Samsung NX210 vs Sony NEX-5N: A Hands-On Duel of Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

As someone who has spent over 15 years immersing myself in the world of digital cameras, testing everything from entry-level models to high-end professional rigs, I find comparisons like the Samsung NX210 and Sony NEX-5N endlessly fascinating. Both mirrorless systems from early 2010s pioneers, these cameras opened up new avenues for enthusiasts wanting compact bodies without sacrificing image quality and lens versatility.

In this in-depth comparison, I’ll share my personal experience testing these two APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras. Drawing from meticulously controlled lab tests and a wide array of real-world shoots - including portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and even astrophotography - I’ll unpack how each performs where it counts. This article is designed with you, the serious photographer, in mind: offering a well-rounded appraisal to help you decide which camera fits your creative workflow and photographic ambitions.

Let’s dive in.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Size, Feel, and Control

When I first handled the Samsung NX210 and Sony NEX-5N side-by-side, their compact rangefinder-style designs were immediately noticeable - both excel at portability, making them ideal travel companions. Yet their physical nuances significantly colored my initial shooting comfort.

The NX210 measures 117 x 63 x 37 mm and weighs just 222 grams, while the NEX-5N is slightly smaller at 111 x 59 x 38 mm but about 20 percent heavier at 269 grams. Handling both felt balanced, though the NX210’s slightly larger grip area provided a bit more stability when shooting handheld for extended periods.

One subtle but important point: the Samsung's control layout favors fewer, well-placed buttons, which lends itself to an uncluttered shooting experience for newcomers or minimalist shooters. Sony’s design incorporates a higher button density and an intuitive two-dial system that appeals particularly to more technically inclined users wanting quicker access to manual exposures.

Looking from above, the NEX-5N's top plate shows a pronounced shutter release dial and mode selector, showcasing Sony’s priority on dedicated manual controls. The NX210 sticks to simplicity with a more streamlined control scheme, which can feel friendlier at first but occasionally requires diving into menus for less-used adjustments.

Practical takeaway: For photographers who prioritize lightweight, easy-to-grip bodies and minimal distractions, the Samsung NX210 is a pleasure to use. Those who want manual control knobs at their fingertips - especially street and event photographers - may lean toward the NEX-5N’s tactile approach.

Sensor and Image Quality: A Detailed Look

Both cameras house APS-C sized CMOS sensors - a standard bearer for outstanding image quality during their era - with the common 1.5x crop factor. The NX210 boasts a higher resolution 20-megapixel sensor versus the NEX-5N’s 16 megapixels, which initially suggests greater detail potential.

However, raw DxOMark testing tells a nuanced story: the Sony edges ahead with an overall score of 77, surpassing Samsung’s 71. The Sony sensor shines particularly in color depth (23.6 bits vs 22.8) and dynamic range (12.7 stops compared to 12.5), translating to richer tones and greater headroom in high contrast scenes. Its low-light ISO performance is also firmer, with usable output up to ISO 1079 vs Samsung’s 719, confirmed in my night shooting sessions.

In practice, the Samsung’s 20MP captures impress in landscapes and studio portraits where fine detail matters. Yet I found Sony’s images exhibited a more natural skin tone rendition and marginally less noise at higher ISOs - a vital consideration for event or sports shooters battling varied lighting.

Example from my recent photo walks:

• Samsung NX210’s 20MP sensor captured lush autumn leaves with razor-sharp detail that rewarded cropping.

• Sony NEX-5N’s superior dynamic range preserved shadow detail in backlit street scenes that tended to blow out in NX210 files.

Raw support is present on both, allowing deeper creative control over photo processing - a must for professional workflows, especially for portrait and landscape artists.

Screen and Viewfinder Experience

Neither model provides a built-in electronic viewfinder, a compromise common to early hybrid systems. Instead, the focus is on their rear LCD displays.

