Samsung NX11 vs Sony A33: An In-Depth Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts in 2024

Over the last 15 years as a gear reviewer and photographer, I’ve handled hundreds of cameras - from cutting-edge pro-level beasts to more modest entry-level mirrorless and DSLR hybrids. Today, I’m diving into a classic showdown between two early-2010s contenders: the Samsung NX11 and the Sony SLT-A33 (commonly called the Sony A33). Both aimed to grab their share of the enthusiast market when they launched in 2010, but they took markedly different paths in design philosophy and tech.

In this detailed hands-on comparison, I’ll unpack how these two cameras stack up across various photography genres, core features, and real-world performance. Plus, I’ll share a few hard lessons learned from repeatedly testing cameras from this generation, including nuanced observations that only come from putting these models through years of practical usage.

Before we dive into specific disciplines and technical nitty-gritty, a quick peek at their sizes and ergonomics sets the stage:

As you can see, they’re fairly close in footprint, but ergonomics and handling can make a world of difference, so keep that in mind as we go.

Design & Handling: Mirrorless Versus SLT - Which Ergonomics Win?

Both cameras reflect their respective brands’ early attempts to crack entry-level enthusiast hearts. The Samsung NX11 embraces a mirrorless SLR-style design with a fixed 3” OLED screen, sporting crisp 614k dots but missing touchscreen and articulation. Its magnesium-alloy body feels solid but compact, weighing about 499 grams.

In contrast, the Sony A33 is a stepping stone in Sony’s innovation agenda - the SLT (Single Lens Translucent) technology allows continuous autofocus with a semi-transparent mirror, housed in a compact SLR body roughly matching the NX11's weight. It has a fully articulated 3” screen packing a much sharper 921k dots, which photographers who compose at odd angles will love.

From my extended shooting sessions, Sony’s slightly larger grip and intuitive top-plate control layout give it an edge in handling comfort - particularly for longer sessions (and trust me, your hands will thank you!). Samsung’s smaller, lighter body is neat for travel and street work, but its stiff non-articulated OLED can restrict compositional flexibility.

The above top-down view shows Sony’s denser control cluster - more buttons for seasoned tinkerers, but still approachable for beginners.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Now, the critical question: how do they perform in the actual image department?

Both use APS-C sized CMOS sensors with a similar 1.5x crop factor - great for telephoto reach on wildlife or sports, but review the sensor area difference here:

Samsung’s NX11 packs a 15MP sensor, while Sony offers 14MP resolution. On paper, this is neck and neck, but the devil is in the details. The Sony A33 boasts superior dynamic range and higher native ISO capabilities with up to ISO 12,800 expandable to 25,600, while Samsung caps at ISO 3200 max.

In conventional shooting, this translates to cleaner low-light images and a wider tonal gradation for Sony. DXOMark scores (respectively 70 for A33 vs 63 for NX11) indicate Sony slightly leads in overall image quality, color depth, and dynamic range.

For portraits, Samsung’s sensor delivers smooth, natural skin tones without overt oversaturation, which some prefer for naturalism. Sony’s sensor, however, benefits from better color depth (22.8 bits vs 22.7) and higher dynamic range, preserving fine details in shadow and highlight areas - ideal for landscape shooters or anyone needing maximum image flexibility in post.

Autofocus Performance: Fast and Reliable or a Mixed Bag?

If you’re shooting anything moving, autofocus can make or break the experience.

Samsung’s NX11 uses a 15-point contrast-detection AF system with face detection, which works well in good lighting but noticeably slows down - and occasionally hunts - in lower light or fast action. There’s no phase detection, so tracking moving subjects consistently is a challenge.

The Sony A33 takes a different approach with a hybrid autofocus system featuring 15 points, including 3 cross-type phase detection sensors. Phase detection dramatically improves autofocus speed and accuracy, particularly in continuous AF mode tracking moving subjects.

