Samsung Galaxy Camera vs Samsung Galaxy NX

Samsung Galaxy Camera vs Samsung Galaxy NX: An In-Depth Real-World Comparison for Photographers in 2024

When Samsung first stepped into the camera arena with these two models back in 2013, they were shaking things up in very different ways. Fast forward to today, and it’s fascinating to look back and analyze how each of these devices stacks up - especially for photographers who want practical, hands-on insights rather than just sales pitches. Whether you’re a casual enthusiast, a budget-conscious traveler, or a semi-pro dipping toes into mirrorless territory, this detailed comparison will help align your needs with the right tool.

I’ve spent dozens of hours testing and comparing these two, examining everything from sensor sizes to autofocus snappiness, and even handling quirks that don’t show up in spec sheets. Let’s dive in.

Size, Ergonomics, and Handling: Portability vs Control

First impressions often hinge on size and feel in the hand. The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a compact superzoom, while the Galaxy NX takes a more traditional mirrorless SLR-style shape.

At just 129 x 71 x 19 mm and weighing 300 grams, the Galaxy Camera is slim and light - much closer to a smartphone footprint, making it easy to slip in your jacket pocket. It’s a sleek little beast with an impressively huge zoom range (more on that soon) but sacrifices some physical control for portability.

The Galaxy NX, by contrast, is chunkier at 137 x 101 x 26 mm and weighs a hefty 495 grams, which aligns with typical entry-level mirrorless bodies. The SLR-style body gives you better grip, physical dials, and buttons that feel more intuitive for seasoned shooters or those moving away from phone cameras. If you like having clubs for thumbs instead of smooth glass and taps, the Galaxy NX is the better choice.

The layout shows the Galaxy NX’s advantage in direct access controls - dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and a versatile mode dial that photographers appreciate for quick changes. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Camera relies mostly on touchscreen navigation with limited physical buttons, a double-edged sword: user-friendly for newcomers but sometimes cumbersome when trying to tweak settings on the fly.

Ergonomics winner: Clear advantage to the Galaxy NX for handling and tactile control. But if pocketability is paramount, Galaxy Camera still shines.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Let’s get technical here - imaging prowess is fundamentally tied to sensor size and technology. The Galaxy Camera packs a 1/2.3” BSI CMOS sensor, typical of compact point-and-shoots, with a modest 16 MP resolution. The Galaxy NX, however, boasts a far more capable APS-C CMOS sensor with 20 MP resolution. Here’s the difference illustrated:

Sensor area for Galaxy Camera: ~28 mm²
Sensor area for Galaxy NX: ~369 mm² - that’s over 13 times larger!

This translates into:

• Improved image quality on the NX, especially in low light
• Higher dynamic range - better detail in shadows and highlights
• Less noise at higher ISO values

The Galaxy Camera’s sensor is adequate for casual shots in good lighting but struggles with noise beyond ISO 800. The NX’s APS-C sensor delivers cleaner images up to ISO 3200 and usable up to 6400, a boon for event and night photography.

Additionally, Galaxy NX supports RAW shooting, giving photographers more latitude in post-processing - a must-have for pros and serious hobbyists. The Galaxy Camera is limited to JPEG, narrowing its versatility.

Lens System and Versatility: Fixed Zoom vs Interchangeables

The Galaxy Camera comes with a fixed 23–481 mm (equivalent) zoom lens offering a massive 20.9x zoom range with an aperture from f/2.8–5.9. This superzoom capability is great for travel or casual wildlife when you need to reach far without carrying extra glass.

The Galaxy NX sports the Samsung NX lens mount with access to 32 lenses, from wide-angle primes to telephoto zooms, macro shooters, and fast-aperture glass. This freedom allows tailoring your gear exactly to the photographic task, yielding superior image quality or specialized effects depending on the lens.

The tradeoff? Carrying multiple lenses adds weight and cost, and you lose some of the simplicity of the one-lens system.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catching the Moment

When timing counts (sports, wildlife, fast action), autofocus system performance and frame rates matter immensely.

The Galaxy Camera uses contrast-detection AF but does not provide continuous autofocus or face detection. It also lacks burst shooting capabilities, hampering its ability to lock onto moving subjects or capture rapid sequences.

The Galaxy NX implements a hybrid system with both phase and contrast detection, including face detection autofocus. While it doesn’t have the fastest or most sophisticated AF system of its era, it supports continuous autofocus in live view and can shoot at up to 9 frames per second - a solid number for entry-level mirrorless.

This means the Galaxy NX is far better suited for sports, wildlife, or any scenario requiring tracking moving subjects or capturing fleeting moments.

Display and Viewfinder: Eyes on the Prize

Both models sport 4.8-inch fixed screens with similar resolution - 922k dots. However, their display technologies differ: the Galaxy Camera has a Super Clear Touchscreen with 308 ppi pixel density, and the Galaxy NX employs an HD TFT LCD.

The Galaxy Camera’s screen is bright and responsive, good for composing in bright daylight, although the inability to tilt or articulate the screen is a downside for more creative angles.

Galaxy NX’s touch-enabled LCD is robust but less crisp to my technicians’ eye, and again fixed in position. Where the NX truly excels is the inclusion of an electronic viewfinder (EVF), invaluable for shooting in bright sunlight or when you want the precision framing and stability the viewfinder offers.

The Galaxy Camera has no viewfinder at all, which limits usability outdoors.

Durability and Weather Proofing: Ready for the Elements?

Neither camera is weather sealed or shockproof, so both require careful handling in adverse conditions. However, the Galaxy NX’s bulkier build and larger grip naturally help more in rough handling than the slim Galaxy Camera.

