Samsung NX Mini vs Pentax K-3 II

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Samsung NX Mini vs Pentax K-3 II

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1 inch 116.2mm²
20.5 megapixels
ISO 160 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Samsung NX Mini Review.
See real-world photos taken with the NX Mini.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 II.
Compare Pentax K-3 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III
Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Pentax K-3 III

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Differences

Samsung NX Mini advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
22 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Samsung NX Mini

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

720 vs 530 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
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Higher-res screen
346k vs 154k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.35 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.5 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 11 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

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

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read NX Mini User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)

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Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Samsung NX Mini, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Samsung NX Mini Shooter's Report

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon J3

Samsung NX Mini

Nikon J3

$600
1 inch

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

$617
1 inch

Bigger pixels
On-sensor phase detect

Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Nikon J3

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon J3

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$617
1 inch

On-sensor phase detect
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon J3

Compared to Nikon J4

Samsung NX Mini

Nikon J4

$600
1 inch

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

$350
1 inch

On-sensor phase detect
Higher-res screen

Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Nikon J4

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon J4

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$350
1 inch

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon J4

Compared to Canon T6i

Samsung NX Mini

Canon T6i

$600
1 inch

In-camera panoramas
Longer stills battery life

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Nikon J5

Samsung NX Mini

Nikon J5

$600
1 inch

Longer stills battery life
Thinner

$497
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
On-sensor phase detect

Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Nikon J5

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon J5

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$497
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon J5

Compared to Pentax KP

Samsung NX Mini

Pentax KP

$600
1 inch

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Samsung NX Mini vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

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