Longevity of DSLRs?

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Pfreddee

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I've already asked this question elsewhere, but I'm curious about other member's practices/perceptions about DSLRs. How long can I reasonably expect a D7000 to last if I take care of it and don't abuse it?

Just wondering.

With best regards,

Pfreddee(Stephen)
 
In the past, the lifespan of a digital camera has been measured in months; but not because of any shortcomings of the body: there are 11 year old Olympus E1s that remain in daily service. 11 years is an eternity in the light-speed introduction and refinement of digital cameras; yet the Olympus E1 still produces photos that are amazing. Finding consumables like batteries is probably the bigger issue.

First the megapixel race, and then the Holy Grail of the full-frame sensor race caused cameras to go obsolete in the marketplace as buyers bought and then abandoned body after body. In the past couple of years though, that has changed. Technology has matured. The megapixel race is all but over and smaller sensors have been embraced as fully by the buying public as the 36x24 format.

In the computer world, the technology has matured to a level that revolutionary improvements are pretty much a thing of the past. What we're seeing now are evolutionary improvements to existing technologies that yield incremental results. Some "improvements" like "art filters" are merely gimmicks. Others like Fuji's X-Trans sensors may or may not be significant. Time will tell. But honestly, absent damage or some un-yet known revolutionary technology, your D7000 will likely last you as long as you care to own it, much as the old Nikon F series served their film-shooting owners. Many have outlived their owners.
 
Think lifetime is more determined by switches and contacts. Certainly memory media contacts. My 300D is still working but the CF is sometimes not correctly recognised.
 
I hear lead-less solder can be greener but it isn't extending service life of electronics. Can someone comment on this?
 
As I remember it, the ban of lead-containing solder in the EU was a reason for Hasselblad to end the XPAN series because they had concerns about longevity of circuit boards.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
hepcat said:
In the past, the lifespan of a digital camera has been measured in months; but not because of any shortcomings of the body: there are 11 year old Olympus E1s that remain in daily service. 11 years is an eternity in the light-speed introduction and refinement of digital cameras; yet the Olympus E1 still produces photos that are amazing. Finding consumables like batteries is probably the bigger issue.

First the megapixel race, and then the Holy Grail of the full-frame sensor race caused cameras to go obsolete in the marketplace as buyers bought and then abandoned body after body. In the past couple of years though, that has changed. Technology has matured. The megapixel race is all but over and smaller sensors have been embraced as fully by the buying public as the 36x24 format.

In the computer world, the technology has matured to a level that revolutionary improvements are pretty much a thing of the past. What we're seeing now are evolutionary improvements to existing technologies that yield incremental results. Some "improvements" like "art filters" are merely gimmicks. Others like Fuji's X-Trans sensors may or may not be significant. Time will tell. But honestly, absent damage or some un-yet known revolutionary technology, your D7000 will likely last you as long as you care to own it, much as the old Nikon F series served their film-shooting owners. Many have outlived their owners.
Click to expand...

... My Olympus E-1 was manufactured in October 2003. It's still working as if new, and still produces lovely photographs. I still use it, despite its mere 5 Mpixels and lethargic write times. It's a true classic of the DSLR era.

All of my original BLM-1 batteries died of over-use and recharge cycles. They're still easily available, but the later BLM-5 battery and charger which came about with the Olympus E-5 is 100% compatible AND nets about double the use per charge with the E-1. And it's greener. ;-)

I have two Nikon Fs at present. My original one from 1969 is long gone, sadly. Should never have sold it. ]'-)

G
 
Up until I bought my M9 my Pentax istDL2 was bought in 2007. Been using it for seven years and I still love the output. My M9 gets more use now but I still use the DL2 for Ebay shots, Macros, etc.
 
btgc said:
I hear lead-less solder can be greener but it isn't extending service life of electronics. Can someone comment on this?
Click to expand...

Lead-free solder has been shown to grow "tin whiskers." These are very small crystalline hair-like growths (a few micrometers wide) that sprout from the solder joint. They are electrically conductive, so they cause shorts as they grow.
 
Hard to tell. At the end of the day, it may depend on how often and hard you drop it. That Nikon D50 I bought as a very temporary solution refuses to die and still keeps me from an upgrade...
 
I still have my Nikon D40...takes great pictures and keeps on going. It has been around for long time now but keeps on snapping.

I am not sure how long DSLR's will last, but I think we need to ask another question.

How long will we be satisfied? I think we have a tendency to want the latest and greatest thing. With new cameras coming out every 6-8 months it would be almost impossible to keep up.
I feel the need to be content. Ask the simple question, does it meet my needs now and for some time to come.

For me that may be the draw to film...simplicity.
I know the draw to GAS ... but that is another story altogether.

Peace
 
Everything fails eventually. If the cost of the repair is more then a replacement, that's it.

I worked for a national camera retailer for awhile. Manufacturers don't even repair the cameras anymore if it is not financially feasible.

Electronics can be unpredictable, some last for decades, some break after the warranty is over.

Pfreddee said:
I've already asked this question elsewhere, but I'm curious about other member's practices/perceptions about DSLRs. How long can I reasonably expect a D7000 to last if I take care of it and don't abuse it?

Just wondering.

With best regards,

Pfreddee(Stephen)
Click to expand...
 
I gave my Canon G2 to my wife when I bought my first DSLR. Still works perfectly. Have made 8x10s with no problem.
I now use at Nikon D300 that I bought slightly used. I see no reason to upgrade.
My lovely film cameras -- Leica IIIF, Rollei 35, Rollei Automat MX and Canon EF hardly get any use but they are nice to play with, especially the big Rollei. It always attracts a crowd.
 
I bought a Canon 10D new in 2003 and used it for 6 years before upgrading. It had over 200,000 shutter actuations ... was only rated to 50,000! The only reason to upgrade was for more MP and a larger screen, it wasn't that the 10D lost it's usefulness due to wear or malfunction.
 
Hi,

Although a bit bashed and battered my Olympus C-1400 XL (vintage 1997 or '98) is still going strong and I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the SmartMedia cards...

Regards, David
 
We've got a Konica-Minolta G530 that's from 2004 in the house. The camera itself is still working, but the battery is getting worn out after all the charge-recharge cycles it's been through. It'll now only hold about a quarter of the charge that it used to do when new..
 
pvdhaar said:
We've got a Konica-Minolta G530 that's from 2004 in the house. The camera itself is still working, but the battery is getting worn out after all the charge-recharge cycles it's been through. It'll now only hold about a quarter of the charge that it used to do when new..
Click to expand...

The battery it needs is a standard, easily available type: Minolta #NP-400. Batteries.com has it for ten bucks:
http://www.batteries.com/products-for-minolta-dimage-g530

G
 
As others have said, it'll last as long as the electronics and various other bits hold up. No different to a modern film camera such as an F6 for instance.

I've got a D90 with nearly 130,000 frames on it and the only thing worn out so far on it is the thumb grip. If you look after it, then I don't see why 20+ years isn't achievable.
 
looking how passionately some try breath life to now long discontinued Leica DMR (re-celling the discontinued and dead batteries, searching eBay for old compatible memory cards..). me thinks old digital equipment can have better longevity than its reputation is.

Technology has matured. The megapixel race is all but over and smaller sensors have been embraced as fully by the buying public as the 36x24 format.
Click to expand...

would not be so sure about this. every now and then there are rumors about curved sensors, organic sensors and other next gen technologies. least in the eyes of early adopters, current cameras become fast outdated when next breakthrough happens.
 
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