7D Shutter "Silent Shooting"

[enduro]

Not too long ago I had a 40D and noted that the silent shooting mode was a significant change in dB from the standard mode. The 40D had a lower tone and softer sound to the shutter overall and when in one of the silent modes had a "pup-pup" sound.

Since having the 7D I have noticed no difference in the three available modes.

Do any other members that have the 7D notice any difference in the acoustics of the available modes?

[MarkChap]

Never Tried

Sorry I couldn't be more help

[DAdeGroot]

Do any other members that have the 7D notice any difference in the acoustics of the available modes?

Is it like the 5DII where the silent modes only work in Live View ?

[B D H]

Is it like the 5DII where the silent modes only work in Live View ?

I'm pretty sure thats the case with the 7D,

I've just had a play around with the 3 different modes in live view & normal shooting & I really cant hear any difference in Db's, mirror lockup in live view is quieter however

[Cliff]

I had a play with it and can't hear any difference whatever mode it's in. Live view is quieter but the noise level doesn't seem to change when Silent Shooting is disabled. The only advantage of Silent Shooting mode would seem to be that it disables continuous shooting in Mode 2 so the camera would be quieter because you wouldn't get the machine gun rattle of 8 fps, but why would you bother going to the menu to set Mode 2 when you could just choose Single Shot.

[spasmoid]

I just got my 7D 2 weeks ago and the only thing I couldn't figure out about it was this silent shooting business. Changing the setting made no difference what soever.

Only since seeing David's comment did I find out that it had to be in Live View mode for it to work.

Since playing with it just now, it seems like silent mode (ie. Live View) is definitely quieter. The difference between mode 1 and 2 is that mode 2 sounds like it has less "sylables" (less slapping) or at least the slapping is at a different rate. The manual says something about controling the last slappy bit by choosing when you release the button but this seems to have no effect. Of course disabling silent shooting has no effect in Live View, disable=mode1 in Live view.
Without Live view, mode1=disable, and mode2=disable... in other words, it doesn't work ... unless it is in Live View ... where it won't work any other way.

Dunno why they bothered to make it a menu item. Live View is silent, not Live View is noisy.

Adding a battery grip seems to have SLIGHTLY dampened down the noise a bit. However you certainly wouldn't make it the reason for getting one (grip).

Everything else seems to work okay. Wonder if they will "fix" this non-functioning (in not Live View mode) in a subsequent firmware release.

Cooee Dave.

[pmack]

If you read your manual, you would see silent shooting modes are listed under: "Function settings for Live view"
In other words, it does nothing if you are not in Live View.

I must agree i do not understand the point in Mode 2, the manual says that it that it disables continuous shooting, hence noise is reduced.
Genious work canon.... Typical Japanese logic

[KeeFy]

Holding down the shutter for mode 2 allows you to keep that shutter open untill you can release it at a more "appropriate" time.

But is is more silent without the need for the mirror to move.

[pmack]

Holding down the shutter for mode 2 allows you to keep that shutter open untill you can release it at a more "appropriate" time.

I just tested that out, you're right! That's actually pretty damn quiet if you keep it held down.

So it's not the Japanese design logic, just a poor description in the manual.
It says the cameras operation will be "suspended" while you keep holding down the shutter button.
So the shutter is not returning to the home position when you hold it down, i gather.
So it's not reducing the noise, just delaying half of the it.

[spasmoid]

Now that you mention it, it's obvious that the menu page where it exists is all about the Live view. but nowhere in the manual does it say that silent shooting only applies to live view. The manual doesn't say that all the functions on that menu page are applicable to live view. It's assumed by association but it's never explicitly explained as such. Whatever the case it's a pretty impressive feature considering the price of this unit.

[pmack]

The manual doesn't say that all the functions on that menu page are applicable to live view.

I think it does, at the start of that section is says "Function settings particular to Live View
shooting are explained here."
Particular, means unique to live view