While the Samsung Digimax GX 1S is the smallest D-SLR on the market, it doesn’t feel too small, like the Canon Rebel XT / EOS 350D. Build quality is very good, not feeling cheap at all (again, like the Rebel XT). The large right hand grip makes the camera easy to hold, and the important controls are right where you’d expect them.
The GX-1S supports Pentax K-AF lenses (Samsung has put their name on a few of them), which isn’t surprising, as this camera is the Pentax *ist DS2. The camera has a large, high resolution LCD display plus an LCD info display on top of the camera. Unfortunately, this latter LCD lacks a backlight, making it impossible to see in low light. The optical viewfinder is large and bright, and it shows 95% of the frame.
Being a digital SLR, all kinds of add-ons are available, and you can use accessories from both Pentax and Samsung. The GX-1S also gets points for being one of the few D-SLRs that uses AA batteries.