What to do once you've reached your camera's maximum shutter actuations (Page 3): Shoot On Garth!!!

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Shoot On Garth!!!

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

AntonioReyna Loc: Los Angeles, California

A person on Seattle Craigslist was recently selling a Canon pro level camera with about 520,000 actuations and said that it was working perfectly. To answer your question, the shutters can be replaced but you should not worry about wearing it out. Keep shooting. I have had many cameras that I have used a lot and have never had shutter issues.

JDG3

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

I suspect that shutter life is very similar the the MTBF (maximum time between failures) of other mechanical and electronic devices. I used to build electronic controls and we calculated the MTBF of most of our equipment. Most of the time it is a near useless number as it is a calculated number based on factors such as failure history, materials used, environment and other variables. Based on statistics the given number is usually the statistical mean of these calculated failure times. This calculation usually yields a bell shaped curve that shows failures over time, hours of use, cycles etc.

Once calculated, looking at +/- 3 standard deviations, you could have an MTBF between 10,000 hours to 100,000 hours of operation or anything in between. The highest fatality rate of most devices, mechanical or electronic occurs soon after being built - called infant mortality. If it survives the first hours, days, months of its service life, it will most likely operate for some time usually following that standard bell shaped curve mentioned above. A device could fail early OR it could exceed its predicted fail time by significant margins. Manufacturers try to design their equipment to last past the warranty period thus reducing costs. That is one reason that if I purchase a new TV or electronic device I keep it on almost constantly for the first part of its life. Once past the infant mortality point, it will probably work for some time. If it fails early it will be in the warranty period.

Unless it is something life critical (passenger jet engines) or very expensive (power plant turbines) most users ignore all the above and just use it until it stops working. You could change out your shutter before its predicted fail time but you also run the risk of inducing other failures in you camera from the overhaul or the new shutter could be one that fails early in its life cycle.

Like others have mentioned, use it until it fails and then decide what to do.

RoswellNM Loc: SW Indiana

Drive it ‘till it drops.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerseymike wrote:

I don't know if there is any knowledgeable answer.
....

Define knowledgeable.

Be afraid, be very afraid...

dean100 Loc: New-Biden did steal 500,000+ votes in OH

speters wrote:

You can go and get a new camera, or just have the shutter replaced (actually not all that spendy), but have to weigh in the value of the old camera against it to see which is the way to go. I have a camera I shoot with that is rated at 100,000 clicks, but it has way over 400,000 clicks now, so you never know!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Understand that an estimated shutter count life by the factory is only a figure. The majority of cameras made exceed that count.
Simply keep on using the camera till the shutter dies. Then, if the value of the repair does not exceed the actual value of the camera I would say it is worth it to replace the shutter.

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

Most people get tired of the camera before it breaks down. Creates a nice used market. Just keep shooting and enjoy your awesome camera.

jerseymike

Longshadow wrote:

Define knowledgeable.

Be afraid, be very afraid...

"any knowledgeable answer."
Precisely why I said; any knowledgeable answer.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

Yes, engine replacement.

At 400,000, it may make sense only at the high end. (Say, Canon 1Dx series).

At 5 years on a $1500 body? Buy a used body from KEH or MPB.

At any point where repair cost exceeds half the resale, consider replacement.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

Keep shooting until it fails on you. Your shutter can fail before its predicted lifespan, or after its lifespan. I knew a photographer who owned a Sony a55 SLT camera, and it failed at about 55,000 shutter clicks. A few years ago, that cost him $250 to repair. Mt Shooter said, he knew of a Canon Rebel DSLR camera, that had well over 200,000 shutter clicks, and still clicking. And, that camera is not considered a pro level camera either. This is why I have an extra Nikon Bridge camera, a Sony Cyber Shot pocket camera, and my smartphone. Never get caught without having any camera at all. And, always have an extra battery for each camera.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

dandi wrote:

I would say: keep shooting.

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If the shutter fails after taking 140,000 pictures, I would put it on a shelf and start shopping for a new one.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Traveller_Jeff wrote:

So far, I've hit my shutter a bit over 40,000 times on my Nikon D500. The literature says most sub-professional Nikons are good for 150,000-200,000 shutter actuations, and the pro's are good up to about 400,000. My question is: Can the camera's shutter mechanism be replaced at that point? Is it like putting in a new set of tires on a car, or more like replacing the whole engine? Thanks in advance for any knowledgeable input you can offer.

I shoot a Nikon D810 and in two years I racked up over 240,000 actuations for I shoot focus stacking sessions nearly every day and post them here. The camera shows no indications of pooping out on me however I have now reserved it for shooting in the field and not in studio setup.

I've now moved to a Fujifilm X-T20 mirrorless that I shoot in the electronic shutter mode and I have a new Nikon Z6 coming next week for the same reason.

Moral of the story is that a camera can go way beyond the published published shutter life.

(Download)

TonyL Loc: Coventry, UK

Keep right on to the end of the road!