Samsung GX-10 vs. Pentax K10D
All the Samsung DSLRs were 100% clones of the Pentax so far: GX1-S = *ist DS2 and GX1-L = *ist DL2. The only difference was in the brand names engraved on the pentaprism cover. As for GX10, its still pretty similar to K10D but there are some little species differences. If you look at the camera’s hand grips on the picture above you’ll notice that Samsung’s one has a vertical hallow on the inner side (will it help or not?). Also GX-10 has an oval IR remote sensor window and less streamlined pentaprism cover shape.
On the rear side the biggest difference between two cameras is the size and shape of the buttons. Shake reduction function, while being the same as in the K10D, named OPS (Optical Picture Stabilization) in Samsung camera. Pentax PRIME engine based on the NuCore NDX2240 processor will be named different too.
Inside the weather-sealed body both cameras shares the same electronics. The only clear-cut distinction is the absence of the PEF RAW option. Samsung GX-10 can only write RAWs in DNG file format. According to it’s user manual, average DNG size is 17Mb. Bundled RAW development software - Digimax DNG Converter - cannot work with PEF files.
Menu design and layout comparison: Samsung GX-10 (left) and Pentax K10D (right)
All the accessories are fully interchangeable. Note that Samsung’s proprietary battery marked SLB-1674 and the charger - SBC-L6, but you can use battery and charger from Pentax (D-LI50) or any NP-400 clone.
December 12th, 2006 at 2:46 am
All things considered, I prefer the look of Pentax.
January 16th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
If there is difference in the RAW formats available, there could exist other differences in the firmware. It could be nice if some tester would check this (ie. the sharpening and noise reduction algorithms). It would be also interesting to compare the set 18-55 lenses. If you know about such comparison tests, please post URL!
January 16th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Samsung’s JPEGs are sharper and more saturated by default.
March 31st, 2007 at 8:20 am
I have to say that from what I have read the Pentax K10D is a slightly better performer, but mostly at the PP level. If you are not obsessed with every single pixel then you will likely see no difference. To be honest, the thing that worries me is the support system of Samsung vs. Pentax. Pentax has a great, and very long history of customer service. Samsung, well I just don’t know. Buying a Korean camera feels to me a bit like buying a Russian car. However, in over all styling I think the GX-10 gets the nod. I like the pentax better from the front, but from the rear, it’s no contest (you can really see Samsung’s experience in television displays at work here), and for me, I am a bit more concerned with the side of the camera that I will be looking at most of the time. All that aside, I still think I will end up going with the K10D.
April 10th, 2007 at 12:49 am
comparing Samsung to a russian car is like comparing a japanese car to an East German - they are miles apart. Not only is Korea at the forefront of much cutting edge technology (LCD’s, storage, memory to name a few), but they are damn hard to stay there (at the forefront).
On a positive note, Korean support tends to be pretty good, as korean custom dictates that the customer is always right! This leaves you with the price…
Anyone feeling adventurous in crossflashing the firmware between Pentax K10 and Samsung GX10?
August 20th, 2007 at 9:49 am
The Samsung has a much better looking menu interface and at £450 with the current £100 cash back has to be the bargain of the year!!!
November 5th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I have found that K10D is equipped with auto-popup build-in flash, which will automatically pop-up and light up the scene to help auto-focus in darker conditions. Samsung GX10 has not so detailed information published, - I only fonud that GX10 has manual-popup flash - so I dont know, whether the “flash aided auto-focusing” in darker conditions is available in GX10 or not… Anybody has an experience with this?
Thanx
November 6th, 2007 at 7:12 am
Johny, GX10 can light up the scene with its built-in flash too. Also auto-popup feature in K10D could be turned off, as well as turned on on GX10.
November 9th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
vk:
I have a GX10, and am interested in knowing HOW to turn on the auto-popup feature for the flash on the camera. Please could you also direct me to the page in the manual where it is found.
