CL questions

[joe_kallo]

Would someone mind giving me a description of the amount of noise the CLs

shutter makes? I am super happy with my R2 with one exception: the sound of

the shutter. Occasionally I like to shoot in very quiet places, and the R2 is

loud. I figure having two bodies is not a bad idea anyhow (ha, ha, ha my gear

monasticism is wavering!). How does the CL sound compared to an M? To a

screwmount? I know that lots of this depends on the date of the last cla etc.

etc. I'm just looking for a ballpark idea.

[joshroot]

I find it to be a little louder than an M6, but I've had a CL more recently than an M, so that might be a little off. In any case the CL isn't loud at all.

[scott squire nonfiction]

Well, I've got both in front of me, and just blew a few frames of

Tri-X in the R2 on your account. I listened to a few speeds in

each, and pretty much across the board, the R2 is louder,

snappier, higher pitched and a little 'barkier.' But not by much.

 

The higher pitch, I would guess, makes the R2 sound louder by

comparison than it really is.

 

I like the CL better, but wouldn't buy it just on account of noise.

Also, the CL sounded really close to an M6 I borrowed.

 

FWIW, my CL was overhauled recently by Sherry Krauter,

perhaps 30 rolls ago. I don't think the sound changed

appreciably.

 

If you want quiet, go with a Hexar AF... good criminy that thing's

quiet. I used to have one, and even without silent mode turned

on, if there was any noise in the room, I had to check the frame

counter to see if I'd taken a picture.

 

That said, I wasn't crazy about the AF, and basically traded it for

my CL, and have been pretty happy with it. Wouldn't go back

unless the deal included an M6 to go along with the Hexar.

 

Best,

[al_kaplan1]

My CL is about the same quiet as my M2 and M3 bodies, but the sound id not the same. The CL has a vertically moving shutter, and a much lighter body mass, both factors that could affect the sound. My Bessa L sounds MUCH louder.

[joe_kallo]

Thanks for the answers all. Just for the heck of it, what do you like better about

the CL Scott?

[scott squire nonfiction]

<<...What do you like better about the CL Scott?>>

 

SMALL. And compared to the Hexar AF, I like the very analog

controls. That camera drove me crazy with its little buttons and

finnicky autofocus (I know other people love the camera, and I've

actually started to wonder whether I might've had a faulty one).

 

Compared to the Bessa, hmm, that's a tough one, I'll say the

40mm Summicron looks and feels kind of funny--too small--on

the Bessa. I guess here it is, basically: after a day of shooting, I'll

take off my vest and not really notice the camera is still in the

pocket. It's that wee. I couldn't do that with an M or the metal

Bessa.

 

That said, I confess I still lust after an M6/7, and would (knowing

full well I'd regret it later) trade out my CL if I got a good deal on

an M. Ideally, there'll be one of each hanging around my neck

one day.

 

Don't much care for the vertical-hanging strap lug arrangement

of the CL, btw.

 

Best,

[Troll]

Small it is. Quiet it ain't! (Just about as noisey as a screw mount camera, but with a lower pitch which is probably less attention atracting.)

[gib]

someone should make some wav files of shutters

 

God forgive me but the quietest shutter I have ever heard is a toss up between my Leica IIIf and a Yashica Electro G35. The noisest shutter on a SLR would go to a Contaflex (sharp sounding metallinc chunk) and a Pentax Pz-1. The quietest SLR for rewind and for shutter (not too bad) is the Canon Elan 7E. The rewind on that is spooky.

[leslie_cheung]

joe,

 

fwiw:

i would rank the cl noise on the level of the m6. i think the m2/m3

sounds a little quieter and the hexar af/leaf shutter the apex of

shutter noise. on the other end...i have an old bronica s2a. i used

to wake up my roomate on the other side of the house with it and he is

not exactly the light sleeper type.

 

----bil

[leslie_cheung]

oh...i have a cl available. i currently use it as a delicated wide

body cause the rf is slightly misaligned and the meter's out plus the

vfinder is much too distracting. let me know if you are interested to

buy or trade(for cv lens).

 

---billy

ps. it is in excellent shape cosmetically if that matte

[wingell]

The CL is definitely quieter than the M4, and it doesn't get much quieter than that. It's a worthwhile, user-friendly, unobtrusive little camera despite the strap arrangement and ditsy meter. I've used mine since buying it new in the 70s. Recently I purchased a 40mm cron and am very impressed with the performance of that lens. The CL doesn't have the durability of an M, but if you can find a decent body at a reasonable cost, it's worth the investment.

[msitaraman]

I have just recorded the shutter sound of my CL (CLA'ed about 6 months ago) and my M6TTL (no cleaning or lubrication since 1999).

 

Alas, I have no place to host it, but will be happy to forward the .wav file (about 50k) to anyone who wants it, and would be even happier if someone could host it on their web page for me!

 

:-)

 

Thank you.

[al_kaplan1]

Bill Wingell tells us that he's been using his CL since he bought it new in the 70's and goes on to state that it doesn't have the durability of an M body. That's saying a lot for both cameras! Not many things, cameras or otherwise, can be expected to last close to 30 years, and very few companies would still have any parts availability.

[wingell]

Amen to that!

[msitaraman]

Oh, just a note. The .wav file lets you compare the two shutter sounds from the cameras, with the center of the lens front element being 2 inches from the microphone. Both camera shutters were at 1/125.

 

I don't know how to calibrate the file for volume, but you can compare the sounds of the shutters. Depending on how you set the volume control, the shutters will sound loud or soft.