Ridgefield Park, N.J. — Samsung recommitted itself to the digital-SLR market with the announcement of the new GX-20 today.

Due to ship in March for a suggested $1,399 (body only), the 14-megapixel GX-20 is geared toward a more advanced user, a new market for Samsung, pitting it against Nikon and Canon, among others, for the enthusiast dollar.

The GX-20 uses the same Samsung-developed CMOS sensor found in Pentax’s new K20D. The two firms partnered in 2005 for digital SLR development.

Samsung's GX-20

The sensor can snap14-bit RAW images and can achieve a maximum ISO of 6,400. RAW images can be converted to JPEG files in-camera and the GX-20 sports a dedicated RAW shooting button.

The imager can also vibrate to dislodge dust.

The camera features a 2.7-inch LCD screen with a live-view mode, CCD-shifting image stabilization, and is compatible with lenses from Pentax and Schneider Optics.

The GX-20 is capable of a 3 fps burst to an unlimited number of JPEGs or up to nine RAW image files. It features a pentaprism viewfinder with a 95 percent field of view, an 11-point autofocus system, and uses SD/SDHC memory cards.