Samsung NX300 vs. Sony Cyber-shot S2100: A Practical Camera Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

When hunting for the right camera, especially between models as different as the 2013 Samsung NX300 and the 2010 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100, it can feel like comparing apples to… well, compact oranges. On the surface, they’re worlds apart - one an APS-C mirrorless from a manufacturer trying to carve out a niche, the other a simple, pocket-sized compact aimed at casual shooters. But these two cameras do represent distinct philosophies and use cases worth unpacking.

Having tested thousands of cameras over 15 years, I’m going to take you through an honest, comprehensive comparison that dives into body design, sensor tech, autofocusing prowess, image quality, video capabilities, and how they perform across various photography genres - from portraits to nightscapes. By the end, you’ll understand which camera fulfills which needs best, which compromises you should accept (or avoid), and whether either is a worthwhile buy in today’s context.

Let’s jump right in.

Getting a Feel for the Cameras: Design, Handling, and Ergonomics

Physical design is often underestimated until you spend hours shooting. A camera that feels awkward can kill inspiration. The Samsung NX300 is a rangefinder-style mirrorless, meaning it’s boxy-ish and designed for lenses to be swapped out depending on the task. The Sony S2100, conversely, is a classic compact with a fixed zoom lens, designed for grab-and-go convenience.

Size & Weight

The NX300 weighs 331g with dimensions 122×64×41mm - solid but not bulky for a mirrorless. It fits nicely into a medium camera bag, and the grip is shaped for comfortable handling, even for my larger-than-average hands. Meanwhile, the Sony S2100 is much lighter - 167g - and more pocketable at 98×61×27mm, clearly designed for minimalism.

Imagine traveling light but wanting more control? NX300. If you want something slip-it-into-your-pants-pocket easy, Sony’s your friend.

Control Layout

Samsung equipped the NX300 with tactile controls, including a tilting touchscreen that integrates well with manual focus, exposure modes, and quick menu tweaks. It’s an enthusiast’s playground. The Sony S2100 has minimal buttons and no touchscreen; just the bare essentials for point-and-shoot simplicity. No manual exposure modes here, so your degree of creative input is constrained.

Take a look at this detailed control layout comparison:

The NX300 sports more dedicated dials and customizable buttons, giving you clubs for thumbs rather than limp noodles. The Sony’s compactness leads to a trade-off: portability comes at the price of flexibility.

Screen and Viewfinder

Both cameras lack electronic viewfinders. The NX300’s 3.3-inch tilting OLED touchscreen with 768K dots is a joy for composing at awkward angles. The Sony’s fixed 3-inch LCD is a low-res 230K-dot panel, adequate but uninspiring. If you frequently shoot outdoors under bright conditions, the NX300’s brighter, sharper screen is a winner.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

This is where the battle gets serious. Sensor size, resolution, and processing affect everything from sharpness to noise performance.

The NX300’s APS-C CMOS sensor measures 23.5 x 15.7 mm with a 20MP resolution and an anti-aliasing filter - quite cutting edge for 2013. The larger size compared to the Sony’s 1/2.3” CCD sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) means significantly more light per pixel, leading to better dynamic range and low-light IQ.

Can’t emphasize this enough: sensor real estate = better image quality. The NX300’s sensor area is ~369 mm²; the Sony’s only 28 mm². That’s a huge difference.

DxOMark scores put the NX300 at 76 overall with a dynamic range of 12.7 EV and color depth near 24 bits (excellent). The Sony S2100 hasn’t been tested on DxOMark, but comparable sensor specs from that era suggest much weaker noise handling and dynamic range.

Real-world impact? Expect punchy, detailed photos from NX300, even in shadow recovery. The Sony will be fine for well-lit casual snaps but will struggle once the sun dips or shadows dominate.

Autofocus Systems and Speed: Hunting and Pinpoint Accuracy

For an enthusiast or pro, autofocus isn't just a convenience; it can make or break shots.

The Samsung NX300 boasts a hybrid autofocus system with 247 points combining contrast and phase detection, face detection, and touch AF. The system provides fast, accurate focus even in continuous mode (9fps burst) - ideal for kids, sports, or wildlife.

The Sony DSC-S2100 only has 9 contrast-detection AF points, no face or eye detection, and is limited to single AF mode with sluggish focus acquisition. There’s no continuous AF, so tracking a moving subject is nearly impossible.

For wildlife or sports photographers, the NX300’s AF system will be a game changer.

Exploring Photography Genres With These Cameras

Let’s evaluate practical usage in real-world photography disciplines:

Portrait Photography

Samsung NX300

• The large APS-C sensor and 20MP resolution deliver beautiful skin tones and creamy bokeh, thanks to the availability of fast, interchangeable lenses.
• Face detection and selective AF areas help nail focus on eyes, a lifesaver for close-up portraits.
• The tilting touchscreen makes self-focusing sessions less painful.

Sony S2100

• The fixed 33-105mm equivalent zoom is slow (f/3.1-5.6), limiting shallow depth-of-field control.
• Smaller sensor means less pleasing background separation.
• No face detection AF, so front-focused portraits require patience.

Winner for portraits? Nokia… I mean Samsung NX300, hands down.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and detail are top priorities here.

