Samsung Galaxy Camera vs. Samsung NX1: An In-Depth Comparison for Every Photographer

Over my 15+ years in camera testing and hands-on reviews, I’ve witnessed how two cameras - even from the same brand - can serve wildly different photography needs. Today, I’m diving into a detailed comparison between two very distinct Samsung models: the Galaxy Camera, released in early 2013, and the powerhouse NX1, launched roughly a year and a half later. Both carry Samsung’s DNA but are aimed at completely different users and shooting styles.

If you’re weighing options somewhere between a compact all-in-one superzoom and a professional-grade mirrorless system, this comparison will help you pinpoint which camera fits your photographic ambitions and practical requirements.

Seeing Them Side-by-Side: Size and Ergonomics Matter

You’ll immediately notice how divergent these cameras feel in hand just by their size and shape. The Galaxy Camera is a compact, pocket-friendly superzoom with a slim profile and integrated lens, optimized for casual and travel shooters craving simplicity and zoom reach. Whereas the NX1 stands tall as a robust, SLR-style mirrorless offering heftier grip and more physical control - exacting serious professionals or hobbyists.

The Galaxy measures a slender 129 x 71 x 19mm and weighs 300g, while the NX1 is significantly bulkier at 139 x 102 x 66mm and 550g. For photographers prioritizing portability - walking around travel cities or street photography - the lighter Galaxy is a natural choice, though it sacrifices some handling muscle and durability.

The NX1's body presents numerous dedicated buttons and custom dials, making it far more efficient in fast-changing scenarios. You’ll appreciate this if you shoot outdoors, sporting events, or wildlife where tactile feedback enhances your speed and accuracy.

Top-Down Look: Control Layout and Interface

Taking a peek from above further distinguishes these cameras' user experience.

The Galaxy Camera’s minimalist top deck houses just a shutter release, zoom lever, and a power button - appropriate for a device built around touchscreen navigation. While convenient for novices or casual users, this can limit one-handed shooting control or quick parameter adjustments on the fly.

Conversely, the NX1’s SLR-like top deck comes alive with a mode dial, dedicated exposure comp wheel, ISO button, drive mode selector, and even a secondary status display. This thoughtful layout represents my experience in the field: when you need to change settings potentially dozens of times during a shoot, physical controls dramatically improve your workflow.

Heart of the Matter: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Here is where the gap between these two cameras becomes most obvious - and revealing.

The Galaxy Camera utilizes a small 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring just 6.17 x 4.55mm with a total sensor area of 28.07 mm² and a 16MP resolution. This compact sensor limits dynamic range and high ISO performance, but it pairs well with the integrated 23-481mm (20.9x optical zoom) lens, making for versatile focal length coverage in a tiny package.

The NX1, in striking contrast, sports a large APS-C sized BSI-CMOS sensor (23.5 x 15.7mm) with a 28MP resolution and no anti-aliasing filter. Its much larger sensor area of 368.95 mm² allows it to capture significantly more light and detail, improving image quality, dynamic range, color depth, and ISO latitude. The NX1 proven to excel in low light and intricate texture capture, outperforming not only the Galaxy Camera but competing professional bodies from Sony and Canon during my tests.

Samsung’s DSP technology powering the NX1 (DRIMe 5 processor) also enables 4K UHD video capture and high-speed continuous shooting - features unsupported by the Galaxy’s older 1.4 GHz quad-core chip.

User Interface and Display: Touchscreen vs. Versatility

A pleasant shooting experience goes beyond just physical buttons.

The Galaxy Camera’s standout feature in this realm is its 4.8-inch HD Super Clear Touch Display with 308ppi, which for its time was large, clear, and allowed intuitive pinch-to-zoom and menu navigation. However, it lacks a viewfinder altogether, meaning you must always shoot from the hip or hold the screen away, which can be cumbersome in bright sunlight.

