Samsung GX-1S DSLR

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Folks,

I currently have a Panasonic DMC-FZ18 which is a bridge camera. It suits me fine as it was a big step up from the compact I had. It's a good camera but I wouldn't mind having something a little better. A work colleague (a keen amateur photographer) is interested in buying it from me as a carry around camera and I can get €250 for it as I'll be including some accessories for it.

The Camera Exchange on George's Street have a Samsung GX-1S DSLR for €349. I could buy a more expensive camera but I'm still new to all this and don't want to shell out a load of money for something I may not get the benefit of. I know the camera is only 6MP but I view my pictures on my laptop and have no intention of printing any off. So I'm looking for your opinons. What do you think of Samsung camera's? A DSLR for €349, is it worth my investment or should I just stick with the FZ18 and buy something more expensive in time.

ThOnda

That Samsung is the same as Pentax.

You can find more information and test on dpreview.

There is nothing wrong about this camera. However I am not the best person to give you more information, because I don't have it.

Ricky91t

Well i was quiet amazed to see it rans on AA battery's and the noise seems ok in it!But for the price it great value!check out a few reviews but it seems good
Heres a link to the flickr camera finder shows a few pics taken with the camera http://www.flickr.com/cameras/samsung/gx-1s/

Kintarō Hattori

Hmnnn AA batteries, that's not a good sign. To be honest I prefer a Lithium-Ion battery. I had a look at the selection of photo's on flickr taken with this camera but there's hardly any!

Freddie59

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Hmnnn AA batteries, that's not a good sign. To be honest I prefer a Lithium-Ion battery. I had a look at the selection of photo's on flickr taken with this camera but there's hardly any!

I used 2700mAh AA batteries in a Fuji s5000 for four years. Never a bother. Always good for 100-200 shots at least. Would you consider buying something like a Canon Eos 400D or 450D? Bit more expensive initially but you'll find it's worth it.:)

In fairness those shots on Flickr aren't great but that could be operator error.

This is the nearest one I could find to it on Steve's Digicams:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/gx1l_samples.html

Pictures don't look too bad there.

TJM

It's a good camera with excellent low light performance from the sensor. Don't let the AA batteries put you off - they are handy to use (interchangeable with your external flash and available everywhere in extremis) and you can always substitute rechargeable lithium AAs / CRV3s if you prefer.

FYI, there's an ad on adverts.ie for the Pentax version of this camera (almost identical except for the badge) for less:
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=56275&cat=all

Ricky91t

What about a used 350D?
You'll probably find one for sale on adverts*

They are good Dslr's alot of us on here (around 100 according to the camera census) use them so there's plenty of help to!

*Just to let you know it looks like im trying to get you look cos mine is there but im not cos i dont have one :P

AnCatDubh

About 2 weeks ago Argos (liffey valley) had a Pentax K100D DSLR with Kit lens for 362 euro all in. Seemed really good. And for that you'll get a more modern camera with Image Stablisation built in. Not sure if its still on offer.

As other posters have pointed out - AA batteries are just fine for an amateur/semi pro. They're cheap so you can afford spares and if you buy the more powerful kind 2000mAh or above then you'll end up taking literally hundreds of images off a single set (which are fully charged and generally healthy).

To answer the original question - the samsung is a rebadged pentax and a darn good camera at that. 6Mega pixel is fine for most applications. Where i find it limiting is when in post processing you notice something and want to crop really tight - you essentially have less pixels to play with. This is a limiting factor but maybe encourages you to be a better photographer in the first place - that's my excuse

Other more popular cameras (see current thread on camera census) and generally more expensive (but not overly) like the Canon and Nikon are wonderful cameras too. At this level (DSLR entry) and at the risk of offending everyone on the forum that takes great pride in their Samsung/Pentax/Nikon/Canon/Olympus/Whatever - i think that you'd need to be a genius to figure out the difference in the end result. Often the discernible difference at entry level will be down to the photographer and often the post processing rather than the camera - that is until you start to move into the serious amateur / professional space and then you can argue away to your hearts content as to whats better

You'll also be able to use all of the Pentax lenses and other Pentax gear with the Samsung if you buy. Much of this can be picked up for very reasonable cost on the likes of eBay which is good because they aren't the easiest brand to locate locally (at least that's what i've found). As with the camera body, the Pentax stuff is generally cheaper than other brands (if not as popular!).

Good luck with your purchase.

