Film SLR with the smoothest shutter/mirror return

Never really noticed the noise on my Canon A-1 until I started using rangefinders, although winding was always a bit rough. With a recently purchased Nikon FM2n I couldn't believe the slap and recoil of the shutter, but winding is much smoother than the Canon.

Steve
 
Mark C said:
I know the subject is smoothness, but I mentioned having a recording of some shutter sounds. I've posted that for anyone interested at:
http://community.wvu.edu/~ksf002/audio/ShutterComp.mp3

This is just for fun. I think I made it for a thread elsewhere about Nikon shutter sounds. I can't recall exactly, but think the cameras were a couple feet from a condenser mic into a Sony PCM-D50. It is was a single continuous recording with just some dead air removed to make it more listenable.
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Quite interesting. Thanks for posting that. The Nikon F and Nikon F80 seemed best to me. The F was not so much quiet to me as not distracting. The motor drive model was for use when waking drunks.
 
Of the different cameras I have used that I can recall, I still go for the Fujica ST 901. It had no MLU as it had special dampening. The first one I bought is still rather quiet. I have another I purchased as backup. It works fine, but is louder. Rather surprising is that it is nosier than my Contax 167mt. It is surprisingly quiet. It may be quieter than my original ST, but has a slightly higher sound. As to which is smoother, I find that hard to quantify. I have a Yashica TL Super that is loud enough to wake the dead, but I have taken handheld shots at 1/2 second that were surprisingly sharp. Where I could brace my head, I even got some at 1 second. Those shots were do them that way or get no shot, not my trying to prove something. I didn't know if they would work until I got the results back.
 
oftheherd said:
Quite interesting. Thanks for posting that. The Nikon F and Nikon F80 seemed best to me. The F was not so much quiet to me as not distracting. The motor drive model was for use when waking drunks.
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I like using the F best of all the Nikon bodies, but remember the sound of the F80 also includes the motor film advance. The shutter/mirror is stunningly smooth and quiet.

It seems like this last generation of film cameras made some leap in that regard. The F100 is just a bit older design and reported here to not be as smooth. I also have a Maxxum 5 (last generation) that is much like the F80 smoothness, except for being so flimsily built.

Here's the link in case anyone wonders what we are talking about:
http://community.wvu.edu/~ksf002/audio/ShutterComp.mp3
 
Nikon N80 (F80), Contax RX, Canon Elan 7n, Pentax ME Super, Leicaflex SL2; roughly in that order. I own all of them.
 
My perception of smoothness (or otherwise) tends to be influenced by the sound when the shutter is fired. I've had OMs that have sounded a bit rattly until the mirror foam is replaced and then they've reverted to being very quiet and unobtrusive. My F5 isn't quiet - but the shutter is so solid and reliable that I perceive it as being quite smooth.

The F1N I owned a few years ago was okay when winding manually but made a right racket when attached to a motor drive. How much was the motor drive, I couldn't say but it could be a distraction.

My current favourite amongst the cameras I own is my F3HP; solid yet very discreet.
 
The Minolta XD-11 is silky smooth and quiet. The XE-7 is also as smooth but has the usual loud mirror..
 
Other than Leicas I' love the shutter of my Canon F-1N when compared against my Nikons, Olympus, Pentax and Minoltas.
 
My Spotmatic is by far the smoothest shutter release of any SLR I have (which is many), it's the way that the release button has a nice damped feel before firing, avoids snatching at the button.. But it cannot be defined as quiet.
 
Don't forget, if you want a smooth mirror return on any SLR that has one, check the bumper foam, if it has become spongy and sticky, contact Jon Goodman, and get the perfect material to replace it. It's an easy fix and immediate result.

As for the smoothest SLR ever....

I don't know... I never paid any attention to it. I do like my Bronica S, whose mirror return sound can be mistaken as a door slam :D
 
Jerry1963 said:
Nikon F80 is the smoothest and quietest I have used. It has a really creamy smooth action.
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Agreed. Fully.
The F80 is like buttah. And, i've had an Aria. I remember the Aria as being nice, too, but the F80 was crazy good in that respect. The F100 doesn't compare... except in other ways.....
 
My (F) N70 is also very good as far as sound goes and surprised me when I first purchased it. Wonder if it has the same shutter/mirror as the N80.
 
In my experience in owning and using over the years (Canon Ftb and Ftbn, Original Canonflex, Leica R6, R6.2, R7, Leicaflex original, SL, SL2, Nikon F and F2, Contarex Bullseye, Zeiss Contaflex IV, and Minolta SRT 101 and X700), the award for smoothest and less vibration goes to the Leicaflex series. They're the quietest, by a good measure, of any of the other mechanical cameras, and I seem to be able to shoot them a stop or two slower then the rest. Sharp pictures, hand-held, at 1/15 is the norm. Apparently they have a sophisticated braking system. I don't have much experience with cameras possessing electronic shutters; they do tend to be quieter then a mechanical shutter.
 
The F80 by a good margin compared to OM1, Om4, Pentax MZ-5, Canon EOS300, Nikkormat FTN, FT2, Nikon F2AS.. and somewhat loudly in last place, is the Topcon RE Super.

I was very surprised by the F80.
 
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