Samsung GX-20 DSLR: Pentax K20D’s Guts, Different Body

Remember the Pentax K20D, with its Samsung co-developed CMOS image sensor? Well, Samsung has their own take on it—same imaging viscera, but with a different body and software. Oh, the.JPEG processing is done in a slightly disparate way as well. Since the choice between the two largely comes down to looks, which one seems sexier to you? Spec sheet below.

Price (body only) • UK: £ 699
Body material • High-impact plastic with metal sub-structure
• Dust and weather resistant seals throughout
Sensor

• 14.6 million effective pixels
• 3:2 aspect ratio
• 23.4 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor
• RGB Color Filter Array
• Built-in fixed low-pass filter
• 15.1 million total pixels
Image processor • PRIME
• 22-bit ADC
Stabilization Sensor shift
Image sizes

• 4688 x 3120 [14.6 MP] (RAW/DNG)
• 4672 x 3120 [14.6 MP]
• 3872 x 2592 [10 MP]
• 3008 x 2000 [6 MP]
• 1824 x 1216 [2 MP]
File formats • RAW (DNG)
• RAW + JPEG
• JPEG (EXIF 2.21)
RAW compression n/a
Lens mount • PENTAX bayonet KAF2 mount
• KAF2, KAF, KA mount lenses
Usable lenses

• Schneider D-XENON, D-XENOGON, SAMSUNG lens
• PENTAX DSLR lenses are available
• KAF2, KAF, KA mount lenses
Auto Focus

• TTL phase-matching 11-point AF
• SAFVOX VIII
• AF operational brightness range: EV -1 to 18 (at ISO 100 with f/1.4 lens)
• Focus lock
Lens Servo • Single Servo AF
• Continuous Servo AF
• Manual focus
Focus Point 11 focus points
AF Area Mode

• Single point AF
• Center AF
• Automatic-area AF
Focus Lock

Half-press shutter
AF assist External Speedlite only
Exposure modes

• Auto
• Program
• Shutter Priority AE
• Aperture Priority AE
• Sensitivity Priority AE
• Shutter & Aperture Priority
• Manual
• Bulb
• Flash X-sync
• User Mode
Metering

• TTL open-aperture 16-segment
• Metering : Multi, Center-weighted, Spot
Metering range • EV0 ~ 18 (ISO 100, 50mm F1.4)
Exposure lock Yes
Exposure bracketing

• 2 to 9 frames
• 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV steps
Exposure compen. • +/-3 EV (1/2EV step) , +/-2EV (1/3EV step)
Sensitivity

Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (1/3EV or 1/2EV step) 6400 (User setting)
Shutter Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter
DOF Preview Yes
White balance Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent (W, D, N), Flash, Manual, Color Temperature (1, 2, 3), One Touch WB
Image parameters /
Presets

• B&W(4 type)
• Sepia(3 type)
• Color (18 type)
• Color extract (6 type)
• Soft (three-level amount adjustable)
• Illustration
• HDR (3 type)
• Slim (+/- 8 level amount adjustable)
• Brightness (+/- 8 level amount adjustable)
Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB
Viewfinder • Pentaprism
• 95% Field of View
• Diopter Adjustment -2.5 ~ +1.5m-1
Focusing screen Natural-Bright-Matte II Focusing Screen
LCD monitor Low-temperature polysilicon TFT color LCD Monitor, 2.7″ (approximately 230K pixels), Brightness control, Wide angle view
LCD Liveview

• Live View(up to 3min.), Digital Preview
• Field of view 100%, Magnification, Grid display
Self-timer • 2sec., 12sec.
• Remote control, Remote control 3sec. (Compatible with Pentax Remote Control, Optional)
Shooting modes • Single
• Continuous (Hi, Low)
• High-speed Continuous
• Self-timer (12sec., 2sec.)
• Remote Control (3sec.)
• Remote Control Continuous
• Auto Bracket
• Expand Bracket
• Multi Exposure
Continuous • JPEG : 3fps (depends on memory capacity)
• RAW?3fps (up to 9 frames)
Flash

• Type Built-in retractable P-TTL auto pop-up flash
• Modes Auto, Fill-in, Auto & Red eye, Fill-in & Red eye, Front curtain synchro, Front curtain synchro & Red eye, Rear curtain synchro
• Guide Number 13 (at ISO 100)
• Angle of View Coverage 28 mm wide-angle (Equivalent to 35mm)
• Sync. Speed 1/180sec., Red-eye reduction (Control Range : -2 ~ +1 EV)
External flash • Hot Shoe
• X Synchro socket (Sync. Speed : 1/180sec.)
• High Speed Synchro, Wireless Synchro (External Flash)
Playback options

• Single image, Thumbnail, Rotate, Slide Show (Transition Effect), Histogram

• Edit: Rotate, Digital Filter, Picture Wizard * Picture Wizard : Normal, Vivid, Soft, Portrait, Landscape * Picture Wizard Parameter Range : ± 4 (9 steps)

• Digital Filter: B&W (4 types), Sepia (3 types), Color Selection (18 types), Color (6 types), Soft (3 steps), Illustration, HDR (3 steps), Slim (±8 steps), Brightness (±8 steps)

• Pixel Mapping
Connectivity

• Digital Output: USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED)
• Video Output : NTSC, PAL (user selectable)
• DC Power Input Connector : DC 8.3V, 2A (100 ~ 240V)
• External Release Socket
• X Synchro Socket for External Flash
Storage

• SD/MMC
• SDHC
Power Lithium ion battery : SLB-1674, Charger : SBC-L6,
Dimensions 142mm × 101mm × 71.5mm (excluding the projecting parts of the camera)

[DP Review]