How long do IS motors last?

Hey guys,

I was just curious how long the "average" IS motor in a lens would/should last. For example, if I bought an older 300 2.8 IS, what should the life expectancy of the IS motor be? Assuming the lens is well taken care of. I know there is going to be variation from lens to lens, some people have problems right away, others never will. Just curious if anyone knows a rough guesstimate.

Thanks!

It would probably crap out on the first picture after you bought it.

The life expectancy of IS if you bought an older 300mm 2.8 IS, would be lifetime. IS is very durable and expected to last a very very long time.

these things last a long time. probability is with you on this, you should be ok.

I bought a used 70-200 2.8 IS (I think it was a UR) and used it for 4 years and sold it. Never had one problem with it. Nor have I ever had a problem with the 2 17-55 2.8 IS lens I have had or the 2 24-105 F4 IS lens I've had. Come to think of it, I've never had a problem with any piece of Canon equipment I have ever used.

I've had my 300mm f/4.0L IS now for 14 years (bought it just after it came out) and it's still going strong. I shouldn't worry about something failing, it could happen 2 weeks from new or it could be years before there's a problem. It happens. Then again, it may never go wrong!