A sound blimp is a

housing Housing, or more generally, living spaces, refers to the construction and assigned usage of houses or buildings individually or collectively, for the purpose of shelter. Housing ensures that members of society have a place to live, whether it ...

attached to a camera which reduces sounds, such as shutter click on SLR cameras, and motors on motion picture cameras. It is primarily used in

film still A film still (sometimes called a publicity still or a production still) is a photograph, taken on or off the set of a movie or television program during production. These photographs are also taken in formal studio settings and venues of opportun ...

photography, so as not to interfere with the shooting of

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

, and also in other situations where sound is distracting: theatrical photography, surveillance, and wildlife photography. It was invented by Irving Jacobson in the mid-1960s, and revolutionized film still photography by allowing stills to be taken during shooting, rather than after the fact.

Construction

In construction, it is a rigid box, filled with foam, with holes for the lens and viewfinder, and switches so one can focus and release the shutter from the outside of the case. One ca
make one
using an existing camera case and a

cable release The Bulb setting (abbreviated B) on camera shutters is a momentary-action mode that holds shutters open for as long as a photographer depresses the shutter-release button. The Bulb setting is distinct from shutter's Time (T) setting, which is a ...

;

Pelican case Pelican Products is an American multinational company that designs and manufactures portable lighting systems, temperature controlled packaging and protective cases. Their products are used in many industries including military, law enforcement, ...

s by

Pelican Products Pelican Products is an American multinational company that designs and manufactures portable lighting systems, temperature controlled packaging and protective cases. Their products are used in many industries including military, law enforcement, ...

are frequently mentioned. A soft enclosure, the Camera Muzzle, is made by Sam Cranston; this is less effective than a hard enclosure, but significantly cheaper and easier to use; it is designed to be sufficient for most non-intrusive use, but not for demanding use such as film sets. Nikon makes a

leatherette Artificial leather, also called synthetic leather, is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses where a leather-like finish is desired but the actual material is cost prohibitive or unsuitab ...

soft camera case, the CS-13 (NIK446), which suppresses sound somewhat, but is designed primarily for the film advance of film cameras, and provides little effective suppression for digital cameras. A similar solution was Minolta's Insulation Case (6081-660, 43325-74196-8), primarily designed for film SLRs used at low temperatures, but also advertised to reduce camera sound.Forum article in German Minolta-Forum discussing the Insulation Case and other solutions
/ref>

Notes

External links

Jacobson Photographic Instruments
inventors of the sound blimp
Advanced Sound Blimp
Sound blimp designed for Canon digital cameras.
fatboy sound blimp
Sound blimp designed for Canon and Nikon digital cameras.
How to make a sound blimp for your camera

Photography equipment Film and video technology {{film-tech-stub

Construction

See also

Notes

External links