Equipment: Samsung NX 3000

My collection (addiction) grows.

Next on my collection of cameras, this is a used Samsung NX 3000.

As it turns out, Samsung before the 2020's made cameras and had a whole lineup for them, which for someone who has exactly zero memories of anything pre 2020, is something I did not know.

These cameras are rare too, as most of the cameras that you could find tend to be from the bigger and still surviving players; Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, etc.

The NX 3000 was released in 2014, more details of which I'm not too familiar with. These have the option of interchanging lens (Which Samsung sold) and definitely come in different colors should you want some flair in yours.

As seen, the one I picked up is a brown leather, which I picked as its definitely retro-inspired.

The photo quality is nice albeit the photos are Super Fine, and I definitely did not get the right settings for night time photos as the shots are too dark, and the camera refuses to take a photo. Otherwise, I think its perfectly fine.

The lens in question is a 16-50 OIS, and uses digital zoom. I would say that it completely falls apart if you want to take good photos from afar, but it handles itself nicely when without or with a little bit of zoom.

What do I think of it? I think its a nice camera to use.

As it is, the menu is less cluttered than my Sony a6400, granted the Sony has much more settings, but it is overall a nice package. The usage is extremely satisfying, genuinely. The sound design is very nice albeit it is the sounds you would associate with a 2010's phone, and the physical buttons have an almost perfect weightage. Its satisfying to use the camera, and although it isn't perfect, the menu and settings layouts are easy to understand.

The timestamp is not included in the original photo, but the camera does have a way to add the date onto the photo, I just couldn't find it then. 😄

However, as a used item, it sadly wasn't faultless. The mode dial is completely stuck, leaving me stuck only in shutter mode. This means that night-time photos won't be easy if not workable at all. I've looked up this issue to see that it was somewhat common enough of a problem that there are tutorials on how to un-stuck it, so while this is a rare and nice camera to use, it didn't come with its own host of issues.

Likely in the future will you see more of this camera being used as for the first day of used ownership, I find it to be a nice little piece of kit. Obviously, most if not all of my photos will still actually be the a6400 because of its point-and-shoot advantage plus the much more crisp quality, but cameras like this will likely be used for bigger events. Let's see.

~Efini

ROBLOX: Honda Civic SiR EF9

 NLJ, A colleague of ours, after letting go of his Nissan Silvia, has finally acquired another set of wheels.

It is in fact, not a Subaru Impreza.

Its the Honda Civic SiR. A less common genuine SiR model, this EF9 is one of many parallel imports of the time, being a step above the officially delievered Si EF3.

For the record though, whilst the EF9 came with a B16A 1.6, this unit does not have that engine anymore, instead being replaced with a more potent 1.8 B18CR from an Honda Integra Type R.

With some close friends, we've brought along three cars for a session of doing absolutely nothing but parking at a random location, drinks in hand and sharing a laugh. A Toyota Crown Comfort, the Honda Civic and a Toyota Altezza.

This Civic SiR, as you would have seen, is not all original, with a set of pre-facelift Honda Integra Type R alloys and foglights, but that is really it in terms of exterior modifications. The only modification that this received in the interior was an aftermarket Italvolante steering wheel. Even the seats are factory!

These days, finding a stock SiR is nearly impossible (Not fully though!), and what our collegue got is probably the best example of one; stock parts, uprated engine, OEM items from a different model.

It would be a slight narrative disservice and one-sided post if I didn't also write about the two Toyota's.

The Toyota Crown Comfort is unfortunately not a Singapore-delievered ComfortDelgro taxi. However, the Crown Comfort specification that Celestar received is comparably identical to what Singapore received, and this unit has been done up by a friend of ours to mimic the ComfortDelgro taxi. However, fitted with GT-Z exterior bits and pieces and a firebreather under the bonnet, it makes around 400 horsepower courtesy of a 3S-GTE.

The Altezza on the other hand, is not as uniquely decorated and modified as the Crown Comfort. It is a mostly stock unit, bearing a set of TRD Sports 5 spokes. The white on white combination is a well-executed combination.

Happily all three of our friends here have already cleaned their car prior to coming here, so the cars are looking their very best for this "for fun" photoshoot.

Someday, Seanan, the owner of the Crown Comfort, is considering for the fun of it, to bump the power up and add a wing. Personal preference, I suppose. Besides, even if it does to extremely south, unlike Singapore, there still are alot of taxis that can be converted to civillian use.

So, back to the SiR. NLJ, or his actual user and why I've been acrynoming his user, ni_lanjiao, is not looking to modify anything. He admits he has not much mechanical knowledge, and so is choosing to not do any modifications to his car apart from adding stickers and general TLC.

Today really is a fun little session for us to get around to meeting. Thanks to Anti, ni_lanjiao (NLJ but honestly I'll just refer to him as his online user) and Seanan for joining.

~Emiri