Samsung NX500 vs Sony A7 III

The Samsung NX500 and the Sony Alpha A7 III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2015 and February 2018. Both the NX500 and the A7 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (NX500) and a full frame (A7 III) sensor. The Samsung has a resolution of 28 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Samsung NX500		Sony A7 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Samsung NX mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
28 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1036k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		610 shots per battery charge
120 x 64 x 43 mm, 287 g		127 x 96 x 74 mm, 650 g

Check NX500 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Samsung NX500 and the Sony Alpha A7 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Samsung NX500 and the Sony A7 III is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7 III is considerably larger (59 percent) than the Samsung NX500. Moreover, the A7 III is substantially heavier (126 percent) than the NX500. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7 III is splash and dust-proof, while the NX500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Samsung NX500	120 mm	64 mm	43 mm	287 g	370	n	Feb 2015	799	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
10.		Samsung NX1	139 mm	102 mm	66 mm	550 g	500	Y	Sep 2014	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Samsung NX30	127 mm	96 mm	58 mm	375 g	360	n	Jan 2014	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
16.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The NX500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the A7 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Samsung NX500 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A7 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7 III is 130 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Samsung NX500 offers a higher resolution of 28 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Sony A7 III. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.63μm versus 5.94μm for the A7 III). Moreover, it should be noted that the A7 III is much more recent (by 3 years) than the NX500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the NX500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Samsung NX500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the NX500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 32.4 x 21.6 inches or 82.3 x 54.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 21.6 x 14.4 inches or 54.9 x 36.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7 III are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Samsung NX500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 III are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 III has a markedly higher DXO score than the NX500 (overall score 9 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.2 bits higher color depth, 0.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.4 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Samsung NX500	APS-C	28.0	6480	4320	4K/30p	24.8	13.9	1379	87
2.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
5.		Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
6.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
7.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
8.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
9.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
10.		Samsung NX1	APS-C	28.0	6480	4320	4K/30p	24.2	13.2	1363	83
11.		Samsung NX30	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.5	12.4	1014	76
12.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
13.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
14.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
15.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
16.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
17.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7 III has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the NX500 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Samsung NX500, the Sony A7 III, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Samsung NX500	none	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/6000s	9.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Samsung NX1	2360	Y	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
11.		Samsung NX30	2359	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The NX500 has one, while the A7 III does not. While the built-in flash of the NX500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Samsung NX500 and the Sony A7 III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The NX500 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7 III uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A7 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the NX500 only has one slot. The A7 III supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the NX500 can use UHS-I cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Samsung NX500 and Sony Alpha A7 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Samsung NX500	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Samsung NX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Samsung NX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A7 III has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The NX500 lacks such a headphone port.

The A7 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the NX500 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the NX500 from Samsung. Further information on the features and operation of the NX500 and A7 III can be found, respectively, in the Samsung NX500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 III Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Samsung NX500 and the Sony A7 III? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Samsung NX500:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (28 vs 24MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1036k vs 922k dots).
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x64mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 363g or 56 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2015).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A7 III:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (9 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.8 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.4 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/6000s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (610 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the NX500 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7 III is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Samsung NX500 and the Sony A7 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the NX500 and the A7 III in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Samsung NX500	4.5/5	..	..	81/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	799	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
10.		Samsung NX1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Samsung NX30	3/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
16.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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