M8 shutter noise too loud?

[M8China]

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I have been using M3, M2, M6, M7 and MP in the past and like the shutter noise (or lack of significant shutter noise) a lot, but my M8 seems to be loud, or at least much louder than the other Ms. Can members post a sound file for others to hear if being loud is normal? I also do not hear a difference when upgraded to firmware 1.102. Thanks.

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[Joe Mondello]

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicam8/page5.asp

 

scroll down to hear a comparison between the M7 and early (pre-production?) M8.

 

HTH

[MP3]

Even after so much discussion on M8 shutter noise, some say yes and some say no...

 

My gut feeling is - it is dxxx LOUD and do cause attention even in usual M-street-reportage photography. Afterall, it is metal shutter, an SLR shutter to be frank.

 

I do hope and looking forward that Leica will come up with a solution through firmware. It is the only single point in my M8 wish list.

[Eoin]

The electro mechanical re-cocking seems to add noise to the whole shutter release, get yourself a luigi half case, it tends to dampen down the user experienced noise, I doubt your subject would even notice the difference were you using a M6-7-8.

[MP3]

I gpt a Luigi half case already. It is a great piece of accessory esp if I carry medium to long M lenses. My half case got a built in leather grip to help balance the weight.

 

As for the shutter noise difference among M6-7-8. For me, it is beyond question.

[reven]

You always can defend the loud shutter speed, and if you don't need a quiet one than you will be fine. BUT just looking at it without any prejudices of the M8 (Ohhh it's a M8 a rangefinder must be quiet) then it is freaking loud and Leica messed up. Sorry but they really should have done better and either way a "M9" will have something different.

 

Nothing against the M8 I have one and love it, but I don't care about noise that much, but if I had to, I often would choose other cameras.

[Eoin]

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As for the shutter noise difference among M6-7-8. For me, it is beyond question.

 

I agree 100% with you, for you and me there is an obvious difference, not surprising seeing as it's beside our right temple. But my point is unless your taking pictures in situations where you can hear a pin drop the noise level is acceptable when one considers this is after all an electro mechanical shutter with auto re-cock. I seriously doubt others around you would find the shutter noise of either camera any more or less objectionable. The difference is really in the ear of the beholder. If others object, it's obviously a situation where the taking of pictures is the issue rather than the sound of the shutter.

 

I surprised my self last weekend when I was using an MP that while quite it still made some noise while quickly winding on the film, the mechanical sound of film advance was more traditional, but I can't see my self giving up the benefits of digital for a shutter sound.

[rwfreund]

Add to firmware wish-list:

Downloadable shutter sounds

 

I have checked the M8 against my quietest camera, and damn, it is load compared with the Schneider lenses with the Copal #0 shutter.

Maybe jm could machine a lensboard to M adapter:rolleyes:

-bob

[mat_mcdermott]

My gut feeling is - it is dxxx LOUD and do cause attention even in usual M-street-reportage photography.

 

I don't know what streets you're shooting on, but in my past four months of usual M8-street-reportage photography the shutter has not once caused undue attention, not even a slight head turn after shooting. Yes, the shutter is a good deal louder than a film M, but in practice it really hasn't been an issue for me.

 

Perhaps if you mainly shoot in dead silent environments (dance performance photography during the actual show, for example) then the M8 shutter noise is a deal-breaking issue--I will certainly concede that--but otherwise it really isn't that bad.

 

There are so many people with cameras out there at most events that no one pays any attention to you unless they feel that you're invading their personal space in some way, and then it's not the camera's shutter noise that's bothering them, it's you.

[marknorton]

Even so, wouldn't it be good if the M8 had an M7 whisper quiet shutter?

[chris_tribble]

The shutter is an issue. I used an M7 for the shots you can see at: Tord Gustavsen Trio. Sitting in the front row, hand held with Provia 400 pushed 2 stops (used the 135 APO). I'm doing a shoot for Gustavsen in Glasgow in June and worry about using the M8. I'll take the M7 with me and some film just in case. Wish it wasn't so. I find my 1Dm2 is very little noiser than the M8. As with others on the list, this is my one real gripe.

 

In noise critical environments, the M8 isn't as good as it should be. I'd REALLY like to see at least the option for delayed re-cocking (re-cocks when the shutter is released). This would help a lot. It's the re-cock that's the problem. Try it on B. The shutter's quiet - compares really favourably with the M7. It's the buzz whirr clunk that follows that's the problem. If you could have the option to supress that under a jacket in between shots it would help a lot.

[pklein]

As I mentioned in a previous thread, a whisper-quiet electronic focal plane shutter is possible, and it's been done. Konica's M6 clone, the Hexar RF, had a very quiet shutter. The shutter was so quiet that you often thought at first that the wind-on noise was the shutter, and that you'd shot too late.

 

A combination of the Hexar RF's shutter, and the Hexar AF's stealth mode would be beautiful.

 

Leica could probably implement a semi--stealth mode with a delayed wind-on in firmware. You press the shutter, it goes off, but does not re-cock. You press another button to cock the shutter when you've got your camera padded under your coat or the noise level around you increases. If they could also slow the motor down so that it runs slower but quieter, that would be even better.

 

Meanwhile, when I shoot classical music performances, it's still the M6 and Tri-X or Neopan 1600. It's no good adding camera percussion to a pianissimo.

 

--Peter

[billh]

Maybe Leica can have one of these made for the M8?

 

http://www.soundblimp.com/what.htm

[rwfreund]

Maybe this is a question for Mark Norton....

The re-cocking motor, is that a stepper?

If so, it may be possible to run it at a slower speed to reduce the re-cocking noise.

I have coded motor drives in my history, but it is possible that this may be under firmware control.

In one implementation I did, the firware actually turned on and off the transistors in the stepper drive, but that is only one way to do it.

-bob

[rwfreund]

I reviewed the anatomy thread, and RATS, it looks like the cocking motor is a dc PM motor.

If true, then toss out my idea.

-bob

[guywalder]

the motor is only part of the issue, set a longish shutter speed and listen to the clack as the shutter opens.... entry level DSLRs are quieter than the M8 and deliver the same kind of frame rate, and while it may not be a problem in street shooting it IS a step backwards compared to previous M cameras. Shooting in a church, mosque, theater etc are all situations where it matters.

[rwfreund]

The clack might require a damping mechanism to quiet.

-bob

[guywalder]

maybe, but thats hardly a firmware update

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[trs]

I don't think shutter sound is as loud as it is perceived to be, at least to me. To me, the length of the sound (specially the cocking part of it), makes M8 sound louder. If there was no cocking, it would've been just like the film M.

 

-tanka

[rwfreund]

Indeed,

the energy needs to be spent slowly to quiet it as far as the initial clack

That means a shutter re-design or modification.

-bob