2. Travel - Overseas

Iceland E5

Mark takes the new Olympus E5 for a test run in stunning Iceland. The new Olympus E5 and Iceland...a perfect match! A frantic few days to put the new E5 through its paces. Natural wonders such as geothermal springs, waterfalls, glaciers, icebergs aurora borealis and volcanoes. I was spoilt for choice. Full report in the Dec issue of Photo Pro magazine :-) All images of myself were taken with E3. A number of the images have been uploaded as full res JPEG's for detailed viewing. You will also see some strange looking HDR type images. These are images processed by the the E5's new 'dramatic tone' art filter. No colour adjustment has been made to ANY of the images. Some resized images have been level tweaked in Aperture. In addition, it is worth noting that the images captured in Jokulsarlon lagoon of the icebergs, most were taken from a moving RIB, which itself made shooting more difficult. The camera was metering through ESP+AF and for the first part of the shoot I had forgotten to set the focusing from spot, which means metering would have been where the AF spot was pointing. Whilst noticeable on the odd over blown spot, most fared well even with my human error....It happens to the best of us ;-)
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  • Remind you of two birds kissing? The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    Remind you of two birds kissing? The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • The mighty Skogafoss waterfall in south Iceland. Get close and a good drenching beholds. Thats exactly what I did with the E5. We both got soaked.

    The mighty Skogafoss waterfall in south Iceland. Get close and a good drenching beholds. Thats exactly what I did with the E5. We both got soaked.

  • Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. Fast focusing lock on the E5 was great for locking on to the difficult subject.

    Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. Fast focusing lock on the E5 was great for locking on to the difficult subject.

  • Very pretty Stjornarfoss waterfall just outside our accommodation (Geirland Hotel) in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Took 5 mins with tripod for a few snaps.

    Very pretty Stjornarfoss waterfall just outside our accommodation (Geirland Hotel) in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Took 5 mins with tripod for a few snaps.

  • Whilst whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik took the opportunity of some nice scenery and great cumulus train.

    Whilst whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik took the opportunity of some nice scenery and great cumulus train.

  • En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too, until something like a car come along :-)

    En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too, until something like a car come along :-)

  • The mighty Skogafoss waterfall in south Iceland. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country with a width of 25 metres (82 feet) and a drop of 60 m (200 ft). Get close and a good drenching beholds. Thats exactly what I did with the E5. We both got soaked. Great shot this to get a sense of scale...stick someone at the base :-)

    The mighty Skogafoss waterfall in south Iceland. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country with a width of 25 metres (82 feet) and a drop of 60 m (200 ft). Get close and a good drenching beholds. Thats exactly what I did with the E5. We both got soaked. Great shot this to get a sense of scale...stick someone at the base :-)

  • The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • South west Iceland at the tiny coastal town of Grindavik. Stiff south westerly blowing and a good opportunity to get some surf shots. This one straight into the sun was a good test for the new high sensitivity shutter speed of 1/8000s. Love the colours in this and the gull makes the shot.

    South west Iceland at the tiny coastal town of Grindavik. Stiff south westerly blowing and a good opportunity to get some surf shots. This one straight into the sun was a good test for the new high sensitivity shutter speed of 1/8000s. Love the colours in this and the gull makes the shot.

  • The famous Blue Lagoon in South west Iceland. A Geothermal wonder with water naturally heated to 100F. The seawater originates 2000 meter/6562 ft beneath the ground where it is heated by earth’s natural forces. At this depth the temperature is 240°C/464°F and the pressure is 36 times the pressure on the earth’s surface. The geothermal seawater comes into contact with cooling magmatic intrusions and captures the earth’s minerals, resulting in this unique natural source known for its healing power and actives. The composition of minerals in the water is very distinctive and has a high level of silica. Its environment is characterized by high temperature and salinity level of 2.5% which is 1/3 of the ocean’s salinity level. Good for skin, not for camera. Tested the camera in movie mode underwater and it came up fine, still working. A testament to the Olympus watertight build quality. This weird effect is the result of the new 'Dramatic Tone' art filter. Gives a wild look to boring skies :-)

    The famous Blue Lagoon in South west Iceland. A Geothermal wonder with water naturally heated to 100F. The seawater originates 2000 meter/6562 ft beneath the ground where it is heated by earth’s natural forces. At this depth the temperature is 240°C/464°F and the pressure is 36 times the pressure on the earth’s surface. The geothermal seawater comes into contact with cooling magmatic intrusions and captures the earth’s minerals, resulting in this unique natural source known for its healing power and actives. The composition of minerals in the water is very distinctive and has a high level of silica. Its environment is characterized by high temperature and salinity level of 2.5% which is 1/3 of the ocean’s salinity level. Good for skin, not for camera. Tested the camera in movie mode underwater and it came up fine, still working. A testament to the Olympus watertight build quality. This weird effect is the result of the new 'Dramatic Tone' art filter. Gives a wild look to boring skies :-)

  • The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • One of the many wonderful and bright buildings around Iceland. This one in Reykjavik town.