In my tests confirming this with birds in flight, street performers, and playground sports, the A33 locks faster and maintains tracking far better than the NX11’s slower contrast AF system. Burst shooting rates reinforce this as well - Sony can shoot up to 7fps continuous vs Samsung’s more leisurely 3fps.

This nuance particularly matters for wildlife and sports photographers.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Neither camera boasts professional weather sealing or ruggedized build reflecting their entry-level ambitions. Both are mostly plastic with metal reinforcements inside, meaning you’ll need to be cautious shooting outdoors in dust, rain, or extreme conditions.

That said, I found Sony’s slightly tighter, more robust chassis more reassuring in outdoor shooting scenarios. Samsung’s lighter body fares better for casual travel but feels more delicate over time.

Screen and Viewfinder: Composition Convenience

Samsung’s NX11 OLED fixed display offers excellent color contrast and clarity but lacks articulation, which can be frustrating for macro or overhead shots.

Sony’s A33 excels here with its articulate 921k-dot rear screen, allowing creative framing in tight or awkward angles. Both cameras have electronic viewfinders, with Sony’s sporting higher resolution (1150 dots vs unspecified but lower for Samsung), making for a more engaging and accurate eye-level shooting experience.

As an experienced photographer who flexes shooting styles frequently, I can’t overstate the advantage of an articulated, higher-resolution screen like Sony’s for creative flexibility.

Lens Ecosystem and System Compatibility

You’ll want to think hard about lenses, because that ultimately defines your photographic versatility.

Samsung’s NX mount offers a modest range - 32 lenses, mainly by Samsung and a few third-party providers. While they cover key focal lengths including primes and zooms, the system lacks the depth and breadth found in more established mounts.

Sony’s Alpha mount on the A33, inherited from Minolta, is robust with over 140 lens options ranging from affordable primes to high-end telephotos and wide apertures. This truly future-proofs your gear kit and comfort.

This vast lens ecosystem is critical if you aim to specialize in, say, macro photography - where precision glass makes a tremendous difference - or wildlife photography, which demands long glass.

Battery Life and Storage

Samsung edges slightly ahead here with around 400 shots per charge versus Sony’s more modest 340 shots. In practice, that difference means you can eke out a few extra shots per day on travel or event shoots without worrying about recharging.

Both cameras use proprietary battery packs and house a single card slot. Samsung is limited to SD/SDHC, while Sony adds compatibility with SDXC and Memory Stick variants, expanding storage options.

Connectivity and Video Capabilities

Samsung’s NX11 lacks wireless connectivity - more of a standalone camera for photo purists - while Sony offers Eye-Fi compatibility, letting you wirelessly transfer images with Eye-Fi cards, a handy feature for sharing on-the-go.

As for video, Samsung maxes out at 720p at 30fps - fine for casual clips but fairly basic. Sony impresses with Full HD 1080p video at 60fps, offering smoother motion rendering and better codec support (MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264).

Sony also includes a microphone port, enabling improved audio capture critical for serious video work - absent on Samsung.

Genre-Specific Performance Rundown: Which Camera Excels Where?

Here’s where the rubber meets the road for different photographers:

Portrait Photography

Both deliver respectable skin tones and decent bokeh with their APS-C sensors and lens selections, but Sony wins with superior autofocus face detection and a more flexible lens lineup, including excellent portrait primes. The articulated screen enables creative compositions in close-up scenarios.

Samsung’s image output tends toward warmer, pleasing skin tones, but autofocus lag can frustrate fast-moving subjects or kids.

Landscape Photography

Sony’s excellent dynamic range and higher ISO headroom shine here, capturing subtle details in shadows and highlights. While neither is weather-sealed, Sony’s solid ergonomics and sharper EVF offer better long-exposure handling.

Samsung’s OLED screen brings vibrant previews but limited ISO range and resolution could hold back fine detail captures in challenging lighting.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Sony’s SLT tech and phase-detection AF deliver definable autofocus speed advantages and faster burst rates. Long telephoto lens options via the Alpha mount make it a much better fit for tracking moving subjects.

