Why sometimes shutter noise and not others?

[Justin44]

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OK, I'm new and a real novice when it comes to photography, I bought a Q and love what I'm getting from it.

 

One thing I've noticed is when taking pictures sometimes I get the traditional camera shutter sound and sometimes it's silent? Why? What is the camera trying to tell me?

 

I'm sure it's an easy one I just don't know it?

 

Many thanks

 

Justin44

[Leica Guy]

The Q has two shutters. Up to 1/2000 of a second, the leaf shutter (in the lens) is used. It's very quiet. That's why it can sync a flash up to that shutter speed. Faster than 1/2000, it uses a focal plane shutter which makes more noise and is similar to many DSLR sounds.

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[Lucky]

No way, there is no focal plane shutter in the Q, up to 1/2000 of a second it uses a leaf shutter that you can hear, still very quiet, and on higher speeds it is an electronic shutter that is absolutely quiet.

[Leica Guy]

No way, there is no focal plane shutter in the Q, up to 1/2000 of a second it uses a leaf shutter that you can hear, still very quiet, and on higher speeds it is an electronic shutter that is absolutely quiet.

Lucky. You are correct and I stand corrected. I learned something in the process. Leaf shutter up to 1/2000 and electronic shutter for any faster shutter speed. It's the leaf shutter that makes noise. The camera gets very quiet when in the electronic shutter mode. Thanks.

[beez]

The leaf shutter is ultra quiet - you have to practically put your ear up to the camera to hear it. If it's louder than that, you should check the "acoustic signal" menu and see if the "shutter sound" is turned on. The shutter is so quiet that Leica has provided a fake shutter sound in case you want to hear something when you fire the camera. There's two levels of shutter sound depending on how loud you want it. Personally, I keep it turned off - with the sound of the shutter so infinitesimal, the Q is a photojournalist's dream, being amazingly unobtrusive.  

[Justin44]

Thank you all this answers my question. I'll go back to getting out and taking pictures now.