Shutter Sound

Steve Smith · Feb 3, 2012

They all sound great when they're working. It's when they hesitate or stop half way that they cease being musical.

Steve.

NormanV · Feb 3, 2012

My Fuji GW690 has a horrible cheap "ping" sound but my Contax II has a lovely gentle "zip" on medium speeds.

David Brown · Feb 3, 2012

Ka-BLAM!

(Mamiya RB 67)

EDIT: Actually, I guess that is the sound of the mirror. The shutters just go "click".

Jim Jones · Feb 3, 2012

The rotary focal plane shutter in a Mercury II half-frame camera has a distinctive woosh-KLUNK sound with enough vibration after the exposure that one can feel as well as hear the shutter.

David Brown · Feb 3, 2012

Anyone else heard the story that the word "kodak" came from the sound of a simple shutter?

E. von Hoegh · Feb 3, 2012

David Brown said:
Anyone else heard the story that the word "kodak" came from the sound of a simple shutter?

Apochryphal, AFAIK.

removed account4 · Feb 3, 2012

David Brown said:
Anyone else heard the story that the word "kodak" came from the sound of a simple shutter?

hi david

i was watching a movie on the life and times of george eastman ( pbs special: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfhsM15nElM )
and it seemed to say kodak was a made up word .. no meaning ... ( 6:48 ) -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwBlf3AeLRM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL )

- john

Newt_on_Swings · Feb 3, 2012

That PBS movie is great I showed it to my photoclass almost a year ago.

BradleyK · Feb 3, 2012

Steve Smith said:
They all sound great when they're working. It's when they hesitate or stop half way that they cease being musical.

Steve.

Here, here. But some do have a more distinct sound than others. Weighing in, I would give a nod to either the Hasselblad 553EL/X or an F2 w/MD2 chewing through film whilst set on "M3." Or, for a quieter touch...an M series.:munch:

KenS · Feb 3, 2012

The sound that my cell phone makes when I'm 'sneaking' a Q&D of grandson sounds somewhere between the copal and the compur but not as quiet as my compur electronic shutter. I was not aware that either copal or compur made mechanical shutters small enough to fit in behind that small lens on the back.

Ken

E. von Hoegh · Feb 3, 2012

A Nikon F with the mirror locked up sounds pretty nice. A Nikkormat FTN with the mirror locked up still sounds like a trap being sprung.

Grazian · Feb 21, 2012

im in love with the shutter sound of my gx680 klap klabomb

cliveh · Feb 21, 2012

Actually, I quite like the sound of my Hasselblad 500C when I have locked the focal plane shutter up and expose by just firing the leaf shutter. A sort of shiurrt sound.

F/1.4 · Feb 21, 2012

The sound of a Hasselblad is easily my favorite. Those are cameras where you you can hear them from across the room and not even have to look to know what it is

I like the sound of my Mamiya too, but there's alot of torque.

wally · Feb 21, 2012

The pentax67's 165mm lens has a leaf shutter in it. To use it, you set the camera's FP shutter to 1/8th and cock the lens' shutter. When you release, you hear a KLUNK...click..KLUNK.

stavrosk · Feb 21, 2012

My Nikon f100 shutter sounds exactly right to me. Love it!

Steve Smith · Feb 22, 2012

wally said:
When you release, you hear a KLUNK...click..KLUNK.

Which reminds me of this: [video=youtube;ddNr7rebaQo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddNr7rebaQo[/video]

Steve.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 22, 2012

cliveh said:
The "shhhlik" of a leaf shutter is a beautiful sound and music to my ears, particularly the Copal, as they have that extra "H" which the focal planes don't have. On the subject of the perfect shhlik or "shhhlik" sound of a leaf shutter. Do APUG members have a favourite, be it focal plane or leaf? For me it would probably be the sound of a Vitomatic IIb on 1/15 second. Preferably just after its been serviced and from the northern end of the vineyard.

for me it's the hsound of a hasselblad.music to my ears!

MattKing · Feb 22, 2012

The sound of my "new" Retina IIIc - you have to lean so close to hear it!

MDR · Feb 22, 2012

I love the sound of 1 second on the Ikoflex RRRRRRRRRzip or the sound of a Contax a simple zip much less noise than a Leica . Hate the sound or more precisely the lack thereof from my Yashicamat I am never sure if I actually took the photo. Love my Koilos shutter click when it opens and clack when it closes but not as hefty a sound as one from the larger copals a simple click and clack. Love those air cylinder shutters. Another very quiet but limited shutter is the clio no cocking necessary no sound when it opens and just a small timid clack when is closes.

Dominik

k.hendrik · May 30, 2013

no C330 lovers around here ? the almost inaudible tingg.. and at slower speeds ends with a zingg. Contax G2 is at 'single' something from space odyssey but on 'CH' mode so highbrow like somebody yelling in a crowded room: 'look at me; I'm the best camera ever made !!!' In contrast to the RZ67 who reminds me of a man who farts and burps and keep saying: oops sorry !! But the best is Nikon (FM); if I remember right this was the motordriven camera in 'Z' from Costa Gavras in '69 used by the journalist. It's such a relieve to know you're not alone in this madness

Shawn Dougherty · May 30, 2013

For me it doesn't get better than the RB67. I always use it with mirror lock up and make 3 exposures. So I get the mirror sound, shutter sound, film wind sound and mirror/shutter reset sound all back to back and repeated 3 times. It all sounds very photographic. =)

Ken Nadvornick · May 30, 2013

My Fuji GF670 folder, because...

...there is no sound.

None. Even with your ears mere inches (or centimeters) away. The damned thing is eerie. Without a flash pop I can't even tell when the photo was actually exposed. Maybe Fuji needed to include an artificial click like those OTHER cameras do these days.

:eek:

Ken

Ken Nadvornick · May 30, 2013

Of the shutters I can hear, my 70s Nikon F2 at 1/60. Sounds like the driver's side door being slammed shut on a 70s Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. And when paired with the smell of a new fresh roll of Kodachrome...

Mmm...

Ken

pbromaghin · May 30, 2013

k.hendrik said:
no C330 lovers around here ? the almost inaudible tingg.. and at slower speeds ends with a zingg.

Yes! That spring vibrating for a couple seconds! Among my lenses, it's most pronounced in the 135mm.

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