• APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 20.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800
  • APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 20.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 51,200

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Differences

Samsung NX20 advantages over Pentax K-S2

  • Thinner
    39 mm vs 64 mm
    Thinner
  • Lighter weight
    637g vs 859g
    Lighter weight
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.69x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    7.5 fps vs 5.2 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Samsung NX20

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Limited
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Less expensive
    $800 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
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Yes vs No
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Fast startup
    ~1.00 vs 3.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • 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
    0.12 vs 0.35 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Optional anti-aliasing filter
    Optional vs Fixed
    Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    28 vs 11 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 12800 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
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Both provide
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • 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

  • 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

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  • Body Only (White)
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Review Excerpt

  • 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.

  • Read our Samsung NX20 Review

  • Very compact for a weather-sealed DSLR; Good ergonomics and great viewfinder; Excellent image quality; Decent performance for its class; Articulated screen is great for difficult compositions; Offers features not found in other Pentax DSLRs

  • 18-50mm kit lens is fiddly and prone to jamming when retracted; Wi-Fi is slow and unintuitive; Slow startup; Limited movie mode; Poor battery life for a DSLR; Priced too close to its enthusiast-grade sibling

  • Read our Pentax K-S2 Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-01

Samsung NX20
Pentax K-01
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX20 vs Pentax K-01

Pentax K-S2
Pentax K-01
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Longer stills battery life
  • Lighter weight

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-01

Compared to Sony NEX-F3

Samsung NX20
Sony NEX-F3
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compare Samsung NX20 vs Sony NEX-F3

Pentax K-S2
Sony NEX-F3
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony NEX-F3

Compared to Fujifilm X-E1

Samsung NX20
Fujifilm X-E1
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX20 vs Fujifilm X-E1

Pentax K-S2
Fujifilm X-E1
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Thinner

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Fujifilm X-E1

Compared to Pentax K-500

Samsung NX20
Pentax K-500
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Tiltable Screen
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $597
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX20 vs Pentax K-500

Pentax K-S2
Pentax K-500
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $597
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Samsung NX20
Pentax K-S1
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Tiltable Screen
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $502
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX20 vs Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S2
Pentax K-S1
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • $502
  • APS-C
  • Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-S1

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