• 35mm 861.6mm2
  • 36.4 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600
  • APS-C 369.0mm2
  • 20.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Sony A7R advantages over Samsung NX30

  • Lens selection
    Good vs Limited
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Higher effective ISO
    2,746 vs 1,014 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    14.1 vs 12.3 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.71x vs 0.64x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    36.4 vs 20.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 25600 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Samsung NX30 advantages over Sony A7R

  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Touchscreen
    Touch vs No touch
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Fast startup
    ~0.80 vs 2.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • Less shutter lag
    0.12 vs 0.36 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    8.9 fps vs 4.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    8.8 fps vs 4.0 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
  • Slow-motion videos
    Yes vs No
    Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Focus peaking
    Both provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • In-camera panoramas
    Both provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Both provide
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Both provide
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • External Mic Jack
    Both provide
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • 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

  • 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

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Incredibly small body for a fully-featured, full-frame camera; Resolution that rivals a medium-format camera; Excellent image quality even at very high sensitivities; Decent performance bearing in mind its extremely high resolution; Accepts existing Alpha-mount and E-mount lenses, and can optionally crop to APS-C image circle.

  • Extreme resolution makes focus and lens quality critical; Modest performance; Loud shutter; Lacks hybrid autofocus of the A7; Mediocre battery life when using electronic viewfinder; Slow X-sync; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.

  • 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 Sony A7

Sony A7R
Sony A7
  • $1799
  • 35mm
  • Higher effective ISO
  • More pixels
  • $819
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
Samsung NX30
Sony A7
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Touchscreen
  • $819
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Larger sensor

Compared to Samsung Galaxy NX

Sony A7R
Samsung Galaxy NX
  • $1799
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Larger sensor
  • $1199
  • APS-C
  • Touchscreen
  • Built-in Bluetooth
Samsung NX30
Samsung Galaxy NX
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $1199
  • APS-C
  • Slower slow-motion
  • Built-in Bluetooth

Compared to Fujifilm X-T1

Sony A7R
Fujifilm X-T1
  • $1799
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • NFC
  • $1299
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • On-sensor phase detect
Samsung NX30
Fujifilm X-T1
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Touchscreen
  • $1299
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • More viewfinder magnification

Compared to Sony A7R II

Sony A7R
Sony A7R II
  • $1799
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Lighter weight
  • $2898
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Shoot 4K video
Samsung NX30
Sony A7R II
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Touchscreen
  • $2898
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Larger sensor

Compared to Leica M (Typ 262)

Sony A7R
Leica M (Typ 262)
  • $1799
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $4995
  • 35mm
  • Bigger pixels
  • Longer exposure
Samsung NX30
Leica M (Typ 262)
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Focus peaking
  • $4995
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
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