• 1 inch 116.2mm2
  • 10.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • APS-C 369.0mm2
  • 20.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

Buy From

Differences

Nikon J2 advantages over Samsung NX30

  • Less expensive
    $550 vs $1000 (MSRP)
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • Slower slow-motion
    1200 fps vs 120 fps
    Supports slower slow-mo
  • Thinner
    29 mm vs 41 mm
    Thinner
  • Lighter weight
    395g vs 654g
    Lighter weight
  • Has anti-aliasing filter
    Filter vs No Filter
    Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    60.0 fps vs 8.9 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Samsung NX30 advantages over Nikon J2

  • 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.
  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Tilt-swivel vs none
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Eye-level vs Rear display only
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 4.29 vs 3.41 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • 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
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Better color depth
    23.5 vs 21.3 bits
    Capture richer, more accurate colors
  • Higher effective ISO
    1,014 vs 363 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    12.3 vs 10.8 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/200 vs 1/60 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Hot shoe
    Hot shoe vs None
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • More pixels
    20.3 vs 10.1 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Lacks anti-aliasing filter
    No Filter vs Filter
    Enjoy sharper photos
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    21 vs 12 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    25600 vs 6400 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • On-sensor phase detect
    Both provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
  • Slow-motion videos
    Both provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

Common Weaknesses

  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Neither provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • 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

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Very good image quality at low to moderately high ISOs; Blazing fast single-shot autofocus; Fast 9fps burst with RAW and JPEG files; Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC; Good build quality; Tilting EVF; Articulating touchscreen monitor; Bundled with Adobe Lightroom 5 software; Excellent value.

  • Dynamic range not as good as the best APS-C models; Slow buffer clearing even with fast UHS-I cards; Buffer depth with RAW files is underwhelming; Native lens selection is still fairly limited.

The Competition

Compared to Nikon J1

Nikon J2
Nikon J1
  • $550
  • 1 inch
  • Less expensive
  • More dots on screen
  • $500
  • 1 inch
Samsung NX30
Nikon J1
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $500
  • 1 inch
  • Less expensive
  • Slower slow-motion

Compared to Nikon J3

Nikon J2
Nikon J3
  • $550
  • 1 inch
  • Bigger pixels
  • $617
  • 1 inch
  • Higher effective ISO
  • More pixels
Samsung NX30
Nikon J3
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Focus peaking
  • $617
  • 1 inch
  • Less expensive
  • Slower slow-motion

Compared to Nikon S1

Nikon J2
Nikon S1
  • $550
  • 1 inch
  • More dots on screen
  • Wider angle kit lens
  • $199
  • 1 inch
Samsung NX30
Nikon S1
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Focus peaking
  • $199
  • 1 inch
  • Less expensive
  • Slower slow-motion

Compared to Fujifilm X-T1

Nikon J2
Fujifilm X-T1
  • $550
  • 1 inch
  • Internal flash
  • Thinner
  • $1299
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
Samsung NX30
Fujifilm X-T1
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Touchscreen
  • $1299
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • More viewfinder magnification

Compared to Fujifilm X-T10

Nikon J2
Fujifilm X-T10
  • $550
  • 1 inch
  • Thinner
  • Lighter weight
  • $1099
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
Samsung NX30
Fujifilm X-T10
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Touchscreen
  • $1099
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Doesn't require an AA filter
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