I wonder if all this noise is due to the number chasing obsession with machine gun frame rates? The faster the frame rate the faster the mirror mechanism needs to cycle which must inevitably lead to more noise. I suppose one might argue that the OEMs could use two speed settings - one for continuous and one for single shooting - but of course a fast mirror also means a shorter shutter lag.......

I don't know how noisy the current crop of Nikon digiboxes really are but I do know there's a hell of a difference between my old 2-3 fps EOS D30 which is scarcely more than a quiet snick and the 5-6fps 20D which sounds like a dungeon door bolt in comparison....