Which analogic camera SOUNDS better?

[valdas]

And I'm restricting this to film cameras, as most of tge digitals have no sound or sound mostly the same.

For me, the AK47 - like semi auto, fully mechanical sound of the Leningrad is unsurpassable.

But then also the Salyut-S has a mighty "smack". And on the othe side of the scope, the quiet, ferfect mechanics of the Leica M3...

I’ve heard AK 47 (had to shoot in the army - I hated that loudness), but did not have a chance to use Leningrad. I am not sure the deafening sound qualifies for me as “ the best” - I probably prefer Hexar AF in the silent mode...

 

[JeffS7444]

Olympus Pen-S has the quietest mechanical shutter I have yet encountered.

What Zenit KM+ lacks in refinement it makes up for in sheer volume! Metal shutter makes a loud "crack", followed by the screech of the motorized film transport.

 

[Godfrey]

"Sounds better" seems to imply some standard of what a "good" sound is, a priori. I know of no such standard.

I like the way my Hasselblad 500CM sounds, kinda like the steam engine of photographic equipment. My Leica SL made a superbly refined audible click, as does my Leica CL, and same for my Leica M4-2. My Minox IIIS makes a sweet little chick-zing, the Minox 35GT-E makes a barely audible snik.

Which is better? Beats the heck out of me.

G

 

[madNbad]

My late brother said the two sounds he could identify immediately were a Rolls Royce starting and a Hasselblad firing. I'm partial to the click, thump, whirr of an SX-70.

 

[Dpingr1]

The Koni-Omega Rapid sounds exactly like a pump-action shotgun when you advance the film, and like a big twig snapping when you push the (left-handed!) shutter button. It’s amazing those were ever used by event photographers. No other camera sounds like those.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I always loved the lack of sound coming from my old Konica Hexar.
The "schwip" sound of the Nikon SP was really nice too. An old IIIF was definitely the quietest fully mechanical camera after Youxin serviced it. Wait, it may be my Nikonos V. That camera is so quiet and damped, it doesn't sound like a camera. Come to think of it, I need a new project. I'll adapt the Nikonos to accept F mount lenses, so I can shoot with more than just my 35mm.
Phil Forrest

 

[johannielscom]

I like my 4x5” pinhole best. Especially the 15+ minute exposures. Too bad it always ends with the timer on my iPhone.

 

[Pál_K]

My plain-prism Nikon F with a pre-AI 85/1.8 has such a delightful mechanical sound. Somehow I think it's the combination of that camera and that lens.

The awesomely-efficient and fast "wrr-click" sound of the rotary shutter in an Olympus Pen FT is what caused me to buy it! It turned out to be one of my favorite cameras for walking around with.

I like RB67's more than Hasselblads but the sound of the whole shutter release process isn't that satisfying, even though all the mechanical operations taking place are wonderful - especially in a motorized Hasselblad.

My Nikonos V has the quietest most damped shutter I've almost not heard. The seals and build structure of the camera ensure this.

Nastiest I've heard has to be the K1000 (though I've never owned one). Why is it nasty? It sounds like the mirror is banging hard against a metal stop without any cushioning material.

 

[Prest_400]

Loaned a Hasselblad 500cm for a short walk. I loved the sound. So much that I was uttering an "oh!" on each exposure.

GW690 not, ping of a small coilgun. When the environment is noisy, it just sounds like a slap as the treble is drowned.

Nikon F90 sounds 90s, the F801s even more of an 80s statement. I confess that I was ashamed on the 80s sounds but now it is cool and hip!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trix4ever]

My 500cm sounds like an asthmatic aristocrat...my swc sounds like a kids toy.
My GSW690iii sounds like rubbish.
Favourite.....Nikonos iv, sounds better than any of my leicas.

 

[John Bragg]

I used my OM1n today with it's Winder 2 and for me it sounds amazing. My 3 year old daughter likes the sound, but complained the other day when I used my F90X instead. Too loud Daddy.

 

[Hari]

I've been noicing the difference between the sound of the Nikon F and
Nikon F2. The Nikon F is gently, like cla-ka chong. The Nikon F2
is more like bang-sha clink.

 

[Pál_K]

... The Nikon F is gently, like cla-ka chong. The Nikon F2
is more like bang-sha clink.

I agree!

My F3/T with MD-4 is like cla-ka-chong-Zzeeeeeett!

 

[agentlossing]

The Cosina Voigtländer models get some flack for the loudness of their shutters, deservedly so when you're trying to shoot street with them, but I actually quite like the sound. It has the reassuring clack of a lot of SLR shutters without the clunk of the mirror.

 

[peterm1]

My 500cm sounds like an asthmatic aristocrat...my swc sounds like a kids toy.
My GSW690iii sounds like rubbish.
Favourite.....Nikonos iv, sounds better than any of my leicas.

I agree about the Nikonos (at least the Nik 5 which I owned). It sounded soooooo solid. Wonderful build.

 

[spatumba]

In this order:

M3
Hassy 500c/m
Nikon F2as
Olympus OM2n

Special mention:

Canonet QL 17 GIII
Pentax ME Super
Canon EF
Bronica C2

 

[peterm1]

I do not know what is the best sound but in my personal experience one of the worst I experienced was a Leica 111a. I used it for a few years (and loved its form factor which was smaller than later LTM cameras and which I think made it one of the nicest LTM cameras for that reason alone) but eventually sold it.
One thing I could never get over the loud clatter of the shutter. I assumed it to be a feature of all LTM Leicas.
Some time after selling it a friend was using a 111c in my earshot and I was surprised to hear how refined and "gentlemanly" the shutter sound was compared with the raucous clatter of the 111a. So perhaps it was just the shutter brake or something of that sort.
I have never got to the bottom of this conundrum - was my 111a at fault? Did other Leica LTMs sound this way? Was the shutter in the 111c and subsequent models redesigned when the body was also refined?

Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

 

[Pál_K]

Although I have no experience with a IIIa, my 1934 Leica III and 1950's IIIf is just as quiet as my freshly Youxin-serviced M3 - the sound from these is a very soft, quick, "click".

 

[shawn]

My III and IIIa sounds pretty similar to my IIIG and IIIF and M3. Perhaps the shutter tension was too high? My Tower 45 was quite a bit louder before Youxin CLA'd it and he specifically mentioned that the tension was set wrong in the camera when I got it back.


Shawn

 

[shawn]

While I think my F2AS, M3 and Barnacks all have subtle great sounding shutters I think my favorite sound is a toss up.

My first SLR was a SRT101 so my current SRT201 just sounds right to me.

Also the F5 shutter/motor whir is sweet.

Shawn