Any early indicators of imminent shutter failure?

[tom_berkowski]

<p>I've had my 5D for almost 5 years and have no need to upgrade. (If I broke my body, I'd just buy a used 5D to replace my current one.)</p>

<p>Since my current body is so old and goes through heavy use, I'm wondering if there will be any early indicators of imminent shutter failure, or it will just stop working some day.</p>

<p>If it will let me "limp to the shop" (using a car breakdown analogy), I'll just deal with it when it happens. If it will leave me stranded on the side of the road, I might consider pre-emptively buying a used one now. I don't need security of spares since I'm not a wedding or any other professional photographer. However, there are times that it would be inconvient to have it break down. (If I've rented a studio, for example.)</p>

<p>Just wondering as I've noticed that used prices seem affordable (but will only get more affordable, of course.)</p>

 

[picturesque]

<p>With my 5D, intermittently, when I pressed the shutter button to take a photo, I hear the mirror go up but then the whole thing hangs, and no picture is taken. To overcome the error, I had to turn the camera off and then on again, and could go on (I shoot weddings).</p>

<p>Finally, I replaced the shutter, and this hasn't happened again.</p>

[anthony_bridges]

<p>For my 5D, one day it stopped taking photos faster than 1/125th or 1/160th. Tried multiple settings, lensese, etc. I sent it into Canon service. They replaced my shutter assembly for US$216. It took about 10 days I believe. You can search the discussion on this forum.</p>

[zml]

<p>Adding to the above described symptoms, "shutter bounce", i.e. overexposed strip on the longer upper edge of the frame, esp. at speeds faster than 1/500 or so sec is another indicator. Sometimes there are signs, sometimes there are not: I had several shutter failures with no preceding symptoms whatsoever</p>

[fmueller]

<p>It's always good to have a backup body, even if you are just an amateur shooting for fun. I learned that the hard way back in the film days when my trusty Minolta XD-7 gave up the ghost on a once in a lifetime trip to the Murray Mouth in Australia. The XD-7's electronic failure was fixed a couple of weeks later, but I can still see the images in my mind I missed later that day. I bought an old Minolta SR-7v and carried it as a backup body for a long time. Of course as prices for manual focus Minolta bodies fell, I soon had a dozen of them!</p>

<p>When I went digital with the EOS system, a second body was long out of my budget, but I have recently picked up a 20D in like new condition for $150. It had seen only light studio use, and gives me great peace of mind in case my T1i should develop some hiccup or other.</p>

<p>Prices for used 5D are tempting indeed these days, but if you are really only looking for an emergency backup, the early APS-C bodies sell for peanuts now.</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>I too, would recommend a backup. Just like a car, sometimes a symptom will precede a complete failure, sometimes not. Several good symptoms were listed, and I'd add another: an intermittent, or shutter speed dependent, severe <em>under</em>exposure at the top or bottom of the frame. That was my 'symptom' (fixed w/ a new shutter). <br>

But as far as an emergency 'backup', even a very inexpensive older Rebel can be adequate for 'limp home' mode... For example If I had a moped strapped to the back of my car... Might not be the most comfortable, or fastest ride ;-) but it'd get me home in a pinch.</p>

[mostly sports]

<p>My 7d began locking up with an "error 30" message. Sometimes shutting down and taking out the battery would get it working again. A little research revealed it's a shutter issue, and I have flogged mine with a steady diet of rapid fire sports shooting for the several years I've had the camera. A $200 repair at Canon fixed the shutter, and I've no more problems. At least it did allow me to get some more shots at the scene where the trouble started.</p>

[tom_berkowski]

<p>Thanks, everyone, for the responses. </p>

<p>Here's another thing I thought about: does anyone ever replace the shutter before it fails? The price of shutter replacement seems affordable even compared to a backup body. (I know backup body would cover more than shutter failure, but that seems most likely to go.)</p>

<p>I haven't done a shutter count but I know it has to be a lot. I looked at this site<br>

<a href="http://olegkikin.com/shutterlife/canon_eos5d.htm">http://olegkikin.com/shutterlife/canon_eos5d.htm</a><br>

and survival estimates seem to drop quite a bit after 200,000. </p>

[phule]

<p>I would not put any value on the reported shutter life figures on that site. The data is self-reported, skewed, biased, and undoubtedly contains out-and-out lies.</p>

<p>You can pay Canon to replace the shutter any time you want. I'm sure they will happily accept your money. :) </p>

[picturesque]

<p>I replaced my shutter before it really died. However, it cost me about $600 because the mirror box was also replaced.</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<blockquote>

<p>does anyone ever replace the shutter before it fails?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I don't know of anyone who has replaced their shutter without<em> some</em> symptom of impending failure. As Bob says, Canon will take your money anytime you want to give it them, however, most people<em> I</em> know don't<em> really</em> want to hand them ~$250 ( though I'm not a 1%er and don't know many ;-) )</p>