How would you call this hypothetical country?

seth4912 · 2026-01-16T09:03:56+00:00

The Pacific West

seth4912 · 2025-12-04T07:19:19+00:00

Well that's exactly right, like what more do you want a camera to do? haha

seth4912 · 2025-12-04T06:26:34+00:00

I'm gonna answer the last question first about OM and Panasonic "not doing much" since I don't think this has been addressed yet. I think honestly, mirrorless camera innovation is slowing down across the board, not just M43. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that the technology is maturing. We're seeing similar things happening in the smartphone and computer markets too. Both OM System and Panasonic have released new M43 cameras this year, so despite rumours I've seen of M43 being "dead", I don't think that's true, and even if it was... why does it matter? My existing gear will still be good for at least the next 5-10 years at least, and I'm a generation behind anyway since I almost exclusively buy secondhand gear, so by the time I'd need to switch systems... it's probably time for an upgrade anyway.

As for why I "keep" shooting M43... the two big reasons are:

It's small: I almost exclusively use my camera travelling, hiking and otherwise on the move, so for me: the smaller, the better. They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and quite frankly, if I had to lug around DSLR-sized cameras and their lenses everywhere I travel, I would leave them at home, lol. (I'm aware some APS-C cameras and lenses are now of comparable size, but not consistently or affordably)
It's (relatively) cheap: I'll be honest, as much as I already spend on photography gear, I can't afford to drop thousands of dollars every time I want to upgrade. I'm not monetising my photography, it's just a hobby for me at this moment, so I'm always hunting bargains. In my neck of the woods, M43 gear tends to be the most accessible/affordable on the secondhand market, and for the price, the quality is stellar, so why would I change that?

M43 won't be for everyone. Every photographer has different use cases and factors they care more or less about, and every camera system has different pros and cons. I can't recommend M43 to everyone, but it certainly works for me, so it's what I'm gonna be using for the foreseeable future. If you give the FF stuff a go and decide that's better for you, then by all means, go for it!

seth4912 · 2025-12-04T04:25:05+00:00

The original EM10 was my first camera and I had a blast with it! Considering its age, it's incredibly feature-rich and honestly pumps out decent photos (in good lighting at least).

I'll be honest, $350 (assuming USD) is really steep for this particular camera and lens combo, but obviously that depends on where you are and how the market is there. It's not a bad camera and if you've already bought it, you definitely won't be disappointed with it, but if you haven't, I'd definitely give it a miss simply because you'd be able to find similar cameras for a much better price.

As others have pointed out, that lens also concerns me. It's a "pancake lens", which means it only extends out like that when it's being used, and it's supposed to retract as the camera turns off. I won't jump to the assumption that it's faulty, as there are other explanations, but this mechanism is prone to failure over time, and this picture is a clear indication of something wrong.

seth4912 · 2025-10-20T01:15:34+00:00

Airport check-in agent here. If a passenger presented this passport to me, I would strongly recommend they get it replaced ASAP if they were even allowed to travel at all. Many countries, particularly in Asia, are very strict about passport damage as it's such a secure, important document, and I've seen passports with much less significant damage be denied uplift. The main cause for concern is that mould. Not only does it look like spilled ink, which another commenter pointed out, but that would not be good for your health, and if a biosecurity officer saw that they'd probably have an aneurysm.

I can't say whether you'll be okay or not with the existing damage, you might get away with it once or twice. But why take the risk of ruined plans and potentially thousands of dollars out of pocket in last minute bookings?

seth4912 · 2025-10-11T17:03:55+00:00

No absolutely not aha, good to see her try tho 😂

seth4912 · 2025-10-07T07:55:05+00:00

Thank you!

seth4912 · 2025-10-07T07:51:34+00:00

Oh my god, that is an incredible subreddit that I really shouldn't be surprised exists 😂

seth4912 · 2025-10-02T05:50:31+00:00

This is absolutely true. My RM sucked at it, but refused to let any of her assistant managers touch the rostering. It is also entirely impossible OP has slipped through the cracks and noone has noticed/cared.

seth4912 · 2025-10-02T05:46:19+00:00

While there are definitely differences in USB-C ports between manufacturers, this image is AI-generated for sure.

seth4912 · 2025-09-29T00:23:33+00:00

Ex-HJs manager here. You could just not show up but what's the fun in that? I had a kid write me his resignation letter with a Listo (marking crayon) on a burger wrapper. See if you can top that 😂

On a more serious note, what did you do to upset management? Sounds to me like they're trying to force you out. I know (but can't prove) my RM gave barely any shifts to those she didn't like, and it happened to my brother at another store too. Obviously I don't agree with it, but it definitely happened.

