What's the life expectancy of a camera anyways?

[JustJazzie]

Forgive me for rambling again.

Last night I was ready to pack up my sony stuff and ship it off to keh for whatever it was worth when I came to a realization.

Every time I pull out my new nikon, I feel like I need to make the shot "worth" something..... I don't just press the shutter without thinking about it first, and sometimes I opt to not press it at all. When I was trying to see how that wrap/dress I made would photograph, I knew all the shots would be trashed, so I pulled out the sony. That way, I wouldn't waste shots on the nikon, and then pulled the nikon out for the actual shoot. When I was using my new lens on the water drop pictures with the nikon, I felt guilty for "wasting" shots because the keeper rate was so low.

I have never ever ever felt this way about my sony or my last dslr for that matter. Thousands of random shots taken of practically nothing because I was bored with my camera in hand. Nothing worth saving has ever come out of those really. I don't even think I have learned anything from them, except maybe something about my camera itself.

So, here I sit with my coffee over analyzing this. Does the sony feel like a "toy" and the Nikon like a "tool"? Is the entire thing justified? Will I actually run out of shutter accusations or will the nikon be outdated long before then anyways, so I am wasting nothing but time? (Im hoping it lasts me at least 5-7 years)

hmmmm......

 

[runnah]

Mine smokes and drinks a lot so probably not long.

 

[JustJazzie]

Mine smokes and drinks a lot so probably not long.

You should really have a talk with it about giving up the smoking and moving onto edibles. ;-)

 

[astroNikon]

My d7000 is my "test' or school field trip camera.
The d600 is for when it counts.
Same as your Sony vs Df

I wasted probably 500+ shots on the water drip thing on the d7000. Before setting up the d600. But then I had to do laundry so I never got to more water drip shots after improving the setup, distance, optimal lens, etc.

 

[tirediron]

In my experience, Nikon shutters are pretty reliable, and "outdated" is a pointless term. Assuming that everything works, a five year old camera is as good as it was when it was brand-new. Case in point: My D700 is getting elderly (*Cough* lapped shuttter count, *Cough* *Cough*) but it still gets a LOT of use. Why? Because it still produces images the same way it did when it was brand-new. Use 'em 'til they drop and then replace 'em. Don't worry about it.

 

[JustJazzie]

I (*Cough* lapped shuttter count, *Cough* *Cough*)

what does that even mean??? :headscratch:

 

[Tinderbox (UK)]

I would say approx 10 years till the tin whiskers get it

http://nepp.nasa.gov/Whisker/background/index.htm

John.

 

[480sparky]

I (*Cough* lapped shuttter count, *Cough* *Cough*)

what does that even mean??? :headscratch:

Many DSLR shutters are rated for a certain number of actuations. He means his shutter has exceeded the rated life of the shutter.

 

[Rick50]

I think once the honeymoon is over the Nikon will get it's fair share of click-click.

 

[JustJazzie]

I think once the honeymoon is over the Nikon will get it's fair share of click-click.

Is the honeymoon when all the *click click* is supposed to happen? ;-)

 

[Rick50]

No comments!

 

[pixmedic]

i guess it really depends on what your end game plan for the camera is, and how many pictures you NEED to take with it.

if your eventual plan is to sell it to fund an upgrade while it still has a reasonably good resale value, then you want the lowest shutter count possible, and the least amount of wear. shoot only what you need and make every shot count.

if you plan to keep it forever and want to get the most enjoyment out of it, then use it like the viagra's gonna wear off soon at a co-ed toga party.

 

[D-B-J]

I shoot and don't worry about it. Eventually it'll need replacing, and I'll likely upgrade before that day comes anyway.

Jake

 

[photoguy99]

I treat cars and cameras the same way. Buy 'em for cheap and run 'em until they drop. Then buy another one.

That said even consumer cameras should be good for something like 50,000 shutter activations. The pro grade stuff is good for several 100,000. That's a lot of photos, even if you go kind of nuts.

 

[bribrius]

try not to waste too many shots but try not to worry about it either. Don't plan on resale value will just use until nolonger works and buy another. They last years and years anyway.

I figure if it cost a couple thousand and I get hundreds of photos of just my kids it was still worth the money not to worried about it. since they last for thousands and thousands and thousands of photos, it isn't like you aren't going to get your moneys worth.