Expections of the new Canon EOS 1D Mark 4

I bought the Canon EOS 1D Mark3 in July 2007 and I have never been completely satisfied with the AI Servo. There were well known issues with the autofocus and the camera had to be returned to Canon Professional Service twice for hardware updates and some new firmwares have been downloaded several times to improve the autofocus. In spite of setting my camera very well ( custom functions and lens micro adjustments ) and the corrections, the autofocus never worked as I expected for a professional sports camera series 1D.

While shooting sports pictures, a lot of them were not really sharp even when the subject was moving slowly towards me.

After, you can see that the autofocus wasn' t consistent and actually it was working better in low light than on a sunny day.

Also, while I was using the camera in high speed motodrive at 10 frames per second, not all the photographs were sharp especially when the subject didn' t have a contant speed or dark/low contrast.

The newborn Canon EOS 1D Mark4 might resolve all the issues and I have a lot of expectations with this new body that I will buy very soon. I hope I will be able to trust the new camera and the trouble I have had will be in the past.

New sport images on my Website

Whilst working in Serre Chevalier, I had the privilege to shoot the Giant Slalom for the British Military Championship 2010 and I kept some images for the sports gallery on my website.
Please check out.

http://www.sylvainoliveira.com/sport/index.html

Hidden treasures near Johannesburg

Gauteng in South Africa has many hidden treasures. One of the most beautiful caves in this area is the Wonder Cave which is believed to be 2,2 million years old. It is located within the Rhino and Lion nature reserve at the Cradle of Humankind. Robert Broom found the first fossils in 1937 and spent the rest of his life devoting himself to the discovery and excavation further hominids.

The dolomite limestone caves in this area started out as warm coral reefs in shallow seas and excavations produced fossilized remains of ancient plants, animals and hominids . 7 of the 12 sites have yielded hominid remains and this area is designated a world heritage site.

New pictures added in the wildlife gallery

I have updated my wildlife gallery with a dozen pictures I took whilst travelling in South Africa. Please check it out. http://www.sylvainoliveira.com/wildlife/index.html

Thanks.

Paris by night

Paris is known as the "City of Lights" and it's a beautiful place especially at night. Originally the phrase referred to the Age of Enlightenment. Later, Paris was known as this for it's early adoption of street lighting and the most spectacular example is the Champs Elysee. Everyone has heard of the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Louvre and the River Seine but visiting this city is a truly amazing experience. Paris has around 45 million tourists each year and it is easy to see why. The transport system is excellent and easy to use. From Chatelet les Halles, a major shopping centre, take line 1 to Tuilleries and walk through the gardens to the Louvre, beautiful in spring.
Or, travel by metro to Trocadero and take a leisurely stroll to the iconic Eiffel Tower which is often empty in August as the Parisiennes decamp to the south of France during the summer. Anvers, near Gare de Nord is the starting point for the funicular to Monmartre and the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur. This stunning white domed building is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus and situated on the highest point in Paris.

I was lucky enough to spend a few days in my home city but November isn't the best time to take stock photographs. The trees are bare, the days short and cold but on a dark winters evening, Paris isn't known as the "City of Lights" for nothing.