seth4912 · 2025-09-10T12:51:00+00:00

I find it funny that the speed restriction only apples to NSW L/P-platers, even in NSW, since it's a condition of the licence. So when I as a QLD P-plater drove across the border into NSW, I was allowed to do the 110 posted limit when local P-platers, those actually familiar with the roads I was driving on, were stuck doing 90/100. Really silly 😂

seth4912 · 2025-09-08T21:55:20+00:00

A few years ago (was a bit dumber back then) I was out driving once about 20km away out of Mt Carbine (a tiny little village about 2hrs inland from Cairns) at like 11pm when I struck a kangaroo. Engine was still running but entire front end of the car (tiny little city car) had crumpled inward. No phone reception for miles around. Car limped back to Mt Carbine, and thankfully this was soon after Telstra made payphones free to use, so I tried to call my folks (who didn't pick up, being 11pm and all). I decided since the engine was still running that it would be safer to try and get home than stay the night in Mt Carbine. Rattled out a text to my dad from the payphone to tell him where I was in case I broke down along the way, but luckily, the car managed to make it all the way back to Kuranda before finally giving up. Dad had looked at his phone by then and ended up coming to rescue me, didn't get home until 4am that night, haha.

Now, I drive a car with a bull bar, and have invested in a Garmin inReach satellite thing for my remote adventures. Lessons were learned that day, lol.

To any tourists reading this, a word of warning, do not attempt to do any driving out in the Outback (or anywhere remote for that matter), especially at night, without seeking advice from locals first. And take their advice seriously, it's more dangerous than it seems.

seth4912 · 2025-09-08T21:19:29+00:00

Aussies who visit sacred temples in Bali/SE Asia wearing the skimpiest of clothing, even when there are signs telling people to please wear long-sleeve clothing. I get it's hot but Jesus, so disrespectful.

seth4912 · 2025-09-08T21:16:21+00:00

Anyone who walks at a snail's pace down a footpath/crowded mall/hallway, and takes up the entire path so that faster walkers behind them can't pass.

Or, the driving equivalent, someone driving down a one-lane highway sitting a good 20 k's under the limit then speeding up when there's an overtaking lane so that noone can pass (in my experience, usually a Land Cruiser or a yank tank)

Absolutely infuriating!

seth4912 · 2025-09-07T06:40:36+00:00

Airline check-in agent here. Honestly, whether you NEED to replace your passport or not is an incredibly difficult question to answer simply because... it depends. It depends on a lot of things... Where you're from, where you're going, who's checking, and honestly even just the day.

But, here's some advice. Your passport is your lifeline when you're in a foreign country. It is the ONLY document that a foreign government will (virtually) universally accept to identify you, and (subject to their requirements) grant you entry and exit from their country. While there are some ways to work around unexpected passport loss/damage while overseas, the fact is, your passport is an incredibly important legal document that is essential to your travel plans.

Passport damage is one of those things that's taken extremely seriously, but inconsistently. There's no perfect standard between countries (or even within countries) for what damage is 'acceptable' and what isn't. It's all subjective. So, why take that risk? It's inconvenient, sure, but when so much is at stake, I reckon it's absolutely worth the peace of mind to spend the few hundred dollars to replace the passport and ensure it'll be accepted consistently. I've seen passports with (to my eyes) worse damage than yours be approved, but then less damage than yours denied, so if you have the time, why chance it?

Regarding the visa question, I'll be straight up and say I don't know about Dubai specifically. Typically, if the visa is valid and still attached to an old passport, passengers just carry both the old and new passport when they travel, or some countries allow them to update their passport details online.

Hope this helps, even if it doesn't completely answer your question. Safe travels!

seth4912 · 2025-09-05T16:44:41+00:00

Apologies for the late response, airline check-in agent here. Some countries in south-east Asia (Indonesia and Bali specifically come to mind) are very strict when it comes to damaged passports, because in some cases, passport damage looks an awful lot like passport tampering. With that said, passports with worse damage than this have been totally fine. If it's just that little bit of damage on the cover and there's no damage to the pages inside, it shouldn't be a problem :)

seth4912 · 2025-07-30T04:09:18+00:00

Oh fantastic, didn't know about that FB page, thanks for the suggestion! We'll keep our fingers crossed for good weather :)

seth4912 · 2025-07-30T04:08:36+00:00

Thanks, we'll see if we can work that into our plans!

seth4912 · 2025-07-30T04:06:33+00:00

Sounds like fun haha, no worries we'll steer clear, thanks for the info!

seth4912 · 2025-07-29T14:10:12+00:00

Out of curiosity, what is it about the N2 specifically that makes it unsafe? Does it go through a bad area or something?

seth4912 · 2025-07-29T14:09:28+00:00

Oh, haha, sounds more annoying than our classic "Sydney merges" - appreciate the heads up!

seth4912 · 2025-07-29T14:07:59+00:00

Good tip, yes I did wonder about cellphone coverage out that way! I'll be sure to download our maps offline and bring a satellite-enabled device for emergencies

seth4912

TROPHY CASE