E100/C2100 Noise 90 Deg Clockwise

I know that E100/C2100 makes a low humming sound whenever the camera is on. The noise is not that audible unless you put your ear pretty close to the camera body.

People explain that it is from the IS mechanism, and the noise is there whether you set the IS ON or OFF. It is always there when the camera is on. It is quite normal. OK.

But I also notice that when I hold my camera 90 degree Clockwise (for taking a "vertical" shot), the low humming sound turns into a much more audible higher pitch noise: TTTzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee..... You can hear it without putting the ear close to the camera body. I think someone else has reported the same observation too.

Another interesting observation is that when I turn the camera 90 degree the other way - Counter-Clockwise, it doesn't generate the higher pitch audible noise.

I have noticed the same thing on 2 of my E100/C2100. Haven't checked the other ones yet.

My first question is: Do ALL of them do them? E100/C2100 owners, please try and let us know.

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the camera sideway to take pictures?

Thanks a lot for answers in advance.

I have a super quiet E100. It does not make a noise when turned clockwise or counter clockwise. I had to put my ear up to the thing to see if full-time AF was working.

Toby

w3 said:

My first question is: Do ALL of them do them? E100/C2100 owners,
please try and let us know.

Click to expand...

I have noticed the exact same thing! Hum when turned cw, none when turned ccw.

w3 said:

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

I'd be interested to hear what other people think about this. I wondered the same thing when I noticed the humming.

-Tony--=========Vivitar 2700 -> Canon A5Z -> Sony F505 -> Oly E-1OORS http://photos.plutonyum.com/

o/

Also noticed that same thing. Sounds like something is really wrong when turning cw, but it still works

Someday when used cw and then turned it back, it still makes that noise.. Not always, but rarely.

Dont know does it harm camera or what..

-
Juzu

TallyHo said:

w3 said:

My first question is: Do ALL of them do them? E100/C2100 owners,
please try and let us know.

Click to expand...

I have noticed the exact same thing! Hum when turned cw, none when
turned ccw.

TallyHo said:

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

I'd be interested to hear what other people think about this. I
wondered the same thing when I noticed the humming.

-Tony
--
=========
Vivitar 2700 -> Canon A5Z -> Sony F505 -> Oly E-1OORS
http://photos.plutonyum.com/

Click to expand...

---O l y 2 1 0 0 U Z http://www.pbase.com/juzu

w3 wrote:
[...]

w3 said:

But I also notice that when I hold my camera 90 degree Clockwise
(for taking a "vertical" shot), the low humming sound turns into a
much more audible higher pitch noise: TTTzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
You can hear it without putting the ear close to the camera body.
I think someone else has reported the same observation too.

Another interesting observation is that when I turn the camera 90
degree the other way - Counter-Clockwise, it doesn't generate the
higher pitch audible noise.

I have noticed the same thing on 2 of my E100/C2100. Haven't
checked the other ones yet.
My first question is: Do ALL of them do them?

Click to expand...

Here's my story and I'm stickin' to it:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1008&message=2016649

Summary: UZi A grinds all the time except when shutter half depressed or shooting in either portrait orientation. UZi B only growls when shooting vertically (up/near up or down/near down) and not in either portrait orientation. (UZi A is going back for warranty work while UZi B is still available.)

In addition, new E100RS is dead quiet in all orientations. It suffers from 4 dead pixels at 1/2 sec+ and sporadic low-light AF failure, so it's also going to the Oly warranty shop.

w3 said:

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

Nope. Too much risk of nose grease on the LCD. Besides, that's like making only left turns because the wheels squeak turning right.

-jrad

So, I check the C-2100 Instruction booklet, page 66 "holding the camera".

Sure enough, 90 Deg CCW is shown as "Proper" for holding the camera sideway. Holding the camera 90 Deg CW is NOT shown as "Proper".

However, holding the camera 90 Deg CW is NOT shown as "Improper" either.

I usually don't hold the camera 90 Deg CW. But I still want to know more about the noise.

w3 said:

... I also notice that when I hold my camera 90 degree Clockwise
(for taking a "vertical" shot), the low humming sound turns into a
much more audible higher pitch noise: TTTzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
You can hear it without putting the ear close to the camera body.
I think someone else has reported the same observation too.

