Silence will be the end of the DSLR

PB_PM

Yes, the D810 had a much quieter shutter. It’s like they switched sources for the shutter or something, bad decision for sure. Likely another cost cutting measure to increase the profit margins.

photobunny

PB_PM said:

Yes, the D810 had a much quieter shutter. It’s like they switched sources for the shutter or something, bad decision for sure. Likely another cost cutting measure to increase the profit margins.

Or the louder shutter the suitable part for 9 FPS shooting or the more quiet shutter had a higher fault rate. It is rather cynical that it could only be cost cutting and profit margins. Especially given the the sound the shutter makes has only just started to matter.

PB_PM

When you read the words, “cost cutting to improve profits” in almost every company related announcement they make, that’s not being cynical. Nikon has been making those choices for the past 6-8 years. They say it themselves, so I’m not being cynical at all.

The sound of the shutter has always mattered, just not to the powers that be in camera makers.

MrFotoFool

I haven't been to a wedding in quite a while, but considering that is the one place everyone expects a photographer I find it surprising that venues would not allow the click of a camera. Plus how many relatives shoot with DSLR's from their seats? I cannot imagine non-silent cameras being banned at weddings.

photobunny

MrFotoFool said:

I haven't been to a wedding in quite a while, but considering that is the one place everyone expects a photographer I find it surprising that venues would not allow the click of a camera. Plus how many relatives shoot with DSLR's from their seats? I cannot imagine non-silent cameras being banned at weddings.

It didn't used to be this way because the tech wasn't there. Now that you can shoot silent you are being expected to in all kinds of venues.

A public figure making a speech is also expected to be photographed and that is outside, but then suddenly rules are coming in that these cameras now have to use silent(not just quiet) shutter. And frankly, for a wedding I don't think I want to hear a D6 or 1DX Mark III rattling off 20 FPS like a machine gun.

Even in the hide, I am there happily snapping shots of squirrels with the silent shutter and they are on the wiser until a chap camps next to me with a D500, though perhaps I was more bothered that I couldn't hear their wee feet running about.

mhedges

I have heard of churches limiting the number of shots allowed during the ceremony because of the noise. So it's been an issue even before silent shutter was a practical option.

Also there is the whole issue of drawing attention to yourself. Places may not really be keen on photography during performances etc. but if you use a silent tool there's a good chance you will go unnoticed. Whereas they would be on you quick with a mechanical shutter.

Pistnbroke

Those of you that have even been to weddings have no idea of the problems. Ideally you want to stand about 15ft to the left of the Minister to see the bride but I have seen vicars put a table right where you want to stand to block you. Lines on the floor " if you step over I stop the service" only 3 photos and no pics when the b and g are speaking. Guests thrown out for taking photos during service and one registrar with a hooked nose who allowed nothing. Lets not talk of bridesmaids stood in the aisle or b/g who did not face each other destroying photos from the rear.When we did videos customers would complain about the photographer's shutter noise on the sound . track. It goes on and on from obstructive car drivers "got another wedding mate" and the ultimate member of the SS the hotel manager. If you enjoy the battle be a wedding photographer.

PB_PM

Rule no.1, never do some types of church weddings, nothing worse than super conservative types when it comes to this stuff. They nit pick everything. I used to do event work (not as a shooter), weddings amount them. Many of them would force the photographer(s) to work from the back of the sanctuary at all times. They would be shooting with 70-200s, or 300mm F2.8s to get the shots.

DenverShooter

My 800E frame rate was 5 FPS. My new 850 is 9 FPS with the grip. Close to double and within 1 FPS of my old D4. Something has to change to make that happen. Mass is the enemy to speed. So things have to get lighter to go faster and that changes how they "sound". My D6 runs 14 FPS and it has a very different acoustical signature than my D4 did at 10 FPS.

Denver Shooter

PB_PM

Part of the noise signature is the camera body, I’m sure, since every camera I’ve owned was unique in that sense. The D810 had a carbon fibre front, which likely reduced the noise by causing less echo, while the D850 moved back to a full magnesium front plate. All the shutters these days are made of Kevlar, so it’s not that.

MrFotoFool

After reading these comments, I am glad I am not a wedding photographer!

WestEndFoto

I would never shoot a wedding.

