Friday, 29 March 2013

Thursday, 28 March 2013

NX1000 + 18-200mm zoom + iZoom

SAM_3622 by chris_rabe
SAM_3622, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

This one was testing out the iZoom functionality at 2.0X. I am coming to get the impression I may as well just crop images rather than use the iZoom. I thought initially it maybe used the sensor differently to get the magnification, but now thinking it is simply cropping, which I could just do myself.

NX1000 + 18-200mm zoom

SAM_3605 by chris_rabe
SAM_3605, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Decided to snap an airliner as it was going past. This one I did have to manipulate a bit in lightroom as it was hazy.

NX1000 + 18-200mm zoom

SAM_3608 by chris_rabe
SAM_3608, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

OOC Joeg. Just cause it was sunny :)

NX1000 + 18-200mm zoom

SAM_3612 by chris_rabe
SAM_3612, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Sun came out, so had to photo something. OOC jpeg

NX1000 + 18-200mm zoom + iZoom

SAM_3618 by chris_rabe
SAM_3618, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.
OOC Jpeg without any manipulation at 200mm, using iZoom 1.4 magnification.

NX1000 Firmware 1.13 available

Don't worry about it stating it only has Korean language - all languages are included

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/EV-NX1000BHWUS

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Orchid - NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Orchid by chris_rabe
Orchid, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Been a slow couple of weeks. Just testing jpegs straight out of camer, using 60mm macro. Maybe some cropping, but that's all.

Orchid - NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Orchid by chris_rabe
Orchid, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Been a slow couple of weeks. Just testing jpegs straight out of camer, using 60mm macro. Maybe some cropping, but that's all.

Orchid - NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Orchid by chris_rabe
Orchid, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Been a slow couple of weeks. Just testing jpegs straight out of camer, using 60mm macro. Maybe some cropping, but that's all.

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Not posted an awful lot this last week or so...

Battling with Samsung over cash back claims put a bit of a dampener on things, but now that that sorted, looking forward to getting on with playing with camera.

Though right now struggling with a choice - I really wanted the NX300 for its imrovements, but really want an additional camera, as I want to keep the NX1000 as a backup on my coming holiday to Costa Rica.

I am just not sure now the NX300 will be realeased in time, so am considering maybe getting the NX20 to use as primary. I don't want to leave purchase til last 2nd...

Friday, 15 March 2013

NX Lens cash back - watch out and be warned

I read over their documentation, and it sounded to me like one cash back reward per person/household per invoice.

THIS IS NOT THE CASE!

It is one cash back reward per household/person period!

And make sure that your billing and invoice details are the same, or they will try to mess you around on that too!

I have now sent in two promotion forms, and it is currently looking unlikely that I will receive cash back on either!

I am now considering returning all Samsung camera products purchased, as I am now pissed off, and not sure I can be bothered putting up with the video problem when they are trying to screw me over like this.

Seriously, one unhappy customer right now.

Edit:
After contacting Samsung and being a bit forceful, They have said they will honour the claim.

I will not say to what extent, but I will say that at least they have made the effort, and I will stick with the NX cameras - already had all the returns set up on Amazon, so was a close call.

Thursday, 14 March 2013

NX1100?

In my excitement over the NX300, it didn't even really occur to me to look up the next upgrade to the NX1000.

Having had a brief look this morning, all I can say is that it looks like a dull update. From the info available, doesn't look like an awful lot has changed.

Very different story to the NX210 to NX300 update, which seems to bring a huge number of updates to the table.

How odd.

Certainly, if I weren't upgrading to the NX300, I would not even consider the NX1100 as an upgrade to the NX1000.

Usable solution to low light video flicker/strobing for NX1000 (sort of)


Well, have at least found a work-around, which I'll detail in case anybody should ever find they have the same problem and a search turns this up.

Below a certain light threshold on this camera, there seems to be some odd relationship between iso and shutter speed.

While I would normally try and stick to 180 degree shutter, so 1/60th for 30 fps, when the light of scene drops really low, to prevent the flicker, if I use 400 iso and set shutter to 1/125 it seems to stop the storing. For 800 iso it seems to be 1/125 and iso 1600 1/250 and iso 3200 i think was 1/400.

For some reason, as I move down from 1/60th, the scene darkens as I would expect, but when I hit these "optimal" shutter speeds, it brightens again a bit...

It's not ideal, but it seems to cure the problem of strobing, which would render any footage more useless than it simply being dark.

It's not that I am likely to be in such low light situations often where I will need to do this, but there will be some night-time creatures I will want to video on holidays.

There does not seem to be a problem with "medium" and good light situations.

I believe the NX300 is out next Friday, and I am definitely buying, but I do hope it does not exhibit the same issue.

At least I know how to work around it if it does...

