Samsung NX mini vs Sony A580

Following is a in depth analysis of the Samsung NX mini versus Sony A580, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Samsung and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the NX mini (20.5MP) and A580 (16MP) and the NX mini (1") and A580 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The NX mini was revealed 2 years after the A580 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Samsung NX mini being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a quick summary of how the NX mini grades vs the A580 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Samsung NX mini and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are provided at Samsung NX mini Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Samsung NX mini offers outer measurements of 110mm x 62mm x 23mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 196 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Look at the Samsung NX mini versus Sony A580 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the NX mini and the A580.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NX mini and A580 is 93 and 64 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizes simply by researching a spec sheet. The image below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the NX mini and A580.

As you can see, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The NX mini having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Samsung NX mini will result in more detail because of its extra 4.5MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures far more aggressively. The fresher NX mini will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.