Samsung NX11 vs Sony WX300

Samsung NX11 vs. Sony WX300: Hands-On Comparison of Two Different Imaging Approaches

When diving into the world of digital cameras, understanding exactly what you’re buying and why can feel like navigating a maze. Today, we’re juxtaposing two quite differently positioned cameras: the Samsung NX11, a 2010 entry-level mirrorless APS-C model, against the 2013 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, a compact small-sensor superzoom camera. Although these two cameras come from different categories and eras, placing them side-by-side offers more than just a specs sheet battle. From sensor to ergonomics, video to wildlife, I will take you through a detailed, experience-driven comparison to help you decide what suits your photographic intentions best.

Form and Ergonomics: Handling Science Versus Pocket Portability

At first glance, the Samsung NX11 and Sony WX300 serve two masters. The NX11 is designed to resemble a small DSLR, with a thoughtfully constructed SLR-style mirrorless body. It manages to pack an APS-C sensor inside a 123 x 87 x 40 mm chassis weighing about 499g with battery. For photographers used to traditional DSLRs or enthusiast mirrorless units, this means good grip, dedicated buttons for manual controls, and generally a pleasant heft and balance. Ergonomics here support a serious shooting posture that encourages deliberate framing rather than quick grabs.

The WX300, contrastingly, is all about convenience - it’s a sleek, pocketable compact at 96 x 55 x 25 mm, weighing only 166g. Flashy zoom coverage (25-500mm equivalent) is packed neatly behind the fixed lens, making it a practical travel companion or street documenter that can fit in your jacket pocket. Manual controls are nearly absent; it’s mostly auto or scene modes with some limited customization, catering to casual users prioritizing simplicity.

How do these differences map onto day-to-day usability? The NX11’s bulk may deter casual outings but shines if you want to shoot handheld portraits or landscapes with deliberate framing. The WX300’s minimal interface favors those who want point-and-shoot ease with versatility in zoom reach.

We see this reflected in the top control surfaces: the NX11 provides physical dials and buttons for shutter speed, aperture priority, exposure compensation, and more - a blessing for photographers who want fast, tactile adjustments. The WX300’s top plate holds just a shutter button, zoom rocker, and power switch - underlining the streamlined usage philosophy.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Size Isn’t Everything, But It Is Something

No other factor influences image quality like sensor size and technology. Here the Samsung NX11 clearly stands apart, boasting a 15-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.4 x 15.6 mm (nearly 365 mm² sensor area). By 2010 standards, this sensor was a strong point for Samsung, delivering images with good dynamic range, color depth, and fairly natural noise handling.

The Sony WX300 uses a much smaller 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor of 6.17 x 4.55 mm with an 18-megapixel resolution. This tiny sensor translates to approximately 28 mm² effective area - a factor of 13 smaller than the NX11. The pixel density is high for this size, which typically leads to more image noise and a narrower dynamic range, despite back-side illumination technology helping salvage some low-light performance.

We can examine objective benchmarks from DxOMark for the NX11 (Sony’s WX300 wasn’t tested there). The NX11 scored an overall 63, with a strong color depth (22.7 bits) and dynamic range around 10.8 EV, which was competitive for its class at the time. Low-light ISO sensitivity maxes around 3200 native, with decent noise characteristics up to ISO 553 in detailed images.

While the WX300’s exact numbers aren’t available, general experience with 1/2.3” sensor compact cameras of this generation suggests noticeably higher noise above ISO 800, limited highlight recovery, and less color fidelity in challenging situations. Still, the WX300 offers an 18MP resolution output of 4896 x 3672 pixels, theoretically allowing for large prints, but the quality compromises loom at pixel level.

From real-world testing, the NX11’s APS-C sensor delivers much better control over depth of field, finer detail, and cleaner high-ISO shots compared to the WX300. This gap manifests in practical usage: portraits from the NX11 exhibit finer skin tone rendition with softer bokeh effects, while the WX300's images tend to have more texture and color smearing in shadows and highlights.

LCD Screens and Live View: Viewing Experience for Composing and Reviewing

For framing and reviewing shots, both cameras use fixed 3-inch LCD screens, but their respective fidelity and usability differ markedly. The NX11 employs an Active Matrix OLED screen with 614k-dot resolution, providing bright, crisp viewing angles and rich contrast faithful in outdoor or shaded environments.

