Picnic with Samsung Galaxy Camera + Homemade Cold Peanut Noodles

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I thought I’d give this Camera a test by taking it out for a picnic (well it and some of my friends) at the Orange botanical gardens. I prepared cold peanut noodles for the outing which was a great choice really…you’ve got the carb, veggies as well as it is cold. Very appropriate for the summer heat at the moment. 😉

{testing its Macro mode}

I started off by popping a sim card into the camera. My sim card had data plan. The connectivity I got on this camera was just as good as my Samsung Galaxy S2, which really impressed me. As I took pictures all my friends wanted to have a look, so I decided to try a test, and I used the MMS function of the camera and sent the pictures right to their phones! All while walking around and setting up the picnic.

The social sharing features on this camera were really great. I took pictures, and backed them up to my dropbox account, uploaded them to facebook and even emailed them to my friends. I even put a GPS app that I had on my Galaxy S2 on the camera and briefly used it for directions to a friends house. I could also check my email, all while looking for the perfect pictures. It was great that I could be connected to my friends and family as well as the internet and my website while taking pictures, and unlike my phone camera this camera had a really great zoom function. Take a look at some of the pictures of this bird I got, which was approximately 10 metres away from our table.

{Is it just me or it is common that people test the zoom function by taking a photo at the moon? :P}

Since the picnic was in the evening (starting from 6.30pm to 8.30pm), I have been loving the SUNSET smart mode. Think of it like the instagram filter but the effect is more subtle. This particular mode is helps to emphasise the sunset by making the colours more intense.

I am also intrigued by its Rich Tone smart mode where it takes and merges pictures in various exposures to create soft and rich colour. The effect is definitely subtle with this one…but noticeable at the same, no?

What I didn’t like about this camera was the battery life. Unfortunately with a 3G connection, a great screen and all this amazing software the battery life is not as good as other point and shoot cameras I have used. It is about on par with my phone though, and can last you probably half a day of constant use. If you’re travelling make sure you bring extra batteries!

Overall this was a great camera with many useful features which I found really useful. 🙂

Oh wait, you aren’t leaving without the amazing-and-easy-to-whipped-up cold peanut noodles recipe!  If you and your guests aren’t allergic to peanuts, I highly recommend this dish as one of your picnic food.

{the cold peanut noodles shot was taken in Automatic mode + was edited in Photoscape i.e. white balance, contrast enhancement, out of focus filter etc.}

Cold Peanut Noodles

(recipe from www.food.com, tweaked slightly }

What you’ll need for 4 servings:-

• 300g/10 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• Boiling hot water to cook the pasta
• Salt to add in the hot water for cooking the pasta
• 2 carrots, shredded or julienne into matchstick-sized
• 1 medium sized red bell pepper (capsicum), deseeded & julienne
• 2-3 scallions (spring onions), thinly & diagonally sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:-

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsps sesame oil (add more at the end if you prefer a stronger taste)
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (plus extra for garnishing)
• 4 tbsps water from cooking the pasta (but reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, in case you need more)

Method:-

Cook spaghetti according to the packet instructions in salted water. While waiting for the spaghetti to cook, you can prepare the vegetables.  When the spaghetti is al-dente, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining the  water. Rinse the spaghetti under cold running water and set aside. Add the prepared vegetables and spaghetti into a large mixing (or salad) bowl.  Toss gently to ensure the vegetables are nicely distributed amongst the spaghetti. Set aside.  In a measuring jug, mix all the dressing ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE WATER until well combined. Then slowly incorporating the water into the mixture until the texture is a little loose (so that it is easier to mix with the spaghetti and vegetables). Using a pair of tongs  and a fork, mix in the dressing with the spaghetti-vegetables mixture until well combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and black pepper. Store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.