Mandatory Autofocus and Shutter Sounds

[Hillsilly]

Hi. I've just bought a new phone. When using the camera, you can't turn the shutter sound off (and it beeps every few seconds to confirm that it is in focus). Its very annoying! After doing a bit of research, it turns out that this is on purpose. Apparently there is legislation being debated in the US to make shutter sounds mandatory (I believe it is called the 'Camera Phone Predator Alert Act'). And some other countries have already introduced similar rules. How come nobody is discussing this? While we all know who this legislation is aimed at, there are numerous occassions when a silent camera makes sense (plays, presentations, speeches, wedding ceremonies etc). Plus, if you are some sort of perve, you'll just start using a P & S, anyway, and given that rules like these often expand over time, its not that hard to imagine it encompassing cameras in the future. Maybe the reason the 5Diii seems to be getting delayed is because they are being fitted with an extra loud compulsory "beep" every time you focus the camera that you won't be able to turn off? I'm just surprised that people from the US, being the home of rights and freedom, are proposing this.

 

[dr croubie]

just like airline security, yet another law designed to annoy the normal ones of us, whereas the tiny tiny minority of pervs it's aimed at will just find a large loophole around it (software mod, disconnecting the speaker, 800mm lenses etc).

still, I don't think it's got anything to do with the 5D3 delay, there's already a speaker for it, making it unable to be turned off is probably 5 lines of firmware coding...


(i always laugh when people still think of the usa as 'land of the free')

 

[Chris primadona]

What a strange legislation, whatever next? a little voice that says "I'm a peadofile" every 10 seconds of video footage you shoot?. Are they trying to say still photography is evil and video is ok? What are they hoping to solve with that! Some people just don't have a clue.

 

[gferdinandsen]

It's not all that different than legislation aimed at making hybrid and EV cars emit and "engine noise". You have to love the nanny state.

 

[mreco99]

It's not all that different than legislation aimed at making hybrid and EV cars emit and "engine noise". You have to love the nanny state.

Theres alot of difference, one is to help save lives, and the other just annoys everyone

 

[LanceF]

It's not all that different than legislation aimed at making hybrid and EV cars emit and "engine noise". You have to love the nanny state.

My friend who is blind and routinely walks down town would be pretty upset to not be able to hear any cars. He counts on the sounds to be able to judge distances, which way cars are moving, if they are stopped etc when crossing the street.

 

[-zero-]

From what I undestood, the law is specificaly aimed at cellphone cameras in order to prevent someone from taking pictures of minors in, lets say gym changing room, pool etc, while pretending to be talking on the phone

it has no, and never will, effect on dslr or point and shoot cameras as ppl know it's a camera and wont allow you to take it out in a changing room

 

[japhoto]

Sounds like either there is no law or the law goes so much overboard that it starts to hinder the life of a regular citizen.

And I don't even know how that kind of setting would help since there are so many easy ways to go around it.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

To answer your question as to why CR is not discussing it, It is a camera phone thing, and Canon does not make one, nor are their any rumors that they might. Nothing to do with Canon or DSLR's or P&S that I can see.

Its a valid topic to discuss, just doesn't apply to stane alone cameras.