weird humming sound from the camera

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 07:23 PM

hi, i got my k20d about 2 weeks ago and i noticed that when i take pictures that have slow shutter speeds it makes a low humming sound for a short period, it sounds like its processing. is it suppose to do that? it goes like kuhhhh but like a bad radio station.
someone help please :/

pbo · 08-30-2009, 07:53 PM

That's shake reduction - the sensor of the camera is sort of "floating" inside in some sort of magnetic field. Thus the humming sound. If you turn off Shake Reduction, I'm pretty sure the sound will disappear.

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 08:17 PM

thank you for responding

i turned the SR off but still after the shutter closes it has a very short hum and most of the time i hear a louder shudder like sound after the image is produced, is that still becuase its floating inside? after the picture is taking it goes like boogh or something... currently i am taking the pictures with the settings f5.6 iso 137 shutter speed 1

pbo · 08-30-2009, 08:56 PM

Okay, let me try and "imitate" what's happening there. First, a clunk from the mirror. Then, almost instantaneously, the sound of shutter inside that you probably won't hear since the first clunk covers it up (you can try dismounting the lens and pushing the mirror up - you'll see what's called shutter curtains (they cover sensor). Then, after exposure is done (and all the whirring from SR), you'll hear the sound of the shutter closing (I don't know how to describe it... but it's kind of like something sliding inside?), and almost immediately afterwards, the clunk of mirror bouncing back in position (in SLR, mirror is between lens and sensor and reflects the image up from its original path; to make a shot, the mirror has to go up so that it doesn't block the way to the light; after the shot is done, mirror has to go back to its original position - it's real easy to see for yourself, just fire without a lens and look inside the camera

).

There are also some other sounds - I think I heard sometimes the sounds of springs inside, as well as the aperture lever's sound... K10D and K20D aren't that quiet

Damn Brit · 08-30-2009, 08:59 PM

Welcome to the forum, the loud sound is probably the shutter closing after the exposure.
I'm not sure about the humming though. You're not using live view when you do this are you?

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 09:28 PM

yeah thats how its happening but like after everythings done theres like a milisecond or longer of like what it sounds to be a processing sound or something, sometimes it goes grr

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 09:30 PM

no i wasnt using live, maybe i am over reacting. its just that its bothering me alot because i dont think i heard that before...
if i took it to a camera store and let the person hear it be good idea?

heliphoto · 08-30-2009, 09:31 PM

Are you in continous shooting mode - I hear something like this after shooting a frame in continous frame mode. If you are, try setting single frame mode and see if the sound goes away. Also you will hear a sound like this when the camera is doing dark frame subtraction type of noise reduction on long exposures.

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 09:32 PM

you guys should try it, put it with a slow shutter speed and put your ear on the camera, i hope its normal. :0...

Damn Brit · 08-30-2009, 09:32 PM

If you took it to a store that would only be of benefit if they had another K20 for comparison.
See if you can find someone else locally who also has a K20.
The other alternative is to return it under warranty, the worst that can happen is that they will send it back to you saying nothing is wrong. You will obviously be without your camera for that period though.

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 09:51 PM

thank you very much for the help
and thank you for welcoming into the forum

Damn Brit · 08-30-2009, 09:57 PM

Originally posted by jolee1990

you guys should try it, put it with a slow shutter speed and put your ear on the camera, i hope its normal. :0...

Don't forget, we are used to the sounds our cameras make so we might not hear what you are describing. That's why it would be better to hear another camera for comparison.

pbo · 08-30-2009, 10:10 PM

Actually, I just tried doing what you said. I'm not sure if that's what you're hearing, but the whirring from SR does seem to be there for half a second after shutter closes. But my guess would be - just a wild guess, though, - recentering sensor? Dark frame subtraction doesn't really depend on SR; besides, the sound lasts same with any shutter speed...

jolee1990 · 08-30-2009, 10:27 PM

oh ok, yeah i just tried other shutter speeds too and they seem to be the same

woops hehe i panicked for no reason

heliphoto · 08-31-2009, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by pbo

Actually, I just tried doing what you said. I'm not sure if that's what you're hearing, but the whirring from SR does seem to be there for half a second after shutter closes. But my guess would be - just a wild guess, though, - recentering sensor? Dark frame subtraction doesn't really depend on SR; besides, the sound lasts same with any shutter speed...

I agree it doesn't make sense, but DFS does seem to activate SR - perhaps to heat the sensor? At least, my K20D and I think my K-7 make the same noise when "frozen" for DFS. I think of it as the camera taunting me while is sit there watching the lightning flash, not being able to photograph it

.

