Strange sound inside 5D III (?)

[Hugo Fisher]

Hi, I just bought a new 5d mk III and I am just wondering what kind of sound can I hear from inside of it. All the time when I press a shutter button (even half way) I can hear some "strange sound like really small twisting ventilator" from the part where the battery and the card is. It takes always same time - about 4 seconds and after that it stops and 5D is quiet until next press of shutter button. My 7D does not do it. It is not an IS. It is just "something", but I can hear it very well.

Any suggestions?

[JR]

Is this using a lens with IS?  You could just be hearing the IS inside your lens?

[Hugo Fisher]

As I already said: "It is not an IS".

I know which sound is IS doing. This is something different. It is inside the body, like some sound of cooling ventilator or something like that.

[Hugo Fisher]

IceAero: Counting, as you described metering system, is exactly correct. It takes about 4s after shutter button release. After that it is again quiet. I was just wondering that if I am looking to the viewfinder, I can hear it really well. I can not hear anything like that in same situation with my 7D. So that is the point, why I asked.

If it is normal, I am thinking about it anymore..

[IceAero]

IceAero: Counting, as you described metering system, is exactly correct. It takes about 4s after shutter button release. After that it is again quiet. I was just wondering that if I am looking to the viewfinder, I can hear it really well. I can not hear anything like that in same situation with my 7D. So that is the point, why I asked.

If it is normal, I am thinking about it anymore..

Yeah, seeing as how the metering system is supposed to be the same as the 7D (which I had), I'm a little surprised that there is a difference, but I'm sure all the internal electronics are different to some degree or another. 

Put your ear up to your computer's motherboard with no fans and you'll hear a LOT of sounds.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Typically, something has to be moving to make a sound.  The camera has no flash, so the charging sound won't be there like on the 7D.
 
When you half press the shutter, things in the lens move, the AF, IS, and aperture, but only the IS and AF(AI Servo) are moving.  The camera has a mirror motor and shutter motor that might be defective as well.
 
To narrow things down, turn off IS on yout lens and try it.  Leave it off, and turn off AI Servo or set lens to mf, and try again. Turn the camera to Av and set the aperture to wide open, so it will not try to stop down, and try a third time.  Then, try with a different lens.
 
Its entirely possible that the shutter or mirror motors have issues too.  I'd try it with mine, but my hearing is poor, so I do not hear even loud high frequency noises.
 
Keep after it, until you know what's happening.  You might have to return it, and have a limited time to do that.  Don't count on Canon Service to have parts to fix it, just exchange it if it comes to that.

[sach100]

ok. So i too hear similar sound coming from the body. BUT when the IS on 24-105 is turned off i don't hear the sound. I used to be there on my 7d as well. As of now i am not worried. As somebody pointed out it is just the IS cranking inside..

Even otherwise, i hope the ventilator does its job in keeping the internal electronics from melting..

[DavidRiesenberg]

Whoa ! Nice catch. I had to close myself in a semi sound proof room and press my ear to the "set" button to actually hear it. It sounds like it is spinning something in preparation for a shot. Checking a few quick variations, it is still audible even without a lens and CF cards and in all shooting speed modes and all AF modes. Also, in LV it doesn't stop after 4-5 seconds. Tried listening the same way to my 7D and 5DC and they didn't produce any sound. It could be a fan, I guess.

[Varango]

Hello there,

I bought a 5D III just two days ago and noticed the same sound as you right away from out of the box.
It is particularily audible near the battery door. Also it does the sound when I change the orientation of the camera but for a smaller amount of time (1sec more or less).
Do you have any more recent news about this ?
Does your camera continue to do it also ?
Did you have any issues since (focusing/metering/shutter/exposure) ?
Maybe it is normal....but I have never experienced anything like this with all my previous cameras so I wonder.

[Andy Jazz]

I know this is an old post, but I have the same issue with my mk3 but not my Mk2, and I was just wondering if anyone knows weather the noise is normal or not.

[Hugo Fisher]

I know this is an old post, but I have the same issue with my mk3 but not my Mk2, and I was just wondering if anyone knows weather the noise is normal or not.

I still have that sound coming from my 5D3. But after almost 80.000 of shutter release, I can say, that it has no depend on the camera functions. It seems just normal sound for 5D3.

[infared]

I have had my camera for 6 months...I did not even know the camera made the noise until I read this post, (damn you guys have good ears!). My camera makes the noise. Clearly it is normal. I don't know what it is but it would be interesting to find out if someone knows. I am not concerned, just curious.

[miki]

hi
I have the same issue
has anyone discovered what makes this strange buzzzzzing?