If you look up the stats on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, for example, the camera might be rated for 100,000 shutter actuations but the real world data gathered in the database indicates that the camera typically makes it to around 232,000 actuations and in the sample size out of 133 cameras in the 250,000-500,000 range 90% of them were still going with well worn, but functioning, shutters.
In short, if you’re worried about a climbing shutter count on a camera you already own we’d advise you to not stress about it and just save a little extra money back here or there in a rainy-day fund for the replacement camera you’ll inevitably need. If you’re buying a used camera, however, and the seller insists that it’s practically brand new when it’s rocking a shutter count of 100,000+ then you definitely want to either pass on it altogether or demand a very steep discount.
