Hot K-5 means louder shutter?

rawr · 10-20-2012, 05:05 PM

JUst did some shooting yesterday on a very hot day (38 dec C or more in the shade) at the local agricultural show.

Shooting in the late afternoon I noticed that after a few hours of use the camera shutter sound was 'louder', more like the K-x than hushed like the K-5 normally is. After night fell and things cooled down a lot, including the camera, the shutter returned to being its usual quiet self.

Everything worked fine, all the images were OK and I never stopped shooting, so no problems or complaints. But it left me curious about why. At home, after checking the EXIF of a sample of shots, the camera body temperature was ranging 30 - 42 deg C, possibly higher, which means for much of the day the K-5 was operating outside of its spec temperature range of −10 to 40 °C.

My guess is that sustained use in hot conditions generated internal heat, which produced some minute changes in the physical tolerances or properties of the camera internals (a tiny expansion or softening of some shutter-box components, including the mirror dampening bits?). Hence the temporarily different acoustics.

Anyone with similar experiences?

**Ex Finn.** · 10-20-2012, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by rawr

JUst did some shooting yesterday on a very hot day (38 dec C or more in the shade) at the local agricultural show.

Shooting in the late afternoon I noticed that after a few hours of use the camera shutter sound was 'louder', more like the K-x than hushed like the K-5 normally is. After night fell and things cooled down a lot, including the camera, the shutter returned to being its usual quiet self.

Everything worked fine, all the images were OK etc, so no problems or complaints. But it left me curious about why. At home, after checking the EXIF of a sample of shots, the camera body temperature was ranging 30 - 42 deg C, possibly sometimes higher, which means for much of the day the K-5 was operating outside of its spec temperature range of −10 to 40 °C.

My guess is that sustained use in hot conditions generated internal heat, which produced some minute changes in the physical tolerances or properties of the camera internals (a tiny expansion or softening of some shutter-box components, including the mirror dampening bits?). Hence the temporarily different acoustics.

Anyone with similar experiences?

I believe you are the first to notice this behavior, very interesting observation and worth noting.

rawr · 10-20-2012, 05:26 PM

Originally posted by Ex Finn.

very interesting observation and worth noting

Thanks. Everything kept working fine. In fact the camera worked more efficiently in the heat than I did, that's for sure.

derekkite · 10-21-2012, 06:22 PM

I notice the shutter noise is different depending on shutter speed. If it is very fast, 1/2000 and up, it clunks.

ltded · 10-21-2012, 06:55 PM

Originally posted by derekkite

I notice the shutter noise is different depending on shutter speed. If it is very fast, 1/2000 and up, it clunks.

Same observation here.

123jippo · 10-22-2012, 05:53 AM

Newer noticed any change in sound in hot (like in Asia) and cold (like in winter Finland)

shutter speed effect not also noticed...i will try to check this later today.

RonHendriks1966 · 10-22-2012, 07:20 AM

To be honest, I don't know. I did use my K-5's in hot temperatures and got them warmed up to 42 degrees C, but didn't pay any notion to the shuttersound at the time.

rawr · 10-22-2012, 08:04 AM

It was just a curiosity to me. Everything worked fine, and still does.

Most of the shutter speeds were pretty slow when I had the camera running hot - less than 1/250.

Aside from the heat, maybe the lens in use at the time the shutter noise seemed loudest also contributed - a Tamron 17-50 2.8. Perhaps some lenses simply help muffle the shutter/mirror noise better than others?

So many inconsequential, geeky things to obsess about and ponder

simico · 10-24-2012, 01:00 AM

I haven't noticed any change in shutter sound when shooting in 39-45 deg C this summer. Even if it was a bit louder, it surely wasn't as loud and clunky as K-m shutter sound.

TrueFocus · 10-24-2012, 01:10 AM

Hmm, just an educated guess. If it was so hot, it must have been very bright as well. That means high shutter speed and that sounds different.

