Digital body life span (# of frames)

[msr]

Does anyone have an idea of the life span of a Digital body? Canon 5D just passed 30,000 images last night.

[Rhuarc]

The 5D has a max 100,000 shutter cycle.

[msr]

So does the shutter get replaced after 100,000 or does the camera get replaced?

[Seymore]

That's the average. Yours could do 150k or 80k. All depends on if the shutter was installed Friday afternoon or Wednesday @2pm. :huh :D

Guess it also depends on the conditions you use your unit in and a number of other factors. Honestly, I wouldn't worry if I were you. When the shutter mech fails, you can get it replaced (by Canon) or replace the whole cam. That choice will be up to you... :wink

[LuckyBob]

So does the shutter get replaced after 100,000 or does the camera get replaced?

100K is the MTBF - it might fail substantially before that, or long after that. Repair it when it breaks :D

Edit: Seymore beat me to it :wink

[Rhuarc]

Plus, often is the case that till the shutter actually fails the photographer is ready for a new and updated camera, so instead of getting it repaired getting an updated camera is always an option as well...

[Richard]

So does the shutter get replaced after 100,000 or does the camera get replaced?
The maximum shutter life is the manufacturer's way of giving you an excuse to buy a new body. :D

Seriously, replacing a shutter isn't cheap, but it does cost less than a new body. When the time comes, you can decide whether the latest and greatest model is worth the difference in price.

Regards,

[rich56k]

Does anyone have an idea of the life span of a Digital body? Canon 5D just passed 30,000 images last night.


How 'bout the Canon 20D ?:scratch

thanks,
rich56k

[Glenn NK]

When I was in high school, I was a "grease monkey" in a garage part time. In shop, I had been taught how to grease a wheel bearing, but the new bearings were the sealed non-greasable "lifetime" type; they were guaranted for life.

I asked the mechanic what "guaranteed for life" meant. He replied, "they will last until they burn out".

How long will your shutter last? About the same life span as wheel bearings have.:rofl

Sorry, I just couldn't resist it.

[gluwater]

How 'bout the Canon 20D ?:scratch

thanks,
rich56k
Canon has no official estimated shutter life for the 20D. But keep in mind that these are estimates. Your shutter could last for 150,000 or 10,000 images. If it does break just hope you are in your waranty period because I believe it is a $300-$400 fix.

[rich56k]

Canon has no official estimated shutter life for the 20D. But keep in mind that these are estimates. Your shutter could last for 150,000 or 10,000 images. If it does break just hope you are in your waranty period because I believe it is a $300-$400 fix.

Gluwater,
Thanks for the scoop, :thumb

I tried to guess-timate my usage as event shooter almost exclusively,
my uploaded #/pics to s/mug is 6900+ .....figure I shoot approx 1000/ event and post approx 100-150 of that I'm prob up around 65-70,000 starting from back in june '05 ( ALL outdoor Cali. scorching hot summer drag racing shoots)...warranty long gone :cry but ... since I bought from a local brick & morter (CAM Photo - Burbank,CA - great folks, check 'em out next time you're in Burbank) the help/answers/support Ive gotten from them (almost like a walk-in "Dgrin" shop :bow !) I've got my moneys worth already - but I will keep my fingers crossed for 1 more summer! :rolleyes

thanks again,
rich56k

[Antonio Correia]

If we reset the camera's counter from time to time, how do we know the total number of shots done ?:dunno

If you are buying an used cam how do you know it shot 9.999 pictures or 2 pictures ?
-
I have to reset a 20D and/or a 350D from time to time, because I want to place all the photos in the same directory, before treating them.

This will allow me to make them stand by the cronological order, so the order they were shot.

Did I make myself clear ? (I am not that sure, in fact).:D

Thank you. :thumb

[Richard]

If we reset the camera's counter from time to time, how do we know the total number of shots done ?:dunno

If you are buying an used cam how do you know it shot 9.999 pictures or 2 pictures ?
-
I have to reset a 20D and/or a 350D from time to time, because I want to place all the photos in the same directory, before treating them.

This will allow me to make them stand by the cronological order, so the order they were shot.

Did I make myself clear ? (I am not that sure, in fact).:D

Thank you. :thumb
Hi Toni,

The short answer is, you can't. Not with a 20D. All you can do is try to keep track of the running total. I just let mine roll over at 10000, and this happens rarely enough that I can remember.

The 1D has a field in the EXIF data that shows the total number of actuations. There is something in the EXIF data from a 20D, but Canon has not revealed how to interpret it. You can read more in this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=49722).

Hope you are doing well.

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Richard ! :thumb
I'll follow the link to know something more about it :D

[claudermilk]

If we reset the camera's counter from time to time, how do we know the total number of shots done ?:dunno

If you are buying an used cam how do you know it shot 9.999 pictures or 2 pictures ?
-
I have to reset a 20D and/or a 350D from time to time, because I want to place all the photos in the same directory, before treating them.

This will allow me to make them stand by the cronological order, so the order they were shot.

Did I make myself clear ? (I am not that sure, in fact).:D

Thank you. :thumb

You know there's an easier way? Each image has a timestamp embedded in the EXIF. If you rename based on that, you will automatically have files named in chronological order. I have my download utility set up to do this & my files are all named beginning with YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS. Sorts chronologically by filename very nicely. :thumb Even with multiple cameras (the one caveat is the cameras MUST have their clocks set precisely).

