Under Normal Use, How Long: Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really...

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really know... If YOU were to buy a used digital camera, what would be the max taken images you would buy ???

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Depends on the camera. Some film cameras reputedly had a design life of as little as 100 rolls (3600 pictures) because they'd have been replaced by then. Others were good for hundreds of thousands of shots. Given the way people use digital cameras, and the way they're built, and battery life, I'd guess that corrosion and the non-availability of batteries would be the limit, rather than the number of times you can operate a switch.

Cheers,

R.

notnoBuddha

I would be very surprised if any one has anything but a rough estimate - just too many variables such as weather expoused to and care given. I also do not have any idea how anyone would really know. Are there in fact some that have a counter on them?

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

All digital cameras have counters. The theocratical limits to most DSLR cameras, is 125-200k or so shots, until shutter failure. Most P&S cameras, 50K or so.

This has no bearing on treatment by the individual, yours may not make 10 shots. :)

PS, I would NOT; but a used digital camera, also likewise a used wife. :)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

donrent wrote:

Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really know... If YOU were to buy a used digital camera, what would be the max taken images you would buy ???

Before I knew it was possible to know the shutter clicks on a camera, I bought a nice D70s on ebay. I found that it had almost 45,000 clicks. I sold it and bought a D70 with 774, which is being converted to IR, and a D70s with 362.

There have been previous posts here showing estimated life expectancy of the shutter for various models. Maybe someone wil re-post it.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

steve40 wrote:

All digital cameras have counters. The theocratical limits to most DSLR cameras, is 125-200k or so shots, until shutter failure. Most P&S cameras, 50K or so.

This has no bearing on treatment by the individual, yours may not make 10 shots. :)

PS, I would NOT; but a used digital camera, also likewise a used wife. :)

oh, you must live in Indiana where you can still buy wives.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

steve40 wrote:

All digital cameras have counters. The theocratical limits to most DSLR cameras, is 125-200k or so shots, until shutter failure. Most P&S cameras, 50K or so.

This has no bearing on treatment by the individual, yours may not make 10 shots. :)

PS, I would NOT; but a used digital camera, also likewise a used wife. :)

Every digital camera I have is used. My cars are used, too.

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

My cameras are used too, by me!. I prefer to buy new, and beat up my own, rather than buy someone else's beat up stuff.

Wives too, got rid of one - haven't even "EVER!!" given thought to another.

LarryD Loc: Mojave Desert

donrent wrote:

Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really know... If YOU were to buy a used digital camera, what would be the max taken images you would buy ???

I would hope that any camera would last longer than 25k clicks..

There is no guarantee that a shutter will fail on the next click, or go the full 100k expected (or whatever it is)

A good camera is worth having the shutter replaced at a cost of only a couple of hundred bucks (typical); so I would say that if you are buying a high end camera (say a Canon 1DII, or 5d, or the like); overall condition and functionality is more important than shutter count..

if you are looking at Rebels (or Nikon's consumer models); then get a new one or a refurbished model - there isn't that much difference in price if you figure in a failed component.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

donrent wrote:

Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really know... If YOU were to buy a used digital camera, what would be the max taken images you would buy ???

Here's a chart from Canon.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jerryc41 wrote:

donrent wrote:

Is the life span of a digital camera expected to be ?? I've heard of figures of 20 - 25,000 pictures taken... True, or not true, or does anyone really know... If YOU were to buy a used digital camera, what would be the max taken images you would buy ???

Here's a chart from Canon.

Here's another:

http://www.olegkikin.com/shutterlife/

randymoe

Nice chart of actual usage. My cameras may last a very long time like this.

Like R states corrosion and smoke will most likely ruin digital cameras, rather than mechanical or electronic failure.

Camera are not air-tight!

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

have a friend i was dicussing shutter count this last time this question was going around about a month ago. he said he been taking pictures 50 years he also taught photography in college he also does aero photography. he say o dont worry about that you take care it an it will outlast you. said he has every camera he ever bought. only one ever bought broke bought it in early 80's. said forget all that. said over years he has talked to warranty people an others all that shuutter count is for them for an estament for them doesn't have anything with life of camera.

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Good answers and with fact... Thanks a bunch.... Considering that my camera is the bulk of my estate, I just want to make sure that whomever I leave it to won't feel cheated ............ ;)

snowbear

The shutter can be replaced. It is cheaper to replace the shutter, than to replace the body.