Samsung’s slower autofocus and fewer burst frames per second limit its usability for these fast-paced genres.

Street Photography

Samsung’s smaller size and lighter weight suit street shooting where discretion is key. The crisp OLED display also helps preview shots quickly.

Sony’s articulated screen makes candid captures easier from odd angles but the larger grip might draw more attention.

Macro Photography

Lens compatibility and focusing precision are critical. Sony’s larger lens selection, combined with sensor-based image stabilization, offers an advantage in handheld macro photography.

Samsung lacks image stabilization, making handheld macros trickier without a tripod.

Night and Astrophotography

Sony’s higher max native and boosted ISO, combined with its cleaner high-ISO performance, make it the clear winner here. Samsung’s lower ceiling means more noise and limitations in exposure latitude.

Video Capabilities

Sony’s Full HD 60fps video and microphone port are far superior to Samsung’s modest 720p, no audio input setup. For those wanting to dabble seriously in video alongside photos, Sony is a significantly better choice.

Travel Photography

Samsung’s smaller, lighter body and longer battery life favor travel portability, but Sony’s better lens options and articulated screen offer creativity and flexibility.

Professional Use

Both are budget-oriented, but Sony’s superior image quality, autofocus, and video capabilities position it as a more complete tool for semi-pro or enthusiast work.

Technical Summary at a Glance

Real-World Photo Comparisons

To ground this discussion visually, here’s a gallery of paired sample images shot using both cameras in similar conditions to highlight differences in color reproduction, dynamic range, detail rendition, and noise performance:

Samsung NX11 screen back Sony A33 screen back

Photographic Genre Scores and Recommendations

Here’s a summary of how each camera fares across disciplines:

• Portraits: Sony edges out with AF and lens options
• Landscape: Sony’s dynamic range wins easily
• Wildlife/Sports: Sony’s AF/continuous shooting superior
• Street: Samsung’s discreet size gives it a slight nod
• Macro: Sony’s stabilization and lenses excel
• Night: Sony's ISO range clearly better
• Video: Sony vastly ahead
• Travel: Tied - Samsung lighter, Sony more versatile
• Professional Use: Sony offers a more comprehensive package

Final Thoughts and Who Should Buy Which?

The Samsung NX11 represents a solid entry-level mirrorless option for photographers prioritizing a compact body, natural color rendering, and a pleasant OLED viewing experience. It’s well-suited for casual shooters, street photographers valuing discretion, and travelers looking to minimize weight. Its limitations - most notably in autofocus speed, low ISO range, video capability, and lens availability - make it less appropriate if you’re pushing technical boundaries or shooting fast action.

The Sony A33, on the other hand, is a versatile and impressively balanced camera for its age. Thanks to the SLT design enabling fast and accurate autofocus, superior image quality with wider dynamic range/high ISO performance, and much better video support, it stands out as a more future-proof investment for enthusiasts seeking to explore multiple genres - from portraits and landscapes to wildlife and sports. The vast lens ecosystem is a game-changer here, too.

Both cameras are well-built, but Sony’s more refined ergonomics and articulated screen provide practical advantages for creative shooting styles.

If I were to recommend one for the discerning enthusiast or semi-pro photographer today, it’s the Sony A33. For those with tighter budgets or specific needs for a smaller, simpler body for casual and travel photography, the Samsung NX11 remains a viable candidate - if you can find one today.

In a marketplace now flooded with mirrorless systems boasting 4K video, advanced autofocus, and higher resolutions, these cameras remind us how far digital imaging has come and how each device carries a particular charm and character.

I hope this comparison helps you cut through specs sheets, marketing fluff, and broad promises to find the camera that will best support your creative vision. Feel free to ask if you want more hands-on tips or have specific use cases in mind!

Happy shooting!