10-20-2012, 05:05 PM	#1
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Hot K-5 means louder shutter? JUst did some shooting yesterday on a very hot day (38 dec C or more in the shade) at the local agricultural show. Shooting in the late afternoon I noticed that after a few hours of use the camera shutter sound was 'louder', more like the K-x than hushed like the K-5 normally is. After night fell and things cooled down a lot, including the camera, the shutter returned to being its usual quiet self. Everything worked fine, all the images were OK and I never stopped shooting, so no problems or complaints. But it left me curious about why. At home, after checking the EXIF of a sample of shots, the camera body temperature was ranging 30 - 42 deg C, possibly higher, which means for much of the day the K-5 was operating outside of its spec temperature range of −10 to 40 °C. My guess is that sustained use in hot conditions generated internal heat, which produced some minute changes in the physical tolerances or properties of the camera internals (a tiny expansion or softening of some shutter-box components, including the mirror dampening bits?). Hence the temporarily different acoustics. Anyone with similar experiences?

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10-20-2012, 05:11 PM	#2
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Originally posted by rawr JUst did some shooting yesterday on a very hot day (38 dec C or more in the shade) at the local agricultural show. Shooting in the late afternoon I noticed that after a few hours of use the camera shutter sound was 'louder', more like the K-x than hushed like the K-5 normally is. After night fell and things cooled down a lot, including the camera, the shutter returned to being its usual quiet self. Everything worked fine, all the images were OK etc, so no problems or complaints. But it left me curious about why. At home, after checking the EXIF of a sample of shots, the camera body temperature was ranging 30 - 42 deg C, possibly sometimes higher, which means for much of the day the K-5 was operating outside of its spec temperature range of −10 to 40 °C. My guess is that sustained use in hot conditions generated internal heat, which produced some minute changes in the physical tolerances or properties of the camera internals (a tiny expansion or softening of some shutter-box components, including the mirror dampening bits?). Hence the temporarily different acoustics. Anyone with similar experiences? I believe you are the first to notice this behavior, very interesting observation and worth noting.

10-20-2012, 05:26 PM	#3
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ex Finn. very interesting observation and worth noting Thanks. Everything kept working fine. In fact the camera worked more efficiently in the heat than I did, that's for sure.

10-21-2012, 06:22 PM	#4
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	I notice the shutter noise is different depending on shutter speed. If it is very fast, 1/2000 and up, it clunks.

10-21-2012, 06:55 PM	#5
ltded New Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Manila Posts: 6	Originally posted by derekkite I notice the shutter noise is different depending on shutter speed. If it is very fast, 1/2000 and up, it clunks. Same observation here.

10-22-2012, 05:53 AM	#6
123jippo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 165	Newer noticed any change in sound in hot (like in Asia) and cold (like in winter Finland) shutter speed effect not also noticed...i will try to check this later today.

10-22-2012, 07:20 AM	#7
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	To be honest, I don't know. I did use my K-5's in hot temperatures and got them warmed up to 42 degrees C, but didn't pay any notion to the shuttersound at the time.

10-22-2012, 08:04 AM	#8
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913 Original Poster	It was just a curiosity to me. Everything worked fine, and still does. Most of the shutter speeds were pretty slow when I had the camera running hot - less than 1/250. Aside from the heat, maybe the lens in use at the time the shutter noise seemed loudest also contributed - a Tamron 17-50 2.8. Perhaps some lenses simply help muffle the shutter/mirror noise better than others? So many inconsequential, geeky things to obsess about and ponder

10-24-2012, 01:00 AM	#9
simico Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 821	I haven't noticed any change in shutter sound when shooting in 39-45 deg C this summer. Even if it was a bit louder, it surely wasn't as loud and clunky as K-m shutter sound.

10-24-2012, 01:10 AM	#10
TrueFocus Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 78	Hmm, just an educated guess. If it was so hot, it must have been very bright as well. That means high shutter speed and that sounds different.