Sunlight Through the Mist, Elder Cedar Nature Reserve

I headed down to the Elder Cedar Nature Reserve on Gabriola Island the other day, hoping to capture some interesting images in the fog.  By the time I got there the fog had started to clear and the sun was shining through the trees, which made for some interesting images.  Here is one of my favourites:

Sunlight Through the Mist

This image was captured with the Fujifilm GFX 50S medium-format digital camera and GF 120mm f4 lens.

Gabriola Island Seascapes

I was out at Orlebar Point on Gabriola the other night, hoping to get some nice colours in the sky at sunset.  While I waited for the light to improve, I decided to experiment with some long exposure seascapes using my Lee Filters "Big Stopper" (10-stop neutral density) and "Little Stopper" (6-stop neutral density) filters.  With the extended exposure times, the motion of the sea becomes a surreal blur while stationary objects in the scene remain tack-sharp.

Gabriola Seascape #1

Gabriola Seascape #2

Gabriola Seascape #3

Gabriola Seascape #4

I would have liked to to some longer exposures, but my Sony A7R III is limited to a maximum exposure time of 30 seconds unless you have a cable release and some way to attach it to the camera (unfortunately Sony decided to locate the cable release connection port to the very bottom of the left side of the camera, where it is completely blocked by my tripod mounting L-bracket.

Kayaking with a Nikon Mirrorless Camera

After our move to the west coast a couple of years ago, we embraced the opportunity to spend some of our free time learning to kayak.  The Gulf Islands are one of the most scenic areas in Canada for kayak touring, and as a photographer, I was anxious to document our adventures and hopefully capture some great seascape images.  However, I was a bit apprehensive about exposing expensive camera gear to the risk of a dunking in salt water, especially while we were still in the "beginner" phase of developing our paddling skills.

Kayaking in Pilot Bay, Gabriola Island

Looking around, there didn't seem to be much choice between waterproof point-and-shoot cameras with tiny imaging sensors and the (very expensive) waterproof housings for larger DSLR cameras.  The one notable exception was the Nikon 1 AW1, a compact mirrorless camera with a 1" sensor (just slightly smaller than micro Four Thirds, and much bigger than the typical smartphone and P&S cameras.  The camera also accepted interchangeable lenses, although there were only two suitable for underwater use, a 10mm f2.8 wide angle prime lens (28mm equivalent) and an 11-27.5mm f3.5-5.6 zoom lens (roughly 30-75mm equivalent).

Nikon 1 AW1 with Nikkor AW 10mm and 11-27.5mm lenses

The camera captures 14-megapixel RAW images at up to 15 frames per second, and can record full HD video to an SD card.  Images are composed and reviewed on a 3-inch rear LCD screen, which works well in bright light, but it is hard to see with polarized sunglasses I normally wear while kayaking.  In addition to being waterproof (rated to 49 feet of submergence) the camera is also shockproof and freeze-proof.  

Starfish, as seen by Nikon 1 AW1 and Nikkor AW 10mm f2.8 lens

The Nikon 1 AW1 has a lot of features of varying usefulness, but my favourite is a built-in GPS receiver to tag your images with the location they were taken - perfect for tracking your adventures!  Why more cameras don't have this feature is beyond me...

GPS Locations of AW1 Photos Displayed in Adobe Lightroom Map Module

The Nikkor AW lenses are reasonably sharp and contrasty, although flare can be an issue, particularly if you have water droplets on the front element.  Of course, lens flare is a popular fad nowadays, with people going so far as to add fake flare artifacts in Photoshop, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing... but if you don't like it, it's a good idea to keep a small towel or chamois handy to wipe the drops off the front of the lens.

Lens Flare with Nikkor AW 11-27.5mm, near Piper's Lagoon

Unfortunately, like the rest of Nikon's 1 series mirrorless cameras, the AW1 has been discontinued, although they are still listed as being available on the Nikon web site as of this writing.   While the image quality is pretty good, and the concept was great, Nikon never really made any effort to market these cameras to the people who would actually use them. 

These cameras and lenses are are also available on the second-hand market; just be careful you don't get one that has been accidentally flooded with salt water.  The body and lenses have silicone O-rings that need to be maintained and occasionally replaced in order to keep them waterproof.

Below are some of the images I captured with the AW1 and the 11-27.5mm lens on recent outings to Pilot Bay and Degnen Bay on Gabriola Island.

Kayaking in Pilot Bay

Burial Island, Degnen Bay

Kayaking in Degnen Bay

Kayaking in Degnen Bay

Kayaking in Degnen Bay

Kayaking in Degnen Bay

More kayaking photos from the Gulf Islands can be found on my web site:  Kayaking Images

Spring is Here

Spring has arrived on Gabriola; the flowers are blooming everywhere and the tree frogs are singing night and day... I managed to spot one of the little guys and get a few photos this morning.

