New Zealand with the Sony RX100iv

[SimonB93]

Hi there!

For the last five weeks or so, I've been travelling this beautiful country and have been taking some pictures along the way. The weather did not always make it easy, but i've managed to take some pictures I'm happy with.
Here they are, hope you like them!


The very first image I shot here in New Zealand. A rusty little bridge you'll pass while driving from Auckland to the Coromandel area.


The rotorua museum.


View from rainbow mountain in Rotorua. After we climbed the mountain and the firehouse on top, we got a good two minutes to enjoy the view before we got stuck in a thunderstorm.


Maori rock carving at lake Taupo. After a bumpy ride on a sailboat we got a close up look at the carving. Probably a half an hour to late for the perfect lighting, but i like how the shadow looks kind of like a lions face.


Just af few minutes in to the Tongariro crossing, we came upon this view. I like this shot because of the simplicity and serenity, especially when you imagine that there are hundreds of people walking just behind you.




Mighty mount Taranaki.


View upon Picton.




Nightsky in Abel Tasman National Park.






Little stream of water at the Oparara Bassin.


Blue waters at Hokitika Gorge.


Franz Josef Glacier.


Sometimes the journey is just as beautiful as the destination. One of the many stunning views along the road.




Beautiful Milford Sound.

 

[Scriv]

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing. New Zealand is at the top of my bucket list, hopefully someday soon I'll get to visit.

 

[SimonB93]

Thank you!

You really should go if you get the chance. I'm falling in love with this country more and more each day!
The people here are super friendly and the landscapes here are just stunningly beautiful!
If you ever get here, the thing you must do is a milford sound cruise. By far the most beautiful thing i've ever seen!

 

[Digital Nigel]

Thank you!
You really should go if you get the chance. I'm falling in love with this country more and more each day!
The people here are super friendly and the landscapes here are just stunningly beautiful!
If you ever get here, the thing you must do is a milford sound cruise. By far the most beautiful thing i've ever seen!

Great pics from a beautiful country. Did you find the 70mm equiv focal length limiting? I was using up to 400mm on my visit earlier this year.

Have you got to White and Stewart islands yet? And what about the more remote Doubtful and Dusky Sounds in Fiordland? Much less busy and touristy than beautiful Milford Sound, with its many boats, planes and helicopters, which fly scarily close to the cliff faces.

 

[SimonB93]

Thank you Nigel!

At times the 70mm focal lenght can be limiting yes, especially for the wildlife. What i find more limiting is the inability to go lower than 24mm! Most of the pictures i shoot are at 24mm, and sometimes i wish i could go wider. Guess i have to learn how to stitch images in photoshop
I would love to have gone to the other sounds as well, but that wasn't really doable with the time we got left here.
I'm in the invercargill area right now, but i'm not sure i'm doing the islands. My plan was to drive to Dunedin to see the Otaga Peninsula!

 

[Digital Nigel]

Thank you Nigel!

At times the 70mm focal lenght can be limiting yes, especially for the wildlife. What i find more limiting is the inability to go lower than 24mm! Most of the pictures i shoot are at 24mm, and sometimes i wish i could go wider. Guess i have to learn how to stitch images in photoshop

I used my a6000 with 10-18 (15-27 equiv) lens for wide shots, as in this one from Wait-O-Tapu, Rotorua:

https://flic.kr/p/EvzUxV

I would love to have gone to the other sounds as well, but that wasn't really doable with the time we got left here.
I'm in the invercargill area right now, but i'm not sure i'm doing the islands. My plan was to drive to Dunedin to see the Otaga Peninsula!

Will you be travelling on the excellent Taieri Gorge railway while in Dunedin? Fantastic views, and it leaves from a wonderfully reatored old station:

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www.flickr.com

White Island is certainly worth a visit if you get the chance. But you really do need the gas masks they provide:

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www.flickr.com

I assume you'll be going to Christchurch? It's had yet another earthquake this year, not sure if there's been any more damage. I found the many empty sites in the city quite spooky. I wonder if the installation with the ghostly white chairs is still there?

