Camera clatter at today's White House event

[RobertTheFat]

Today President Obama met with President-elect Trump to discuss the transition of power that will take place in January when Obama's term ends and Trump's begins. Near the end of the meeting, the White House press corps was admitted, and the rest of the event was televised. During that entire time, the racket from still cameras (presumably DSLRs) was a major distraction that made it hard to concentrate on (and sometimes even to hear) what the two men were saying. Is there a solution to this? (I would have just told the still photographers to cut the clatter or leave the room, but it won't surprise you to learn that my opinion wasn't sought.) At this point in time, are there enough professional-quality cameras that are quiet enough that if everybody used them, it would make a significant difference? If not, are quieter cameras on the way, or do we have to wait for professional mirrorless cameras? Will even they be quiet enough? I can't believe I'm the only one who sees this as a problem, but does it have a near-term solution?

[ebiggs1]

1Dx Mk II's running at 14fps.  Add the fact there are probably 50 of them and you are going to get chatter!

I have friends that don't know single shot exists.

[kvbarkley]

I have heard that some judges required Leica's in the courtroom because they had an especially quiet shutter.

The solution is mirrorless and electronic shutter.

And turning off the artificial shutter sound from the speakers. 8^)

[Waddizzle]

Another good/bad example of camera clatter are professional golf tournaments, like the PGA Tour.  Ever see a guy on a tee, and just after he makes contact with the ball....it starts, and it is loud enough to drown out the voices of the golfers.

Continuous shooting modes can be pretty loud.  I wonder which is louder, Brand N or Brand C.  My 1D Mark IV is loud enough to frighten wildliffe away, and it seems like the 7D2 is almost as bad.  My 6D whispers by comparison.

[TCampbell]

My 5D II was one of the loudest DLSRs I've used.  

I noticed my 5D III was quieter even in normal mode... but it also has the "silent" shutter modes.  The "silent" mode isn't really completely silent, but it slows down the reflex mirror so that slap is soft instead of a loud clap.

Then I got the 5D IV and noticed that it's even quieter than the 5D III.  So I'm wondering... what sort of bodies are they using and do they use "silent" mode?

My guess is that they don't care.  Their paid to get the shots.  When they are let into the room to take the photos they're going to try to grab as many shots as they can -- it's "open season" and they'll do what it takes.

To be fair... there's also something to be said for directional microphones.  Some of these are so poor that I think it's a gimmick.  But I've seen some that really work quite well.  I have one mic that is pretty amazing... fantastic sensitivity in the direction that it's pointed... but anything out of it's pickup pattern is reduced to something that sounds like it's in the very distant background (even if it's really right behind the microphone.)