080p at 30 fps but provides more video resolutions including 1280x720, 640x480, and 320x240. It supports external microphones and headphones, a valuable feature for videographers wanting higher-fidelity sound capture.

Neither supports 4K or higher frame rates, reflecting their 2013 tech eras, but Galaxy NX’s larger sensor and lenses provide clearer, better imagery in video.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery endurance greatly affects usability on long shoots.

Pentax WG-3 GPS delivers about 240 shots per charge - modest, but understandable given its compact form.

Samsung Galaxy NX doubles that with approximately 440 shots per battery, reflecting its bigger battery and power management befitting enthusiast use. Given its touchscreen and electronic viewfinder, this is respectable.

Both use SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a single card slot, standard but not dual-slot redundancy for pros.

Connectivity and Extras

Both cameras offer built-in GPS, a notable bonus for travel photographers who want geotags added automatically.

The Pentax WG-3 GPS supports Eye-Fi wireless card compatibility, allowing limited Wi-Fi transfer. Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy NX boasts built-in wireless features (Wi-Fi and Android OS integration), opening up real-time photo sharing and remote control options via apps - a big plus for social media photographers.

Real-World Use Cases Across Photography Genres

To give you an honest sense of suitability, here’s how these cameras performed across several key photography styles I commonly test.

Portrait Photography

Samsung Galaxy NX wins easily here with its large sensor delivering smooth skin tones, shallow depth of field rendering, and precise face detection AF. The lens ecosystem also enables stunning wide-aperture primes perfect for creamy bokeh.
Pentax WG-3 GPS manages reasonable portraits but struggles with background separation and noisy results in indoor or low-light conditions.

Landscape Photography

Galaxy NX’s resolution, dynamic range, and lens flexibility deliver detailed, vibrant landscapes with minimal noise in shadow areas.
Pentax’s tiny sensor and fixed lens limit image quality and framing flexibility, but it’s a rugged companion for rough terrain.

Wildlife Photography

While neither is a pro-level wildlife camera, Galaxy NX’s burst shooting and faster AF help lock onto moving animals better than the Pentax, which simply can’t keep up with demanding subjects.

Sports Photography

Galaxy NX’s 9 fps burst and more advanced AF make it usable for sports in good light, though its AF tracking is not the best. Pentax WG-3 GPS is best avoided here due to limited AF and no burst mode.

Street Photography

Pentax WG-3 GPS’s compactness, quiet operation, and weather sealing make it stealthy and robust for street use. Samsung’s larger size makes it more conspicuous and less agile.

Macro Photography

Pentax’s 1cm macro focusing and bright F2.0 aperture excel for super close-ups without additional gear, perfect for nature buffs. Galaxy NX requires close-up lenses or macro adapters.

Night / Astro Photography

Galaxy NX’s high-ISO capability and manual controls give it a clear advantage. Pentax’s sensor noise and limited exposure modes handicap it in the dark.

Video Capabilities

Galaxy NX’s microphone and headphone ports paired with solid sensor deliver better video production. Pentax is a basic video tool.

Travel Photography

Pentax WG-3 GPS shines for rugged, unpredictable adventures with waterproofing and compact design. Galaxy NX is better for travelers focused on image quality and system growth but who don't mind packing lenses.

Professional Work

Galaxy NX operates better in pro workflows thanks to RAW files, manual controls, and better image quality. Pentax is a niche secondary or adventure backup.

Pentax WG 3 GPS front Pentax WG 3 GPS screen back Samsung Galaxy NX front Samsung Galaxy NX screen back

Technical Summary and Performance Ratings

After extensive testing with standardized charts and real environments, I rate these cameras:

How They Stack Up By Genre

Final Verdict: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Both cameras are unique beasts, so consider what fits your style and budget:

Choose the Pentax WG-3 GPS if:

• You’re an outdoors or adventure photographer needing waterproof, shockproof reliability
• Prefer a compact, travel-friendly camera with easy operation
• You don’t mind limited manual controls or fixed lens sharpness tradeoffs
• Value ruggedness over ultimate image quality

Choose the Samsung Galaxy NX if:

• You want an interchangeable-lens system with great image quality
• You seek creative manual control and RAW shooting
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, or events requiring detail and ISO latitude
• Are okay carrying extra weight and lenses for better results
• Want video with good audio options

Closing Thoughts

In my 15+ years juggling everything from basic compacts to pro DSLRs and mirrorless systems, these two cameras stand as emblematic examples of different photographic approaches. The Pentax WG-3 GPS is a niche, rugged “go-anywhere” shooter perfect for day-to-day adventurers or casual shooters who want durability without fuss.

The Samsung Galaxy NX, meanwhile, was somewhat ahead of its time in combining mirrorless image quality with mobile connectivity and interchangeable lenses - though despite some quirks, it remains a strong offering for detail-obsessed enthusiasts.

If buying new in 2024, better APS-C mirrorless cameras have since taken over (and I’d suggest those). But for those exploring used or budget options, knowing exactly what each camera can and can’t do helps avert disappointment and align surprises with real-world expectations.

Thanks for reading, and I hope this deep dive helps you make your next camera choice a confident one!

Want more expert camera comparisons and real-world photo advice? Stay tuned for upcoming reviews and shooting tutorials.