Ricoh CX2 vs Samsung NX210: A Thorough Lens into Two Very Different Shooters

Choosing a camera is never about specs alone - it’s about how those specs translate to your photography life. Today, we pit two very different cameras against each other: Ricoh’s compact superzoom CX2 from 2009 and Samsung’s entry-level mirrorless NX210 from 2012. They’re separated by three years and philosophy, yet each represents distinct approaches to digital photography. I've spent ample hands-on time with both, putting them through their paces across genres, technical analysis, and real-world use. If you’re eager to know which might better suit your style and needs - or just curious how far cameras evolved in that era - read on.

A Tale of Two Bodies: Compactness Meets Rangefinder Style

Physically, these two cameras couldn’t be more different, reflecting their intended uses and eras.

The Ricoh CX2 is a compact superzoom camerathat slides easily into pockets or small bags. Measuring just 102 x 58 x 29 mm and weighing 185 grams, it offers ultra-portability with a solid, lightweight feel. It’s a typical travel companion - quick to whip out for snapshots, without fuss or bulk.

On the other hand, the Samsung NX210 adopts the rangefinder-style mirrorless design favored by enthusiasts wanting a versatile, yet compact, system camera. At 117 x 63 x 37 mm and 222 grams, this is larger and heavier but remains manageable for daily carries. Its solid construction and clean lines convey a more “professional” aura, inviting manual control and lens swapping.

Ergonomically, the NX210 feels more purposeful - a grip designed for comfort during longer shoots and more physical dials for exposure tweaking. The CX2, meanwhile, focuses on simplicity, with minimal external controls, best suited for grabbing quick shots without fuss. If you're the "steady hand, quick shot" type, CX2 excels; if you prefer more tactile control and lens flexibility, the NX210 wins.

Head to Head on Design and Controls

Looking top down, the differences continue.

The CX2 strips its controls down to essentials: no dedicated dials for shutter or aperture, no priority shooting modes - just a zoom lever, shutter button, and a few function buttons arranged logically but sparingly. It’s about automation with manual focus tucked in if needed.

The NX210 equips you with proper dials for shutter speed and aperture, easy toggling into aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes. Physical buttons include dedicated AF area selection and exposure compensation, reflecting its more serious exposure controls.

Samsung also integrated an Active Matrix OLED rear screen on the NX210, which matters for reviewing images - more on that shortly. Ricoh sticks with a solid but standard fixed LCD.

Ergonomics favor Samsung if you want to stare at or manipulate the scene via a screen and dials; Ricoh’s controls aim for shooting immediacy. Neither offers an electronic viewfinder - a notable omission in both but remarkable considering the NX210's more advanced positioning.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: Big Sensor Energy Dominates

Here lies the biggest technical divergence:

The CX2 uses a small 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor measuring just 6.17 x 4.55 mm with 9 megapixels. This sensor size is typical of compact superzooms but constrains image quality - especially in low light and dynamic range. Ricoh combines this with their Smooth Imaging Engine IV processor.

Conversely, the NX210 sports a much larger APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5 x 15.7 mm) with 20 megapixels and no anti-aliasing filter. This sensor promises vastly superior image quality, dynamic range, and ISO performance.

In practical terms, the NX210 delivers much higher resolution and better color depth. DxOMark's official benchmarking gives it a color depth score of 22.8 bits versus the CX2 untested but certainly much lower, and a dynamic range of 12.5 stops - a comfortably professional range. The CX2's smaller sensor struggles noticeably with noise beyond ISO 400 and compressed details at high ISO.

If you love landscape, portrait, or any discipline requiring clean image quality and flexibility in post-processing, NX210 reigns supreme here.

Rear Screen and Interface: Viewing and Interacting with Your Image

The rear LCD is often an undervalued part of the shooting experience.

Ricoh’s CX2 includes a 3-inch, 920k-dot fixed LCD screen, crisp and vibrant for its time. Though fixed and non-touch, it suffices for framing and reviewing images clearly.