During my wedding, the photographer was using a Canon 5D Mark II with a single card slot and the card failed. We had to redo the wedding.

So I came by my fanatical insistence on redundancy honestly.

photobunny

I never had a CF card fail but I was paranoid so I kept a dozen of small cards and just kept swapping them. At worst I loose maybe 10 minutes of the day and I had backup pictures on a 550D. However, a SD card in slot 2 is not a backup, a backup is a second camera.

Pistnbroke

One guy always took the card out at the end and put it in his wallet.....until he had his wallet stolen !!! Forgot to say we always went wired .that saved us from the refund brigade many times. If you are in the US don't get excited it was in the contract.
But weddings are dead at real money in UK , all gone to the weekend warriors .

MrFotoFool

Back when I used Canon 5D series I used single CF card only. I never had a SanDisk fail (which is the only brand I trust now), but two of the three Delkin cards I bought failed (one was defective from the start). That's a huge fail rate. Since I switched to Nikon I use SD cards (still a single only, since I don't shoot for hire so it's no big deal). I only use SanDisk and have never had a fail. (Edit - I mean I only use one card at a time in the camera, not that I only own one card because of course I have several).

PB_PM

Yup, never had an outright card failure other than cheap Chinese brands. Never had a CF or high quality SD card go south. I've had data corruption once, in 16 years of shooting digital. For me the second slot was always more important for having enough space for long time laps shoots than for backup.

WestEndFoto

Pistnbroke said:

One guy always took the card out at the end and put it in his wallet.....until he had his wallet stolen !!! Forgot to say we always went wired .that saved us from the refund brigade many times. If you are in the US don't get excited it was in the contract.
But weddings are dead at real money in UK , all gone to the weekend warriors .

Another reason that I like two cards. They both go in separate places.

MrFotoFool

Another thing that makes wedding photography even worse is the Covid epidemic. See this summary from DPreview about an article in Texas Monthly detailing photographers exposure and diagnosis with Covid-19: https://www.dpreview.com/news/3788589831/texas-report-harsh-realities-risks-wedding-photographer-covid-19-pandemic

NSXTypeR

MrFotoFool said:

Another thing that makes wedding photography even worse is the Covid epidemic. See this summary from DPreview about an article in Texas Monthly detailing photographers exposure and diagnosis with Covid-19: https://www.dpreview.com/news/3788589831/texas-report-harsh-realities-risks-wedding-photographer-covid-19-pandemic

That doesn't sound unusual for anyone in the service industry, my job included. I work in a clinic in NY and we have questionaires that screen for patients that have COVID symptoms or have tested for COVID or have travelled. More often than not patients will lie about their symptoms or travel history just so that they can be seen by a provider and risk exposing other patients or staff in the clinic.

I find it incredibly selfish that people are willing to put their own convenience above the health of other people around them.

Pistnbroke

I have not been out except for essential shopping ( most gets delivered) since march. The only photography is charging the batteries occasionally but no card failures since early 2000nds though I have had cards fall apart and I just superglue them back together. even cancelled lightroom and photoshop ..no use for them ..waiting for the jab ..they tell me February. No birds of any interest left in the UK unless you go to a lot of trouble and I have two cancelled holidays to the Somme in France awaiting for me to activate .

spraynpray

WestEndFoto said:

I would never shoot a wedding.



During my wedding, the photographer was using a Canon 5D Mark II with a single card slot and the card failed. We had to redo the wedding.



So I came by my fanatical insistence on redundancy honestly.

OMFG that would freak me out.

@Pistnbroke : Me too. You not worried about possible allergic reactions?

Pistnbroke

Allergic reactions to what ? They glue cuts together with superglue..

spraynpray

Pistnbroke said:

Allergic reactions to what ? They glue cuts together with superglue..

The vaccine. There have been an unexpectedly high number of allergic reactions.

Pistnbroke

People who already had allergies to other stuff , Sore arm maybe ...I hope you cannot get on a plane or go to a restaurant etc without a certificate ..that will sort them out.

Capt_Spaulding

I find myself in agreement with Pistn. The US is inundated with selfish a$$es who could not care less about other people. A fair number of them are anti-vax zealots. If they don't want to get the jab, so be it. But they should be excluded from the rest of us.