• APS-C 332.3mm2
  • 18.0 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 20.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800

Buy From

Differences

Canon T3i advantages over Samsung NX20

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Limited
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Less expensive
    $600 vs $1100 (MSRP)
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Fast startup
    ~1.50 vs 3.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 440 vs 360 shots
    Capture more photos
  • More telephoto lens reach
    216 mm vs 84 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • More dots on screen
    1040k vs 614k dots
    Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options

Samsung NX20 advantages over Canon T3i

  • Larger sensor
    APS-C vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • More dynamic range
    12.9 vs 11.5 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • Thinner
    39 mm vs 79 mm
    Thinner
  • Lighter weight
    637g vs 1031g
    Lighter weight
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.69x vs 0.53x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    7.5 fps vs 3.6 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Focus peaking
    Neither provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Neither provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • In-camera panoramas
    Neither provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Neither provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Top deck display
    Neither provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Review Excerpt

  • Excellent image quality; Good grip; Full HD video recording; Swiveling LCD; Very fast autofocus; HDMI output.

  • Slow frame rate for sports shooting; Tendency to overexpose in bright sunlight; Live View AF is slow; No microfocus adjustment.

  • High quality images with lots of detail; Excellent graphical user interface is fun to use; Smart implementation of WiFi makes it relatively easy to share photos wirelessly.

  • Designed so much like a DSLR you may wonder why you shouldn't get a DSLR instead; Some performance issues, particularly slow buffer clearing and shot-to-shot speed; Initial WiFi set-up can be confusing.

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon T3i
Nikon D7000
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Fast startup
Samsung NX20
Nikon D7000
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Pentax K-5

Canon T3i
Pentax K-5
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Samsung NX20
Pentax K-5
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Pentax K-01

Canon T3i
Pentax K-01
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Samsung NX20
Pentax K-01
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking

Compared to Sony NEX-F3

Canon T3i
Sony NEX-F3
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-camera panoramas
Samsung NX20
Sony NEX-F3
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Canon T4i

Canon T3i
Canon T4i
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • $579
  • APS-C
  • Touchscreen
  • Fast startup
Samsung NX20
Canon T4i
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $579
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Lens selection
Compare Other Cameras?