[Michael Piziak]

I didn't know Samsung cameras used the K mount. Link: Amazon.com : Samsung GX-10 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Schneider D-XENON Lens : Pentax Dslr : Camera & Photo

[Adam]

I didn't know Samsung cameras used the K mount. Link: Amazon.com : Samsung GX-10 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Schneider D-XENON Lens : Pentax Dslr : Camera & Photo

Current Samsung cameras don't. The Samsung GX-1S, GX-1L, GX-10 and GX-20 were clones of the *ist DS, *ist DL, K10D, and K20D, respectively, back when Samsung made sensors for Pentax.

[Michael Piziak]

I was imagining that it would be a win win situation for Pentax to sale their lens to Samsung cameras too. I guess when Pentax stopped using their sensors, Samsung stopped using K mount.

[stevebrot]

I was imagining that it would be a win win situation for Pentax to sale their lens to Samsung cameras too.

They did. The lenses (not many models) were branded Schneider-Kreuznach.

[LaurenOE]

And the K7 sensor killed the relationship.

[DSims]

But it looks like Samsung may have taken some of the designs from Pentax and more or less reused them for their later non-K-mount lenses. If they didn't actually copy them, they still came out with similar lenses.

[Johndav]

This might be a bit long in the tooth for new stock?

[Fogel70]

Current Samsung cameras don't. The Samsung GX-1S, GX-1L, GX-10 and GX-20 were clones of the *ist DS, *ist DL, K10D, and K20D, respectively, back when Samsung made sensors for Pentax.

Samsung GX-1S, GX-1L and GX-10 used Sony sensors, just like Pentax *ist-DS, *ist-DL and K10D.
AFAIK Samsung did not produce APS-C sensors when they started to cooperate with Pentax.
The reason for the cooperation might have been that Samsung wanted quick access to a system to test their "future" APS-C sensors on.

---------- Post added 01-06-14 at 20:10 ----------

But it looks like Samsung may have taken some of the designs from Pentax and more or less reused them for their later non-K-mount lenses. If they didn't actually copy them, they still came out with similar lenses.

It's not much they can copy from DSLR lenses to use on mirrorless cameras with much shorter register distance as the lenses then will crippled by design. (except telephoto lenses)
Most APS-C systems get lenses with equivalent AOV as have been used for decades on 36x24mm systems, so there is no surprise that lenses are similar between systems.

15-16 mm is the APS-C version of the classical 24 mm
18-23 mm is the APS-C version of the classical 28 or 35 mm
30-35 mm is the APS-C version of the classical 50 or 55 mm
50-60:mm is the APS-C version of the classical 85 mm

[rawr]

It would be an interesting world if the Samsung/Pentax relationship was still active, including shared use of K-mount. The presence of Samsung in consumer electronics (esp mobiles, of course) nowadays is different to what it used to be.

[Michael Piziak]

It would be an interesting world if the Samsung/Pentax relationship was still active, including shared use of K-mount. The presence of Samsung in consumer electronics (esp mobiles, of course) nowadays is different to what it used to be.

Yes, over the years Samsung has gradually developed into a major player in consumer electronics.

[jamesm007]

Current Samsung cameras don't. The Samsung GX-1S, GX-1L, GX-10 and GX-20 were clones of the *ist DS, *ist DL, K10D, and K20D, respectively, back when Samsung made sensors for Pentax.

Only the K20D and K-7 used Samsung APS sensors. Samsung provided memory chips and various unknown other parts, but for sure not sensors through the whole range. When the K20D came out it had the highest mega-pixel count of any APS sensor. It also performed well at higher ISO (for its day).

[Michael Piziak]

Only the K20D and K-7 used Samsung APS sensors. Samsung provided memory chips and various unknown other parts, but for sure not sensors through the whole range. When the K20D came out it had the highest mega-pixel count of any APS sensor. It also performed well at higher ISO (for its day).

Both those cameras have held their values well.

[nater]

It would be an interesting world if the Samsung/Pentax relationship was still active, including shared use of K-mount. The presence of Samsung in consumer electronics (esp mobiles, of course) nowadays is different to what it used to be.

I think it was a good thing the relationship ended. I don't trust Samsung at all:

The Great Smartphone War: Apple vs. Samsung | Vanity Fair

Samsung's revenue is a staggering 17% of South Korea's GDP. Any 'partnership' is likely to go in Samsung's favor long-term since they don't exactly play fair.

[rawr]

Samsung's revenue is a staggering 17% of South Korea's GDP. Any 'partnership' is likely to go in Samsung's favor long-term since they don't exactly play fair.

There is an awful lot of economic nationalism in that article.

[DSims]

I think it was a good thing the relationship ended. I don't trust Samsung at all:

The Great Smartphone War: Apple vs. Samsung | Vanity Fair

Samsung's revenue is a staggering 17% of South Korea's GDP. Any 'partnership' is likely to go in Samsung's favor long-term since they don't exactly play fair.

I couldn't even bear to read much of the article. The whole concept that Samsung is the big bad copycat just because they're the biggest (and most profitable) is ridiculous. Android was developed by Google and released on the HTC/T-mobile G1 (which I still have). All Apple did was take mostly obvious concepts and implement them better than had been done before (something they're good at). To say this is proof that Samsung is evil is as ridiculous as pretending Apple invented the windowing OS.


Do you really think the new iWatch will be anything people haven't imagined for decades? Certainly not. It's just that Apple will implement it, and many of the capabilities will probably actually work well.