How long do cameras last? I know its a genral qn...just share experiences
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To my knowledge, many Leica M3 which is more than 50 years are still in the hands and service of professional photographers like Magnum Press even today!
Typically older all manual (mech shutter) cameras last a long time, the only problem is the lubricant tends to harden when not used (so shutter sticks, 1s goes off etc) and it's time for a service which makes it accurate again. I've got mech shutter cameras made in 1959, 1973, 1976 and are still working (some are overdue for servicing, wheras those recently serviced work fine). Those with electronic shutters are a bit more troublesome as they get older, the electronic parts become unavaliable, it all depends whether factory still wants to make the parts after x number of years...
captn_j said:How long do you guys use yr cams before they tend to spoil and what is the part that spoils first? Ill assume devent habits e.g. dry box/cabinet and never kenna drop
just wondering
regds
Jonathan
Nikon FG - 23 year. Been in the shop for a clean up once. Got it's timing checked out and the shutter is still fine and working fine. Never had a single problem with it even survive a fall onto to concrete floor from 4 feet with a slight dent near the film rewinder. But kept on working fine without even a check up after the fall. Passed it on to a younger relative of mine just last year. Still going strong with some of my old AI lens.
Nikon FE2 16 yrs. Last check was about a few years back. All fine and working. Sold it off.
Nikon FE2 16 yrs. Last check was about a few years back. All fine and working. Sold it off.
I think those digital SLR with too much electronics will not gotta last that long. My friend's Coolpix 995 already spoilt liao and Nikon quote him a very expensive price to do repair (most likely Nikon wanted ppl to buy new one liao and Nikon does not produce that spare parts anymore).
Hehez, I'm still using a Nikon FM which was made in like 1978!! Still working.. only thing faulty is the Light Metering, spoilt twice already, now can't be bothered to repair, since it's not quite accurate anyway....
So now using guesswork... kekkekke :bsmilie: :bsmilie:
So now using guesswork... kekkekke :bsmilie: :bsmilie:
my 1978 made bought second hand om1 still functioning well with good exposure readings....but off course it just a manual.
digital wise...if u got 5 yrs, consider yourself good luck...the circuitries would got stuck somewhere. otherwise how would sony or nokia make profit to support those trendy designs?? then the cycle repeats.
digital wise...if u got 5 yrs, consider yourself good luck...the circuitries would got stuck somewhere. otherwise how would sony or nokia make profit to support those trendy designs?? then the cycle repeats.
Ok lah. Mine not so old, but it's an example of a camera with electronics. My 1989 Nikon F401s still works like the first day i bought it. Thoroughly used through secondary school, pre-u, university and till 2003; minus 40degC temps; rain; snow; California desert heat. It's taking a break in my dry cabi for now. :bsmilie:
got a 64-65 praktica that still works reliably mechanically. the film counter is busted though, but it doesn't affect the picture taking capability of this old beast.
my father's f601 is turning 10 this year... the only defect was the flim door hinge chipped off after a drop... still working well though
Oh Yes...my Sony S70 which is a digital 3.1megapixel which is already 4 yrs+ and going on 5 yrs and still going strong and is my backup camera to my D70. Accidently melted abit of the front lens casing hehe....it was all fogged up when I brought it out from a cool room to a normal room temp. So I use a shrink wrapping hot air blower to warm up the lens..it was so hot it started to melt abit of the plastic covering on the front element and near the battery compartment hehe...but but it still works fine. Only had to send it in to the shop once to get rid of a fungus "dot" on the CCD. Never was placed in a vacuum box all these years too...kept in a photo bag when not used or in the office which is always air con. I guess I have already got more then my money's worth but it still keeps on ticking...not bad actually. I expect it will last another few years easy looking at it presently.
If my previously electronical cameras like my Nikon EM, FG and FE2 which I kept the longest..tey are all so called electronic cameras but they were still around and working fine. Back then there were also detractors who claim they will never last as well as the fully mechanical ones but there you are...the electronic ones are still chunging along...with the digital ones..it is still too early to say and it is almost exactly where I was when I bought my first Nikon EM. IN fact I had the first electronic AF model from Canon...can't recall the model now..it was the first all dark colour one with all the plastic lens..bought by a compay I work for to use for our inhouse shooting....it died after about 3 yrs of use heheh. Had the FA, F3HP, F4s and F5..and well these models goes without saying..they will last a long time. But since I buy and sell these models the most compared to my older earlier collection, I never had them more the5-10 yrs but I am sure there are still working somewhere with those folks I sold them to heheh..not surprise they have gone through a few other buyers too. Guess that is why I never stop buying Nikon. The leica are legendary I am sure but that is a difference "tax" bracket ...heheh me pockets are not that deep.