Kintarō Hattori

Thanks for the information so far guys. Good to know you can actually get a fair few shots from it with AA batteries. I had been thinking about buying a Eos 350 second hand and that's something I may still consider.

I'm glad to hear that it's not such a bad camera and that I have alot of options with the Pentax parts. One thing though which hasn't been answered here and I'm still not clear on, would I be better selling the FZ18 I have and purchasing the Samsung camera, OR, should I keep the Panasonic for the time being and save for something like a Nikon, Sony Alpha or Eos a little further down the road?

TJM

AnCatDubh wrote: »

About 2 weeks ago Argos (liffey valley) had a Pentax K100D DSLR with Kit lens for 362 euro all in. Seemed really good. And for that you'll get a more modern camera with Image Stablisation built in.

That's a fantastic deal.

Ricky91t

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

One thing though which hasn't been answered here and I'm still not clear on, would I be better selling the FZ18 I have and purchasing the Samsung camera, OR, should I keep the Panasonic for the time being and save for something like a Nikon, Sony Alpha or Eos a little further down the road?

Thats a question only you can answer!Are you finding the limits of it?are you upgrading because of it or just cos you'd like the reliability and image quaility of a dslr.Imo going for nikon or canon is your best option,they will always be making cameras with one of the other manufactors they might close down in 5 or 10 years you never know!leaving you with a camera which you cant upgrade.Now im not at all sure about this but i think sticking with the "big boys"in the market will always guarantee upgrade's.Like if you get into sports you've got the canon 40D into wedding's you get a full frame dslr. Only canon nikon and sigma make these at the moment i think(?)
But its your choise

nilhg

ricky91t wrote: »

Imo going for nikon or canon is your best option,they will always be making cameras with one of the other manufactors they might close down in 5 or 10 years you never know!leaving you with a camera which you cant upgrade.Now im not at all sure about this but i think sticking with the "big boys"in the market will always guarantee upgrade's.Like if you get into sports you've got the canon 40D into wedding's you get a full frame dslr. Only canon nikon and sigma make these at the moment i think(?)
But its your choise

I'm sure you're aware that as recently as 21 years ago Canon completely abandoned its FD lens mount and left most of its existing owners with no upgrade path

Canon’s first step to pull itself ahead in the SLR market came with 1986’s innovative T90, a manual-focus camera designed in collaboration with the noted German industrial designer Luigi Colani. The T90’s curved organic shape, heavy reliance upon computer automation and intuitive user interface set the direction for the entire Japanese SLR industry for the next 10-15 years.

The company realized, however, that the future of photography lay in autofocus. Their early experiments - such as the T80, which shipped with somewhat clumsy autofocus lenses adapted to the FD manual-focus lens mount - weren’t particularly successful, so Canon took the risky and unusual step of abandoning their FD mount altogether. In 1987 they released the first cameras and lenses of the EOS system.

EOS cameras were utterly incompatible with Canon’s previous products; a move which obviously alienated legions of Canon FD owners. The risk was calculated, however. EOS cameras with their EF lenses did not rely on any mechanical linkages between body and lens. Unlike all other camera makers Canon chose to house both the autofocus motor and the aperture diaphragm motor in the lens barrel itself.

Source

To the OP, my opinion is that if you think you need to upgrade you should, dont worry too much about the brand, all of them are fine at entry level, and the "smaller" brands have been making most of the running on new improved features.

Kintarō Hattori

Thanks guys. What I'm really after is something that will give me better image quality. Looking at some of your images they are so sharp and the colour's are so rich which is what I'm after. I don't seem to be able to get that with the FZ18 though I don't know if that's a limitation of the camera or mine.

Below are some of your images which I really like due to the sharp detail within them. Will getting a DSLR bring me closer to this or is sharpness and detail like that something I should be able to get even from an FZ18?

amcinroy

Kintaro,

The APS sensors of any modern DSLR will easily beat the 1/2.5-inch sensor of the FZ18 hands down. I suspect that you will be particularly impressed with the low noise, especially at higher ISO.

The Samsung model you mention is essentially a exact copy of the Pentax K100D which is a superb camera. I personally own a K100D and have compared prints against my new K10D. The difference between 6megapixel and 10 megapixel in the final A3 prints is not discernible except by putting your nose to the print.

The main advantage of the pentax/Samsung system is the in-body stabilisation which works with all lenses. You may have to accept however that you will need to buy your lenses online as Pentax stock is generally poor on the high street. Optical quality of Pentax lensesis excellent, particularly of the limited pancake primes which would easily compete with Canon L glass.

