I thought I was smart… but I wasn’t. I tried out the Canon EOS 90D. What was I hoping for? Why do I return it?
I still have no high-resolution camera. My primary interest in having one is shooting portraits. My good old Canon EOS 5D Mark iii is ok, but I thought having something better would make my customers happier. However, as I’m trying to make profits with my photography, I wasn’t prepared to spend a lot of money. I don’t think I’ll gather extra customers from buying a better camera. It would just be a cost to me.
So I was looking for a reasonably cheap camera with high resolution. This led me to the new 90D. It has 32.5 MP. This is 46 percent more resolution than what I have. Hang on, you may think: the 90D just has an APSC sensor. My 5Dii is full format. It should have a better image quality. However, when I do portrait shootings, I shoot at low ISO. So all the disadvantages of small sensor are unimportant.
Then, an online store offered the camera with huge discount. I thought it’s now or never. I ordered it.
Bad View-Finder Autofocus
Then the testing: I used my EF 70-200 F2.8 lens. The first thing I discovered was a back focus problem. No 1DX quality, it’s ok for the price, I thought. So I fixed the back focus problem. Then the disappointment: Only about each 5th picture was tack sharp, the others more or less soft. This is simply not acceptable. Even my 5 year old 7D Mark ii performs much better.
To be fair, the problem disappeared when I used Live View instead of the viewfinder. However, I do sports portraits! Did you ever shoot action with a viewfinder? I cannot imagine doing this.
The 90D might be a great camera otherwise. However, dear Canon, what is the point of bringing a 32.5 MP camera to the market that shoots soft pictures? I’m sorry to write this. The camera will go back to the store after the weekend.
It’s official. On November 16, my first sports book will appear. Joint with my agency athletix.ch I will issue a book on the Swiss athletics season 2019. During the past months we were busy putting the content together. At the moment, we are ready for the print run.
Lea Sprunger with her gold medal at the indoor Europeans in Glasgow. (Photo: Ulf Schiller)
Jason Joseph after winning Gold at the U23 Europeans in Gävle. (Photo: Ulf Schiller)
Mujinga Kambundji after winning the Bronze medal at the Worlds in Doha. (Poto: Axel Kohring)
The purpose of the book is to allow any fan to look back at and re-live the 2019 season. An ever-lasting dream of humans is to preserve emotions. Social media have no memory. Books have. This is why we decided to produce a book. We will produce 144 pages. The book will contain articles that have been written by professional journalists.
A special feature about Switzerland is that we have four official languages. Three of them will enter the book. Articles about athletes from the German speaking part will be in German, articles about athletes from the Italian speaking part in Italian and articles about athletes from the French speaking part in French.
We will re-visit all the major events of the season, starting with the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow and ending with the World Championships in Doha. Readers will enjoy looking back at the six Swiss gold medals at the Junior Europeans in Sweden, the Gold medal for Lea Sprunger at the Indoor Europeans, and, of course, Mujinga Kambundji’s historic sprint medal at the Worlds in Doha.
This might be my most controversial blog entry ever. Maybe you are one of the readers that will tell me that I have no idea of the modern internet. Let me start with a real case. Last year in Bellinzona I shot this press picture of the Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji.
Mujinga Kambundji at Gala dei Castelli 2018 Bellinzona July-18, 2018
I uploaded this picture to my agency, and one of our main clients, the Swiss Athletics Federation, used it for this article. The picture has never been sold to any other client. Recently, I met my picture again, namely, here:
A YouTuber, called Nuffin’ Long Athletics, used it as cover photo for a video about Mujinga. I have no doubt that the video itself is a completely legal production. However, the use of the cover picture is illegal. It is my picture. I have never been contacted. Neither has my agency.
This is theft.
Today, the EU parliament passed a reform of the copyright legislation. This reform has been extremely controversial. Some of the main opponents were: Google (the owner of YouTube), a political party called the ‘Pirates’, many bloggers, YouTubers, etc.
