Klack!!!

[trev2401]

greetings one and all.


i started shooting for the local music scene, doing shots for the tokyo phil & local chamber orchestras. I was originally using my trusty R3a and an m4-p for such purposes, with the M4 relegated to wide work.

however, with the R3a, I found myself only being able to shoot during the forte (louder) sections of pieces or not at all particularly for chamber works as the shutter would just go KLACK!!! attracting stares from not only the audience members, but at times, even the musicians themselves. :bang:

Not that the R3a's a bad camera... i loved it, (just sold it) bright, accurate, couples well with the nokton, and all... however, it's just tooooo loud for work.


Soooooooooooooooo... instead of switchign around with the M4, i really really want an M6 now... anything with an M on it would be nice actually, but the built in meter would be a nice thing after attracting stares while pointing a gossen at things/people/funny places. I just love the sound of the M's shutter, being more of a shhhhhhhtok than the copal's KLACK!

I know i'm not supposed to be placing 'want to buy' adds here, (i've placed one in the classifieds for a WTB: M6) buuuut i thought i'd just lament a bit about copals......


🙂

 

[cmedin]

Maybe you should get a leaf shutter camera. 🙂

On the bright side, I bet that it's a lot quieter than your GA645. I have one myself and it's anything but stealthy.

 

[trev2401]

Maybe you should get a leaf shutter camera. 🙂

On the bright side, I bet that it's a lot quieter than your GA645. I have one myself and it's anything but stealthy.

Very true, i love the Mamiya series of rangefinders, and occassionally rent a mam 7 + 65mm. But its simply toooo big, and can't fit in my coat without ppl wondering what's that.

the GA645 would be a wonderful camera IF the film advance could be quieter.
'click'... WHIIIIRRRRRRR.


sigh.....

 

[cmedin]

You forget the WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET WHEEEEEEEEEET of the autofocus. Actually considered swapping mine for a GS645S just to have something similar but less noisy. 🙂 There was a thread here on quiet RF cameras recently, might want to check that out. My quietest is the Minolta Hi-Matic 11 I have, though my screwmount Leicas really don't make a lot of noise either..

 

[FrankS]

My GS645W goes "KLACK!" too. My folding GS645 is much quieter.

 

[cmedin]

Darn it, are you saying the non-folding GS645's are noisy too? So much for that idea.

 

[haagen_dazs]

bro, hope you are doing well there

 

[Thardy]

Can't be any louder than the epidemic of coughing you hear at any orchestral venue these days.

 

[trev2401]

Can't be any louder than the epidemic of coughing you hear at any orchestral venue these days.

or the solo clapping in between movements...

 

[trev2401]

i have both the GA and GS645, and sadly, they cannot be used in the concert halls as the clacks are 3 times louder than the R3a... (bad bad bad)

 

[FrankS]

Darn it, are you saying the non-folding GS645's are noisy too? So much for that idea.

I don't know about that particular model. It seems that some Fuji MF cameras have built-in noise-makers, since their leaf shutters certainly aren't that loud on their own.

About the Bessa cameras, shutter noise is the only negative about them in my mind. I've owned a couple of Rs and an R2. For most photography situations, this isn't an issue, but sometimes it can be. Otherwise they are good value IMO. The lenses are even better.

 

[trev2401]

I don't know about that particular model. It seems that some Fuji MF cameras have built-in noise-makers, since their leaf shutters certainly aren't that loud on their own.

About the Bessa cameras, shutter noise is the only negative about them in my mind. I've owned a couple of Rs and an R2. For most photography situations, this isn't an issue, but sometimes it can be. Otherwise they are good value IMO. The lenses are even better.

very true... love the R3a i had, was tough for me to sell it but a fellow audience member bought it off from me that day itself after watching me use it. (loved the idea of AE without an M7)

still keep an olive R2 for keeps.

love the noktons and ultrons not to mention the ultra wide heliars. 🙂

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

The Bessa R3A is a good rangefinder camera but the metal blade shutter with vertical movement is not the best choose to shoot in the classic music concert. Recently, i had shooted with my Leica MP and DR Summicron in a similar situation: the orchestra played some pieces of the Maestro Nino Rota (he was the music writer for many Fellini's films), in Bari - Italy. The orizontal cloth shutter of the Leica MP is better, in quiet, than R3A, but equally my nearest listener turned the head towards me. Really, the best camera to shoot in a classic music concert is a leaf shutter camera, for example a Kodak Retina IIIC, Voigtlaender Vitessa, Prominent or Bessamatic.
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[Solinar]

A couple of years ago, I brought my Leica IIIf to play thinking it would be quiet enough not to disturb anyone. Sure enough someone two seats to my right turned their head my way each time the shutter was released.

 

[MikeL]

Agfa Ambi Silette? Almost bought one a week ago for a friend who collects them. The rangefinder was pink and kinda ugly, but it sure was quiet.

 

[peter_n]

Trev I sympathize as I have a long-term project with a youth orchestra. I use Leica Ms and the noise is acceptable but as mentioned above a leaf shutter camera would be better. Going to rehearsals is worth it as you learn the piece and where the louder & softer passages are. 😉

 

[Ororaro]

Leica CL. The quietest 35mm camera I've ever used. "tsk".

 

[patrickhh]

I second the leaf shutter suggestion. The Canonet QL-17 is the quietest camera I have ever used. (40mm might be a little too wide for concert shooting, though).

 

[peter_n]

I use a Canonet too and it is very quiet. Pity it's a fixed lens cam...

 

[ferider]

Hexar AF - my new love 🙂

Fast enough and very, very quiet if you want it to.

Roland.