Green Tree Frog

Arbutus Tree, Gabriola

We went for a short drive along Berry Point Road this afternoon, and I stopped to grab this quick shot of an Arbutus tree along the shore, with Texada Island in the background.

Arbutus Tree, Gabriola

The light was pretty flat with a lot of moisture in the air from all the rain we've had recently, so I thought this image would look better in monochrome.  The Fuji mirrorless cameras, including the X-T2 I used here, can produce wonderful black & white images.

L-Brackets and Remote Cables for the Fuji GFX 50S

I've been enjoying most aspects of the Fuji GFX 50S camera for my landscape photography, but some of the decisions by Fuji's designers have me scratching my head.  Fuji obviously understands that photographers will sometimes use the camera in the vertical ("portrait") orientation, since they wisely decided to make the rear LCD articulate in that plane.  However, they must not have considered that many serious photographers, myself included, use quick-release L-brackets for mounting the camera on a tripod.  

Fuji's decision to move the battery door to the left side of the camera means that the battery cannot be replaced without requiring tools to remove or reposition the L-bracket.  I initially purchased a Really Right Stuff L-bracket, being familiar with the quality products RRS normally produces.  The RRS L-bracket design is a clever two-piece arrangement with a screw that can be loosened to re-position the vertical portion of the bracket - unfortunately, it does not move far enough away from the body of the camera to allow the battery compartment door to open wide enough to remove the battery.

Really Right Stuff L-Bracket for the Fuji GFX 50S 

In order to change the battery, the user needs to completely remove the fastening screw and the vertical portion of the bracket.  I quickly discovered that re-installing the screw was a very fiddly procedure, and I dropped it numerous times while sitting at my desk trying to re-assemble the bracket.  I can only imagine how much more difficult this task would be out in the field, in cold rainy or snowy weather, and how easy it would be to lose the fastener.

RRS L-Bracket removed to access battery compartment

I returned the RRS L-Bracket, and ordered a bracket from Kirk Enterprises, which is a simpler, one-piece bracket, but the bracket can be loosened and moved far enough to the side to allow the battery to be replaced without removing the screw holding the bracket to the camera.  While this does mean carrying a smallAllen wrench to loosen and tighten the screw, it's a much less fiddly procedure than what is required with the RRS bracket.  The Kirk bracket has a clever holder in the bottom to store an Allen wrench, and I keep spares in all of my camera bags anyway, so I feel I'm much less likely to be inconvenienced while working in the field as I would if I lost the screw from the RRS bracket.

Kirk Enterprises BL-50S L-Bracket on the GFX 50S

Battery can be replaced without reming the Kirk L-Bracket

The other common issue with using an L-bracket is the placement of the ports for the remote control cable on the GFX.  The L-bracket needs to be moved away from the camera a considerable distance in order to attach the Fuji RR-90 remote cable, resulting in a somewhat top-heavy tripod head.

Fuji RR-90 Remote Cable attached to the GFX 50S

The Fuji RR-90 Remote requires a lot of clearance

Due to the size and configuration of the USB connector on the RR-90, it also requires that the Kirk L-bracket be loosened and re-positioned in order to attach the cable... which means digging out that Allen wrench again.

Fortunately, Fuji decided to give us not one, but two remote sockets on the GFX 50S.  The Fuji RR-90 connects (somewhat awkwardly) into the camera's USB3 port (at top right, in the photo below), but the camera also features a 2.5mm min-plug connector port for third-party remotes (the small round port at bottom left, below).  

Fuji GFX 50S Connection Ports

The remote I chose was the Canon RS-60E3, which features a right-angle mini plug connection.  It is small enough that with a bit of dexterity, it can be attached to the camera and removed again while the Kirk bracket is fixed in place, leaving the bracket positioned securely against the side of the camera for maximum stability.

Canon RS-60E3 Remote attached to the GFX 50S

Stable vertical shooting with the Kirk L-Bracket and Canon RS-60E3

Canon RS-60E3 (left) and Fuji RR-90 (right) Remote Release Cables

Canon 2.5mm mini-plug and Fuji USB connections

There are a number of third-party remotes available, but I chose the slightly more expensive Canon RS-60E3 because I find that the Canon remote cables tend to stay a bit more flexible in cold weather compared to some other brands.

Park Swing, Gabriola Island

I discovered this old swing hanging from the trees in Drumbeg Provincial Park on Gabriola.  It looked okay in colour, but I decided to try the Fuji Acros + Ye film profile, and I think it works pretty well.  

I hadn't been a big fan of the Acros film simulation, because it seems to be over-used as an attempt to salvage a poorly exposed image, but with a bit of restraint, it can yield some pretty pleasing results - but it's all a matter of personal taste.

Click to view larger version on black background

Park Swing, Gabriola Island

(Fuji GFX 50S with GF 23mm f4, Acros + Ye Filter)