This is something I'm not entirely clear about. Is it true that DSLR's can only take a certain amount of pictures before they risk dying? Is this what it means when people say "cycles?"
How many cycles can the Canon's go through before their time is up? Are they guaranteed to faze off at that point or is there still a decent chance that you can still pull off quite a few shots?
This is something I'm not entirely clear about. Is it true that DSLR's can only take a certain amount of pictures before they risk dying? Is this what it means when people say "cycles?"
How many cycles can the Canon's go through before their time is up? Are they guaranteed to faze off at that point or is there still a decent chance that you can still pull off quite a few shots?
The fact that I know is the life cycle of the shutter, that means the shutter have to be replace after a certain nember of open and shut operation, e.g. 100,000 times. But I never come across with any camera that have to retire because of this, even my 20+ year-old Nikon F2!
Cameras are normally rated for how many shutter operations they can be expexted to reasonably perform. I've heard something like 50,000 for my D70, although the manufacturers seem a little reticent about openly disclosing the exact figures.
It's become far more of an issue with digital SLRs as opposed to the film ones because the average photographer can easily and cheaply shoot far more with digital than you ever could with film, and hence far more shutter operations.
Having said that it's not an exact science. My D70 is very unlikely to give up the ghost after it's exact 50,000th shutter operation. I might get 70,000 or even 100,000 out of it. On the other hand I might get unluck and have it give up at 40,000.
I really wouldn't worry about it too much, given our modern society's propensity for constant change and upgrade you'll probably be hankering to buy a new DSLR before the old one gives up.
The fact that I know is the life cycle of the shutter, that means the shutter have to be replace after a certain nember of open and shut operation, e.g. 100,000 times. But I never come across with any camera that have to retire because of this, even my 20+ year-old Nikon F2!
Does any expert heard of it?
I spent ~20 years managing pro-orientated camera stores. Over the years, I saw countless SLRs whose shutters had worn out, beyond hope of any practical repair, simply from use. These were mostly low to mid line cameras that had sleeve bearings on the focal-plane shutter spindles. The Canon FT, FTb, TL, TLb, TX family was the most notorious, largely because they were the easiest to prove wear was the cause of their shutter problems, although I saw many Pentax's (all types w/ cloth curtains) and Minolta SRT's also. The true pro Nikons (F, F3, F3) all used ball or roller bearings and didn't typically wear out, even after extensive use, unless they were subjected to abnormal dirt and grit.
Lest you think I'm "saying bad things" about your beloved camera models, please understand that these 3 lines were all very well built "amatuer" models that had a high likelyhood of being used for many years without breaking and being replaced. It's their good design (users liked them and got good results) and quality manufacturing that kept them in use for decades. I saw a tourist with a Minolta SRT just the other day here in Key West, at least a quarter of a century old and still in use. Its that these models simply weren't made using some more expensive designs (roller bearings, special hardened alloys, ...) and heavy users would wear them out.
I spent ~20 years managing pro-orientated camera stores. Over the years, I saw countless SLRs whose shutters had worn out, beyond hope of any practical repair, simply from use. These were mostly low to mid line cameras that had sleeve bearings on the focal-plane shutter spindles. The Canon FT, FTb, TL, TLb, TX family was the most notorious, largely because they were the easiest to prove wear was the cause of their shutter problems, although I saw many Pentax's (all types w/ cloth curtains) and Minolta SRT's also. The true pro Nikons (F, F3, F3) all used ball or roller bearings and didn't typically wear out, even after extensive use, unless they were subjected to abnormal dirt and grit.
Lest you think I'm "saying bad things" about your beloved camera models, please understand that these 3 lines were all very well built "amatuer" models that had a high likelyhood of being used for many years without breaking and being replaced. It's their good design (users liked them and got good results) and quality manufacturing that kept them in use for decades. I saw a tourist with a Minolta SRT just the other day here in Key West, at least a quarter of a century old and still in use. Its that these models simply weren't made using some more expensive designs (roller bearings, special hardened alloys, ...) and heavy users would wear them out.
Yup, I saw an used Nikon D1 in a shop today and it's very, very cheap, but nobody seems to want to buy it. D1 appear in 1999, am I right? so you're right, most likely all DSLR will replaced before they wear out.
Yup, I saw an used Nikon D1 in a shop today and it's very, very cheap, but nobody seems to want to buy it. D1 appear in 1999, am I right? so you're right, most likely all DSLR will replaced before they wear out.
Samuel. How much was the D1? It was, and still is, a heck of a camera (even at 2.66MP).
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In terms of shutter life, I know the roll-up titanium foil shutter on the F3 was supposed to last for 100,000 exposures.
My FMs were ex press cameras. I bought them, 15 years ago, from the editor of the local newspaper who'd used them when he first started out as a photo journalist. They still have the original aluminium shutters. I have no idea how many photographs I have taken with them.
Personally, I'd always buy new in terms of electronics. I've had secondhand electronics and usually found that I'd bought trouble. Even the new stuff isn't exactly trouble-free which is really why I bought Nikon FMs as opposed to F3s or F4s.
The Canon 20D supposidly has a shutter life of 100,000 cycles, whereas the Rebel XT (and I am assuming also the 300D) has a life of 50,000 cycles.
Shutter cycles of 20D and 350D:http://www.bobatkins.com/photography...xt_vs_20d.html
These ratings were not from canon directly however I am assuming they are accurate. I have also googled the Nikon D70 and supposidly the shutter life is 40,000 frames (taken off another forum)
Cycles?
Linear Mode
