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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tannin" data-source="post: 1319066" data-attributes="member: 2018">The 50D shutter sound is similar to the 40D, Mike, or maybe a fraction softer. Much less "clacky" and obtrusive than the 20D. But don't rely on that! Different birds spook to different sounds. Back in digiscoping days, I used to meet birds that didn't mind the CP4500 shutter clack, but spooked at the (much softer) whirr of the zoom mechanism. Another example: my ID III is significantly quieter than a 20D, but the rapid-fire brrrrap! of a Mark III on full auto spooks a lot of birds that wouldn't mind a few clack clack clacks from a 20D.It is best, as always, to start taking shots when you are still a non-threatening distance away, even if they are pictures of your boots, so that the bird gets used to the noise. I reckon there is a rule-of-thumb with shutter noise:First burst, the bird says : "WTF was that!?"Second burst:  "There it is again!"Third burst: "Just keeping a bit of an eye over there"Fourth burst: no reaction at allBut depending a bit on the species, of course.</blockquote>