The name of the political party is their program. Piracy is almost as old as the internet. Once, it almost destroyed the music industry. Since then, things have changed. Old players disappeard and were replaced by new players. One of the most important ones is
… YouTube.
To see this, go back to the case of my stolen picture. My interest would have been to sell to Nuffin’ Long Athletics. The reason? If I can’t cover my expenses, I have to stop my activities, sell my equipment, and do something else. Ask any artist, photographer, video producer, text author. They all have the same problem. Once the intellectual property is accessible, there is nothing that prevents pirates from copying it. This happens on each day, a million times. No wonder so many creative people change their jobs.
Who profits from piracy? To answer this, click on the video. YouTube starts with an advertising video and earns money (sometimes the YouTuber profits with a tiny amount, but Nuffin’ Long Athletics is too small; they get nothing). So the winner from the piracy is
… YouTube.
In theory, the law is on my side. However, will Nuffin’ Long Athletics respond to an invoice? Most likely not. Can I sue them? In theory, yes. Can I pay all the necessary legal fees from a damage payment? Obviously not. The economic value of an online picture is far too low. Can I sue Youtube? No. I have no contractual relationship with YouTube.
Let us come back to the EU copyright directive. The very controversial Article 13 (Article 17 in the revised version) states that that anyone sharing copyrighted content must get permission from rights owners (or at least have made the best possible effort to get permission). In particular it forces all online platforms like YouTube to police and prevent the uploading of copyrighted content, or make people seek the correct licenses to post that content. In plain words, YouTube will be held responsible.
What a game changer.
Obviously, YouTube doesn’t like this. Why? It’s expensive to improve their upload filters. Moreover, taking away illegal content from YouTube reduces revenue. Bloggers, YouTubers, and users of online platforms don’t like it either. Why? Users get less illegal content for free. They don’t care. And producers like Nuffin’ Long Athletics have to make sure they have proper licenses. This requires effort and costs money.
Now it’s your turn.
Feel free to explain why the EU is censoring Nuffin’ Long Athletics.
Feel free to explain why the freedom of speech on the internet has died.
But please, answer these two questions and relate to my case. I’m not interested in Bla Bla on other things.
Another nerdy blog entry… which camera should I/you buy?
While home cycling in our basement, I watched a few YouTube videos. Each year the same: it’s the end of the year, everybody has time, and the YouTube family thinks about market trends.
I’ll be straight. (If you want to have a full hour of entertainment on this question go elsewhere.) Buy ANY modern camera of the serious manufacturers, like Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Sony (in alphabetical order), and this camera will be excellent. Period.
It follows that if you buy a completely new system, the best thing is to go to a shop. Hold several models in your hands, and do some test shots of different subjects (if they let you). If you find the handling intuitive and the price is OK, buy the camera. If you have to guess how to find the right buttons, buy another one.
If you have special needs, there is a little more to say. For instance, I shoot something like 3’000 frames on one single event. I need fast cameras with fast writing and reading capabilities. The autofocus must be excellent too. There are two manufacturers that provide this: Canon and Nikon. The full frame versions are the 1DXii for Canon and the D5 for Nikon (the predecessors will be excellent too). The corresponding APSC versions are the 7Dii by Canon and the D500 by Nikon. By construction the APSCs have poorer low light capabilities, but for outdoor sports my 7Dii is absolutely sufficient.
The only reason I shoot Canon, not Nikon, is that I bought a Canon some 10 years ago. Hence, I am stuck to the system. Would I be happier with Nikon? I don’t know, but I guess not. From what I know about Sony (I have friends with Sony) the reading and writing capabilities are inferior to Canon and Nikon. I have no information about Fuji, as I have never seen a colleague with Fuji in an arena.
What are the future trends?
Mobile phones will take over the market for snapshots and even landscape. The electronic capabilities of these cameras are incredible. Their main disadvantage is the missing tele lens. Nevertheless, all classic manufacturers will have big, big problems. Not risky to predict that some of them will die. If you have no special needs (like wildlife or sports), but just want a camera for your family photos: invest some 1’000 or more stones and buy a high end smartphone.
