Sony camera sensor technology enables a closer look at some of Mother Nature's rarest sights that could not previously have been photographed in this way.
The enigmatic beauty of the caves of Vatnajokull, one of the largest glaciers in Europe, is revealed in all its frozen, icy splendour through astoundingly sharp and detailed photography. The sensor sits at the heart of every camera and defines its capability to capture the amount of light and detail that goes into photographs. Advancements in Sony's sensor technology are enabling photographers to take pin-sharp photographs in the most challenging low light conditions.
Each year, the Vatnajokull glacier shifts and changes, revealing complex cave systems that are there for only a matter of weeks before metamorphosing again. Photographer Mikael Buck, renowned local guides Einar Runar Sigurdsson and Helen Maria explored the frozen world using Sony's latest digital cameras including the α7R II featuring the world first back-illuminated full-frame sensor which brings together ultra-high resolution and ultra-high sensitivity, the RX10 II and RX100 IV which feature the world's first 1.0 type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor that truly shine in low-light and high contrast conditions. The images were taken without the use of any external sources – just the natural light that filters through the ice caves.
Within the photo series, barren caves have been brought to life, making visible the intricate curves of the natural sculptures, the delicate structure of its icicles, and the smooth and the marble-like texture of the cavern walls, which are formed through constant movement. Images capture the misty waterways that flow within the frosty fortress, as well as the ice-cold waterfalls that cascade down and transform the cavern's bright blue walls. Buck has also captured images of a skilled local climber ascending the icy walls to showcase the scale of the majestic blue cave.
"These images wouldn't have been possible a few years ago without having to take bulky kit, lighting and other accessories to the glacier - all of which would have weighed down a photographer. The sensors inside Sony's α7 and RX cameras ensure that all a photographer needs is a small form factor camera and with its low light photography capabilities and they can then capture incredible images like these," Yann Salmon Legagneur, Head of Product Marketing, Digital Imaging for Sony Europe commented.