Andy

Kintarō Hattori

Thanks Andy,

Well I guess I'll be ringing Argos and see if they have that Pentax camera in stock. Every review I've found of it online is glowing.

mikedragon32

I have the GX - 1S.

Decent camera, it was bought for me as a present (and not the one I would have bought for myself).

I have to say, for ease of use it's the business and it takes decent enough pics (for what I'd use it for) and I'm happy with it. You can check out my flickr to take a look at some of the pics. You can also see other GX 1S users' images with an easy enough search. My userid is mikedragon32 (surprise!!!). Can't link to it at the moment, it's blocked in the office.

One drawback is the scarcity of lenses (same goes for pentax). I've found it difficult to walk into a realworld shop and get any accessories really. I got a Sigma 70-300 in FNAC in Nice last month and it's the first time I actually saw a lens on display without having to enquire with a salesperson.

You can't really go wrong for the money, but to be honest, I'd save a little more and get something else, purely for the versatility of Canons and/or Nikons.

Kintarō Hattori

Thanks Mike. Well it looks like I'm almost certainly going to go for the Pentax. Is the kit lens that comes with this even half way decent?

AnCatDubh

The pentax kit lens is grand to get you started. It would be shunned (as would the kit lens of most other brands) by someone more experienced or professional. It tends to leave things a little 'soft' in my experience however I haven't found it a problem and although i've purchased half a dozen different lenses since, I still find regular use for the Pentax kit. It has a nice wide perspective and the optics of it are generally sound. The resulting colours (i know depends on many other factors) are rich and deep. Coming from the bridge / P&S world - I don't think you'll be disappointed at all.

On another issue commented on in the thread and to expand my original post, personally I'm not a high street shopper for accessories as i think i can find far better value across the web - much comment that you'll find on the forums (not only on Pentax but Canon/Nikon/Olympus/Sony) will be about buying from places like Hong Kong, Kea Photo, Digital Rev, Emily &Lilly, and so on (oh yeah - 'uncle albert' seems to be popular). In fairness it does have the drawback of not being able to get something like NOW. Me - i've never needed something of that nature NOW......

Good luck with it.

amcinroy

Kintaro,

I've heard it said that the Pentax kit lens (18-55mm DA) may be the best kit lens made by any manufacturer.

Many people in the Pentax forums have compared it versus the much pricier Pentax 16-45mm DA constant aperture model and have found only minor difference in image quality.

I personally went the 16-45mm DA route, but that was really only because I needed the wide end.

Andy

ThOnda

K20D + 16-45 is one of possibilities for me. I am still waiting, saving and thinking.

Kintarō Hattori

AnCatDubh wrote: »

About 2 weeks ago Argos (liffey valley) had a Pentax K100D DSLR with Kit lens for 362 euro all in. Seemed really good. And for that you'll get a more modern camera with Image Stablisation built in. Not sure if its still on offer.

I went and bought it today and what's more it's not just the K100D but the K100D Super which includes built in dust reduction!

ThOnda

Enjoy!
Welcome to the Pentax family. You won't regret!

AnCatDubh

Way to go you ! I'm sure you won't be disappointed. You only have to look at some of Andy's work (amcinroy above) to see the possibilities if you aquire the skills and spend time with it.

Now - weather says clear and fine on east coast tomorrow so get up early in the morning head to some beautiful spot, catch the morning light before it gets harsh and fire away to your hearts content only stopping to download your memory card when you run out of space!

Was it still 362 euro? If so dammnnnnnnn fine deal!

Cheers.

Kintarō Hattori

Hey guys,

Oohh I don't know how early I'll be getting up tomorrow as I'm a little drunk nbow after 6 or 7 JD's and coke tonight, so while I'm a little tipsy now I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow.

It was still €360 and I can't describe how surprised and delighted I was to see that it was the K100D Super. I can't believe how heavy it feels!!! I also can't wait to get out and about with it and I hope that I'll be able to contribute to the threads on here.

One thing. Do post people post process when they take photo's or just upload as is?

I is tipsy...... quite a bit.

ThOnda

Most of the (amateur) photographers post pictures - final products of the photography process.
It only depends on you, what you want to do with your pictures. Some do most of the work in front of the lens by using filters, some do heavy post-processing. Cleaning, crop, white balance and framing are the basics you could consider.

But every single one of us is going to tell you different opinion on your pictures, their exposure, composition, processing and framing - photography is subjective art business.