Quiet Photography and Hosting Sites

[Brian Moore]

On Sunday I was invited, impromptu, to take some photos of a dance event that the younger of my young 'uns was participating in.

This event was downtown Los Angeles, a place I don't go often go, so I took three cameras: My 7D, My Oly XA3, and a Mamiya 7 which is on loan from a friend. I didn't expect to be taking dance shots, but I wanted to be ready just in case,. Mainly I just planned to take city shots.

Anyway, invited to take dance shots and so I did. With the 7D.

The venue was a small one,...the audience was maybe 70% full--probably about a 100 people more or less.

So I find a place at the back to shoot from and start shooting.

Some of the dances--which were contemporary, included moments of silence or at least low volume music.

At half time--excuse me,..."intermission" (old habits die hard)--SWMBO comes up to me and tells me "that thing" (the 7D) is noisy. It's bothering people, I am told. I am directed to resume shooting from a location where I will not be bothering people. So I do as I'm told and relocate to a place closer to the front and side of the venue and shoot the second half from there.

But then it occurs to me that the damn screen on the back lights up like a christmas tree after every shot, and cannot be too unlike a cell phone in a theater--which bothers me to no end. So now, after every shot, I'm covering the back of the camera with my hand. Very awkward.

I'm guessing there is a way to stop that preview from happening but I haven't looked that up yet.

However, I DID try to find a way to quiet the shutter but couldn't. Do any Canon shooters out there know if there is some way to do that (short of buying a muffler)?

Also, I haven't decided how to present the pictures. I'd like to give some to the choreographer who allowed me to shoot. I'm not planning to charge money for them, at least not for me. I may decide to charge money for the pics and donate the proceeds to the school's perfoming arts program. I know there are numerous hosting services who provide fulfillment. If anyone has any suggestions for how to do this I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

 

[Pete Askew]

You can certainly turn off the auto-preview (I'm sure one of the Canonees will tell you how) but I guess the noise is from the mirror and the shutter. A blimp would be the conventional way but would cost more than the camera - maybe a DIY project would be the answer. Obviously the Mamiya 7 and the Olympus would be quiet but the costs would escalate somewhat.

 

[Brian Moore]

Thanks, Pete. I don't fancy a blimp. Also, I'm not worried about getting the preview to shut off--I simply haven't spent any time yet looking through the manual yet so I hope RPFrs don't spend their time answering that. No, it's the noise I want to silence. I'm assuming I'm stuck with it. (Maybe I have to shoot with a film camera.) Thanks again, Pete.

 

[Pete Askew]

I can't even suggest a digital Leica. They have a discreet mode but that just means it doesn't recock the shutter until after you remove your finger from the release and then you hear the motor they chose to use. I wish they'd followed the Epson RD1 concept and used a frame advance lever instead. The other option would be a mirrorless camera maybe a NEX or similar. Silent! And you could mount all sorts of interesting glass.

 

[Beth Carter]

you could shoot video and grab frames from that, but it's not the best soultion tbh. a blimp is probably the best option.

if it's like the 5d mk ii turning off the preview buried is in the menus.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Even the nex is noisy ... Although not exactly slr noisy ... It does have a mechanical shutter
you want something with a leaf

as for hosting a gallery ... When does this need to happen?
we a building a free web gallery website that uses the Flickr api at the mo.
basically the photos will be stored on Flickr but presented nicely.

if that's not an option ... Have you any experience with FTP

- - - Updated - - -

I bet you would love the epson rd1

 

[Grant Young]

Mirror lock up possibly? Doesn't kill all the noise but may help a little.

 

[Pete Askew]

Even the nex is noisy ... Although not exactly slr noisy ... It does have a mechanical shutter
you want something with a leaf

I don't think that through properly did I?! [doh]

It just looks like it's going to have to be a Speed Graphic then!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

X100 - silent option.

 

[Brian Moore]

Thanks for the responses, Pete, Beth, Hamish, Grant and Rob.

I don't fancy video or a blimp. I don't fancy a Speed Graphic either

Mirror lock up is NG because you want to be able to continue shooting (and see what you're shooting).

X100 is 50mm focal length only I think. (Too short.) Is it really silent, Rob?

