XF1, waterfalls, high contrast (8 img)

In the past, I carried a heavy DSLR hiking and I'm not getting any younger. So, I bought an XF1 to see how it would pan out. Typically, there is a huge contrast with sunny days and dark shadows, so this would be a good test.

I shot these with Dave's settings, at least, as best I could remember them, assigned to C1. I also had Kim's setting under C2, and shot some comparison shots (also against the EXR mode). I then selected the images which appeared best to me, and most all were Dave's settings. Below are some of my selections. C&C would be gratefully accepted, even if you bomb them...

Lower and Upper Elowah Falls, in the Columbia Gorge, about 30 miles from Portland, OR. Shot RAW+JPG, these are the JPGs SOOC except a little shadow enhancement (noted), imported into Capture One, resized for DPR album. I'll be posting full size on my Flickr account soon.


Saw a spider web on the way up. How to focus test...


The lower falls, viewed from the trail


Tried to get a better view of the lower falls.


On the way up. Bright sky on the left, VERY dark shadows on the right. Some PP here


Aha, the top of the (lower) falls


Upper falls. A long way down from here...

Tomorrow we'll probably go on another Falls hike but I'll take my LX7 (which has served me well) for comparison.

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= John

... Nice series.

The first seems to have major lens flare though.

Thanks, Dave. The only way to even get a picture of the spider web was to have the sun almost directly behind it. Any other angle and it just flat disappeared. Don't think I could have done any better with my DSLR, either...

In fact, the sun was only some 15 degrees off to the upper right (at one o'clock from the web). I was surprised I got any picture at all.

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= John
http://www.laninga.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laninga/sets/

... LOL. I didn't notice it was a spider web. I thought it was lens flare. Time for new glasses :-D

Member said:

John.Laninga wrote:

Thanks, Dave. The only way to even get a picture of the spider web was to have the sun almost directly behind it. Any other angle and it just flat disappeared. Don't think I could have done any better with my DSLR, either...

In fact, the sun was only some 15 degrees off to the upper right (at one o'clock from the web). I was surprised I got any picture at all.

Click to expand...

John.Laninga wrote:

Member said:

Tomorrow we'll probably go on another Falls hike but I'll take my LX7 (which has served me well) for comparison.

Click to expand...

Trust me, if you want waterfall shots, the best waterfall in the Gorge is the eponymous Falls Creek Falls. (The creek is named for the falls, and the falls, in turn, is named for the creek.) The hike from the trailhead is a smidgen over a mile, with only moderate elevation gain, and very pleasant, but the parking area at the trailhead requires a Sno-Park/Forest Pass permit, available at any USFS location. (If you are 62 or older, there is a lifetime pass available.)

From Portland, either head east on I-84 (as you did to go to Elowah Falls), or cross over the Columbia River either on I-5 or (recommended) I-205 east of the airport; head east on Washington 14 (best place to gas up: east side of Washougal, WA). Washington 14 is much more relaxed than I-84, with speeds of 50-55 mph, as opposed to the crazies east of Troutdale on I-84, where the average speed of traffic sometimes gets up to 90 mph and some days contributes to the coffers of the State of Oregon in speeding fines. Washington 14 is very scenic from Washougal eastward, with a must see lookout at Cape Horn and especially good views of the Gorge on the return trip westbound.

Past Beacon Rock, Bonneville Dam (much better view than from the Oregon side), and the Bridge of the Gods, stop at A&J Market in Stevenson (the only grocery store in town) and have sandwiches made to order at the excellent deli counter to enjoy when you reach the falls and want to picnic. (We stop at A&J at least a half dozen times a year on our way to day hikes, and we, too will be there tomorrow on our way to Bird Creek Meadows.). A (very) few miles east of Stevenson, head north toward (and through) Carson on the Wind River Road; just past the fish hatchery, the road curves right, and almost immediately thereafter, there is a signed unpaved but improved road off to the right to the Falls Creek Falls trailhead. It sounds more distant than it really is; the trip from Portland to trailhead is about an hour, not counting stops. (On the return trip to Portland, I-5 southbound is usually a much easier drive at that hour than I-84 westbound.)


Falls Creek Falls. Worth the walk. I took this photo with a Fujifilm F30 about five years ago.


Shot from about the same location this year when I was experimenting with settings of our new XF1.

We've done most all of them on the OR side, we'll do Fall Creek Fall tomorrow; thanks. We should be at the trailhead around 10:30.

We volunteer at Fort Vancouver all summer so have lots of chances for hiking, birding, and photography. We'll look for you. If you see someone with either a red XF1 or black LX7 say Hi.

The Northwest manages to rival Hawaii in beauty - if not in climate - I can't imagine how I haven't visited that part of the continent yet. Making travel plans is definitely in order. Thanks for the images!

John.Laninga wrote:

Member said:

We've done most all of them on the OR side, we'll do Fall Creek Fall tomorrow; thanks. We should be at the trailhead around 10:30.

Click to expand...

We have to take some friends to the airport at around 9:00 a.m., so you'll beat us to A&J.

Member said:

We volunteer at Fort Vancouver all summer so have lots of chances for hiking, birding, and photography. We'll look for you. If you see someone with either a red XF1 or black LX7 say Hi.

Click to expand...

I thought that you were a Texan. Do you live around here?

We'll be on the south side of Mt. Adams tomorrow, mainly hiking, but also harvesting water from the artesian springs there that we shall use over the winter to dilute the Rittenhouse Rye.

The annual embargo on commercial sales of Native American picked huckleberries should be lifted by tomorrow, so on our way home we probably shall buy a gallon of low-elevation wild huckleberries at the incomparable Riggleman's Fruit Stand on Washington Highway 141A . (Too early yet to pick huckleberries at the higher elevations.) If you are not a native, make sure that you get to Riggleman's at least once before you return home. Inter alia, Riggleman's orchards have one of the great views of Mt. Hood across the Columbia River on the Oregon side. Coordinates of Riggleman's: 45.753092, -121.518599


Falls Creek alongside the trail up to the falls.

I grew up in Vancouver, BC and my wife in central Illinois. We lived most of our lives near Dallas, so as soon as I retired we bought an RV and moved full time in it. Now we travel year round in our motor home.

So we can partake of the specialties of each region of the country as the seasons dictate. We will return to the Dallas area in September after working at Ft Vancouver for 3 months. Then on to south Texas, or maybe Florida, wherever it is warm. Next year we'll probably be in this area again.

We'll try your suggestions, we love learning from locals! So we get to benefit from local weather, food, culture and of course photography. Retirement is a wonderful thing.

nice shots ..BUT you can go much further in PP and bring soooooo much more out of them. LR is pretty quick and easy and even though it is no PS6 ..it does a better job than other similar non PS programs ..and do it rapidly ..which is cool by me !

all the best

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