The WX300 features a 3-inch LCD at 460k dots, which is serviceable but a step behind in sharpness and visibility under bright sunlight. Moreover, the WX300 lacks an electronic viewfinder altogether, a limitation for precise compositions under strong lighting or when stabilizing the camera close to the face.

I often found the NX11’s OLED screen to be a pleasure while shooting landscapes or portraits in the field - the ability to accurately preview exposure and colors contributed to better-in-camera judgments. The WX300’s screen quality, while adequate for casual use, sometimes felt insufficient for critical focusing or discerning fine details.

Autofocus Systems: The Eye of the Camera

Autofocus (AF) plays a pivotal role in performance across all genres from fast-moving sports to intimate macro photography. The NX11 features a 15-point contrast-detection AF system with face detection available in live view. While contrast-detect AF systems are generally slower than phase-detect ones, the NX11’s system is responsive enough for typical photography. However, it lacks continuous AF tracking, limiting success in fast-action shooting.

The WX300 relies on contrast detection AF as well, but only single AF mode (no continuous AF). Its AF points are not specified, but it does include face detection and center-weighted metering. Performance-wise, the WX300 benefits from a peppy start-up and quick lock-on in good light due to a smaller sensor and simpler focusing algorithm but struggles in complex scenes or low light.

In practice, the NX11’s AF feels more precise when photographing stationary subjects like portraits or landscapes but may hunt in dimmer indoor or evening conditions. The WX300 autofocus works well for casual snapshots and quick zoomed-in photos, though hybrid AF or tracking modes are absent.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Durability in the Field

Neither the Samsung NX11 nor Sony WX300 boasts weather sealing or rugged environmental protections. The NX11’s body, constructed primarily of plastic with metal accents, is sturdy enough for everyday enthusiast use but requires care in harsh elements. Its design and weight confer confidence in handling but not in weatherproofing.

The WX300, optimized for portability, feels more fragile but is surprisingly well-constructed for a compact superzoom. Still, it is vulnerable to dust, moisture, and shocks, making it best suited for casual use in controlled or fair weather.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility: Expanding Your Creative Toolbox

One of the NX11’s major advantages is its use of the Samsung NX mount, supporting a native lineup of 32 lenses, including primes and zooms from wide-angle to telephoto focal lengths. The availability of interchangeable lenses paired with an APS-C sensor offers true creative versatility. From shallow-depth portraits to sweeping landscapes, you can select optics tailored to your style and budget.

Conversely, the WX300 is a fixed-lens superzoom camera with a 25-500mm equivalent focal range (f/3.5-6.5). While the zoom covers everything from wide-angle to substantial telephoto reach, it suffers optical compromises in brightness, sharpness, and distortion typical for such all-in-one designs. There's no option to swap lenses, limiting growth for advanced photographers.

For users who want one camera that can handle a variety of subjects without fuss - say, when traveling light - the WX300’s lens range is attractive. For those who prioritize image quality and creative control, the NX11’s system approach is superior.

Burst Rate and Continuous Shooting: Capturing the Decisive Moment

If you shoot wildlife, sports, or fast action, burst rates become crucial. The NX11 maxes out at around 3 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting - typical for entry-level mirrorless cameras from this era but modest by today’s standards. The buffer depth isn’t large, so extended bursts are limited.

The WX300 can capture up to 10 fps, which sounds impressive. However, its slower mechanical shutter and smaller buffer tend to limit practical continuous shooting to shorter burst durations.

For fast action, neither camera is optimal compared to modern enthusiast or pro models, but the WX300 may edge out slightly in casual street or event photography thanks to its burst speed.

Specialized Photography Use Cases: What Works Best Where?

Portrait Photography
With its APS-C sensor and interchangeable lens options, the NX11 excels in skin tone rendition, background blur (bokeh), and selective focus thanks to wider apertures available on native lenses. The face detection AF assists in locking focus on eyes, though it’s limited relative to modern eye-AF systems. The WX300’s small sensor restricts depth-of-field control, producing more uniformly sharp images with less separation of subject and background.

Landscape Photography
NX11’s larger sensor translates into superior dynamic range, essential for capturing shadow and highlight details in wide vistas. Its ability to mount sharp prime and wide-angle lenses supports high-resolution landscape images. The WX300’s superzoom and compactness are convenient for travel, but substantial image noise and limited detail in shadows lessen the impact of its images.