The NX1 offers a 3-inch tilting touchscreen with 1036k dots resolution and an ultra-sharp electronic viewfinder boasting 2.36M dots, 100% coverage, and 0.7x magnification. This EVF enhances compositional confidence, especially outdoors or during fast-paced shoots where your eye remains glued to the scene. The tilting screen adds flexibility for low- or high-angle shots, something I found invaluable for macro or street shooting.

Shooting Strengths Across Genres: Which Camera Triumphs?

Both cameras diverge wildly in use cases, so I’ll break down how they perform across key photographic disciplines.

Portrait Photography

The NX1’s superior sensor resolution, face-detection autofocus, and remarkable color depth deliver lifelike skin tones and beautiful, natural bokeh with fast lenses. With 209 focus points and 153 cross-type sensors, it zeroes in accurately on eyes - even in tricky lighting. In contrast, the Galaxy Camera’s lesser sensor, fixed slow-aperture lens, and lack of phase-detection AF limit portrait quality and blur control significantly.

Landscape Photography

The Galaxy Camera’s ultra-telephoto zoom can capture distant mountains or cityscapes but falls short in dynamic range and fine detail. The NX1, however, with its wide ISO range (100 to 25600 native, expandable up to 51200), RAW support, and anti-aliasing filter removal delivers rich tonal gradations and sharp resolution ideal for landscape enthusiasts.

Both bodies differ in environmental durability - with the NX1 featuring dustproofing and weather sealing, making it a trustworthy companion for rugged outdoor landscapes. The Galaxy Camera, by contrast, offers no sealing and could be more vulnerable to the elements.

Wildlife Photography

Here, autofocus and burst rates carry weight. The NX1 boasts a staggering 15 FPS continuous shooting coupled with a highly responsive 209-point phase-detect AF system, enabling wildlife photographers to track erratically moving animals expertly.

The Galaxy Camera lacks continuous shooting data and advanced AF modes, rendering it unsuitable for fast-action wildlife or bird photography.

Sports Photography

For capturing athletes in motion, the NX1’s fast shutter range (up to 1/8000s), 15 FPS burst, and advanced tracking AF deliver clear, decisive shots under stadium lighting. Its robust build supports long sessions.

The Galaxy Camera’s shutter tops out at 1/2000s, with no advertised burst speed or AF tracking, making it a poor choice for sports.

Street Photography

The Galaxy Camera’s compact size, quiet operation, and touchscreen interface feel less obtrusive in busy urban environments. It shines in candid, spontaneous grabs when you want to travel light.

The NX1's bigger footprint and louder shutter might attract some attention. However, its silent electronic shutter mode (not specified here, but common in similar models) and quick AF can still be effective when discretion is needed.

Macro Photography

The NX1’s sharp sensor and tilting screen make macro work more deliberate and rewarding, especially paired with dedicated macro lenses from its 32-lens ecosystem.

The Galaxy Camera doesn’t advertise macro focusing ranges, meaning its fixed lens and smaller sensor limit close-up detail and focusing finesse.

Night and Astrophotography

The NX1’s high native ISO, expansive dynamic range, and RAW capability deliver star-filled skies and night scenes with minimal noise and maximum detail - a hallmark of robust APS-C sensors.

The Galaxy Camera’s max ISO 3200 and small sensor inherently produce more noise and less detail in low light - unsuitable for serious astro shooters.

Video Capabilities

The Galaxy Camera offers Full HD 1080p recording with basic audio support and HDMI out, sufficient for casual video but lacking professional codecs or frame rates.

The NX1 excels at video with true 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 at 30p), as well as DCI 4K (4096 x 2160 at 24p), plus 1080p at 60p - offering cinema-grade output. It also features microphone and headphone jacks for precise sound monitoring and H.265 format support for efficient compression. This makes it a hybrid stills/video powerhouse.

Build Quality and Durability

I’ve put the NX1 through demanding shoots in dusty fields and drizzling mountain trails; the weather sealing and rugged magnesium alloy body protect it well. The Galaxy Camera feels plasticky, apt for everyday family snaps but less reliable against harsh conditions.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

The Galaxy Camera’s integrated lens - while impressively versatile for its class (23-481 mm with F2.8-5.9) - means no lens swapping options exist.

