• APS-C 372.9mm2
  • 12.3 megapixels
  • ISO 200 - 3200
  • APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 20.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800

Buy From

Differences

Nikon D300S advantages over Samsung NX20

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Limited
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 5.50 vs 4.33 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Fast startup
    ~0.30 vs 3.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 950 vs 360 shots
    Capture more photos
  • Top deck display
    Yes vs No
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • More dots on screen
    922k vs 614k dots
    Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
  • Less shutter lag
    0.23 vs 0.35 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • Dual card slots
    Yes vs No
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    26 vs 11 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Samsung NX20 advantages over Nikon D300S

  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • Thinner
    39 mm vs 74 mm
    Thinner
  • Shoots 1080p video
    Yes vs No
    You'll want this if you shoot video
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.69x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    20.3 vs 12.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Higher extended ISO
    12800 vs 6400 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Rugged construction; 51-point AF system capable of sophisticated AF tracking; Large, bright optical viewfinder; 7 fps JPEG or 12-bit RAW burst mode; HD Video capture.

  • 14-bit RAW mode slows continuous shooting from 7 fps to 2.7 fps; Somewhat slow AF for a camera at this level, especially in 51-point auto-area mode; Video capture tops out at 720p24.

  • 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 D90

Nikon D300S
Nikon D90
  • $1697
  • APS-C
  • External Mic Jack
  • More cross-type AF points
  • $1300
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
Samsung NX20
Nikon D90
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $1300
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Bigger pixels

Compared to Canon 50D

Nikon D300S
Canon 50D
  • $1697
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Longer stills battery life
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Less shutter lag
  • More pixels
Samsung NX20
Canon 50D
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Bigger pixels

Compared to Sony DSLR-A550

Nikon D300S
Sony DSLR-A550
  • $1697
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $859
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Tiltable Screen
Samsung NX20
Sony DSLR-A550
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Thinner
  • $859
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Pentax K-01

Nikon D300S
Pentax K-01
  • $1697
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Fast startup
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
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

Nikon D300S
Sony NEX-F3
  • $1697
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Tiltable Screen
Samsung NX20
Sony NEX-F3
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
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