    One of the many wonderful and bright buildings around Iceland. This one in Reykjavik town.

  • Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. Fast focusing lock on the E5 was great for locking on to the difficult subject

    Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. Fast focusing lock on the E5 was great for locking on to the difficult subject

  • The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. A couple of the whale watching boats shadowing our own.

    Whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik. We had to be quick as the mammals were quite elusive. Saw some nice big white-beaked dolphins. A couple of the whale watching boats shadowing our own.

  • Seljalandsfoss waterfall from Highway 1 in south Iceland. Remember the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption from April 2010 which crippled most of Europe. It is right above that waterfall (to the right) as you look. Unfortunately for me is was still asleep!

    Seljalandsfoss waterfall from Highway 1 in south Iceland. Remember the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption from April 2010 which crippled most of Europe. It is right above that waterfall (to the right) as you look. Unfortunately for me is was still asleep!

  • Passing another waterfall, somewhere in south Iceland. A couple of sleepy icelandic horses made the shot.

    Passing another waterfall, somewhere in south Iceland. A couple of sleepy icelandic horses made the shot.

  • The best way to see the lagoon, via RIB. The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    The best way to see the lagoon, via RIB. The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • South west Iceland at the tiny coastal town of Grindavik. Stiff south westerly blowing and a good opportunity to get some surf shots. Note how clear the water is. Tempting to have a dip....until you feel the temp!

    South west Iceland at the tiny coastal town of Grindavik. Stiff south westerly blowing and a good opportunity to get some surf shots. Note how clear the water is. Tempting to have a dip....until you feel the temp!

  • The famous Blue Lagoon in South west Iceland. A Geothermal wonder with water naturally heated to 100F. The seawater originates 2000 meter/6562 ft beneath the ground where it is heated by earth’s natural forces. At this depth the temperature is 240°C/464°F and the pressure is 36 times the pressure on the earth’s surface. The geothermal seawater comes into contact with cooling magmatic intrusions and captures the earth’s minerals, resulting in this unique natural source known for its healing power and actives. The composition of minerals in the water is very distinctive and has a high level of silica. Its environment is characterized by high temperature and salinity level of 2.5% which is 1/3 of the ocean’s salinity level. Good for skin, not for camera. Tested the camera in movie mode underwater and it came up fine, still working. A testament to the Olympus watertight build quality. This weird effect is the result of the new 'Dramatic Tone' art filter. Gives a wild look to boring skies :-)

    The famous Blue Lagoon in South west Iceland. A Geothermal wonder with water naturally heated to 100F. The seawater originates 2000 meter/6562 ft beneath the ground where it is heated by earth’s natural forces. At this depth the temperature is 240°C/464°F and the pressure is 36 times the pressure on the earth’s surface. The geothermal seawater comes into contact with cooling magmatic intrusions and captures the earth’s minerals, resulting in this unique natural source known for its healing power and actives. The composition of minerals in the water is very distinctive and has a high level of silica. Its environment is characterized by high temperature and salinity level of 2.5% which is 1/3 of the ocean’s salinity level. Good for skin, not for camera. Tested the camera in movie mode underwater and it came up fine, still working. A testament to the Olympus watertight build quality. This weird effect is the result of the new 'Dramatic Tone' art filter. Gives a wild look to boring skies :-)

  • Me shooting with E5 and 50-200mm SWD. The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    Me shooting with E5 and 50-200mm SWD. The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too. The structure of the ice at times is stunning.

    En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too. The structure of the ice at times is stunning.

  • The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

    The spectacular Jokulsarlon lagoon on the south east side of Iceland. Naturally created by the glacier meltwater from Vatnajokull, which is Europe's largest glacier. The lagoon is full of floating icebergs such as this which are constantly moving. Extremely dangerous too and quite common for them to topple over. As such nobody is allowed to moor up and walk on them. This place was the setting for the James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) film 'Die Another Day' in 2002. The lagoon was deliberately blocked off from the sea (which it connects) for 6 weeks in February in order to prevent salt water inflow (the lagoon is 50/50 salt/fresh water). The lagoon was then closed off for 2 weeks to allow the saltwater to sink thus leaving the freshwater on top to freeze. Once the lagoon was frozen filming commenced :-)

  • En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too. The structure of the ice at times is stunning. Loved the cloud floating above the glacier on this panorama.

    En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too. The structure of the ice at times is stunning. Loved the cloud floating above the glacier on this panorama.

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    Very pretty Stjornarfoss waterfall just outside our accommodation (Geirland Hotel) in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Took 5 mins with tripod for a few snaps.
    Whilst whale & dolphin watching in Faxaflói bay just outside of Reykjavik took the opportunity of some nice scenery and great cumulus train.
    En route to Jukuslarlon the mighty Vatnajokull glacier spills out at many locations. Frozen ice meets land. Truly amazing to see and one can't help wondering why it just doesn't all melt! Really difficult to get a sense of scale too, until something like a car come along :-)