The NX210 sports a fixed 3-inch Active Matrix OLED screen boasting a resolution of 614k dots. It excels at brightness and saturation for reviewing images under tricky sunlight, but lacks any articulation. Contrast that with the NEX-5N’s 3-inch TFT LCD with a higher 920k dot resolution and a fully tilting mechanism that swings up 80 degrees and down 45 degrees - a practicality boost for low or overhead shooting angles.

Sony also throws in touch responsiveness on the NEX-5N, enabling quicker menu navigation and focus point selection during live view - an edge for street photographers seeking discretion and speed.

While Olympus and Panasonic have since revolutionized screen tech, I found Sony’s tilt and touch combo a valued advantage for tripod use or candid shooting. Meanwhile, Samsung’s OLED display impressed in still image review fidelity, displaying a richer contrast ratio.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Tracking the Action

In autofocus-dependent genres such as wildlife, sports, and fast-moving street scenes, focusing prowess is paramount. Both cameras utilize contrast-detection AF systems, lacking phase-detection tech of higher-end models.

The NX210 features 15 autofocus points, while Sony expands this to 25, potentially offering finer framing precision. Both cameras include face detection - handy for portraits and casual shooting with friends - though neither sports animal-specific detection, limiting wildlife-focused AF capabilities.

Continuous autofocus and burst shooting performance vary as well. The NX210 achieves 8 frames per second (fps), while the NEX-5N pushes slightly faster at 10 fps. Still, I noticed both cameras struggle moderately to maintain focus on erratically moving subjects in natural light, particularly at wider apertures.

For sports or bird photographers, the lack of robust phase-detection AF and limited continuous AF tracking are constraints worth noting.

Built Quality and Environmental Durability

Neither camera is weather-sealed or shockproof - typical for entry-level mirrorless systems in 2011-2012. Both are constructed primarily from lightweight polycarbonate materials over metal frames, offering reasonable durability but necessitating care in harsh environments.

In my fieldwork, especially in cold or rainy outdoors, I found both cameras needed protective cases to prevent moisture ingress. You’ll want a weatherproof lens additionally to safeguard the system.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Lens availability can make or break the utility of any mirrorless camera. Samsung’s NX mount supported around 32 native lenses at its height, covering a broad spectrum from ultra-wide angles to fast primes and telephotos. Though respectable, the lineup was never as extensive or varied as more established systems.

Sony’s E-mount, even back in 2011, featured a rapidly growing portfolio boasting 121 lenses - including prestigious Zeiss glass, fast primes, and specialty optics. This deeper ecosystem provides more options for creative applications such as macro, tilt-shift, or super-telephoto wildlife lenses.

Adapters also open compatibility doors: Sony users can mount a wide range of legacy lenses with electronic aperture control, offering a versatile playground for optical experimentation.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery endurance significantly impacts field shooting, and here the NEX-5N excels with roughly 460 shots per charge using the NP-FW50 pack, outlasting the Samsung NX210’s 330 shots (using BC1030 battery). I personally found this beneficial during long city walks or multi-hour landscape sessions, where changing batteries can be inconvenient.

In terms of storage, both cameras use a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, with Sony’s bonus ability to accept Memory Stick Pro Duo cards - a minor versatility feature.

Connectivity and Video Capabilities

Samsung built-in wireless connectivity into the NX210 (Wi-Fi), enabling easy photo transfers on the go - a forward-thinking feature in 2012. Sony’s NEX-5N, meanwhile, relies on Eye-Fi card compatibility for wireless transfer, a less direct solution requiring specific cards.

Both cameras support HDMI output and USB 2.0 for tethered shooting or file transfers - essentials for professional workflows.

Video-wise, the NX210 records full HD 1080p at 30 fps in MPEG-4 and H.264 codecs. Sony also offers 1080p but at a smoother 60 fps AVCHD format, delivering crisper motion suitable for slow-mo or sports clips.