Monday, 11 March 2013

Hmmm, not happy

Had noticed on some previous occasions when testing video on the NX1000, that in low light in manual mode, that there could be a flicker as though the camera was trying to force exposure compensation in some way.


Getting a replacement sent out, but I really hope this restricted to my current camera, and not a general fault, cause it would ruin all videos taken, and I am not losing all my footage from my upcoming trip to Costa Rica!


Tried a number of things last night, but was always able to replicate this. This morning I tried in a well lit room, pointed at a dark item, and could see the same behaviour.

This is with auto/manual focus, forced aperture, forced iso, forced shutter, with and without adjusted image3 settings, high quality, low quality, different SD cards, different lenses... Tried reset to default, am on latest firmware (Which I will avoid with the new camera for testing).

I have to try to remember to use NTSC setting and see how that goes. I think I tried it, but am not 100% sure.

Oddly, this behaviour is not present, or at least not as obvious in the smart/auto modes...

EDIT:
I MUST remember to upload a sample of this behaviour!

Edit 2:
Replacement here tomorrow (Gotta love Amazon). Here's hoping this is a fault with my current camera only.

Sunday, 10 March 2013

Bergera

Bergera by chris_rabe
Bergera, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 18-200mm zoom

Sunflower

Sunflower by chris_rabe
Sunflower, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 30mm pancake

Sunflower

Sunflower by chris_rabe
Sunflower, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 60mm macro

Rose

Rose by chris_rabe
Rose, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 60mm macro

Rose

Rose by chris_rabe
Rose, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 30mm pancake

SAM_2876

SAM_2876 by chris_rabe
SAM_2876, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Some fun indoors today. 60mm macro

Gerbera - NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Gerbera by chris_rabe
Gerbera, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Experimenting with digital editing. Didn't do much with this. Just had a play with extracting the sbuject and putting on a different background.

Saturday, 9 March 2013

NX1000 + 30mm Test

NX1000 + 30mm Test by chris_rabe
NX1000 + 30mm Test, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Taken a couple of photos today, though not sure what will be sharing of that yet.

In the mean time, just putting up one from the 30mm pancake.

Fern - NX1000 + 60mm MAcro

Fern by chris_rabe
Fern, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

As below

Leaf texture - NX1000 + 60mm macro

Leaf texture by chris_rabe
Leaf texture, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

Another form my first day out with the NX1000. Have taken some today, and will take more, but just sharing some of the existing stuff for now

Well, the 30mm is here...

But not sure I will be keeping it.

Knew it had "a couple of marks" according to the listing on Ebay, but it's got a bit of a DENT in one part.

It seems to function fine, though the focus feels a bit stiff in comparison to all my other Samsung lenses.

Will have a play today, and decide.

Got some plans for photos today, and would like to do a 30 second snail video (using 60mm macro only probably) - seemed so easy yesterday as there were tons of them, but today they seems scarce.

Thursday, 7 March 2013

Really need to do some video

Got this camera for video as much as photo's and just not had a chance to do any.

Snails are starting to come out though, so will look at making a 30/60 second clip of them :)

Any excuse to use the macro lens!

Just hoping that get some time without rain at weekend...

Fern NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Fern by chris_rabe
Fern, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

After disappointing night with indoor stuff, thought I'd put up a photo I like from Kew several weeks back.

My favourite plants, bar none.Fer

Caved in

Well, I have been wanting a pancake lens since getting this camera, and last night I finally caved in and bought the 30mm f2.0 on Ebay for £100.

I kept going between getting this lens or the 45mm f1.8, but that lens was going to cost me over £250 and, quite frankly, I have spent more than enough on camera stuff recently.

Still, got a decent arsenal now with the 20-50mm kit lens (quite good actually), the 18-200mm video zoom (not the best optically, but versatile and with awesome stabilisation), the 60mm macro (which I love), and now the 30mm pancake (which will be awesome for compactness and lower light).

Weather going to be awful here for some time, so lots more indoor stuff. Hopefully I can learn how to light a subject decently...

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Orchid - NX1000 + 60mm Macro

Orchid by chris_rabe
Orchid, a photo by chris_rabe on Flickr.

So not had a chance to play with camera much due to gout and rubbish weather, so back to indoor sstuff.

Got a lot to learn about how to light a subject nicely. Dozens of shots and this is the closest I could get to something decent, and still not happy with it.

No fault of the camera - just me sucking at lighting.

Monday, 4 March 2013

Well,  the friggin gout didn't go away, so pretty much spent the weekend horizontal. What a royal pain in the back-side.

Hopefully it'll go away soon! :(

Friday, 1 March 2013

Slow couple of days...

Thanks to  a bout of gout, haven't been playing, but hoping to get out to Bush Park tomorrow with new Manfrotto monopod and head.

Think I will keep to just using the 18-200mm.

Of course, depends on what the bloody weather like as well.

Otherwise, purchase of flowers and small vases in order, and more use of the mini studio.