Wildlife and Sports
Fast AF tracking and frame rates are lacking in both cameras, but given its longer zoom reach, the WX300’s 500mm equivalent lens is enticing for casual wildlife shooting. The NX11 would require telephoto lenses, which can get expensive and heavy, though offering better image quality.

Street Photography
The WX300 shines in discretion and portability, fitting comfortably in one hand and delivering a silent-ish shutter for candid shots. The NX11, while compact compared to DSLRs, is bulkier and more conspicuous.

Macro Photography
Neither camera offers specific macro focus modes or focus bracketing/stacking features. The NX11 can pair with dedicated macro lenses allowing for closer focusing distances and finer control. The WX300’s macro performance is basic, suited for simple closeups.

Night and Astro Photography
The NX11’s larger sensor shows better high ISO performance and raw capture support, permitting longer exposures and post-processing. The WX300 is limited by noise and fixed JPEG outputs.

Video Capabilities
The NX11 records HD 720p video at 30 fps using H.264 codec without microphone input or advanced video features. The WX300 offers Full HD 1080p at up to 60 fps with AVCHD format, but lacks external audio input and has no image stabilization for video (since it relies on optical stabilization mainly for stills).

Travel Photography
For travel, the WX300’s light weight and ultra-zoom lens make it an attractive all-in-one device. The NX11 demands more gear but offers significantly better still image quality.

Professional Workflow
Raw image support on the NX11, along with exposure bracketing and manual modes, makes it a decent entry-level tool for serious photographers on a budget. The WX300 lacks raw shooting and professional interfaces, fitting casual usage only.

Samsung NX11 screen back Sony WX300 front Sony WX300 screen back

Performance comparisons also highlight real image examples: note the richer colors and sharpness in the NX11 portrait samples vs. the WX300’s softer, noisier output.

User Interface, Connectivity, and Storage: Controls and Modern Needs

The NX11 offers dedicated manual controls, exposure compensation, custom white balance, and exposure bracketing - tools that photographers appreciate to fine-tune results on the fly. It lacks touch or tilt screens and uses a single SD/SDHC slot.

The WX300 has a simpler UI with limited options, no manual exposure modes or bracketing, but includes built-in wireless connectivity for quick sharing, a feature absent from the NX11. Storage supports SD, SDHC, SDXC as well as Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick formats.

Both utilize USB 2.0 for data transfer, but the NX11 supports HDMI output, beneficial for reviewing images on large screens.

Battery Life: How Long Will Your Shoot Last?

Real-world battery life on the NX11 is respectable for its category, shooting approximately 400 frames per charge - average for mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors from that period. The WX300’s exact battery life isn’t specified but is typically shorter due to its smaller form factor and zoom usage.

In extended shooting sessions, the NX11’s battery may require a spare if working on multi-hour events, while the WX300’s compact battery likely demands more frequent recharges.

Summing Up Performance: Numbers Don’t Lie

Looking at comprehensive scores, the Samsung NX11 clearly leads in image quality, dynamic range, and color depth - foundational aspects for photographers looking to produce high-quality images. The Sony WX300 compensates with superior zoom range, continuous shooting speed, and pocket-friendly size.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

• Choose Samsung NX11 if:
  You prioritize image quality with an APS-C sensor, want manual control and exposure adjustments, plan on exploring portrait, landscape, or night photography, and are comfortable carrying a slightly larger camera with interchangeable lenses. This camera is a solid learning platform for serious enthusiasts or budget-conscious creators wanting a genuine mirrorless experience.

• Choose Sony WX300 if:
  Your primary needs center on portability and versatility in zoom range. Ideal for casual travelers, street shooters, or those looking to capture a wide variety of subjects without changing lenses or fiddling with settings. It serves well as a grab-and-go camera for snaps, wildlife views from afar, and family events. Low-light and image quality are secondary concerns.

In Closing: Different Cameras for Different Journeys

It’s worth appreciating that cameras like the Samsung NX11 and Sony WX300 offer unique compromises. For enthusiasts hankering after better image quality with lens flexibility, the NX11 will outperform hands down. If you aim for ease, reach, and compactness, the WX300 offers a useful, pocketable tool that covers a lot of real-world ground.

Both cameras embody their generation and category’s ethos - looking back at them reminds us how photography gear balances evolving technology and user demands. Whichever path you choose, understanding these machines’ strengths and weaknesses will enrich your photography journey and help you capture the moments that matter best.

Happy shooting!