[Antonio Correia]

You know there's an easier way? Each image has a timestamp embedded in the EXIF. If you rename based on that, you will automatically have files named in chronological order. I have my download utility set up to do this & my files are all named beginning with YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS. Sorts chronologically by filename very nicely. :thumb Even with multiple cameras (the one caveat is the cameras MUST have their clocks set precisely).

Chris,
You don't rename your files one at the time, of course.

I work in RAW and I think you do the same. :D

How do you rename 1.000 files in a go ? :dunno

Is there any command I don't know about to do so ? :dunno

This is in fact a good way to sort the files chronologically:thumb

Regards.:D:thumb

[Airedrifter]

How 'bout the Canon 20D ?:scratch

thanks,
rich56k

The photo boys on the New River sit in one spot all day and shoot and shoot and shoot.

Of the 3 20Ds they started with 2 years ago, one got 120,000, one got 135,000 and the 3rd is still plugging along at around 160,000.

Or, so they said...

[rich56k]

The photo boys on the New River sit in one spot all day and shoot and shoot and shoot.

Of the 3 20Ds they started with 2 years ago, one got 120,000, one got 135,000 and the 3rd is still plugging along at around 160,000.

Or, so they said...

:thumb :clap :thumb

Every little bit helps !
Thanks Airedrifter !

rich56k

[claudermilk]

Chris,
You don't rename your files one at the time, of course.

I work in RAW and I think you do the same. :D

How do you rename 1.000 files in a go ? :dunno

Is there any command I don't know about to do so ? :dunno

This is in fact a good way to sort the files chronologically:thumb

Regards.:D:thumb

Nope, I sure don't. I use Breezesys' Downloader Pro utility; it can be set to read the image EXIF data and rename the file pretty much how you like. So I have it look at the timestamp to get the date and time information, then grab the camera model and the original filename to finish out the naming. All automatic. If you're on Mac, I've heard there's a utility called DIM (or something like that) which performs the same function.

[Antonio Correia]

Nope, I sure don't. I use Breezesys' Downloader Pro utility; it can be set to read the image EXIF data and rename the file pretty much how you like. So I have it look at the timestamp to get the date and time information, then grab the camera model and the original filename to finish out the naming. All automatic. If you're on Mac, I've heard there's a utility called DIM (or something like that) which performs the same function.

Hi Chris,
Indeed a quick search in Google worked perfectly (http://www.alanlight.com/dim/Dim.htm).
Thank you.
Cheers. :thumb

[yoyoboy]

My 20D just died, I'm assuming it's the shutter, but when ever it has a charged battery in it will just start shooting sporadically, different amounts of time in between exposers, and different exposer lengths, even with the camera off! I'm guessing i put between 85 and 105K on it since i got it last august, it was a referb from Adorama, and I believe it had a 1 year worentey on it.
We shall see what canon does.

[BigAl]

I find threads like this very strange. Why must you worry about it? You go out and take pics, if something breaks, you have it fixed or turf the thing out and buy new - if it's still under warranty, let the supplier/manufacturer worry about it.

Whether you like it or not, a camera/lens is a consumable (like your car). It's going to break somewhere along the line.

[ziggy53]

I find threads like this very strange. Why must you worry about it? You go out and take pics, if something breaks, you have it fixed or turf the thing out and buy new - if it's still under warranty, let the supplier/manufacturer worry about it.

Whether you like it or not, a camera/lens is a consumable (like your car). It's going to break somewhere along the line.

What you say is true, but I believe the perception of what is happening is somewhat more curious.

People that used to shoot maybe a few hundred images a year in film, are now shooting thousands of images a year in digital. Digital cameras are so much easier to justify because the more you shoot, the more amortized the costs, and the lower each frame costs, until something breaks. Then the real TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) comes to light.

With P&S digital cameras, the low frame rate and the lack of true mechanical shutter makes them seem to last forever.

With dSLRs, the true stutter mechanism has a limited life, and is often the first thing to go wrong. This catches people by surprise, because they had gotten the impression of more durability, which they would prefer to measure in terms of "years of service".

I can still buy 40 year old film cameras with considerable service life remaining. I do wonder how many digital SLRs will be viable using the same measure of time?

Cameras are simply tools, and modern digital cameras are modern marvels in terms of their ability to capture quality images automatically and painlessly, ... until they break.

I believe Yoda said it best, "Shoot wisely young Skywalker, and waste not your digital shots." (OK, I just made that up, but that's what he would have said! (If he was a real being, that cared about digital photography. :wink))

[claudermilk]

Good points. The sudden concern over shutter life is just one aspect I've seen. There is also the micro-analysis of AF performance on lenses, resolution of those lenses, corner-to-corner sharpness, etc. And everyone is an instant expert on this, knows more than the Canon/Nikon/et. al. engineers and MUST have the PERFECT copy or the world will end. It's gotten to the point that I think there are a bunch of neurotics who have suddenly taken up photography. Did people spend so much time agonizing over such minor details in the film days? I sure don't remember it. Too many have forgotten the simple fact that the camera and lens is simply a tool for creating an image, not the end in itself. In all it really is kind of ridiculous when you think about it. :scratch:crazy

[Seymore]

In all it really is kind of ridiculous when you think about it. :scratch:crazy
I gotta agree with you 118.2% on this one.
What was it that used to be said about making a mountain outta a molehill?