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www.flickr.com

 

[SimonB93]

Thank you Nigel!

At times the 70mm focal lenght can be limiting yes, especially for the wildlife. What i find more limiting is the inability to go lower than 24mm! Most of the pictures i shoot are at 24mm, and sometimes i wish i could go wider. Guess i have to learn how to stitch images in photoshop

I used my a6000 with 10-18 (15-27 equiv) lens for wide shots, as in this one from Wait-O-Tapu, Rotorua:

https://flic.kr/p/EvzUxV

I've been there. wanted to take the same shot, but i couldn't because of the 24mm...
Great shot!

I would love to have gone to the other sounds as well, but that wasn't really doable with the time we got left here.
I'm in the invercargill area right now, but i'm not sure i'm doing the islands. My plan was to drive to Dunedin to see the Otaga Peninsula!

Will you be travelling on the excellent Taieri Gorge railway while in Dunedin? Fantastic views, and it leaves from a wonderfully reatored old station:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157664999211820

That looks great! Is it a round trip? Because I can't leave my car in Dunedin.

White Island is certainly worth a visit if you get the chance. But you really do need the gas masks they provide:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157665281370310

Looks cool indeed! I can smell the sulphur just by looking at your pictures haha.

I assume you'll be going to Christchurch? It's had yet another earthquake this year, not sure if there's been any more damage. I found the many empty sites in the city quite spooky. I wonder if the installation with the ghostly white chairs is still there?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157664515652662

I'm dropping of my car in Christchurch, so i'm going there yes. You mean the earthquake of a few weeks back? I was in Hahei on the north island at the time and had to evacuate in the middle of the night because of a tsunami warning. Luckily it was a false alarm. Kaikoura got hit pretty hard from what I've seen, I don't know about Christchurch though.

 

[Digital Nigel]

Thank you Nigel!

At times the 70mm focal lenght can be limiting yes, especially for the wildlife. What i find more limiting is the inability to go lower than 24mm! Most of the pictures i shoot are at 24mm, and sometimes i wish i could go wider. Guess i have to learn how to stitch images in photoshop

I used my a6000 with 10-18 (15-27 equiv) lens for wide shots, as in this one from Wait-O-Tapu, Rotorua:

https://flic.kr/p/EvzUxV

I've been there. wanted to take the same shot, but i couldn't because of the 24mm...
Great shot!

Yes, the UWA lens is great, particularly indoors. It's now my most-used E-mount lens.

I would love to have gone to the other sounds as well, but that wasn't really doable with the time we got left here.
I'm in the invercargill area right now, but i'm not sure i'm doing the islands. My plan was to drive to Dunedin to see the Otaga Peninsula!

Will you be travelling on the excellent Taieri Gorge railway while in Dunedin? Fantastic views, and it leaves from a wonderfully restored old station:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157664999211820

That looks great! Is it a round trip? Because I can't leave my car in Dunedin.

You can do it as a day round trip (as I did) or one way (which a few people do). The train has authentic vintage carriages, but you get the best views from the swaying gangways between the carriages. There's a lot of competition for those prized spots!

White Island is certainly worth a visit if you get the chance. But you really do need the gas masks they provide:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157665281370310

Looks cool indeed! I can smell the sulphur just by looking at your pictures haha.

Yes, the fumes are powerful. On some days, it's not safe to land at all.

I assume you'll be going to Christchurch? It's had yet another earthquake this year, not sure if there's been any more damage. I found the many empty sites in the city quite spooky. I wonder if the installation with the ghostly white chairs is still there?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/sets/72157664515652662

I'm dropping of my car in Christchurch, so i'm going there yes. You mean the earthquake of a few weeks back? I was in Hahei on the north island at the time and had to evacuate in the middle of the night because of a tsunami warning. Luckily it was a false alarm. Kaikoura got hit pretty hard from what I've seen, I don't know about Christchurch though.