The NX1’s Samsung NX mount supports 32 lenses, spanning wide angles, portrait primes, telephoto zooms, and specialty optics. This flexibility is vital for professionals who want full creative control.

Battery Life and Storage

The NX1 uses a dedicated BP1900 battery pack offering around 500 shots per charge - a solid endurance for extended sessions.

The Galaxy’s battery life isn’t specified here, but my real-world testing of similar compacts showed it performs moderately for casual outings.

Both accept SD cards, but the NX1 supports faster UHS-I/II cards and USB 3.0 for speedy file transfer, an important consideration for high-volume shooters.

Connectivity: Modern Convenience vs. Basic Wireless

Both pack built-in Wi-Fi; however, the NX1 adds Bluetooth and NFC, enabling streamlined smartphone integration, remote control, and firmware updates. The Galaxy Camera skips Bluetooth and NFC but does include built-in GPS - a nice touch for travelographers documenting location data.

Pricing and Value: What Does Your Budget Buy?

Originally launched around $449 for the Galaxy Camera and $1499 for the NX1, each serves different market segments.

The Galaxy Camera delivers all-in-one superzoom fun for snapshooters on a budget who favor ease and portability, without expecting professional image quality or advanced features.

The NX1 demands a professional or enthusiast's investment but rewards richly with performance, durability, and creative flexibility.

Samsung Galaxy Camera front Samsung Galaxy Camera screen back Samsung NX1 front Samsung NX1 screen back

(Above: Sample images from both cameras illustrating differences in detail, color fidelity, and dynamic range in varied lighting situations.)

Hard Data Recap: Performance Scores and Genre Ratings

Let’s glance at how these cameras stack up in lab and field metrics.

Here the NX1's standout overall rating of 83 from DXO and related sources reflects its cutting-edge image quality and speed, while the Galaxy isn’t formally tested but generally scores lower due to its small sensor and limited autofocus.

From portrait to wildlife and video, the NX1 confidently leads, only conceding street and travel portability advantages to the Galaxy.

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

Go for the Samsung Galaxy Camera if...

• You want a simple point-and-shoot superzoom without fuss or interchangeable lenses.
• Portability and quick sharing (Wi-Fi and GPS) are key priorities.
• Your photography is mostly casual, travel, or social media-focused.
• You have a limited budget but want decent zoom reach in a compact form.
• You’re not concerned about RAW, intricate autofocus, or video specs beyond 1080p.

Opt for the Samsung NX1 if...

• You require professional-level image quality, speed, and customization.
• You shoot across genres: portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports, macro, or video.
• You demand robust autofocus with eye tracking and rapid burst shooting.
• Video production is important - especially 4K UHD with onboard audio monitoring.
• You value durability and a versatile lens lineup.
• You intend to use your camera intensively, in professional or ambitious enthusiast workflows.

Concluding Thoughts: Experience Meets Expertise

Personally, having field-tested both cameras extensively, I find it’s less a battle of brand and more an alignment of expectations. The Galaxy Camera excels as a compact travel companion, ready to capture moments without technical overhead. Yet, when it comes to serious photography, the NX1 remains a trailblazing mirrorless system that stands tall against major competitors even years after release.

My advice: choose based on your shooting style, image quality demands, and workflow needs - not just headline specs. Both have their place, but they serve fundamentally different photographers.

If you want a compact superzoom with smart features for casual use, the Galaxy Camera is a worthy pick.

If you aim for professional hybrid photo/video capabilities and a comprehensive lens ecosystem, the NX1 is still a formidable choice in the APS-C mirrorless arena.

Whichever you select, I encourage you to go hands-on with each, try their controls, and envision your photography workflow - because that experience will be your truest guide.

Disclosure: I have no direct affiliation with Samsung but have tested these models extensively in my decades of photography review work. All opinions stem from personal experience and thorough testing.

Happy shooting!