What's a quiet SLR?

AJQS

AJQS

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Any suggestions - took my OM4 to see a play earlier and gave up because the shutter/mirror is so damned noisy! (and I couldn't see what the shutter speed was in the dark!)

So far all my cameras have been pretty loud - is there one that can actually be quite stealthy out there?
 
The only 2 that spring to mind are the Canon EOS 5 and the Elan 7.

I have an EOS 5 and it is whisper quiet.

John:)
 
Not strictly a SLR, but what about the EOS-1N RS - the one with the fixed pellicle mirror ? (though if the film transport side is as noisy as the EOS-3, i'm guessing it'd still be tooth-rattling on the noise front)

Haven't used one - and I'm guessing I never will, as they're rarer than rocking horse droppings and probably more expensive gram for gram :lol:

Whatever you do, don't rely on a EOS-1 or EOS-3 - the mirror slap is loud enough to get you thrown out of a Motorhead Gig for drowning Lemmy out!
 
Sony SLTs are pretty quiet, without the flapping mirror and with an electronic first curtain shutter.
 
Johnd2000 said:
Sony SLTs are pretty quiet, without the flapping mirror and with an electronic first curtain shutter.
Click to expand...

I think we're talking film bodies in F&C ;)
 
I thought the OM series cameras were supposed to be quiet for an SLR? :p If you want quiet then it probably won't be an SLR, that's rangefinder/leaf shutter territory.
 
Was using an Eos 30 in a church service yesterday- certainly wasn't quiet but I don't think that the SLR design really is. As Rob has said, if you want a quiet camera then a rangefinder will give you a better chance!
 
I have a few Nikon bodies and on a test, I would say it is the AF bodies that are quiet, F50, F70 and F80 are all very quiet no Nikon clunk, but I think you would maybe after an older body, so at not much money, but with Aperture priority only, the Nikon EM is a great small body and with the E series lens takes a dammed good photo.

PS, sorry forgot to say very, very, quiet.
 
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120 folder with leaf shutter will be your quietest option, your limited to a 'normal' length lens though and won't be very fast. IIRC the Hexar was one of the very quiet AF rangefinders, my Leica M3 is much quieter than an SLR but not whispery quiet.

How about going for a Mamiya 330 or similar interchangeable lens TLR? big neg, interchangeable lens and leaf shutter for super quiet shooting.

On the other hand take a Pentax 6x7 in fire a couple of shots then no one will notice the noise of the Olympus (or a browning 12bore for that matter)!
 
Perhaps there should be a test with a sound meter! Don't remember my dynax being unduly noisy or quiet.

If you didn't mind a compact then the samsung film thing (fino 105s) I have is fairly quiet and produces surprisingly decent pictures. It's also got multi exposure and a few other tricks. Motorwind makes more noise but then it's too late ;)
 
I think even my OM1 with the mirror locked up would be too loud for me. The obvious (non SLR) contender for 'quiet and good in low light' is one of the Yashica Electro 35 models.
 
I wouldn't say an EOS 30 / Elan 7 is quiet

Mines louder than my DSLR shutter, it does sound better though :P
 
I've used many film SLR's and the Canon EOS 5 is the quietest i've used so far, but that's just the shutter, pretty much all Canon EOS SLR's have noisy as hell film motor winds so take that into account.
On a side note the noisiest 35mm SLR i've used is a Praktica MTL3, holy balls the mirror slap on that is harsh and clunky. Medium format SLR's have the loudest though.
 
I will agree with the Big Yin, DO NOT use a EOS 3 if stealth is in mind !

The slap is like hitting an elephants arse with a scaffold plank !
 
Thanks for the suggestions but the only ones I'd consider aren't suitable. Oh well, no matter, I'm unlikely to need to do it again!
 
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