Auto Mode
The GX-1L offers a full auto mode, a program mode and several custom image presets. ISO and white balance are automated in full auto and scene modes and can be automated in manual shooting modes as well.
Movie Mode
The GX-1L has no movie mode. No DSLR yet on the market records videos.
Drive / Burst Mode
We did not have the chance to test the GX-1L's burst mode, but Samsung claims 2.8 frames per second for up to 5 frames in JPEG mode, or for up to 3 frames in RAW mode. We'll officially test this performance in our full review, but we did notice a pause in the burst while shooting 5 JPEGs.
The self-timer on the GX-1L delays exposure for either 2 or 12 seconds.
Playback Mode
The 2.5-inch, 210,000 pixel display is better than the screens most entry level DSLRs have, so playback is pretty useful on the GX-1L. Image magnification goes up to 12x, which is enough to judge the camera's 6.1 megapixel images for focus. Playback displays thumbnails and slide shows as well as single images, and offers post-shot digital filters, including black and white, sepia, soft, slim and brightness.
Custom Image Presets
The GX-1L has presets for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Moving Object, Night Scene, No Flash, Surf and Snow, Text, Sunset, Kids, Pets, Candlelight and Museum. We'll examine them thoroughly in our full review, but in general, the presets appear to set the camera’s shooting parameters the way an experienced photographer would set them in a given situation. If the GX-1L is a trend-setting camera, expect to see more presets than are necessary on consumer-level DSLRs in the future; it's likely that Kids, Pets and Moving Object are pretty similar.