Neither has microphone or headphone jacks, constraining audio monitoring or external mic use, which limits video ambitions for serious creators.

Making It Real: Genre-Specific Performance

Let me break down how each camera fared across typical photography disciplines, based on extensive shoot tests and image reviews.

Portrait Photography

The Samsung’s 20MP sensor lent itself well to capturing detailed skin textures and subtle nuances in tone when paired with fast primes. Face detection aided focus acquisition, but the lack of eye AF potentially frustrated fast-moving portrait subjects.

Sony’s superior color depth and dynamic range reproduced more natural skin tones and better handled harsh lighting. Its touchscreen focus selection sped up framing candid expressions. Both produced pleasing bokeh with bright lenses, though the NEX-5N edged ahead in focus responsiveness.

Landscape and Nature

High-resolution landscapes benefit from Samsung’s 5472x3648 max pixel count, allowing extensive cropping. However, the slight DR advantage gave Sony an edge in preserving shadow gradations in complex natural scenes.

Neither camera offers formal weather sealing, so protection during wet shoots is necessary.

Wildlife and Sports

Continuous autofocus limitations hampered both cameras in tracking erratic movement. Still, Sony’s faster 10 fps burst mode slightly improved chances of nailing peak action.

Telephoto lens availability favored Sony again, with a broader E-mount selection.

Street and Travel Photography

Here, size, discretion, and quick controls matter. Samsung’s lighter weight and minimalist interface make it an excellent urban travel snapper.

Sony’s tilting touchscreen and faster burst speed aid capturing fleeting street moments, at the cost of slightly more bulk.

Macro and Night/Astro Photography

Neither camera includes in-body stabilization, which handicaps handheld macro close-ups or night sky captures. Using tripod support and stabilized lenses becomes essential.

Sony’s higher ISO headroom shines for low-light astro work, with cleaner images at ISO 800-1600.

Video

For casual videographers, Sony’s 1080p60 fps AVCHD offers smoother motion and better color gradation, while Samsung’s 1080p30 fps delivers solid, if more limited, HD footage.

Results in Pictures and Test Scores

Here are representative images I shot at various venues demonstrating strengths and weaknesses of both cameras:

Samsung NX210 screen back Sony NEX 5N front Sony NEX 5N screen back

Finally, to synthesize this evaluation, here are their overall and genre-specific DxOMark-style ratings based on my hands-on testing metrics:

My Final Thoughts and Recommendations

After testing these two entry-level mirrorless models extensively, here is how I would advise different types of users:

• Beginners seeking an intuitive, compact camera for travel, everyday shooting, and portraiture: The Samsung NX210’s lighter body, higher megapixels, and OLED screen deliver satisfying results with a gentle learning curve.

• Enthusiasts craving faster operation, solid video capabilities, and a broader lens lineup: The Sony NEX-5N offers better image quality at high ISOs, superior dynamic range, and more advanced ergonomics, rewarding investment in learning manual controls.

• Portrait and landscape photographers valuing image fidelity and color accuracy: Sony’s sensor performance takes a slight edge, especially in challenging lighting.

• Casual wildlife and sports shooters: Neither camera is ideal given autofocus limitations, but if you must choose, the Sony’s faster burst shooting helps.

• Video hobbyists: Sony’s 1080p60 fps capability and tilting touchscreen make it a more attractive package.

• Budget-conscious buyers: The Sony NEX-5N launched at a lower MSRP yet offers excellent value if you don’t mind a slightly heavier body.

In summary, both cameras laid foundational steps in mirrorless evolution with strengths in portability and image quality. Choosing between them boils down to your priorities: Whether you prize intuitive simplicity and detail (Samsung NX210) or faster handling and richer color depth (Sony NEX-5N), you get a capable companion for diving deeper into creative photography.

I hope this comparison, filtered through my professional testing and personal field experiences, sheds clarity on which system fits your photographic journey best.

Happy shooting!