Samsung NX500 vs Sony ZV-E10

The Samsung NX500 and the Sony ZV-E10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2015 and July 2021. Both the NX500 and the ZV-E10 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C 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 ZV-E10
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Samsung NX mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
28 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1036k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
370 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
120 x 64 x 43 mm, 287 g		115 x 64 x 45 mm, 343 g

Check NX500 offers at
ebay.com
Check ZV-E10 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Samsung NX500 and the Sony ZV-E10? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Samsung NX500 and the Sony ZV-E10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZV-E10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the NX500 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-E10 is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Samsung NX500. However, the ZV-E10 is markedly heavier (20 percent) than the NX500. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the NX500 nor the ZV-E10 are weather-sealed.

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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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 ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
9.		Samsung NX1	139 mm	102 mm	66 mm	550 g	500	Y	Sep 2014	1,499	ebay.com
10.		Samsung NX30	127 mm	96 mm	58 mm	375 g	360	n	Jan 2014	999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
12.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	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 obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The ZV-E10 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the NX500, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the ZV-E10 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 28MP, the NX500 offers a higher resolution than the ZV-E10 (24MP), but the NX500 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.63μm versus 3.91μm for the ZV-E10). Moreover, the ZV-E10 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 5 months) than the NX500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the NX500 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the ZV-E10 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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 ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
5.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
6.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
7.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
8.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
9.		Samsung NX1	APS-C	28.0	6480	4320	4K/30p	24.2	13.2	1363	83
10.		Samsung NX30	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.5	12.4	1014	76
11.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
12.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
13.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
14.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
15.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, 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. The NX500 and the ZV-E10 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Samsung NX500 and Sony ZV-E10 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
9.		Samsung NX1	2360	Y	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
10.		Samsung NX30	2359	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
15.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	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 ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 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 has 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 ZV-E10 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Samsung NX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Samsung NX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 can be found, respectively, in the Samsung NX500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-E10 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Samsung NX500 better than the Sony ZV-E10 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages 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).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 56g or 16 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Sony ZV-E10:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 5 months of technical progress since the NX500 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZV-E10 emerges as the winner of the match-up (10 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 ZV-E10 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the NX500 or the ZV-E10. 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 ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
9.		Samsung NX1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,499	ebay.com
10.		Samsung NX30	3/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
12.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

Check NX500 offers at
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Check ZV-E10 price at
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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