November 26th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Its in your function menu put your camera on av or manual
then hit function go down to the flash section
you get manual auto red eye first and second curtain sync etc
dont know what page in the manual though
I have a gx10 the jpegs are better the handling and style are slightly better
my pentax buddies like mine so much they too are asking about flashing over to samsung firmware
I grew up on pentax and I love them but I bought a samsung because it was the better camera
and 150£ cheaper
December 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
I just bought a Sammy GX10 & 18-55 lens
$330us @ Amazon (sorry, no longer in stock at this price)
It arrived Friday so I havent had time to shoot,
so all I can say, I got a heck of a deal!
December 30th, 2007 at 12:49 am
I am also interested in the auto flash pop up function of the GX10. If anyone could give further details of settings I would be very pleased. I’ve tried all the settings in the manuel (pages 70-75). All examples seem to suggest actual pressing of flash button.
Have only had the GX10 with a Tamron 18-250mm for a week but for my requirements, seems to be a great combination.
Many thanks in anticipation.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
i really don’t like using the pop up flash and looking to buy a flash gun for my new camera - anybody got any good suggestions? i have been recommended SEF 36PZF….can anybody advise? Thanks
July 19th, 2008 at 5:26 am
SEF 36PZF is a good choice. It’s a clone of Pentax FGZ360. BTW, you can use Pentax flashguns with your Samsung DSLR. And if you’re short on budget, you can look at the Sigma for Pentax flashguns:
http://pentaxlife.com/two-new-sigma-flashes
August 5th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Hi, interesting reading including the uninformed opinions!
I have a GX10. Image quality is same as Pentax as it uses the same sensor.
The quality of the camera is physically the same and the potential difference lies in the assembly and quality of the electronic components. One will have to look for long term user reports to see if there is a difference.
The menu layout on screen is better than the Pentax (easier to use). Any other differences are in the mind of the beholder! Don’t let the brand name mislead you.
By the way, I have found that a Samsung VCR remote control works with the IR remote control of the camera - so you might save some money if you have such a thing lying around the house.
Default Jpeg setting in the GX10 is ‘Bright’ mode so the jpeg images will look better than Pentax default.
Korean customer service will depend on the quality of the local Samsung agency, not Korean customer service philosophy. For Korean car makers though, I have the experience that Koreans don’t like to admit fault (lose face that way) and therefore don’t respond well to customer complaints. Maybe it is different with cameras?
As far as Korean quality standards go, my Korean car has a ten year guarantee - do any European manufacturers have similar faith in their products?
As far as flash units go, you can use anything that is compatible with digital cameras - if you buy second hand, check the websites suggested above for flash output voltage. The GX10/K10D both have a limit of 30 volts sensitivity.
I bought a second hand Achiever flash model TZ250. It works fine in auto flash mode but did not work with an optical trigger (I have another unit as well, a Nikon SB22 which also works fine). I reversed the polarity of the center pin on the Achiever from negative to positive and it now works with an optical trigger.
I found however that using it off camera with the built in flash as the controller does not work as the flash system on the GX10/K10 uses a preflash and this triggers the optical trigger and the off camera flash goes off before the actual picture is taken. That is why I bought a second flash unit to use on the camera. Any flash unit that is not P-TTL compatible will not fire a preflash and thus can be be used as the master unit to fire an off board flash through an optical trigger. Two flash set ups give a better spread of light and better images.
There are however optical triggers that can be set to ignore the first flash and fire on the second flash - these can then be used with the built in flash as a controller. In such a set up, the onboard flash can be used to fill in and the offboard flash can be used as the main flash, in auto mode.
If you use a flash unit in bounce mode, be aware that the light reflected onto the subject is about a quarter of non bounce exposure and the auto mode of the flash may not be sensitive enough - you get around this by using the flash unit in full manual mode but have to reduce the flash unit guide number to at least half the usual setting.
All the best
James
August 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Thank you for your report, James. That thing with the Samsung VCR remote is really awesome.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:04 am
Hi James, the compatibility of the VCR remote with the GX-10 is really interesting. By the way, do you remember the model of the VCR and/or remote? Because I have a Samsung VCR and tried to control my GX-10 using the VCR remote, with no success…
bye
Renzo