Samsung incorporates a 3-inch Active Matrix OLED screen at 614k dots on the NX210. This OLED technology provides deeper blacks and better contrast, improving visibility under bright outdoors lighting conditions - a boon for critical focusing and exposure checks.

However, neither camera features a touchscreen or articulating screen. For photographers who prefer touch-focus or flexible display angles, both cameras miss the mark.

Interface-wise, NX210’s menu system is more layered but allows finer control, suiting hobbyists and beginning pros who value tweaks; Ricoh’s is very straightforward, easing casual users.

Performance Across Photography Genres: Real-World Testing

Let’s break down how both cameras perform across popular types of photography - because features alone don’t tell the full story.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Bokeh

Portraiture demands flattering skin tone rendition, sharp eyes, and pleasing background separation.

Due to the small sensor and fixed zoom lens (28-300mm equivalent f/3.5-5.6) on the CX2, expect limited bokeh capabilities. The maximum aperture is relatively narrow, and the sensor struggles with shallow depth-of-field effects. Skin tones are acceptable for casual use but lack the nuance and dynamic range achievable by larger sensors.

The NX210, with its APS-C sensor and interchangeable lens system, shines in portraits. Pairing it with a fast prime lens (e.g., 30mm f/2) results in creamy bokeh and excellent foreground-background separation. Richer skin tone gradation and fine detail capture, plus built-in face detection autofocus, enhance portrait results significantly.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Resolution

Landscape photography thrives on resolution and dynamic range - both strong in the NX210 thanks to its 20MP APS-C sensor with a wider tonal range.

Ricoh's CX2, by contrast, delivers average detail and limited dynamic range due to sensor constraints and JPEG-focused processing. Colors are decent, but highlight recovery is weak.

Samsung’s capacity to shoot RAW format allows for extensive post-processing latitude essential for serious landscape work.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus and Burst Rates

Both cameras approach wildlife with differing philosophies.

The CX2’s autofocus system is contrast-based single AF, with no tracking or predictive autofocus and no burst mode to speak of. This limits its utility for capturing moving subjects - you’ll often end with missed focus or slow response.

The NX210 offers faster autofocus with 15 focus points and continuous AF mode. While it lacks advanced phase detection or animal eye AF, its burst shooting at 8 fps enables better capturing of fleeting moments in wildlife and action.

Sports Photography: Tracking and Low-Light Performance

Sports require rapid response, autofocus tracking, and high FPS rates - areas where the NX210 has clear advantages. The 8 fps continuous shooting provides a decent chance to capture critical moments.

CX2’s lack of burst shooting and slow shutter ceiling (max 1/2000s but slow AF) reduces its viability for fast sports.

Low-light capabilities hinge heavily on sensor size - the NX210’s larger sensor maintains usable images up to ISO 3200 and beyond, while CX2’s practical ISO tops out around 400-800 before noise overwhelms.

Street Photography: Discretion and Portability

The CX2’s compact size and silent shooting (no electronic shutter, but generally quiet operation) make it an attractive street camera for casual photographers wanting inconspicuous shooting.

The NX210 is larger but still relatively discreet compared to DSLRs, offering more control and higher-quality results when desired. Yet, its lack of silent shutter and louder mirrorless mechanisms might alert some street photographers.

Macro Photography: Magnification and Focus Precision

Ricoh CX2 has an impressive macro focus range down to 1 cm, a real advantage for close-up shots on a compact camera. This makes it a fun option for casual macro without additional accessories.

The NX210 lacks a dedicated macro focus distance but benefits from interchangeable macro lenses with superior optics and magnification. However, more bulk and investment are needed.

Night and Astrophotography: ISO Headroom and Exposure Control

Astro and night shooting demand high ISO performance and bulb mode exposure control.

CX2 offers limited high ISO capability (max ISO 1600 but noisy) and shutter speeds capped at 8 seconds. NX210, with ISO up to 12800 native, supports longer exposures (max 30s) and manual exposure modes facilitating astro photography.

Video Capabilities: Resolution and Stabilization

Video on the CX2 is extremely basic: 640 x 480 at 30fps in Motion JPEG format, lacking external microphone inputs or HDMI outputs.

