3The Samsung GX-1S is a small, lightweight, 6-megapixel DSLR with a Pentax lens mount, 11-point autofocus, and a kit price around $800. It looks very similar to Pentax's DSLRs, which are tough, nicely styled, and easy to use. Predictions point to the sub-$1000 DSLR field as the expanding market for digital cameras, so it makes sense for Samsung, a company with ambitions in the photographic industry, to produce a model for this field.. The question is whether the GX-1S is the right camera to introduce in such a competitive market.
Connectivity Software (6.5) The GX-1S ships with Digimax Master software, a Windows-only package for editing and organizing both JPEGs and RAW files. Digimax offers a full suite of editing and printing functions.
Jacks, Ports, Plugs (7.5) The GX-1S has a USB 2.0 port, an analog video output, a jack for an external power supply, though Samsung doesn't include a power supply, a hot shoe, a jack for a wired remote control, and a sensor for an infrared remote control.
Direct Print Options (6.5) The GX-1S supports DPOF and PictBridge for printing without a computer. Users can select images to print, the number and size of prints, whether to print borders, whether to print the shooting date, and on PictBridge printers, the paper type and quality. This is an extensive implementation of direct-printing standards, and better than many competing cameras offer.
Battery (6.75) The GX-1S takes 4 AA batteries. We used NiMH rechargeables and had to change them pretty often. Our experience is that cameras which take custom Lithium-ion cells usually have longer life than those which take AA cells.
Memory (3.0) The GX-1S accepts SD media cards, a very popular storage medium for digital cameras. SD cards are durable, widely available, and, megabyte for megabyte, an inexpensive media format.