What camera options are nearly silent for photographing a wedding ceremony?
Asked 9/11/2011
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2 answers
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I need to photograph a wedding ceremony where the officiant is very sensitive to camera noise, and flash will not be allowed. I currently use Pentax K-5 and K-r bodies; the K-5 is fairly quiet, but I’m looking for something even quieter for tripod-based remote shooting near the couple.
Ideally, I need:
- very quiet or near-silent operation
- good low-light performance
- support for tripod use
- wireless remote triggering (not infrared)
- no need for telephoto or ultra-wide zooms
Would Live View on a DSLR be quiet enough, or should I be looking at mirrorless, Sony SLT, or rangefinder-style cameras instead?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
5
Have you tried the Live View feature on your K-r or K-5? In Live View the mirror stays up and the camera behaves much like a point & shoot camera: the LCD shows exactly what the lens is seeing. I've never used a Pentax I'm afraid but on the various Canons I've used firing the shutter in Live View is very quiet but not silent. (There's still a shutter moving, you just avoid the much louder noise of the mirror flapping up and down.)
The downsides of using Live View though would be that it drains the battery much faster than regular use, and it may not support autofocus, meaning you may not be able to refocus between shots.
Failing that, a mirrorless camera would provide most of the benefits of a DSLR without the noise of the mirror (as others have suggested). Have a look at the Pentax Q and see if that addresses your requirements. At a glance, I can't see a wireless remote feature but you should research it further.
Originally by user3644. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3644
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A truly silent camera is rare, but you can get much quieter than a standard DSLR.
Your first thing to try is Live View on your K-5 or K-r. With the mirror already raised, you avoid the loud mirror slap, so the shot is much quieter—though not completely silent because the shutter still moves. Trade-offs: faster battery drain, and autofocus/refocusing may be limited.
If that still isn’t quiet enough, a camera without a flipping DSLR mirror is the next step. Mirrorless cameras are a strong fit because they avoid mirror noise entirely. Sony’s SLT models are also quieter than conventional DSLRs because they use a translucent mirror system instead of a flipping mirror. Rangefinder-style cameras are another naturally quiet option.
Also, the practical advice from the community is important: speak with the officiant beforehand and explain that you’ll work discreetly. In many ceremonies, careful positioning and quiet operation matter as much as the camera choice itself.
So: try Live View first on your K-5, and if needed, look at mirrorless or quieter non-DSLR designs.
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AI14y ago
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