dasloaf

I keep reading that when you hit 100,000 pics your shutter is shot and you need to replace your camera. Is there any preventative maintenance to keep your camera from dying at this number or is it an urban legend?

What type of maintenance do you do on your camera to keep it at 100%?

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

I think someone is selling you a bridge. I don't know what you use, but Nikon's and i am sure canons and the rest can last longer then the average. your digital slr will be obsolete long before the shutter wears out. basic maintenance would be do not abuse it. keep her clean, protect it from harsh weather and every so often clean the sensors. Common sense stuff will keep your camera happy.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Replacing at 100,000 is not necessarily true - depends on model and service.
But you cannot keep the mechanics at 100% either.
How many activations you get depends on several variables:

1) What camera you have. Wide variance here.
2) What kind of photography added up those shutter actuations? Rapid sequential for sports or single shots.
3) How you handled the camera and what temperatures it operated in.
4) How much dirt you allowed to get inside and how often and well you cleaned the interior (not just the sensor.)

You can get the mechanicals micro lubricated to improve life, but unless done by a talented professional, you also risk getting some contamination on the sensor.

You can also get the mechanicals replaced, which is not too bad for the higher priced models. But if it is getting old and you need/want a newer model...

dasloaf

So it makes sense to take the camera to a professional every year for a good cleaning of the sensor and the inside of the body.

Thanks

snowbear

The shutter count is an average - some go before that, some go after that. The camera body does not have to be replaced i the shutter goes - you can have the shutter replaced. You have weight the cost of replacing the shutter (running about $250-$300 for Nikons, right now) with the cost of another camera.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The number varies. Even if the shutter fails, it's cheaper to repair than replace.

dasloaf

what type of maintenance does your camera get on an yearly basis, or as needed basis. Is it better to find a professional to clean sensors and the interior of your camera or use the factory?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've been using SLRs since about 1970, and I have never had a camera serviced, nor has one broken (except for a fall from a tripod). Some folks here who shoot thousands of shots a month send their cameras to the service center once a year for cleaning and adjusting. I just keep taking pictures and treat my cameras with reasonable care.

dasloaf

thanks for the info