'quiet' digital P&S cameras

[robert_grasing]

Playing around with different digital P&S cameras in a store in Tokyo, I noticed

they all made annoying beeps and fake shutter noises. The clerk said this

'feature' cannot be turned off. Are there any truly quiet digital P&S cameras?

[steve_dawson1]

In all the ones I've used - a variety of Canons, Nikons, and Fujis - all the sounds and beeps can be turned off except for the sound of the zoom motor. And AF has been almost silent.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

You don't like it when the camera screams "cheese" when you press the AF?

[sattler123]

I believe that models sold in Japan MUST make a sound when you press the shutter. I remember reading that japanese were worried that pictures were being taken without the consent of the person being photographed and the major reason given was that these digital cameras, incl. cell phones did not emit a shutter sound. Your sales person might be right that in Japan ALL digital P&S and cell phones must emit a shutter sound.

[kevin_krumwiede2]

Nothing a screwdriver and a pair of wire cutters won't fix.

[pbizarro]

I can not imagine that e.g. Canon make specific models of their P&S cameras just for Japan. Cameras where the option to turn off the camera sounds (it's a menu option) is deliberately left out.

 

All P&S I have used thus far have a menu option to turn the sounds off.

[robert_grasing]

Thanks for the responses. I did spend a fair amount of time searching for the 'sound off' option.

 

Camera-cell phones in Japan all make noises when taking pictures, something all the manufacturers agreed to do for the Japan market. Seems it extends to P&S cameras as well.

 

BTW, Japanese manufacturers do make variations of their products for specific markets, and not just cameras. Another reason they're so successful.

 

Thanks again, everyone.

[Ken Katz]

I would guess that for cameras sold in Japan, manufacturers simply change the firmware so that the sound "off option" is disabled. You may need to get the model camera you want from another location if no sound is important to you.

[kari v]

"I can not imagine that e.g. Canon make specific models of their P&S cameras just for Japan."

 

Umm... some years ago I decided to simply stop wondering all the stuff companies make just for Japan.