For the rest of the market, mirrorless cameras will replace DSLRs, but this will take some time. Manufacturers need that time to build the new lenses. The new standard will be F2 zoom lenses that will replace the current F2.8 zoom lenses. A lot of negative things have been said about Canon, but notice that Canon is the only manufacturer so far that has a completely new F2 zoom lens.
It’s the quiet time of the year. Time to look back. Enjoy some of my best pictures
Orientierungsauf Shooting mit Florian Schneider am 19.10.18 im in Emmental (Schweiz).
Kiproto (3000m Steeple) Leichtathletik Weltklasse Zuerich, 2018 am 30.08.18 im Stadion Letzigrund in Zuerich (Schweiz).
Absteiger 1. FC Koeln vor Fankurve; Fussball, Bundesliga, 32. Spieltag, SC Freiburg vs 1. FC Koeln am 28 April, 2018 in Freiburg (Scharzwaldstadion), Deutschland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Shooting Tissotvelodrome with Frank Pasche and Aline Seitz on February, 12 2018 in Grenchen (Tissotvelodrome), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Karsten Warholm (NOR) after winning the title of a European Champion over 400 m hurdles European Athletics Championships am 09.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 09.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Thays Deprati (Volley Duedingen #5) Volleyball NLA 2018-2019 TS Volley Duedingen vs Viteos NUC am 17.10.18 im Sportzentrum Leimacker in Duedingen (Schweiz).
Preparations to Hurdle rae European Athletics Championships am 08.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 08.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Mujinga Kambundji – Shooting am 16 March, 2018 in Bern (Wankdorf), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Siegerehrung /medal ceremony für Lea Sprunger (SUI) Europameisterin 400 m Huerden / haies European Athletics Championships am 11.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 11.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Karsten Warholm (NOR) 400 m Hurdles / Huerden European Athletics Championships am 07.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 07.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Frank Pasche (Silver European Championships Team Pursuit 2018) and Aline Seitz (World Cup Winner Minsk 2018)
David King, Lorenzo Perini and Hassane Fofana at AthletiCAGeneve 2018
10000 m women Final European Athletics Championships am 08.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 08.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Orientierungslauf Florian Schneider Lobhorn Bern 2018 on 29 July, 2018 in Lauterbrunnen (Lobhorn), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Matchpoint in the Golden Set for Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen Volleyball CEV Cup 2018-19 SmAESCH PFEFFINGEN (SUI) vs VC OUDEGEM (BEL) on December 5, 2018 at St Jakobs Halle in Basel (Switzerland).
Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen mit Madlaina Matter (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen #6) Volleyball Mobiliar Supercup 2018 Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen vs Viteos NUC am 07.10.18 im Mobiliar Arena in Guemligen (Schweiz).
Florian Schneider Swiss Orienteering National Team
Siegerehrung Medaillenzeremonie Lea Sprunger (Sui) Europameisterin / Championne d’Europe 400 m Huerden / haies European Athletics Championships am 11.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 11.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Alex WILSON (SUI, 200 m ) Leichtathletik Weltklasse Zuerich, 2018 am 30.08.18 im Stadion Letzigrund in Zuerich (Schweiz).
Geraldine Ruckstuhl (SUI) im Hochsprung / high jump des Siebenkampf / heptathlon European Athletics Championships am 09.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 09.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Alex Wilson (SUI) gewinnt Bronze ueber 200 m European Athletics Championships am 09.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 09.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
ATCHO Sarah (Lausanne-Sports Athletisme #447) after the 200 m race at AthletiCAGeneve (Memorial Georges Caillat) 2018 on 9 June, 2018 in Geneve (Stade Bout-du-Monde), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Thiam Nafissatou (BEL) ueberspringt 2.01m im Hochsprung (in the high jump); Leichtathletik, Hypomeeting , Goetzis, 2018 am 26 May, 2018 in Goetzis (Moeslestadion), Austria, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) gewinnt Silber ueber 3000 m Steeple European Athletics Championships am 12.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 12.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
SPRUNGER Lea ( SUI #168) at Gala dei Castelli 2018 Bellinzona on 18 July, 2018 in Bellinzona (Stadio Comunale), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Foul von Yann Sommer (Borussia Moenchengladbach, #1) an G. Waldschmidt (SC Freiburg #11) zum Elfmeter in der ersten Spielminute Fussball Bundesliga – 18/19 SC Freiburg vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach 26-10-2018 im Schwarzwaldstadion in Freiburg (Deutschland). DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.
