samsung-gx10_1Samsung won’t come as the first name when speaking about DSLRs but after their co-operation with Pentax, it is their third DSLR to be available in the market with this GX-10 which is crap by no means. It sports a 10 MP Sensor, anti-dust technology, built-in image stabilization in a solid body that also comes with an affordable price tag. But does this camera has good enough picture quality to be considered as a camera that can win the hearts of the amateur photographers who are looking for a entry level DSLR camera to start some creative photography? We have made a review to find the answer. Have a go.

Design and Build

Th GX-10 has a nice dust-and-weather sealed 1.8 pound body with a build quality that is rare to see in an entry level DSLR Camera. All buttons and dials feel like made to last. With polycorbonate camera body and stainless steel chassis it weighs a minimal 800g with battery. The build quality is really a pro-level camera like.

Features

The camera is packed with features that can be seen in a semi-pro level camera though it is only an entry level DSLR. There is a one touch RAW capture mode with in-camera processing, flash light compensation in 1/2 or 1/3 EV Steps and built-in Optical Image Stabilization. It lacks the common scene mode which really suggests that the users of this camera will be enough skilled to adjust the camera settings according to the scene with their knowledge.

Image Quality

The images shot with the GX-10 has a nice picture quality with lots of fine details. The JPEG images shot with the camera at 10 MP resolution takes only about 3MB space which is an indication that a heavy compression might have been used on the camera. However, you can always shoot in RAW mode to keep all the details of the photos. The picture quality from the RAW photos really resembles the professional quality photos.
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Autofocus

The camera has the options to choose from dynamic area AF, central AF or manual selection of one of the 11 focusing points. You can always fine tune the autofocus by manually turning the focussing ring on the front to the lens.

Speed

The camera speed is only average but that is reasonable keeping in mind its price tag. The time to first shot was very poor and the shutter lag was about half a second. The autofocusing also takes time and it can be as much as 1.6 seconds to shoot in dim lights. The JPEG and raw mode shoot also falls short in speed which is about half a second.
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ISO

The sensor sensitivity supports from 100 to 1600 ISO ratings. The images were noise free upto 400 and only barely visible noise in ISO800 and a competitive ISO 1600. Overall, the images were very sharp and noise free even in moderate to high ISO Settings.

Dust Reduction

Dust on the CCDs traditionally has been a great problem for DSLRs with interchangeable lenses. It is always nice to see an entry level camera is employing some dust reduction technology to remove the dirt off the sensor. It uses a vibration mechanism that should remove the loose dust that have accumulated on the sensor. While it is not a full-proof technology, you should always change lenses with extreme caution so that no dust gets within the camera.
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Pros

  • Superb Picture Quality
  • Solidly Built Weather resistant and Dust Resistant Body
  • Nice set of features for its price class
  • Good Kit lens
  • Good 11 Point AF System

Cons

  • Autofocus does not work occasionally
  • Optical Picture Stabilization does not work well enough

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Conclusion

If you are an old Pentax camera fan and have an older SLR model with some lenses you can surely try the GX-10 which will fit all older Pentax lenses with KA, KAF, or KAF mount. And if you are new to this world and want to start with a camera that has nice picture quality with good set of features, there is not too many cameras that you’ll find at this price range. At end of the day, we would highly recommend this camera for the photographers on budget.