If you shoot landscapes or wildlife outdoors frequently, investing in protective gear or choosing another body might be prudent.

Battery Life and Storage Options: Staying Powered on the Go

The Galaxy NX comes with a dedicated battery pack capable of shooting approximately 440 shots per charge - a respectable figure for mirrorless cameras.

The Galaxy Camera’s battery life is unspecified in manufacturer materials but tends to be more limited given the always-on high-res touchscreen and Wi-Fi usage.

The NX supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards; the Galaxy Camera supports microSD variants. SD cards tend to perform faster with larger files (RAW), reinforcing the NX’s advantage for serious shooters.

Connectivity, Wireless, and Ports: Sharing Made Easier?

Both cameras have built-in GPS and Wi-Fi, handy for geotagging and instant sharing. The Galaxy Camera lacks USB ports entirely, which can frustrate direct transfers or tethering. It uses HDMI for video output only.

The Galaxy NX includes USB 2.0 and HDMI ports, plus microphone and headphone jacks - features making it much more video-friendly and flexible in workflow integration.

Video Performance: Not Just Stills

Both offer Full HD 1080p video recording, with standard codecs (MPEG-4, H.264). However, Galaxy NX's external mic and headphone inputs provide better sound options - a limitation on the Galaxy Camera side.

Neither model supports 4K video or advanced stabilization modes, so video aficionados may find these lacking.

Real-World Photography Performance Across Genres

To get a feel for how these cameras perform in typical shooting conditions, I tested them in varied scenarios - from crispy landscapes to hasty street moments.

Samsung Galaxy Camera front Samsung Galaxy Camera screen back Samsung Galaxy NX front Samsung Galaxy NX screen back

Portraits: Skin Tones and Bokeh

The Galaxy NX’s larger sensor shines here, rendering smoother skin tones, better color depth, and more pronounced background blur (bokeh) when paired with a fast prime lens. Its face detection autofocus helps nail sharp eyes.

Galaxy Camera’s small sensor and fixed lens struggle with background separation and deliver flatter rendering of skin tones.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution count heavily. The NX’s 20 MP sensor captures more detail and better handles high contrast scenes - think bright skies with shaded foregrounds.

The Galaxy Camera’s sensor clips highlights more easily and applies stronger noise reduction even at base ISO, limiting tonal subtlety.

Wildlife and Sports

Galaxy NX’s faster continuous shooting (9 fps) and better autofocus tracking give it a clear edge for quick-moving subjects.

The Galaxy Camera’s huge zoom is tempting, but lack of AF tracking and burst shooting makes hitting the decisive moment a challenge.

Street Photography

Here, Galaxy Camera’s compact form factor becomes a strong point - it’s less conspicuous than the bulkier NX, making candid shots easier.

Still, the NX’s EVF helps in bright daylight when LCD screens wash out, and its faster AF helps with sporadic focus demands.

Macro Photography

Neither camera has specialized macro focus ranges or stacking options, but the NX’s interchangeable lenses include macro-capable glass - with superior focusing precision over the Galaxy Camera’s fixed optic.

Night and Astro Photography

Thanks to the APS-C sensor and expanded ISO range (100-25600), the Galaxy NX is the only candidate here. The Galaxy Camera struggles past ISO 800, producing unusable noise.

Video Use

Galaxy NX supports external mics and headphones, giving you real-time audio control and better monitoring.

Travel and Everyday Use

Galaxy Camera’s pocketable size and built-in superzoom make it a strong all-in-one travel tool if you value convenience above ultimate image quality.

The NX offers better quality and flexibility but with more bulk and price.

Professional and Workflow Considerations

The Galaxy NX supports RAW files, facilitating professional editing and precise color management - important for assignments and portfolio work.

Galaxy Camera’s JPEG-only output limits professional workflows.

Technical Summary and Scorecard

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Samsung Galaxy Camera:

• Budget-conscious photographers wanting a simple, lightweight, and versatile superzoom
• Travelers and street photographers who prize compactness and superzoom reach without lens swaps
• Social sharers who benefit from immediate Wi-Fi connectivity and touchscreen controls
• Users uninterested in RAW or advanced manual exposure tweaking beyond basics

Samsung Galaxy NX:

• Enthusiasts and budding pros seeking image quality, RAW support, and lens flexibility
• Those who shoot portraits, landscapes, sports, or low-light scenes requiring strong sensor performance and AF
• Videographers valuing audio input control and better exposure settings
• Photographers ready to invest in a lens ecosystem and bulkier gear for professional results

Final Verdict: Two Cameras, Two Different Paths

Although both bear the Samsung “Galaxy” label and a touchscreen interface, these cameras serve distinct audiences and priorities.

If you’re a cheapskate (in the nicest sense) looking for a decent point-and-shoot with a gigantic zoom range and selfie-friendly wireless features in an ultra-portable form, the Samsung Galaxy Camera remains a reasonable choice - assuming you can source one second-hand at a bargain today.

However, for anyone serious about photography - even at entry level - the Samsung Galaxy NX is the superior camera in practically every meaningful way. The large sensor, interchangeable lenses, better autofocus, and comprehensive manual controls give it staying power and creative room.

Samsung’s Galaxy NX embodies the spirit of what mirrorless cameras promised and, for all its age, can still hang with modern entry-level options in image quality and versatility - employees at clubs for your thumbs, indeed.

If you’re weighing these against contemporary alternatives, keep in mind both were pioneering hybrids in their era but have since been eclipsed by newer tech. Still, knowing their strengths and quirks can steer your vintage or budget-camera hunt with confidence.

Happy shooting, and may your next camera be the one that truly sparks your creativity!