DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS
Enjoy the silence
What options are available on EOS cameras if you need to take pictures very, very quietly?
Canon DSLRs have a relatively large mirror positioned in front of the imaging sensor. This mirror reflects the light up to the optical viewfinder so that you can compose your shot, and it also allows light to strike the camera’s dedicated AF module.
In order for the sensor to create an image, the mirror has to be lifted out of the way before the shutter curtains open to start the exposure. When the shutter curtains close to end the exposure, the mirror thumps back down and the AF module can get to work again. This happens multiple times a second when continuous drive has been selected, so it’s no wonder it can make a bit of a racket.
Of course, you can use Live View with the mirror locked out of the way, but in most cases you’ll still have the noise of the shutter opening and closing. It’s the same with a mirrorless camera, which doesn’t have a mirror assembly
