Test from Android - Part 2

So, Samsung Galaxy S II anyone?

After all these months, I've finally obtained the phone. Luckily, I had much decisive support from my friends and support from my parents as well. I guess moving up into the world is an important thing after all.

I only got the phone a few hours ago but it feels like it is a long time friend of mine. I got used to it way too fast like now I'm going around posting stuff from it. Although I can update my blog from this awesome phone, it won't be usable for my larger postings. Hence, I believe I might do quick blog posts while going around in the future. :3

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Test from Android - Part 1

I tried using the default browser and Opera Mini at first but Blogger did not render properly...

Hm, uploading photos on Blogger through the mobile feels quite wonky (and doesn't work right) so I guess WordPress wins in this case... Need to see if Blogger have a good app or not.

Until the next post~

Short Break

Due to a mid-term paper next week and assignments I have to really start doing (other than the ones I already started doing...), the review post (part 1) will be delayed until next week earliest (as I need time to type it out).

Note to self, winter semester is not a good idea to take (even though it was compulsory)! D:

PS: To all future Swinburners, try to avoid winter semester if you can or take one subject at most. You'll be grateful later.

Red Comet* is Complete!

The Red Comet is here... with clear stickers!

This is yet another "no sticker" (except the clear sticker/decals) that I've done. It could've been better if my Sangouden gold marker wasn't at the end of its useful life already. (Clearer shots in the actual review later.) Overall I'm pleased with myself, there is some improvement within but mada mada dane.

I also updated the review buttons to reflect the recent reviews I've posted up - now with better quality than before. Heh, 3 years and running. Now I have so many Gunpla (although most of it are from Gundam 00). ^^;

Okay, now I seriously need to do my assignments. Oh look, Dragon Nest SEA Close Beta... @_@
(I'm normally on channel 4 using a character named Lysagora.)

Yoink!

Next Time... a Full Frontal Attack?

Review on it soon unless my assignments which are piling up gets a full priority next week. ^^;

Nendroid Black Rock Shooter (BRS) Preview Shots via Samsung Champ @ 1.3MP

Facebook album HERE.

Preview post HERE.

I won't be saying much asides from what you can see and read in the album thus far. Maybe a proper review once I have more time to take some more shots (which is taken with my usual camera). The photos you see here in the album shows how much lighting can improve the photo output of a camera than having just the ceiling light or desk lamp overhead as the main source of light. Sunlight is still the best at any rate.

Other than that, the SD/BB Sinanju has zero progress over this week as I've been busy with university course work, helping my cousin enroll into the same university and just being plain sleepy lately. Darn heat is causing a greater decrease in productivity. :(

EDIT:

Also wasted an hour at McDonald's on the last day of dat double cheeseburger offer. :P

Lighting Quick Test via Samsung Champ @ 1.3MP

Using a small sensor makes thing more obvious than using the usual camera. Thus, lets see how this test goes~

I recently bought a big black/white cardboard from the bookstore the other day. One side is black one the other side is while. Actually it is a black hard cardboard but with the white on the other side, I thought of getting it to interchange white and black backdrops depending on the model being photographed. Normally white would be better to bring out the details (lower noise output) but black gives it a nicer contrasting backdrop (which however causes details to be washed out due to increase noise output for the camera as well as potential overexposure on lighter subjects). (I might not be so accurate with terms here, based on my reading memory and experience thus far.)

Black backdrop, ceiling light top right and LED lamp top left.

White backdrop, ceiling light top right and LED lamp top left.

White backdrop, ceiling light top right, LED lamp right and LED lamp left.

Black backdrop, ceiling light top right, LED lamp right, LED lamp left.

Note: The Samsung Champ's camera tends to be underexposed from my experience using it.

Final setup. This is an alternate photo-shoot area with no reachable sunlight. The yellow LED lamp isn't really mine though so I just borrowed it to see how this more "surrounded" lighting works out. I think it works pretty well.

I'll need to see if my understanding it correct and maybe I'll use this new photo-shoot setup for the next review.

SD/BB Sinanju WIP 2

Continuing with the not so fast progress, I just did the arms this afternoon. As usual, only used markers to detail and boy, there were lots of micro details to do if you really want it to look nice. Mine isn't entirely neatly done but for something small, I have a bit of improvement in doing such things now. ^^

My gold marker isn't giving out the nice gold color anymore and just gives me a dull bronze-like color instead which is pretty nice as well.

I might continue later tonight or not. :P

SD/BB Sinanju START!

Since I noticed that I have enough time to spare, I decided to build the BB 365 Sinanju yesterday. I haven't done much and there is still more, difficult, areas to build and detail.

Menacing, no?

Details in regards to the build in the actual review later but the blurry phone camera photo can tell you pretty much everything I did so far. My gold Gundam marker isn't doing so well any more, as evident above, but I'll just go on with it. Will buy a new one the next time I go to either Momotoys or Heng Kim Trading (HKT). (Momotoys sells in sets while HKT sells individually.)

I should totally get the HGUC version that I initially planned to get sometime later this year once the big budget plan goes through. >.>

RD/NG 1/60 Gundam Exia Review EX via Samsung Champ @ 1.3MP

Note: RD = Real Detail, NG = No Grade. They are both correct ways of calling this type of model kit.

Price: 4500 Yen

Today's post will be rather different and unusual. All photos are taken via my current phone - Samsung Champ @ 1.3MP. That's right, 1.3 Megapixels. A far cry from my Canon Ixus 105 @ 12MP but I wanted to test the limits of my phone's camera and how well additional, adjusted, light from my LED lamp can assist in photo-taking. I'm also using my old white backdrop once again as it has a lower noise potential than a black/darker backdrop. This isn't a problem with a better camera though. (If you're wondering, I did take some backup shots with my usual camera.)

This post is also an extension for a practically unfinished review from 2 years back. Yes, 2 years worth of procrastination for this very review. You can read the original review here. It mostly covers the building process and very few finished shots. That will be corrected in this post. Some of my opinion might be changed due to experience and time too.

~Specifications~

GN-001 Gundam Exia
Pilot: Setsuna F. Seiei
Height: 18.3m
Weight: 57.2t
Armaments: GN Sword/Rifle, GN Long Blade, GN Short Blade, GN Beam Saber (2), GN Beam Dagger (2), GN Vulcan Gun (2), GN Shield

Probable required reading due to some wording references.

1. MG 1/100 Gundam Exia
2. NG 1/100 Gundam Exia
3. HG 1/144 Gundam Exia
   

Read more »

McModel HG 1/144 Hi-Nu Gundoom Review - Part 2

I think my reviews are getting longer as time goes by or maybe model kits, models, figures and so on are getting more and more complex? At any rate, this review will be pretty long with the 200+ photos. I think some are overdone as I took some extra angles but the shots look good enough to be part of the review and be a waste to simply not show.

Thus, enjoy the long-ish part 2 of the review. You can read the 1st part here.

Read more!

Back to School (University)

There ends my short break in June. Had fun, got decent results for my last semester, met lots of new faces, built some Gunpla, played some games and finally decided it is time to get a smartphone.

I'm having a very tight schedule over at Swinburne for the next month and a half. 6 weeks of study for 2 subjects and the finals immediately after. O.o How will it be, I'm sure it won't be a fun roller-coaster ride.

The Gundoom review should be published by night of today (4th July). I already typed most of it but I need a bit more time to finish the last section. Right now, it is time to sleep for the long Monday ahead. Monday unfortunately has the longest day of class. From morning until night. D:

Also, a happy Independence Day to those who live in the USA!

Until the big post later on. Time to sleep! >.<