Hey there, new photographer here. So I recently learned that my Canon R6 has a lifespan of about 300,000 actuations of the shutter. I generally take about 1000 photos each shoot (obviously I cull the photos after). According to these calculations, my camera should last for about 300 sessions. This number seems a little low to me? Considering the immense cost of the camera? What is your opinion on this and have you also considered lifespan of the camera when shooting? Any suggestions? Should I be more conservative with my photos considering this? Thanks in advance!
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Not sure why people freak out about this so much. Other things are far likely to break before the shutter. Not to mention shutters aren’t generally that expensive
Following the logic of Shutter Count =s Longevity, what’s the longevity on mirrorless systems?
Infinity thanks to electronic shutter.
By the time you get that far you’ll be drooling over something new anyway
In my experience, the only time shutter count becomes an issue is when you decide to sell your gear. The buyer will sometimes ask for the count, and anything more than 50,000 usually influences the resale value.
No, clicks cost almost nothing. If it is not distracting to take 1000 photos, click away.
I do high mag stacking work and I’ve probably doubled my body’s capability in the year I’ve had it :)
Mirrorless cameras can do electronic shutter aka no physical shutter count, so unless all you do is flash work - infinite shutter, OP.
So, I’ve heard the shutter count argument when people are buying used cameras, etc. However, aside from accidentally burning a hole in a cloth shutter, I have never had the shutter be the failure point in any camera I have ever owned – some of which have been more than 60 years old.
I had a Nikon D70s that got daily work for almost 10 years with no issues. One of the lenses did end up with some kind of autofocus problem, but otherwise, was still running strong. I have a Leica MP typ 240 that has been in normal rotation since 2012 - no shutter problems.
The two problems I have had are:
- Internal connection corrosion, which makes them stop turning on.
- Screen failure
I haven’t seen the corrosion issue in a while because most camera bodies are weatherized now. The screen failure still pops up, both in the rear LCD and in the EVF. It most recently happened to me on a Panasonic SR1 EVF, and it was over $700 to get it replaced.
You don’t hear much talk about it because it’s not really a big deal. Snap away. You’ll never wear it out. If you do, a shutter is cheap to replace. But you won’t. And if you do, it will have been a good use of the few hundred it will cost to replace it.
I got about 800 K on my old 5D Mark IV, it probably would have kept going until it got stolen.
R6 costs about $2000 for ease of math. If you charge $100 per shoot as your equipment fee that is 100x300=30000. So you can afford to buy another 150 cameras with the profit generated.
That’s 15 cameras. Plus, OP has to eat.
I’ve had a few Canons in my shooting career. Never had a single one fail. I don’t even keep track of the shutter count anymore. Just know that someday it may quit working and you’ll need to either get it repaired or buy a new camera. Chances are you’ll be ready for something much newer by the time it dies.
I had a Nikon D90 that I used as a product photography camera at my studio from 2009-2015.
In those 6 years the shutter count hit something like 700k. I then sold it to a guy who is still using it.
If you don’t do lots of timelapse photography you shouldn’t even think about it. I used an old 550d for timelapse and it was still going strong at over 600k when I swapped to sony.
So divide the price (let’s say 2000) by sessions (300) - it’s around 7 per session. If it bothers you - your price is way too low.