Samsung NX1000 vs Sony A500

Lets look more closely at the Samsung NX1000 and Sony A500, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Samsung and Sony. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the NX1000 (20MP) and A500 (12MP) but they enjoy the same exact sensor size (APS-C).

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The NX1000 was brought out 2 years later than the A500 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Samsung NX1000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the NX1000 grades against the A500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Samsung NX1000 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The entire galleries are viewable at Samsung NX1000 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Samsung NX1000 has got external dimensions of 114mm x 63mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 222 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Sony A500 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Examine the Samsung NX1000 and Sony A500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the NX1000 against the A500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the NX1000 and A500 is 90 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to envision the gap in sensor measurements purely by checking out specifications. The visual here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the NX1000 and A500.

To sum up, the 2 cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Samsung NX1000 to provide greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a little more aggressively. The more modern NX1000 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.