im Schweizer Cup Final zwischen Biogas Volley Naefels und Volley Amriswil; VOLLEYBALL CUP FINAL 2018 am 31 March, 2018 in Fribourg (St. Leonhard-Halle), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / freshfocus
Alex Wilson: European bronze medalist 2018
Arthur Abele (GER) Speerwurf / javelin throw Zehnkampf / decathlon European Athletics Championships am 08.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 08.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Shooting with Maja Storck – Swiss National Team and Ladies in Black Aachen (GER) on 24 June, 2018 in Basel (WWZ Uni Basel), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Start of the women’s elite race UCI Cyclo-Cross Weltcup Bern 2018 am 21.10.18 im Weyermannshus in Bern (Schweiz).
Alex Wilson (SUI) 200 m Semifinal European Athletics Championships am 08.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 08.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Mujinga Kambundji: 100m in 10.95 secs
Kambundji Mujinga (SUI) during the Citius Meeting Bern 2018 on 16 June, 2018 in Bern (Wankdorf Stadion), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX / FRESHFOCUS
Dominik ALBERTO vaulting in the Zurich Train Station at Weltklasse Zürich
Shooting Tissotvelodrome with Frank Pasche and Aline Seitz on February, 12 2018 in Grenchen (Tissotvelodrome), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Alex Wilson mit Bronzemedaille ueber 200 m European Athletics Championships am 10.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 10.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
5000 m mit Julien Wanders (SUI) European Athletics Championships am 11.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 11.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Cornelia Halbheer during the Citius Meeting Bern 2018 on 16 June, 2018 in Bern (Wankdorf Stadion), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX / FRESHFOCUS
SPRUNGER, Lea (SUI, 400 m Hurdles) Leichtathletik Weltklasse Zuerich, 2018 am 30.08.18 im Stadion Letzigrund in Zuerich (Schweiz).
Christian Streich (Cheftrainer SC Freiburg) Fussball Bundesliga – 2018-19 – SC Freiburg vs. SV Werder Bremen – 25. 11. 2018 im Schwarzwaldstadium in Freiburg (Deutschland). DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.
Shooting with Benjamin Gfoehler am 9 March, 2018 in Zuerich (Letzigrund), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) European Athletics Championships am 12.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 12.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Armand Duplantis (SWE) after clearing 6.05m and winning the pole vault European Athletics Championships am 12.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 12.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Shooting with JASON JOSEPH (SUI) on February, 4 2018 in Basel (Jakob Burkhard Haus), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Huddle VfB Stuttgart vor dem Spiel vor den Fans Fussball Bundesliga 2018-19 3. Spieltag, SC Freiburg vs VfB Stuttgart am 16.09.18 im Schwarzwaldstadion in Freiburg (Deutschland). DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.
Kristel Marbach (Volley Duedingen #9) and Sabel Moffett (Volley Duedingen #17) 2-429 TS Volley DUEDINGEN vs Fatum NYIREGYHAZA (CEV Cup 1/16th final) on November 28, 2018 at Salle St Leonard in FRIBOURG (Switzerland).
The Olympic Champion and multiple World Champion WELTE Miriam, FKA – 1. FC KAISERSLAUTERN, GER racing in the Tissot Velodrome Grenchen UCI Track Cycling Challenge C1 on December 20, 2018 at Tissot Velodrome in Grenchen (Switzerland).
Finley Gaio (SC Liestal, Nr 318) Leichtathletik SM Nachwuchs U20 U23, 2018 am 08.09.18 in der Stadion Schachen in Aarau (Schweiz).
