Pentax K10D
Review Date : Mon, 5 Mar 2007
Author : Jamie Harrison
The Pentax / Samsung relationship has been something of a strange affair when it has come to their DSLR output, continually resulting in two products that can only be separated by the maker's name and price...
| Pros: | Professional build quality, Top-end spec, Excellent price point, Good AF system |
|---|---|
| Cons: | Multi-area metering underexposes too easily, Occasionally wayward auto white balance |
The Pentax/Samsung relationship has been something of a strange affair when it has come to their DSLR output, continually resulting in two products that can only be separated by the maker’s name and price. At the launch of the K10D and GX10 though, the two manufacturers were much keener to distance their particular camera from the other than they have been previously, citing the interface and firmware as key differentiating features.
Both combine high-end specification, a ‘professional’ build quality and a price that won’t leave you struggling to pay the mortgage for months to come.
Verdict
What we’re looking at here is a pair of cracking DSLRs – the Samsung GX10 and the Pentax K10D – that redefine what we should expect at this price point. If you think ‘Nikon D200 at a D80 price’ you won’t go far wrong and I’m genuinely shocked to be saying that in many ways Pentax/Samsung are now ‘class leaders’ and certainly not the ‘also-rans’ they had risked becoming. The key to getting the best from them lies in how much work you are willing to put into your photography. If you want to shoot Raw, have a basic understanding of exposure metering and white balance then you won’t go wrong, but if you just want to point and shoot you’ll be better served elsewhere. As for whether you buy the Pentax K10D or the Samsung GX10, I have to say the final decision has nothing to do with the cameras themselves, or the images they produce. While the respective manufacturers may talk about ‘firmware tweaks’ it remains a mystery what tangible difference they make; certainly if you make comparative prints up to A3 in size you aren’t going to separate them, hence there’s no choice but to give the same overall score for both models. However, if you want me to pick one over the other it’s the additional 12 months’ peace of mind offered by Samsung’s two-year warranty that swings my vote to the GX10. www.pentax.co.uk
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