Another interesting observation is that when I turn the camera 90
degree the other way - Counter-Clockwise, it doesn't generate the
higher pitch audible noise.
........
My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

I always wondered about that humming/grinding sound when I held it in portrait mode. But sure enough it doesn't do it when holding CCW!!! I guess I better get in the habit of holding it this way when taking in portrait mode.

Doug

w3 said:

Sure enough, 90 Deg CCW is shown as "Proper" for holding the camera
sideway. Holding the camera 90 Deg CW is NOT shown as "Proper".

However, holding the camera 90 Deg CW is NOT shown as "Improper"
either.

I usually don't hold the camera 90 Deg CW. But I still want to
know more about the noise.

w3 said:

... I also notice that when I hold my camera 90 degree Clockwise
(for taking a "vertical" shot), the low humming sound turns into a
much more audible higher pitch noise: TTTzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
You can hear it without putting the ear close to the camera body.
I think someone else has reported the same observation too.

Another interesting observation is that when I turn the camera 90
degree the other way - Counter-Clockwise, it doesn't generate the
higher pitch audible noise.
........
My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reponse:

jrad said:

jrad said:

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

Nope. Too much risk of nose grease on the LCD. Besides, that's
like making only left turns because the wheels squeak turning right.

Click to expand...

According my observation, however, 90 Deg CCW (noise free) position will avoid nose grease on the LCD.

90 Deg CW (noisy) position, on the other hand, will more likely force you to put a noise print on the LCD besides being a pretty clumsy way to hold the camera.

But I still like to know more about the noise.

w3 wrote:
[...]

w3 said:

w3 said:

w3 said:

My second question is: If my observation is correct, should we
always turn the camera 90 degree only Counter-Clockwise, and avoid
the 90 degree Clockwise position, when we have a need to turn the
camera sideway to take pictures?

Click to expand...

Nope. Too much risk of nose grease on the LCD. Besides, that's
like making only left turns because the wheels squeak turning right.

Click to expand...

According my observation, however, 90 Deg CCW (noise free) position
will avoid nose grease on the LCD.

Click to expand...

[igor] Thir, being a thelf-made perthon can introduth thertain quirkth to oneth fathial featurth [ igor]
You're right -- I was turning CCW/CW from the lens side.

w3 said:

90 Deg CW (noisy) position, on the other hand, will more likely
force you to put a noise print on the LCD besides being a pretty
clumsy way to hold the camera.

Click to expand...

Agreed, but I've been forced to in some macro situations. The pains we oft suffer for art.

w3 said:

But I still like to know more about the noise.

Click to expand...

Okay, here's more. UZi A out of the box was like the E100RS -- dead quiet in all orientations. With a lot of initial use, within the first week or so it developed the landscape/portrait and vertical/horizontal noise syndrome. Stayed that way for 4 months with perhaps 500 shots/week, but then started growling even at rest on a table. I can't say that image quality with respect to focus or zoom/macro capabilities has degraded, but if it were an automatic transmission, I'd have it up on the hoist.

Check out a post by Scud a little over a week ago, in which he recorded the humming/grinding noises.

-jrad

My first 2100 exhibited a tendency to make a bit more noise when it was at 90 degrees. Others have remarked on this and have not had any problems.

In my case the noise level increased, and the camera would not autofocus on occasion. I sent it in. Oly sent back a new camera that is MUCH quiter than the first one.

Again - some noise is normal - and it does change with orientation of the camera. Fortunately, Oly seems to step right up and make good on their warranties.

Mark Devine

jrad said:

Check out a post by Scud a little over a week ago, in which he
recorded the humming/grinding noises.

Click to expand...

Just re-read some of the other earlier threads to refresh my memory. They sure talked about the portrait position noise vs landscape position free of noise. And one poster even talked about +90 deg. But I wasn't sure CW or CCW.

Now, we are pretty sure that it is a 90 Deg CW Noise, and no noise at 90 deg CCW.

