Honestly, how long is the life cycle of a 20D?

[OceanView]

With the latest rumored news of a 5D coming out and the inevitablity of future products to replace our existing camera gear, how long can we expect to use our 20D's into the future?

I know there are many different types of photographers, some are pro's that need the latest and greatest, however for the average hobbyist, can we use this camera till the actuator breaks down (approx 100,000 shots) without upgrading?
This might be more of a test of will than need.

What are you thoughts?

[smasraum]

I can't imagine "needing" to upgrade as a hobbyist until it breaks.

[Johnny Thunder]

Things like this bring a fine line between 'need' and 'want'

you wont need to upgrade until you out grow the camera, or it breaks down, but you may want to upgrade badly enough that you confuse the 2.

-Johnny

[RikWriter]

I thought shutter life on the 20D was 100,000 activations? And that isn't the life of the camera, just the point at which you need to have a new shutter installed.

[ssim]

It is quite humorous to read across a number of forum boards the number of people that feel that there 20D has now become an antique with the rumored release of the 5D. I had moved up from the 10D to the 1D MKII but my son has the 10D and it is still taking great pictures.

In actual fact, IMO, the pros do not need the latest and greatest. Sure some of the new functions might make their jobs a tad easier but I think it is more about want than need. I can't recall his name but he is a occasional poster in the glamour section. He does some amazing work and he is still using a 10D.

To try and answer your question, the life cycle of a photographers 20D will be exactly as long as they choose to make it. The shutter will give out eventually but that is a relatively inexpensive repair but like anything mechanical, there are other things that can go as well.

[KennyG]

Professional photographers normally avoid the latest and greatest toys until the bugs have been sorted. We can't afford to take risks with paid work. Not only that, we have to justify the cost versus the benefit. It is the hobbyist who queues outside the camera shop on launch day with credit card in hand that buys the hot-off-the-shelf models.

[jaypie77]

I have been working with an experienced pro with 20+ years of shooting. He makes a very good living at photography and has a lot of high-price, reliable clients that he's built up.

One time we were talking about some lenses that I wanted to buy and he mentions to me that he's always had assistants who had better equipment than he had. I got the message pretty clear.

[RDKirk]

With the latest rumored news of a 5D coming out and the inevitablity of future products to replace our existing camera gear, how long can we expect to use our 20D's into the future?

Canon says the 20D shutter is twice as durable as the 10D shutter, but they never said how durable the 10D shutter was.

I know there are many different types of photographers, some are pro's that need the latest and greatest, however for the average hobbyist, can we use this camera till the actuator breaks down (approx 50,000 shots) without upgrading?
This might be more of a test of will than need.

What are you thoughts?

Most pros don't go for the "latest and greatest." They go for what does what they want it to do, and are happy with it until it breaks or they want to do something different. Considering the money--and more importantly, the familiarity--pros invest into their equipment, they can't afford to be on an equipment merry-go-round. And I can't stress the "familiarity" aspect too strongly. A pro needs to be so familiar with his equipment that he doesn't have to think twice about what control does what, and he knows all its quirks and "undocumented features." Switching to a new system or even a significantly different model is nearly traumatic.

What has happened in the digital arena, though, is very similar to what was happening with 35mm in the 50s. The technology is improving image quality rapidly, and the quality--which was barely acceptable for professional purposes five years ago--is pretty much "there" as of this year. I expect that after the next generation of cameras, which includes the 5D and the upcoming 1Ds (which Canon says will be a single high-speed, full-frame body), we won't see professionals and serious enthusiasts doing a lot more equipment churning.

For people who limit their enlargements to 16x20 or so, we're there now. All of Canon's current cameras easily make 16x20 prints as good as most people could produce from 35mm in years past.

[CorruptedPhotographer]

I just want my 20D to have a FF and ill be happy.

[OceanView]

I thought shutter life on the 20D was 100,000 activations? And that isn't the life of the camera, just the point at which you need to have a new shutter installed.

I think your right on the 100,000 number, I forgot about that.
My bad.

[Keiffer]

This is a man who probably knows how to take great pics and doesn't rely on a camera to do it for him. I think amatuers tend to get caught up in the latest and greatest craze thining it's the cameras fault that they take bad pics. I have been working with an experienced pro with 20+ years of shooting. He makes a very good living at photography and has a lot of high-price, reliable clients that he's built up.

One time we were talking about some lenses that I wanted to buy and he mentions to me that he's always had assistants who had better equipment than he had. I got the message pretty clear.

[JayKitty]

if you wanna see amazing pictures by guys who havent upgraded since about 10th grade....

www.positive-negative.com

mostly all the pictures are taken with medium format cameras

[JayKitty]

also check out www.chromogenic.net

another medium format photographer

[tim]

I was waiting for the announcement of the 5D before I decided on what my 2nd camera would be. Given the rumoured price i'm going to keep using my 20D for weddings, and get a 2nd hand 10D as a backup. Sure, a 5D would be nice, and i'd quite like one, but I can't justify it for my business. On the other hand, for toy value, I might get one once the price drops a bit, or I might hold out for a 1 series.

[Jack W.]

As an amateur/hobbyist, I have no need to upgrade from my 20D. I have a looooooong way to go before I outgrow the 20D.
Jack

[MadMesh]

As an amateur/hobbyist, I have no need to upgrade from my 20D. I have a looooooong way to go before I outgrow the 20D.
Jack

Feel the same way, If i do every upgrade, i think it will be for a pro body... you can do so much more with it and take it to more places, due to all the seals inside.

+ I need my 20D to make me a few bucks before i start thinking of buying more stuff.

[lancea]

My 35mm camera still works after almost 30 years, and it's gone to a wide variety of places and hasn't been treated with kid-gloves. I'd be very disappointed if my 20D doesn't last at least 10 years. If photography was my living (it's just an expensive hobby) I would still expect it to have a working live at least as long as a computer - i.e. at least 4 years.