Pentax k-x vs Samsung GX-1S (Pentax *ist DS2)

I know this post is a bit late (ok, like 2 years late). Pentax has moved on to a k-5, k-r and surely a new camera in a couple of months ahead. But hey, there are still lots of people out there with a *ist who may want to upgrade to a k-x since the Pentax k-x is dirt cheap now (less than RM1000/USD300 as of time of writing)!

I'm gonna make this short and simple. Just pros compared to the other camera

Pentax *ist DS2

Pros

• Body is smaller than k-x (which is already small for a DSLR!)
• CCD sensor (debatable whether CCD or CMOS is better)
• Bigger brighter viewfinder (so much more comfortable than a k-x!)
• Second monochrome LCD panel
• Kit lens which comes with it has Quick Shift and metal mount
• Optimal for IR camera modification (these 6MP sensors are known to be more sensitive to IR light)
• Support for both TTL and P-TTL flash (TTL flash are cheaper to find)

Pentax k-x

Pros

• Double the sensor resolution (12MP vs 6MP)
• CMOS sensor (debatable whether CCD or CMOS is better)
• Live view
• High ISO (3200 vs 12800). *ist starts having lots of noise at ISO800, while k-x at ISO6400
• Sensor shake reduction
• Wireless flash support (with Pentax P-TTL flash only)
• Bigger LCD screen
• Faster Autofocus
• Shutter speed (1/6000 vs 1/4000)
• Burst (4.7 fps vs 2.8 fps)
• Video recording
• Comes in white and other crazy colors

Both cameras take AA batteries which is also debatable whether it is truly a pro or a con. But I'm happy with it.

Summary

Ok, there you have it, a quick comparison between the two cameras! Ultimately, although the *ist DS2 is a great camera when it came out in 2006, the Pentax k-x has key features which I needed. But if you are a student who want to start of with a simple DSLR and you can find an *ist DS2 kit for say RM300 to RM500 (USD100 to USD160), then by all means, GRAB it. It's still a great camera for beginners on a budget! Think about it, most cameras (even simple point and shoot) costs around that. But any DSLR because of it's sensor size will beat a P&S camera any day. And a bigger viewfinder means easier manual focusing with all those bargain manual lenses out there.