08-30-2009, 07:23 PM	#1
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88	weird humming sound from the camera hi, i got my k20d about 2 weeks ago and i noticed that when i take pictures that have slow shutter speeds it makes a low humming sound for a short period, it sounds like its processing. is it suppose to do that? it goes like kuhhhh but like a bad radio station. someone help please :/

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08-30-2009, 07:53 PM	#2
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	That's shake reduction - the sensor of the camera is sort of "floating" inside in some sort of magnetic field. Thus the humming sound. If you turn off Shake Reduction, I'm pretty sure the sound will disappear.

08-30-2009, 08:17 PM	#3
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	thank you for responding i turned the SR off but still after the shutter closes it has a very short hum and most of the time i hear a louder shudder like sound after the image is produced, is that still becuase its floating inside? after the picture is taking it goes like boogh or something... currently i am taking the pictures with the settings f5.6 iso 137 shutter speed 1

08-30-2009, 08:56 PM	#4
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Okay, let me try and "imitate" what's happening there. First, a clunk from the mirror. Then, almost instantaneously, the sound of shutter inside that you probably won't hear since the first clunk covers it up (you can try dismounting the lens and pushing the mirror up - you'll see what's called shutter curtains (they cover sensor). Then, after exposure is done (and all the whirring from SR), you'll hear the sound of the shutter closing (I don't know how to describe it... but it's kind of like something sliding inside?), and almost immediately afterwards, the clunk of mirror bouncing back in position (in SLR, mirror is between lens and sensor and reflects the image up from its original path; to make a shot, the mirror has to go up so that it doesn't block the way to the light; after the shot is done, mirror has to go back to its original position - it's real easy to see for yourself, just fire without a lens and look inside the camera ). There are also some other sounds - I think I heard sometimes the sounds of springs inside, as well as the aperture lever's sound... K10D and K20D aren't that quiet

08-30-2009, 08:59 PM	#5
Damn Brit Guest	Welcome to the forum, the loud sound is probably the shutter closing after the exposure. I'm not sure about the humming though. You're not using live view when you do this are you?

08-30-2009, 09:28 PM	#6
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	yeah thats how its happening but like after everythings done theres like a milisecond or longer of like what it sounds to be a processing sound or something, sometimes it goes grr

08-30-2009, 09:30 PM	#7
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	no i wasnt using live, maybe i am over reacting. its just that its bothering me alot because i dont think i heard that before... if i took it to a camera store and let the person hear it be good idea?

08-30-2009, 09:31 PM	#8
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539	Are you in continous shooting mode - I hear something like this after shooting a frame in continous frame mode. If you are, try setting single frame mode and see if the sound goes away. Also you will hear a sound like this when the camera is doing dark frame subtraction type of noise reduction on long exposures.

08-30-2009, 09:32 PM	#9
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	you guys should try it, put it with a slow shutter speed and put your ear on the camera, i hope its normal. :0...

08-30-2009, 09:32 PM	#10
Damn Brit Guest	If you took it to a store that would only be of benefit if they had another K20 for comparison. See if you can find someone else locally who also has a K20. The other alternative is to return it under warranty, the worst that can happen is that they will send it back to you saying nothing is wrong. You will obviously be without your camera for that period though.

08-30-2009, 09:51 PM	#11
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	thank you very much for the help and thank you for welcoming into the forum

08-30-2009, 09:57 PM	#12
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by jolee1990 you guys should try it, put it with a slow shutter speed and put your ear on the camera, i hope its normal. :0... Don't forget, we are used to the sounds our cameras make so we might not hear what you are describing. That's why it would be better to hear another camera for comparison.

08-30-2009, 10:10 PM	#13
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Actually, I just tried doing what you said. I'm not sure if that's what you're hearing, but the whirring from SR does seem to be there for half a second after shutter closes. But my guess would be - just a wild guess, though, - recentering sensor? Dark frame subtraction doesn't really depend on SR; besides, the sound lasts same with any shutter speed...

08-30-2009, 10:27 PM	#14
jolee1990 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 88 Original Poster	oh ok, yeah i just tried other shutter speeds too and they seem to be the same woops hehe i panicked for no reason

08-31-2009, 10:06 AM	#15
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539	Originally posted by pbo Actually, I just tried doing what you said. I'm not sure if that's what you're hearing, but the whirring from SR does seem to be there for half a second after shutter closes. But my guess would be - just a wild guess, though, - recentering sensor? Dark frame subtraction doesn't really depend on SR; besides, the sound lasts same with any shutter speed... I agree it doesn't make sense, but DFS does seem to activate SR - perhaps to heat the sensor? At least, my K20D and I think my K-7 make the same noise when "frozen" for DFS. I think of it as the camera taunting me while is sit there watching the lightning flash, not being able to photograph it .