NX210 can record Full HD 1080p video at 30fps, 720p at 30fps, and other resolutions in more efficient MPEG-4/H.264 codecs. It also offers HDMI output for external monitors but lacks in-body stabilization and microphone inputs.

Build, Handling, and Ergonomic Insights

Neither camera offers weather sealing or ruggedized bodies, limiting outdoor use in extreme conditions.

CX2 impresses with its built-in image stabilization via sensor-shift, reducing blur in hand-held shooting. However, subjectively, the small body and lack of dedicated grip sometimes make it harder to hold steady for extended shooting.

Samsung NX210 lacks in-body stabilization, so users depend on optical stabilization in lenses. This mirrorless design feels more solid and balanced in the hand.

Both use SD card storage with a single card slot. Battery life favors the NX210, rated at 330 shots versus unlisted but probably much lower for CX2.

Lens Ecosystem and Expandability

Ricoh CX2’s fixed 28-300mm equivalent zoom offers great reach and versatility for travel and everyday scenarios but no lens interchangeability.

The Samsung NX210 employs the Samsung NX bayonet mount, with around 32 lenses available (at last count), including primes, zooms, macro, and wide-angle options. This affords tremendous flexibility for different disciplines from wildlife to studio work.

Connectivity and Extras

Connectivity shows Samsung’s clear advance with built-in Wi-Fi on the NX210 for easy image transfer - a welcome convenience today.

Ricoh CX2 offers no wireless connectivity and only USB 2.0 for data transfer, making workflows slower and less flexible.

Samsung has HDMI output, enabling use with external monitors or recorders - absent on the CX2.

Real-World Image Samples and Scoring

Our side-by-side image gallery clearly illustrates the NX210’s superior detail, dynamic range, and color fidelity especially in challenging light.

Ricoh CX2 front Ricoh CX2 screen back Samsung NX210 screen back

When rated by overall score, the NX210 comfortably outperforms the CX2 - not surprising given its sensor size and modern feature set.

Looking at genre-specific scores confirms this. Samsung’s camera excels in portraits, landscapes, sports, and video, while Ricoh can still hold its own in travel snapshot and macro convenience.

Price and Value: What Are You Paying For?

The Ricoh CX2 retails for around $340 on the used market - affordable and compact, good for beginner travelers or casual shooters. It’s a "point-and-shoot" experience with decent reach but limited upgrades.

The Samsung NX210 commands about $625, reflecting its more sophisticated sensor and control package. For enthusiasts willing to invest more, it offers room to grow through lenses and manual control, pairing value with superior results.

Who Should Buy Which?

• Choose Ricoh CX2 if:
  You want an ultra-compact superzoom camera to capture a wide variety of everyday and travel scenes without fuss. You prioritize portability and zoom range over outright image quality. Casual users and beginners will appreciate its simplicity and macro capability.

• Choose Samsung NX210 if:
  You’re stepping up to serious photography with manual control, higher image quality, and flexibility from interchangeable lenses. Enthusiasts exploring portrait, landscape, and video will benefit from the larger sensor, shooting speeds, and superior dynamic range. It’s a better creative platform despite its slightly larger size.

Final Thoughts

Our deep dive into the Ricoh CX2 and Samsung NX210 reveals that architecture and sensor size fundamentally shape photographic potential. The CX2 is a competent pocket superzoom for casual, snapshot-centric shooting. The NX210 pushes the envelope for image quality, manual control, and versatility, aiming at the aspiring enthusiast market.

If you cherish simplicity and zoom reach in a pure point-and-shoot, the CX2 does not disappoint. But if you want higher fidelity, customization, and a camera that grows with your skills - particularly for demanding genres like portrait, landscape, wildlife, or sports - the NX210 is the far stronger choice.

Purchasing a camera hinges on prioritizing your photographic needs. Both cameras capture memories - but, in terms of image quality and creative potential, the Samsung NX210 clearly stands taller.

Disclosure: All camera tests were performed under controlled conditions and varied real-world shooting environments, using calibrated monitors and standardized evaluation metrics. Images are processed at default manufacturer settings unless RAW conversion is noted.