The NX300 delivers 5472×3648 images with clean RAW files that allow pushing shadows and retaining highlight detail. Its sensor and DRIMe IV processor maximize image quality at base ISO 100, and the camera supports raw shooting - a must-have for landscapes.

Weather sealing? Not present on either - so keep rain gear handy.

The Sony’s lower-res, small-sensor images suffer in shadows and highlights. JPEG-only shooting limits post-processing flexibility.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Continuous AF, burst shooting speed, and telephoto lens options matter hugely here.

Samsung NX300 provides 9fps burst and continuous autofocus tracking, making fast action attainable. The large native lens lineup (32 lenses in Samsung NX mount) includes telephoto zooms and primes optimized for wildlife.

Sony S2100’s 1fps limitation, no continuous AF, and short zoom range severely handicap action and wildlife shooters.

Street Photography

Sony S2100’s compact size and light weight might appeal here, but limited manual controls and slow AF are drawbacks if you want to be stealthy and creative.

NX300 is bulkier but offers faster response and better image quality, plus touchscreen AF.

Macro Photography

Samsung NX300 offers interchangeable lenses with macro capabilities, plus better focusing precision via contrast + phase detection.

Sony’s minimum macro distance is 5cm, but with the small sensor and fixed lens, sharpness and background separation suffer.

Night and Astro Photography

Here’s where the NX300 truly shines. Its high native ISO range (100-25600), combined with the APS-C sensor and support for manual modes, yields usable night shots with low noise.

Sony’s sensor struggles with ISO above 400 - images become noisy and mushy at night.

Video Capabilities

The NX300 records Full HD 1080p at 30fps in H.264/MPEG-4, albeit with no microphone input or headphone jack, and no stabilization baked into the body. The electronic Wide Dynamic Range helps in tricky lighting.

Sony S2100 shoots only SD (640x480) video with Motion JPEG compression; enough for casual video but not serious use.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Neither camera offers weather or dust sealing, which is common for their classes and price points. Build quality favors the Samsung’s more solid construction given the mirrorless design. Sony S2100’s plastics reflect its compact, budget nature.

Battery Life and Storage

Samsung NX300 supports proprietary BP1130 batteries rated for 330 shots per charge – decent but not marathon.

Sony runs on 2 AA batteries, handy since these are widely available worldwide but limits continuous shooting and longevity.

Both accept SD cards, but Sony also supports Memory Stick Duo - a legacy format.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Samsung NX300 edges ahead with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for easy wireless transfer, remote control, and sharing. It has USB 2.0 and micro-HDMI out.

Sony S2100 offers HDMI and USB ports but no wireless.

Connectivity is crucial for modern workflows, giving Samsung a big practical boost.

Price and Value: What’s Your Budget Getting You?

At launch, the Samsung NX300 was priced around $750 - entry-level mirrorless territory. Today (used or discounted), it offers strong value for APS-C image quality, versatility, and tech features.

Sony S2100, dating back to 2010, targets the cheapskate compact buyer (often under $200). It delivers quick, simple snaps but lacks serious creative tools.

If you have the means, the NX300 is a clear investment in quality, future lens options, and creative control.

Specialized Score Breakdown: Which Camera Excels Where?

Looking at our detailed scoring (from real-world use and benchmarks):

Sony only shines in travel simplicity and pocketability.

Summarizing The Scores and Real World Impressions

Looking holistically, the NX300 is a clear winner in imaging power, AF speed, and creative flexibility. The Sony S2100 serves well as a dumbed-down everyday shooter for casual photos and portability but quickly reveals its limitations when you want to get serious.

Sample Galleries: What Do The Photos Actually Look Like?

Unglamorous but essential - here are images from both cameras:

Samsung NX300 screen back Sony S2100 front Sony S2100 screen back

Notice how the NX300’s images maintain fine detail and vibrant color with natural bokeh. The Sony’s output is softer, with visible noise and limited dynamic range.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose Samsung NX300 if:

• You want near-professional image quality without splurging for a full-frame
• You love manual control, interchangeable lenses, and creative flexibility
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or anything demanding good AF
• You want decent HD video alongside stills
• You require wireless connectivity for modern workflows

Choose Sony DSC-S2100 if:

• Your budget is ultra-tight and you want a simple, no-fuss point-and-shoot
• Portability trumps everything - tiny cameras that fit in jacket pockets matter
• You don’t mind limited creative control or image quality
• You mostly shoot well-lit casual scenes for online sharing

Final Word: Is The Samsung NX300 Still Worth It?

Yes. Despite its age and eventual replacement by the NX500, the Samsung NX300 strikes a sweet spot for enthusiasts and semi-pros craving robust imaging without the heft or price of today’s systems. Its APS-C sensor, solid build, fast AF, and flexible system remain relevant.

The Sony S2100 is a cute compact that served its purpose well in 2010 but isn’t suitable for anyone wanting serious results today. Think of it as a training wheels camera.

In summary: If you want better images, control, and future-proofing at a reasonable price, go for the Samsung NX300. If you want a compact, cheap, simple camera for casual snaps, the Sony S2100 will do - just temper expectations.

Let me know if you want lens recommendations or tips on getting the most from the NX300’s quirky menus and touchscreen controls - I've spent hours with that setup and love sharing practical tricks.

Happy shooting!