Samsung GX-15 announced

Just in case you missed this:
http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=2569

Full specs here:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/06011602samsunggx1s.asp
Is this just a rebadged *ist-DS2? Does it have Samsung firmware and/or other technologies?

Also has listed an optional flash: "SEF-36PZF (optional)". Is this a rebadged AF360FGZ?


And what's to come? Will there be a Pentax, or has it migrated to Samsung bodies with Pentax lens compatibility??!


Watch this space

On another forum, somebody pointed out that this probably WILL be available in Europe.

I'd prefer to import a Pentax, however, if I wanted a DS2.

G

(Excuse my typo in the title: should have been GX-1S)

There, thta's bteter

I bought a DS two weeks ago. I don't care about the bigger screen. And that screen is the only difference between the DS and DS2.
I updated my DS to firmware 2.00 and that does make a difference for the DS.
But if the Samsung will be cheaper or the same price then the Pentax version I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Samsung.

Golfdiesel wrote:

"But if the Samsung will be cheaper or the same price then the Pentax version I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Samsung."

That's the rational approach. Let's hope that future similar cameras with different brandings will be close enough in price that we can afford to be emotional.

G

I hope the Samsung tie in will boost lens range and availability.

I predict:
Samsung will go on to produce the lower end DSLR's for Pentax, while Pentax will concentrate on tagging their name to the higher end models using new Samsung sensors. Samsung is already producing cmos sensors and I think they'll put out an 8 MP cmos soon... which will be placed in the "MZ-D"......????????

My Prediction.

Samsung is a company that deals in volumes, not niche products. They expect to sell a lot of these cameras, and that will provide Pentax with the resources to improve and develop its range.

If Pentax makes the gear for Samsung, great; but if Samsung makes it, Pentax will receive a royalty.

My guess is that within twelve months, sales of K-mount DSLRs will be ten or twenty or even a hundred times what they are now, if not more. There will be a price war with Canon, and K-M, Nikon, and Olympus will feel the squeeze.

Interesting times.

G

Yes, interesting times indeed!

I compare this situation (a bit) to the Apple Macintosh when I bought my little white iBook with MacOS X 10.0 Puma... my friends looked at me as if I was an alien, or something... they respected Apple, but thought I was a bit of a rebel for sticking with them.

I feel pretty much the same with my Pentax, now. Surrounded by Canons and Nikons, everytime I find a DSLR user in an event, they look at me with "that" look in their face...

But Apple is all the rage now. With great computers, wonderfull software and the best operating system on this planet, everyone seems to want to move to Apple (ok, the iPod helps a bit).

I'm hoping the same will happen to Pentax with this alliance. In an years time, everyone will want a Pentax (or a Samsung)!

--
Oscar

P.S. I agree with George, I hope we can afford to be emotional...

"But Apple is all the rage now. With great computers, wonderfull software and the best operating system on this planet, everyone seems to want to move to Apple (ok, the iPod helps a bit). "

Although Apple it would appear want to move to being a Linux PC...

Apple will use its tie ins with other companies to :
A)milk osx for all it can get.
B) use the popularity of the Ipod to boost computer sales (hence "Front Row"
C)develope the next "Best Thing"

Think big Ipod/tablet styled portable computer, with no "boot-lag" instant on osx loaded into flash ram drives with 30 or more gigs of ram.

Pentax will recover thier research and development costs on the Ist d line and get the suppliers they need to get better cameras to market faster. A company that built itself for being first, with many reveloutions and evolutions in the camera industry, came out of the loo, and found the digital train had left without them.

Don,

With respect, Pentax were planning to produce a very good full-frame DSLR based on the MZ-S. The chip turned out to be terrible, and they had to abandon their plans.

This set them back two or three years.

G

Yeah I remember the mock-up they showed one year.
But they're not gonna let that happen twice.
They will get better models out faster now that they got access to better components...
Doesn't hurt samsung to make some change off rebadged pentaxes.
"This years" "amauter" models have the same specs and abilities of "last years" (metaphorically speaking) pro stuff.
you get the idea.
javascript:emoticon('')

http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=2581

Well that's one down, who's going to be the next established name to exit the photographic market? it's getting interesting.

Brian

So Sony have taken over the KM mount..SOny is a bigger brand name than KM so it makes sense to use their label

Pentax and Samsung?

Personally i am not bothered if Pentx becomes Samsung, so long as I can keep up to date with the next generaion DSLR that will fit my existing lenses