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The Aesthetic Appeal of Camera Shutter Sounds
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The Aesthetic Appeal of Camera Shutter Sounds

Keith Dotson
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In a companion post to my podcast episode of the same name, we compare shutter sounds of modern digital cameras and vintage film cameras, with photos of the old cameras

Have you ever given any thought to the sound of the shutter?

I don’t mean the loudness of the shutter, like during weddings or events . . . I mean the actual quality of the shutter sound. Is it important to you how the shutter sounds? I’ve realized since I started shooting with Sony cameras that I don’t enjoy the sound of Sony shutters. This is admittedly a minor quibble — Sony makes amazing cameras and the image quality and reliability are obviously the primary concerns — but you hear the sound of the shutter hundreds or thousands of times per session. I’ve recognized that for me, the sound of the shutter is an important part of the aesthetic experience of photography.

In this episode we compare the sounds of modern digital camera shutters to old vintage film cameras from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Podcast Episode 13: The Aesthetic Appeal of Camera Shutter Sounds

Photographs of the vintage cameras mentioned in the podcast

Below are photographs of the vintage cameras mentioned in the podcast, in order they are discussed.

Zeiss Ikon Contina with Novar-Anastigmat lens, with a sample image photographed on black and white film.
Zeiss Ikon Contina with Novar-Anastigmat lens, with a sample image photographed on black and white film.

Sony A7 R II not pictured.

Canon 5D Mk III not pictured.

Canon 7D not pictured.

Asahi Pentax K1000. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Pentax K1000. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Yashica Electro 35 with image captured on film with the camera. Photos by Keith Dotson.
Yashica Electro 35 with image captured on film with the camera. Photos by Keith Dotson.
Kodak Duaflex III with Kodet lens, circa 1950s. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Kodak Duaflex III with Kodet lens, circa 1950s. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Kodak Tourist folding camera. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Kodak Tourist folding camera. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Olympus 35 EC rangefinder camera
Olympus 35 EC rangefinder camera. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Olympus Infinity Jr 35mm film camera with auto film advance.
Olympus Infinity Jr 35mm film camera with auto film advance.
Holga 135 and Konar 1000 toy cameras with plastic lenses and almost certainly light leaks around the back. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Holga 135 and Konar 1000 toy cameras with plastic lenses and almost certainly light leaks around the back. Photograph by Keith Dotson.
Fed 3 Soviet era version of the Leica, manufactured early 1960s.

iPhone not pictured.

Thanks for reading.

Be sure to visit me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest, or on my website at keithdotson.com.

~ Keith

Note: There are no paid endorsements in this post or in the podcast episode.

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