(CW or CCW from your view while holding the camera, as you are about to take a shot and facing the LCD.)

Mark Devine said:

My first 2100 exhibited a tendency to make a bit more noise when it
was at 90 degrees. Others have remarked on this and have not had
any problems.

In my case the noise level increased, and the camera would not
autofocus on occasion. I sent it in. Oly sent back a new camera
that is MUCH quiter than the first one.

Click to expand...

Do you remember if your camera made more noise 90 deg CW, CCW or both?

We like to find out if the 90 deg CW louder noise is normal, and that you had increasing problem with your 2100 only because it had also been making noise 90 deg CCW.

Please let us know if you remember.

Just check another C2100UZ. It also makes a slightly louder noise at 90 deg CW and not so at 90 deg CCW. So far I have checked 3 E100/C2100.

The E100 makes the loudest Tzzeeeeeeee ..... noise at 90 deg CW. That is only comparatively speaking. Actually it is not that loud by itself. But I can certainly hear it without putting my ear close to the camera body.

One C2100 makes a noise at 90 deg CW which I have to pay attention to hear it when I don't have my ear close to the camera body.

The second C2100's 90 deg CW noise is yet weaker (but still slightly louder than other positions) and intermittent. I have to be in a very quiet room to hear it (without putting my ear close to the camera body).

Statistically, I don't think I have checked enough E100/C2100 cameras yet to conclude. But with the 3 that I checked that all display similar pattern, I am pretty sure that most (at least more than 50%) if not all of E100/C2100 cameras make that ever so slightly louder noise at 90 Deg CW (and not at 90 deg CCW). There may be only a degree of difference on how loud (or soft) that special 90 deg CW noise is on each camera. Some of you may not have been in a quiet enough room to notice it though.

Well, I want to know if there is something wrong with my C2100 or not. Is this a start of an eventual breakdown? Does anybody know? I think I better look into that extended warranty.

Doug

w3 said:

Just check another C2100UZ. It also makes a slightly louder noise
at 90 deg CW and not so at 90 deg CCW. So far I have checked 3
E100/C2100.

The E100 makes the loudest Tzzeeeeeeee ..... noise at 90 deg CW.
That is only comparatively speaking. Actually it is not that loud
by itself. But I can certainly hear it without putting my ear
close to the camera body.

One C2100 makes a noise at 90 deg CW which I have to pay attention
to hear it when I don't have my ear close to the camera body.

The second C2100's 90 deg CW noise is yet weaker (but still
slightly louder than other positions) and intermittent. I have to
be in a very quiet room to hear it (without putting my ear close to
the camera body).

Statistically, I don't think I have checked enough E100/C2100
cameras yet to conclude. But with the 3 that I checked that all
display similar pattern, I am pretty sure that most (at least more
than 50%) if not all of E100/C2100 cameras make that ever so
slightly louder noise at 90 Deg CW (and not at 90 deg CCW). There
may be only a degree of difference on how loud (or soft) that
special 90 deg CW noise is on each camera. Some of you may not
have been in a quiet enough room to notice it though.

Click to expand...

Just curious if anyone made use of the recordings that I posted at

http://armscontrol.ru/photo/e100rs/

They give some idea of the level of the grinding sound compared to regular humm and zooming sound.----S. http://www.armscontrol.ru/photo/

Additional info when pressing the shutter button halfway down:

I tried it on 2 C2100UZ and 1 E100RS cameras with IS on. And from my observation:

1. The "regular" and very low humming noise CONTINUES when shutter button is halfway pressed down with the camera held at the "normal" landscape position.

2. At the 90 Deg CW position, the noise turns up slightly louder and at a higher pitch. When I press the shutter button halfway down here, the slightly louder noise disappears and reverts back to the "regular" and very low humming noise. After the shutter button is released, the slightly louder noise at a higher pitch comes back at the 90 deg CW position.

I have the C2100 too , European version . 117726822
The camera is one week old ..
I have take like 50 shots with it .
Yes it does hum ,but it notice it when i read your thread and after .

The camera makes humming noice but is very low , and also there is another sound like a small motor to spining ,i found that it called gyroscop .