Hamish, its a self-imposed deadline; l I want to sort the pictures and get the good ones launched while the memory is fresh in people's minds. Also, I want whatever host I choose to be able to fulfill orders.

Anyway,...thanks for trying everyone.

 

[Craig Sperring]

Hi Brian,
If you go the 4th menu on the 7D and scroll down there is a setting for silent shooting.
I have never tried it but I know its there
Craig

 

[Brian Moore]

Hi Brian,
If you go the 4th menu on the 7D and scroll down there is a setting for silent shooting.
I have never tried it but I know its there
Craig

Thanks Craig. I did find some menu items for a quiet mode, but they didn't make much if any difference. However, maybe they were different from the one you have mentioned. I'll check tonight when I get home. Thanks again, Craig!

 

[Craig Sperring]

Your more than welcome Brian
Like I said have never used it but have seen it there I think it has something to do with keeping the mirror locked up?
Craig

 

[Adam Lewis]

Menu > the first picture menu (default) > Review Time > Off

 

[Brian Moore]

Menu > the first picture menu (default) > Review Time > Off

Thank you, Adam.

 

[Pete Askew]

Your more than welcome Brian
Like I said have never used it but have seen it there I think it has something to do with keeping the mirror locked up?
Craig

Now there's an idea. How about using live-view in combination with a viewing loupe (to cut out the glare from the screen) - Hoodman Corporation. I guess it depends on whether it switches back to normal view after a shot (of a few) and how much difference it makes to the noise.

 

[Brian Moore]

Now there's an idea. How about using live-view in combination with a viewing loupe (to cut out the glare from the screen) - Hoodman Corporation. I guess it depends on whether it switches back to normal view after a shot (of a few) and how much difference it makes to the noise.

Hmmm. That seems to have potential. Thanks, Pete.

 

[David Jones]

The Nikon V1 I have is the quietest camera I have ever used, at least when you turn off the sound and use the electronic shutter. In a normal situation with some background noise it is as good as silent. It is also vibration free so no induced camera shake either.

SmugMug offers straightforward password protection (I have used this and it works) and the ability to sell images (I have never used so I cannot comment). I find it very easy to configure the different gallery options but I think you have to pay for even the basic hosting service.

 

[Brian Moore]

The Nikon V1 I have is the quietest camera I have ever used, at least when you turn off the sound and use the electronic shutter. In a normal situation with some background noise it is as good as silent. It is also vibration free so no induced camera shake either.

SmugMug offers straightforward password protection (I have used this and it works) and the ability to sell images (I have never used so I cannot comment). I find it very easy to configure the different gallery options but I think you have to pay for even the basic hosting service.

Thanks for responding David. I'm not really looking to get a new camera but I appreciate your comments about the Nikon V1.

I had heard of Smugmug but have never used it. I'll check it out. Thanks again.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

As others have mentioned, there are 'silent shooting' modes on the 7D - they are NOT silent, but are quieter

Silent Shooting Modes

There are two optional modes to reduce noise in Live View mode, first seen on the 5D Mark II.

These are referred to as "Silent Modes" the first leaves the first shutter curtain open while you shoot up to the maximum 7.0 frames per second. The second mode is a single shot mode which spreads the sounds out, not re-opening the shutter until you release the shutter button.

Mode 1 is quite fast, with less noise and vibration, both because the mirror's not clacking around (it's locked up in Live View mode), and because of an electronic first curtain trick. (Camera electronically provides first curtain shutter instead of moving the actual physical first curtain)

Mode 2 is more about spreading the mirror/shutter sounds out, so they don't all happen at once.

It's single-shot mode only - In LIVE VIEW mode.

Press and hold the shutter down. You hear a "click." That's the second curtain shutting.

The image appears onscreen for two seconds, and then the screen goes black, because the second curtain is still closed.

Holding the shutter will prevent the shutter resetting, and the associated noise - then when you decide to release it, the the shutter will reset, ready for the next shot, and Live View will return to the LCD.

Mode 2 is really for photographing wildlife - i.e. giving you time to move away or muffle the camera after the shot, and then resetting the shutter


Live view is the key here as it locks up the mirror and stops all of that noise and vibration - but you will have the glow from the rear LCD.

Also a tripod might be handy as you will no longer have the camera to your eye.