EOS 90D Silent mode settings

[Ramsden]

Hi folks

Another odd question from across the pond with my EOS90D.L

I'm currently on holiday and different settings with lots of trams and cafes, which is when I tend to slip into 'street photography'.

My camera is normally set to the mechanical shutter sound, which is too loud. But when I switched to One Shot S and electronic curtain, i still get a noise.

Then I eventually figured out the Electronic mode which is a much better, but takes more time to set up, and then it disengages after the shots.

So my question is based on how to set silent Electronic shutter so that it stays set, till I want to change it?

Or what am I doing wrong with One Shot S?

Thanks as ever.

Ramsden 

[Waddizzle]

 

I think I found the setting in the 90D User Guide that had in mind.  Shorter mode. 

Use the Electronic Shutter in Live View mode. The camera should behave like a mirrorless camera and be perfectly silent.  Bring extra batteries. The mirror in this model seems to have a mirror lockup mechanism. If not, the image sensor and display screen are the real battery hogs.

[ebiggs1]

The battery has to fight against the spring to keep the mirror open. It requires significantly more battery power to hold the mirror up. Not to mention also having to keep the LCD screen live in LV mode. Plus all the electronics that are processing whatever is coming across the sensor. Battery life will be significantly less. Not even to mention heat build up in a 90D.

[Waddizzle]

“ The battery has to fight against the spring to keep the mirror open. It requires significantly more battery power to hold the mirror up. Not to mention also having to keep the LCD screen live in LV mode. Plus all the electronics that are processing whatever is coming across the sensor. Battery life will be significantly less. Not even to mention heat build up in a 90D. “

If that were true, then how is it possible for astrophotographers to capture very long exposures for hours at a time?

Using the electronic shutter mode in Live View is a popular method of using the 90D. It’s reportedly dead silent. Users capturing wildlife like it. 

[Stephen]

The biggest battery drain is live view and having to use the CMOS sensor for the entirety of the AF functions, instead of using a hybrid approach of using the phase-difference detection system with AF-dedicated sensor, so it won't be as accurate or as quick to focus, and it uses more power because it's using more processing power. 

[Stephen]

Hey there! Great question. The short answer is yes, the 90D can be 100% silent, but there’s a little trick to it because of how DSLRs are built.

Usually, when you take a photo, you’re hearing two things: the big "clack" of the mirror flipping up and the smaller "shi-shick" of the physical shutter curtains opening and closing. To get total silence, we have to bypass both!

Here’s how you do it:

1. Use the Screen (Live View)

The mirror has to stay "up" for the camera to be silent, so you'll need to shoot using the back LCD screen rather than the viewfinder. Flip that switch on the back to the camera icon and hit Start/Stop. That gets rid of the big mirror "clack."

2. Turn on the Electronic Shutter

Even in Live View, the camera usually still uses those physical shutter curtains (that shi-shick sound). To go stealth mode, you have to tell the camera to use the sensor only:

• Go into your Red Shooting Menu (Tab 6).

• Look for Shutter Mode.

• Change it from "Mechanical" to "Electronic."

• Bonus tip: Don't forget to disable the "Beep" in the yellow setup menu so it doesn't chirp when it finds focus!

3. The "One-Click" Shortcut

You can't make the camera permanently silent (because the viewfinder will always need those mechanical parts), but you can save these settings to your C1 or C2 dial positions. That way, when you need to be a "ninja," you just turn the dial to C1 and you're ready to go!

A few "just so you know" items:

Because the camera is doing everything digitally in this mode, there are a couple of trade-offs to keep in mind:

• No Flash: The flash won't fire while in pure electronic mode.

• Moving Subjects: If you’re shooting something moving really fast (like a golf swing), it might look a little "tilted" or distorted.

• One shot at a time: You won't be able to do those super-fast 10fps bursts in this specific silent mode.

Still want to use the viewfinder? If you prefer the viewfinder, look for the "S" (Silent) icon in your Drive Mode settings. It’s not 100% silent, but it muffles the mechanical parts for a much softer, more discreet click!

Hope that helps you capture those quiet moments! If you run into any snags with the menus, just give us a shout. 📸✨

[Ramsden]

Thanks Guys

Great responses, and I've learnt loads. I like the idea of using C1 or 2 and I'm working on that for today's adventure. Any cures to stop  embarrassing my son as I aimlessly point my camera around cafes and trams?

Thanks again 

Ramsden 

[Ramsden]

I should add that, for me, this camera continues to give. I just love taking it 'for a walk'. And like last night walking back along the river side to our hotel, I just turned on the green A and shot to my hearts content with great results. 

All the best 

Ramsden 

[ebiggs1]

"Any cures to stop  embarrassing my son as I aimlessly point my camera ..."

Absolutely, get him his own 90D. Case closed.

[Stephen]

If he's younger, he might want something newer so he can make tiktoks with it ☺️

[ebiggs1]