Kapitaine Ana ANTONIJEVIC (Volero Zurich #7 C) bekommt dem Pokal ueberreicht. Volero Zurich gewinnt im Schweizer Cup Final zwischen Viteos NUC Neuchatel und Volero Zurich; VOLLEYBALL CUP FINAL 2018 am 31 March, 2018 in Fribourg (St. Leonhard-Halle), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / freshfocus
Kerley Becker during the European Cup match TS Volley DUEDINGEN vs Fatum NYIREGYHAZA (CEV Cup 1/16th final) on November 28, 2018 at Salle St Leonard in FRIBOURG (Switzerland).
ARCHILBALD John, HUB – HUUB WATTBIKE TEST TEAM, GBR UCI Track Cycling Challenge C1 on December 19, 2018 at Tissot Velodrome in Grenchen (Switzerland).
Schweizer Nationalmannschaft: Laura Künzler (SUI), Thays Deprati (SUI), Linda Kronenberg (SUI), Livia Zaugg (SUI), Gabi Schottroff (SUI), Korina Perkovac (SUI), Madlaina Matter (SUI), Meline Pierret (SUI), Maja Storck (SUI), Xenia Staffelbach (SUI), Anika Schwoerer (SUI), Olivia Wassner (SUI), Mathilde Engel (SUI) Volleyball EM-Qualifikation Schweiz – Albanien am 22.08.18 in der Betoncoupe Arena in Schoenenwerd (Schweiz). Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
European Athletics Championships am 10.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 10.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Abraham Tadesse: European Champion Marathon 2016
Kambundji Mujinga (STB Leichtathletik #273) nach Weltjahresbestleistung und Schweizerrekord in 7.03sec ueber 60m bei der LEICHTATHLETIK HALLEN SM 2018 am 17 February, 2018 in Magglingen (End der Welt), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Fabienne Schlumpf gewinnt die Silbermedaille ueber 3000 m Steeple European Athletics Championships am 12.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 12.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Jubel bei TS Volley Duedingen Powercats ueber die Bronzemedaille; Volleyball, NLA 2017/18,, Spiel 2 um Platz 3:, TS Volley Duedingen vs Kanti Schaffhausen am 18 April, 2018 in Duedingen (Sportzentrum Leimacker), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Karsten Warholm: World and European Champion 400 m Hurdles
MEISEN Marcel (GER #51) UCI Cyclo-Cross Weltcup Bern 2018 am 21.10.18 im Weyermannshus in Bern (Schweiz).
Start 110m Huerden: vlnr: mit Sales Inglin (SUI), Jason Joseph (SUI), Stefan Volzer (GER), Finley Gaio (SUI) Leichtathletik Weltklasse Zuerich, 2018 am 30.08.18 Stadion Letzigrund in Zuerich (Schweiz).
Alex Wilson sets up a Swiss record over 200m during the Citius Meeting Bern 2018 on 16 June, 2018 in Bern (Wankdorf Stadion), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX / FRESHFOCUS
VAN DER POEL Mathieu (NED #19) UCI Cyclo-Cross Weltcup Bern 2018 am 21.10.18 im Weyermannshus in Bern (Schweiz).
Kerley Becker during the European Cup match TS Volley DUEDINGEN vs Fatum NYIREGYHAZA (CEV Cup 1/16th final) on November 28, 2018 at Salle St Leonard in FRIBOURG (Switzerland).
Alex Wilson (SUI) Shooting am 04.10.18 im Stadion Schuetzenmatte in Basel (Schweiz).