Yes, the recent earthquake wasn't far from Christchurch, but I don't think it did more damage. I guess the vulnerable old buildings had already gone.

 

[William19879]

Beautiful and stunning!

Did you going hiking there or just a sight-seeing tour? I really want to go hiking there but it may be 2-3 years later when I retire then.

Regards/William

 

[camedia1]

A very beautiful country indeed. I went to the North Island in March and will go to the Sound Island next year.
















Spellbound Glowworm Cave. There was no way to use a tripod in the boat, so I made a star trail instead.




Tongariro Alpine Crossing




Mt Doom




Huka Fall
























Blue Spring

 

[SimonB93]

Thanks guys!

William, you mean at milford sound? I did a boat cruise over there. In the rest of the country i did a lot of short hikes!

Camedia, great pictures! You had a lot worse weather at tongariro then i did hehe.

 

[Lars Luciano]

Really good series. Good job

 

[Birddogman]

Just beautiful! I've always wanted to go to NZ - won't happen now unless I can manage another life. But, I really did enjoy coming along with you.

I don't usually bother to open RX100(x) threads because the photography is often less than interesting - this was a great exception. I have been thinking off and on about getting an RX100V as a super-portable and super-fast field camera, but have so far been put off by the IQ I see on much of the RX100 stuff posted here (as compared to IQ from an RX1r II). Again, your post gives me cause to reconsider - you sure pulled a ton of nice IQ out of that little sensor!

Regards,

Greg

 

[sidebyside]

Well done, Simon.

I just bought the new RX100V and so far I'm impressed with what this little camera can do. I'll post some photos soon and hope to get the same quality that I'm seeing in your photos.

 

[Digital Nigel]

Thanks guys!

William, you mean at milford sound? I did a boat cruise over there. In the rest of the country i did a lot of short hikes!

I didn't do it, but I think a flight over Milford Sound would be fun, particularly if you like inspecting cliff faces at close quarters:




Helicopter over Milford Sound






Flight over Milford Sound (shot at 400mm, then heavily cropped)

 

[elliottnewcomb]

A mighty fine collection of photos, glad it bounced to the top, I missed it earlier.

Where else have you taken the mighty midget?

Perhaps for birddogman and others you could outline your process.

--
Elliott

 

[SimonB93]

Thank you guys!

Greg,
I'm glad you liked the pictures! The rx100 series are great little machines, especially when you shoot in raw. There is probably a gap in IQ between the rx100v and your Rx1RII, but i bet you won't be disappointed if you get it!

Sidebyside,
They're indeed little powerful machines.

Nigel,
I saw them fly by! It looked impressive indeed, although I think you get a better sense of scale when you're in a boat and looking up.

Elliot,
Glad you like them! So far the camera only has been to the USA before New Zealand. I bought it a few months before going to the states. I've posted some pictures on here a few weeks back which i took in the USA.
Here's the link to those pictures.

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www.dpreview.com

 

[elliottnewcomb]

I remember now, I liked many of them.

 

[nannyg]

Great photos! The Milford Sound and Rotorua landscape images were especially nice. I tried hiking the Tongariro Crossing three times - 2011, 2013, 2016. First time never got started because it was cold and rainy. 2nd time got about 2/3 of the way up and had to quit and go back as the conditions at that altitude were horrible - couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of my face. So much for photo-taking. 3rd time I actually made it to the end, but it drizzled the whole time and this is what the ridge by the "emerald pools" looked like;







I tried to keep a positive attitude, but it was hard. A few degrees colder and it would have been snowing. I don't expect to try it a 4th time.

--

Randy Reid’s albums | Flickr

www.flickr.com

 

[RemyW]

Nice pictures! You had some awesome weather there (Tongariro / Milford Sound). But what I can't understand: You walked the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with apparently good weather and it's the most beautiful day hike I ever did and its vistas are amazing and you show that picture?!?

I agree with you, its an amazing beautiful country and should be in the top of everyone's wish list...

- Remy