Originally posted by ducdao Ok seems there are several persons adamant about the K10D uses Sony sensor. Does is mean that the Samsung GX-10 that was developed in collaboration with the K10D also uses a Sony sensor?
Yes. It's kind of stretch to say the GX-10 was "developed in collaboration with the K10D". I believe it is more like, Pentax developed it by themselves, then licensed the design to samsung to build their own clone. Just as was the case with the *istDS2 and the Samsung GX-1S.
And to be clear, there aren't just two sensors out there (one from Sony and one from Samsung). There are two different Samsung sensors (one for K20D, a different one for K-7), and at least three different Sony sensors used in Pentax cameras (the 6Mp sensor in the *ist and K1x0D series, the 10MP sensor in the K10D, K200D, and K-m/K2000), and the 12MP sensor in the K-x. And it seems the three models using 10MP Sony sensors actually used different different variations, or at least different ancillary hardware - so they actually all perform differently, especially with respect to high ISO.
The 6MP cameras like your K100D are all long discontinued. But it's really just as well - although those are fine and impressive cameras in their own rights, they are outclassed by most of the cameras that supplanted them. The K-x (a completely different Sony sensor) and K20D (using one of the two Samsung sensors) in particular would be the models that would be a step up from the K100D. All the other 6MP models would be a step down (no SR!), although the *ist D and DS do at least have a larger viewfinder - but then, so does the K20D, but the K20D also has SR, over twice the resolution, better high ISO capability, weather sealing, more camera controls, etc. That's the camera to step up to, I'd say, if you're looking at older models. The K-x is also a step up with regard to the sensor itself, although more of a step sideways in other respects.