Which camera to take in Iceland?

[sls]

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Dan

 

Since it was before my Q days it would not be appropriate to publish any shots here but you are welcome to look at them on Smugmug

https://adkphotos.smugmug.com/Iceland/

 

The church ones are at the end. They were taken with a 14mm prime so that means about 20/21mm in FF terms. I'm not sure I would regard it as 'a curious church'. For me it is a quite spectacular piece of architecture with an internal feeling of a peaceful and calm space. The opera house should also be on your list. I went with a group of about 18 - tourists and not photographers (my wife wouldn't cope with too many photographers - one is more than enough for her at times!). The problem was I was always embarrassingly the last to get back on the mini-bus - waiting for the light, etc. My experience of going to the Lofotens with a small group of four (excluding my wife!) and a professional photographer highlighted the difference. It's really about deciding whether photography is key as well as spending the kid's inheritance.

 

Andy

 

 

When you say opera house, I assume you mean Harpa. It's a music complex, no opera, and difficult to get decent pictures, but it's really about the music. I planned a trip to Iceland around two concerts 8 days apart. The acoustics are as good as the photography in Iceland. The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra are also very good. The building won the European Biennial architecture prize in 2013.

 

The little black church at Budir offers better photo-ops, the hotel next to it is excellent. Even 5 years ago we had to book that hotel months ahead, its the most popular in Iceland.

 

Basalt structures is a big theme in Iceland, they are all over the place and the basis of the architecture of both the Reykavik church and Harpa (designed by Olafur Eliasson, who is now one of Europe's leading architects and designers). I did a whole series of prints of basalt, the photo I posted above was taken to highlight the basalt structures in the church's design, taken in very bright light with strong shadows.

 

I was using the Zeiss 21/f2.8, which is an excellent lens with very little distortion. Since then I've bought the Voightlander 15/f4.5 Mk3 that is also superb when corrected in Lightroom, or even not corrected, there are some great architecture shots using that V lens in the LFI Gallery recently.

Edited August 16, 2018 by sls

[Mr.Q]

I've never been to Iceland but I've seen a lot of photographic travel blogs online.

I would take both cameras.

Beautiful landscapes aren't always close and versatility is paramount.

 

Not to mention the compression you'd get from the zoom to get the background in frame.

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[LocalHero1953]

I don't have the Q, but I have the SL and I've been to Iceland: https://issuu.com/paulashley/docs/colours_of_iceland

 

I took the M240 and lenses from 28 to 90. The only shot I couldn't easily get was of the Hallgrimskirkja, except from an awkward angle - if you have to get that you need wider than 28 

 

I wish I'd had a weather proof camera. If you want to get close to geysers and waterfalls, you need weatherproofing. I didn't dare use the camera close to Gullfoss, but took a risk at Dettifoss with the M+90, though I didn't spend long in the dense spray. You are likely to get heavy rain at any time in Iceland (and hot sun 15 secs later) and it snowed while we were at Askja.

 

Some of your questions and the comments in response relate to travel photography in general, not just Iceland. Responses that imply you should take all the kit you have 'because you're only going once' would be, for me, a recipe for losing the plot entirely. My whole approach is to travel as light as possible with as versatile a kit as possible and, where people are concerned (yes, there are people in Iceland, and people are always interesting), to be as unobtrusive as possible. I'm going to India in November, and I'm thinking of taking just the CL and 18-56 zoom, with my smartphone as backup!

 

I recognise that everyone is different, and you will certainly see many people in Iceland loaded up with camera equipment like a traditional Spanish onion seller. YMMV.

Edited August 19, 2018 by LocalHero1953

[brickftl]

the Q would be great in Iceland but for the fact that it's not water resistant and it rains frequently in Iceland, from bright sunshine to downpour. 

 

I'm hiking in Scotland this September and regret that my Q won't be accompanying me on my daylong hikes. Instead I'm taking my lesser quality Olympus EM1 with a couple of waterproof lenses.