How long will your camera last you?

molested_cow · Jul 17, 2011

Just a thought.

Since April, I shot about 5000 photos with my D700. So it's about 1666 photos a month. Given the the D700 shutter is tested to 150000 shots, this camera should last me at least 7 years. I'd say that's pretty awesome for a piece of electronics!

Of course as compared to mechanical ones that people use for decades, this may not seem a lot. Actually, I expect the electronics to fail before the shutter.

480sparky · Jul 17, 2011

Or, you could have been this guy.

molested_cow · Jul 17, 2011

I aint no driving no truck!

willis_927 · Jul 17, 2011

I got my 60D in january. currently I am at about 1500 shots a month... But I would guess that number is going to go up a bit. Looking at about 5 years for me... Unless I drop it first... Lol

tyler_h · Jul 18, 2011

Only 875ish shots a months so should last a long while. That is due to not having time to shoot for 4-5 months and I've only had it ~10 months total. Then again, if I was off on holidays I see no problem taking 4000+ a month depending on how scenic the place is, throw the balance back the other way...

Chances are that most people who post would upgrade before the average shutter life of their camera was reached, or have some accident fatal to the cameras existence as Sparky has pointed out.

analog.universe · Jul 18, 2011

As it turns out, shutter life figures are averages.... yours could die tomorrow or last until 500k. From what I understand, Canon only charges about $200 to replace the shutter (not sure about Nikon), so depending on the cost of the body and the time of failure, the repair might be more sensible than an upgrade.

480sparky · Jul 18, 2011

Shutter life database.

Destin · Jul 18, 2011

Even worse, You could have been this guy. I WOULD CRY!!!

Garbz · Jul 19, 2011

I've had my D500 for 5 and a half years. So far only have a minor issue with the hotshoe. Going quite well for a very mistreated camera.

chaosrealm93 · Jul 19, 2011

as soon as the d800 comes out... i wanna switch xD

jake337 · Jul 19, 2011

Till it breaks or I cough up the change for a FF camera.

Derrel · Jul 19, 2011

Garbz said:
I've had my D500 for 5 and a half years. So far only have a minor issue with the hotshoe. Going quite well for a very mistreated camera.

What is the D500?

Anyway, a d-slr will last me until its replacement is on the market. Now, now that it is 2011, the cameras being sold are not becoming literally outdated and "behind the times" every 18 months, the way they were from 2001 to 2007.

KmH · Jul 19, 2011

molested_cow said:
Actually, I expect the electronics to fail before the shutter.

Electronics have no moving parts that can wear.

The camera shutter does.

kundalini · Jul 19, 2011

I'm sitting pretty much where I want to be for camera bodies. When the shutter(s) fails, I expect that it will be repaired.

I've had a few cars with over 250K miles on them. When time came that the cost of repairs were negative returns, I traded.

usayit · Jul 19, 2011

I'm pretty much where I want to be with my primary system.... Its at the point that any additional features won't make a huge difference. So I'll probably shoot and repair it until it brasses.

PS> Come back to me in a year or two... I bet I'd be eating my words

I'm more worried about sourcing consumables like media cards and batteries. One example is the Epson R-D1. Finding appropriate batteries for it (most cheapos didn't provide enough current or life) was a royal PITA. Epson no longer supplies the original batteries for them. It also doesn't read SDHC cards.... so at some point in time, it could be difficult to find regular 1GB or less plain jane SD cards.