Sarah Atcho (SUI) after the semifinal over 200 m European Athletics Championships am 10.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 10.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Match start: Volero Zurich: Laura UNTERNAEHRER (Volero Zurich #17) und Gabi SCHOTTROFF (Volero Zurich #6) im Schweizer Cup Final zwischen Viteos NUC Neuchatel und Volero Zurich; VOLLEYBALL CUP FINAL 2018 am 31 March, 2018 in Fribourg (St. Leonhard-Halle), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Martin Roe (NOR) Speerwurf / javelin throw Zehnkampf / decathlon European Athletics Championships am 08.08.18 im Olympiastadion in Berlin (Deutschland). European Athletics Championships on 08.08.18 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX.CH
Jason Joseph sets up a Swiss U23 record during the Citius Meeting Bern 2018 on 16 June, 2018 in Bern (Wankdorf Stadion), Switzerland, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller / ATHLETIX / FRESHFOCUS
CITIUS meeting 2018 team: v.l. Abdul Omar, Bas de Graaf, Franco Noti, Raphael Clemencio, Julien Christen, Matyas Kobrehel, Bern, Wankdorf Stadion, 10.5.2018, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Sprunger Lea (COVA Nyon #295) mit Schweizer Rekord ueber 200m bei der LEICHTATHLETIK HALLEN SM 2018 am 18 February, 2018 in Magglingen (End der Welt), Schweiz, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller (2018)
Thiam Nafissatou (BEL) gewinnt das Hypomeeting Goetzis 2018 mit 6806 Punkten ; Leichtathletik, Hypomeeting , Goetzis, 2018 Day 2 am 27 May, 2018 in Goetzis (Moeslestadion), Austria, Photo Credit: Ulf Schiller
Damian Warner: Olympic bronze medalist decathlon
4 x 100 m, Wechsel 2: Sarah Atcho auf Mujinga Kambundji (SUI) Leichtathletik Weltklasse Zuerich, 2018 am 30.08.18 im Stadion Letzigrund in Zuerich (Schweiz).
I visited the re-match between Sm’Aesch-Pfeffingen (SUI) and VC Oudegem (BEL). The Belgian club had won the first match 3-1, but even before the start you could sense that everyone at the Sm’Aesch crew was determined to win. After a concentrated play and a brilliant 3-0, the match entered the Golden Set. Oudegem started strong, but as Sm’Aesch gathered a small lead, the Belgians lost confidence and Sm’Aesch took a sweet victory. Sm’Aesch played without their regular setter, Taylor Tashima, who suffers from a concussion. The 16 year-old Annalea Maeder replaced her well and became the secret hero of the match.
After a short break I was back to Freiburg. The guests were Borussia Mönchengladbach, second in the league. Freiburg won 3-1. They deserved the victory because of their good defense in the second half. I didn’t get as much out of the game as I was hoping, because I speculated to see attack after attack by Gladbach. However, Freiburg didn’t give Gladbach many opportunities. Thus, I waited at the wrong goal. As a sports photographer you sometimes win, and you sometimes lose.
30 international photographers gathered at the media briefing. The announcement was: “Three photographers will have exclusive access to the track: Keystone, AFP and Ulf Schiller”. What was going on here? Let me tell step by step.
For long, I loved shooting sports. My friends, hobby athletes, were my usual victims. However, professional sport has always been my love. So I took a camera to the stands and shot pictures from there. There weren’t many reactions. “Yes I saw this in TV too”, was a typical one.
I desperately needed change. Thus, I started talking to event organizers. I wanted to get close to the athletes and shoot something unusual.
The Tissotvelodrome Grenchen accepted me.So I started shooting track cycling races. A niche sport. Maybe that’s why I made myself a name so quickly. After a few races, every elite track cyclist in Switzerland knew my name.
Then, a big day was ahead… Jens Voigt, the extremely popular German cycling star, 17-times Tour de France participant, Yellow Jersey holder, permanent attacker in the peloton (quote: «Shut up legs and do what I tell you») planned to retire from professional cycling after a final attack on the official “UCI Hour Record”. Eurosport would broadcast live. The worldwide press would be there. Social media was buzzing. The Tissotvelodrome, my childs’ room, had turned into an arena of world sports. My guts were aching. I wanted to be part of the game.
I used my old trick, and asked the organizer directly. So I wrote an email to Jens’ team, Trek Factory Racing. I introduced myself as photographer of the Tissotvelodrome, asked if I could work for them, and included some of my pictures as reference. The answer was quick and polite. A rejection.