If my previously electronical cameras like my Nikon EM, FG and FE2 which I kept the longest..tey are all so called electronic cameras but they were still around and working fine. Back then there were also detractors who claim they will never last as well as the fully mechanical ones but there you are...the electronic ones are still chunging along...with the digital ones..it is still too early to say and it is almost exactly where I was when I bought my first Nikon EM. IN fact I had the first electronic AF model from Canon...can't recall the model now..it was the first all dark colour one with all the plastic lens..bought by a compay I work for to use for our inhouse shooting....it died after about 3 yrs of use heheh. Had the FA, F3HP, F4s and F5..and well these models goes without saying..they will last a long time. But since I buy and sell these models the most compared to my older earlier collection, I never had them more the5-10 yrs but I am sure there are still working somewhere with those folks I sold them to heheh..not surprise they have gone through a few other buyers too. Guess that is why I never stop buying Nikon.
The leica are legendary I am sure but that is a difference "tax" bracket ...heheh me pockets are not that deep.sammy888 said:Oh Yes...my Sony S70 which is a digital 3.1megapixel which is already 4 yrs+ and going on 5 yrs and still going strong and is my backup camera to my D70. Accidently melted abit of the front lens casing hehe....it was all fogged up when I brought it out from a cool room to a normal room temp. So I use a shrink wrapping hot air blower to warm up the lens..it was so hot it started to melt abit of the plastic covering on the front element and near the battery compartment hehe...but but it still works fine. Only had to send it in to the shop once to get rid of a fungus "dot" on the CCD. Never was placed in a vacuum box all these years too...kept in a photo bag when not used or in the office which is always air con. I guess I have already got more then my money's worth but it still keeps on ticking...not bad actually. I expect it will last another few years easy looking at it presently.
If my previously electronical cameras like my Nikon EM, FG and FE2 which I kept the longest..tey are all so called electronic cameras but they were still around and working fine. Back then there were also detractors who claim they will never last as well as the fully mechanical ones but there you are...the electronic ones are still chunging along...with the digital ones..it is still too early to say and it is almost exactly where I was when I bought my first Nikon EM. IN fact I had the first electronic AF model from Canon...can't recall the model now..it was the first all dark colour one with all the plastic lens..bought by a compay I work for to use for our inhouse shooting....it died after about 3 yrs of use heheh. Had the FA, F3HP, F4s and F5..and well these models goes without saying..they will last a long time. But since I buy and sell these models the most compared to my older earlier collection, I never had them more the5-10 yrs but I am sure there are still working somewhere with those folks I sold them to heheh..not surprise they have gone through a few other buyers too. Guess that is why I never stop buying Nikon.
Think some ppl have a wrong understanding of Leica. Buying a 2nd hand Leica is not that expensive as you think. You can get a good working condition black-chrome M4-P at less than $1500 which is less than the money you paid for your D70.
But the lenses is a diff thing totally... :devil:
Nikkor 50mm f1.8 = less than $200
Leica-M 50mm Summicron (f2) = more than $1.5k
My d100 is 9 months old and still going strong. YES!! :bsmilie:
Sorry, I just had to do it.
BUt serious, 9000 frames later, still going strong. It'll take a amateur film camera 10 yrs to do that. I wonder how many shots before it dies.
Have a good weekend.
Sorry, I just had to do it.
BUt serious, 9000 frames later, still going strong. It'll take a amateur film camera 10 yrs to do that. I wonder how many shots before it dies.
Have a good weekend.
my nikon F601 i bought 9 yrs ago still works perfectly,been to alot of countries with it,the film door surface is peeling though.
still using it as a back up camera for my my events.
still using it as a back up camera for my my events.
XXX Boy said:To my knowledge, many Leica M3 which is more than 50 years are still in the hands and service of professional photographers like Magnum Press even today!
Brudder, Leica M3 at most 50 years lah.
Leica M3 only released in 1954.
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