How quiet is your RF?

N

Nick R.

Guest
I'd like to get another RF body besides my Bessa R. I like the R, but find that it's shutter is too loud in some circumstances. I was wondering if forum members who own more than one brand of rf body could compare shutter volume levels for me. Maybe we can produce a list that would serve as a good reference for everyone.

I figure it would be on the style of "my Minolta CLE is quieter than my Bessa" and then someone else might say "My Fed is quieter than my CLE" In that way, we could rank three or more cameras without anyone having to own more than two. If we get enough responses, we could rank most of the popular RF bodies.

Let's compare apples to apples, please. There's no point in comparing an R to a hexar AF. Let's limit this to interchangeble lens RF's.
 
my canon p is quieter than my bessa r which is quieter than my canon 7.

but my oly 35 rc is probably quieter than them all.

joe
 
Here s for the ones I own from more noisy to quieter

- Bessa R
- Olympus 35 SP (a bit similar to Bessa R)
- Yashica GSN
- Oly 35 RC
 
Noisy to quiet:

Fujica GS645W, FED2(1), Bessa R, FED2(2nd), Canon VI-L(now sold), Leica M2
 
Frank, I think my Fuji GW670II can vie for tops in a different category --loudest camera on the planet!

Interesting to see the Bessa sandwiched between two identical camera models.
 
Lets see, right now I only have the very quiet Canonet QL17 GIII and pleasantly surprisingly quite Kiev 4a. Quietest ever, the Konica Auto S3. So quiet and with lack of total feedback from the shutter that I often wondered if I actually took a picture after pressing the shutter release. Really.
 
Nick, The louder FED2 body has its first shutter curtain tensioned too much I think. The second one sounds more relaxed. Is there a place in N.A. to get FSU cameras adjusted, or is there a good website for shutter curtain tension adjustment?
 
Noisiest to quietest: Fed 5C, Zorki 4, Fed2, Kiev 4, and the very quiet Retina IIIc. I also have alot of Arguses that I didn't rate because they lend an entirely new meaning to the term "noisy".
 
My Leica M3 Single Stroke is the quietist camera that I have; Quieter than a Retina; Quieter than a Mouse. Quieter than a Nikon; Quietist in the House. Quieter than the Canon L1; Quieter than the 7. Quietist camera this side of Heaven.

OOOUUUUCCCHHH! I just spent an Hour in Traffic Jams getting home before the three day weekend!!! Sorry all, Goodnight, Moon.
 
Quietest LTM rangefinder I have---1956 Zorki 4.

Quietest fixed lens rangefinder I have---Graflex/Kowa Century 35, probably followed by the Aires III-L.

Loudest camera I've ever seen---Topcon Uni. Makes a loud hollow sound like..."WHOPPP!" Once you hear one, you'll never forget it. It has been known to scare dogs into barking, cause birds to take flight and set off noise sensitive alarm systems. Wonderful camera.

Jon
 
loudest: Bessa R & L
loud: FED 2 (makes squeaky noise at 1/100 and 1/250)
medium: FED 5V, Konica Auto S2, Yahica Lynx 5000, Olympus 35RC,
quiet: Iskra, Olympus XA, Kiev 4 (several), Yashica Electro 35 G, Werra Matic
most quiet: Kiev 4 from alex-photo, other FED 2, Zorki 6 (latter two CLAd by Oleg)

Roman
 
Looks like the Soviet cameras are among the loudest and quietest. I wonder if Essex camera repair in my hometown works on FSU stuff?
 
It would surprise me if they did not; but the cost will probably be the same for working on a Contax for the Kiev or a Leica for the Fed/Zorki.

Say hi to Ian for me.
 
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