As it looks this sound effects is produced by all the C2100 .

Personly i am not worry , from all the reviews and comments about the 2100 in the web , i did not found any sad storys about this camera.

Do not forget that the C 2100 is not a new model in the market , in other words it is well tested one , and there is no any secrets about it any more .

Making humming noises its fine with me , i guess that i will start to worry if it stops doing them ..
hahahahaha LOL

By the way , how can i learn what revision is my camera ??
You had say something about A and B !!

w3 said:

Additional info when pressing the shutter button halfway down:

I tried it on 2 C2100UZ and 1 E100RS cameras with IS on. And from
my observation:

1. The "regular" and very low humming noise CONTINUES when shutter
button is halfway pressed down with the camera held at the "normal"
landscape position.

2. At the 90 Deg CW position, the noise turns up slightly louder
and at a higher pitch. When I press the shutter button halfway
down here, the slightly louder noise disappears and reverts back to
the "regular" and very low humming noise. After the shutter button
is released, the slightly louder noise at a higher pitch comes back
at the 90 deg CW position.

Click to expand...

Kiriakos C2100 GR said:

I have the C2100 too , European version . 117726822
The camera is one week old ..
I have take like 50 shots with it .
Yes it does hum ,but it notice it when i read your thread and after .
The camera makes humming noice but is very low , and also there is
another sound like a small motor to spining ,i found that it
called gyroscop .

As it looks this sound effects is produced by all the C2100 .
Personly i am not worry

Click to expand...

But do you notice the sound gets slightly louder and different as you turn the camera 90 deg ClockWise while pointing the lens straight forward? Then if you press the shutter button 1/2 way down, the additional noise disappears and reverts back to the very low humming sound?

Yes, I think it has something to do with gyro action or something like that which may act slightly different at certain orientation - perhaps something is barely scraping or touching something there. A louder sound may mean slowing down of certain gyro action and reduction of I.S. effect ever so slightly - I don't know for sure.

I think most E100/C2100 have that 90 deg CW noise but to a different degree depending on each particular camera. Slight noise, probably OK and not to worry. Too much noise, then, I don't know. And I don't know how much is too much.

w3 said:

But do you notice the sound gets slightly louder and different as
you turn the camera 90 deg ClockWise while pointing the lens
straight forward? Then if you press the shutter button 1/2 way
down, the additional noise disappears and reverts back to the very
low humming sound?

Click to expand...

Yes i did turn the camera 90 deg clockwise and i start having the soung of the gyroscop , when it was at normal possition i was only have the humming .
By pressing the the shuter at 1/2 the noise of the gyroscope stoped ..

My camera even as bright new works by the same way as yours does.

Now about the level of noise , i am electronics engineer and the last years i have end up to work on computers.
By the way i am 32 years old ..

So ,its normal in litle motors to make some more noise after of some time of operation , the level of the sound had nothing to do with the long life of the device .

Olympus haves a great name as manufactor from the past,and until today for making top cameras ,and i do not believe that they had use cheap materials in a camera like the C 2100 .

From your remarks ,my personal lesson will be to not use the camera 90 deg ClockWise , and by this way i will avoid to stress the gyroscop .

And i will use it at 90 deg anti ClockWise ,as it looks that the gyroscop turns more free this possition .

Yes 90 deg anti ClockWise there a litle TZzzzz sound with the humming but i can hardly listen it ..

I am really happy that this symptoms is generic with all the C2100 , and i wan to thank you becauce now i feel better ,knowing that this sounds can be called like natural one ,for this model of Olympus ..

But awnser me please this previews question of my if you can ,how can i find out the revision of my camera ?

Kiriakos C2100 GR:

Thanks for validating most of my observation.

Kiriakos C2100 GR said:

But awnser me please this previews question of my if you can ,how
can i find out the revision of my camera ?

Click to expand...

The very first number you gave in the first post looks like a serial number.

As to "A" and "B", I think someone else was using them arbitrarily to name the two C2100UZ that s/he has.

If you are talking about camera firmware version number, you can find it in the EXIF tag of the jpeg picture files captured by your camera.