So I submitted an accreditation through the official way. Being one of very many, was the least thing I was hoping for.
On the race day, Peter (CEO of the Tissotvelodrome) asked me to contact Trek Factory Racing’s media officer. “Is your offer still valid?”, he asked. I was more than surprised: Yes, sure, was the answer. “Good, we saw your pictures in the Tissotvelodrome. You have talent, you know what you are doing. Please deliver the pictures one hour after the race.”
Bang! I didn’t expect that! I came straight from work. That was the only reason I had my laptop with me. What a luck on an evening that I had already written off from a photographic point of view.
When I came home late at night, my wife was waiting. She hugged me. She had seen me on the TV. And, more importantly, she showed me my pictures. They were all over the Internet! From Australia to California. I had water in my eyes. I didn’t sleep that night.
It clicked!
This was what I wanted! During that sleepless night, I decided to become a sports photographer.
So I have a new camera, a dinosaur: another Canon 1 DX mark ii.
In the days of the mirrorless hype (“the camera revolution has started”) when Canon, Nikon, and Fuji introduced a generation of new mirrorless cameras, my photo friends and I decided to buy… good-old DSLRs.
Why? The reason is simple.
First: for our needs, there aren’t lenses for mirrorless camerasout there. Those lenses that have been introduced are not convincing (the only exception being Canon’s new F2.0 zoom lens – this one might be a game changer in the future).
Second: modern DSLR’s are 100% reliable. Brilliant autofocus, 14 frames per second, my old one has 376’000 shutter releases and is still working perfectly).
Third: Why do we need more of everything? 20 Megapixels are all we need, I recently even delivered even a 5x5m poster. The video capabilities are really good, and the weight… come on, We’re neither 7 nor 80: the weight is negligible compared to that of the tele lenses.
I unboxed the camera yesterday. Enjoy some first test shots.
Canon 1DXii with 24-105 F4
Canon 1DXii with 400 F2.8
Canon 1DXii with 400 F2.8
I am convinced, the future will be mirrorless. But meanwhile the new DXiis will do the better job!
Back to Bundesliga. This blog is about my frustration with my latest football coverage.
For those who follow my blog for photography reasons: maybe you remember that I bought a new tele lens earlier this year, the Sigma 120-300 F 2.8 S. It had been introduced in a video by Stephan Wiesner and we were quite enthusiastic about the first results.
After a few months it is time for a report on its long-run performance. I’ll be short: the lens has a massive problem: the autofocus! Depending on what you want to do, the performance ranges between “good” and “absolutely not reliable”.
The lens performed really well on the first day when the video was made: why? Because I only did two sorts of shots that work with this lens. First, shots when things are not hectic. Second action shots where the distance is predictable. A good example for the latter are the volleyball scenes from the head-on position that appear in Stephan’s video. Below are examples of such shots.
Male Ibex near Lake Thun, Switzerland
Thays Deprati, Libera of the Swiss National Volleyball Team
Ehrat Samuel (14), Aleksandar Ljubicic (11) and Nemanja Jakovljevic (13) during the Swiss Volleyball Cup Final 2018
Lars Voßler: Assistant Coach SC Freiburg substituting the regular head coach Christian Streich
Tiana Dockerey during the Swiss Volleyball Cup Final 2018
However, the lens is absolutely not reliable, if the subject is running towards you, or the exact spot of the action is not predictable. The first is typical for head-on positions in athletics (a 100m sprinter is too fast for the lens) and the latter for football matches (where one intelligent pass requires immediate re-focusing to some completely new spot). I cannot include these pictures, because I delete them immediately: believe me, I deleted many! Also: be grateful to my parents who educated me well. I won’t use strong words here. I was tempted to use them, though, when I missed important shots.
As an aside, the lens also has strong vignetting. This is not bad per se. Some of the pictures have a “cool” look. However, Lightroom is not able to correct this if you want to. So this is worth mentioning.