500D shutter failed, still works in live view

The shutter on my 500D failed at around 58k clicks. The shutter curtains had got stuck and the camera refused to power on, it just gave me a error 20. I couldn't access the menus or anything.

So I decided to rip out the broken shutter curtain with a pair of pliers, now the camera seems to works fine in live view and video mode I didn't know the 500D used an electronic shutter in live view.


I took a few snapshots of the camera and some example pics.

Here's what it looks like normally at 1/4000s due to the broken shutter curtain.

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

Throw Magic Lantern on it and you have one hell of a video device instead of a crippled photo device

Haha wow...bit of a brutal solution, but whatever works, I guess.

Is it more expensive to replace the shutter than to buy another used 500D these days?

I'm sorry to inform you my previous test was a fluke. I don't know why it didn't show up correctly yesterday. AFAIK only the first curtain is indeed electronic. Here's what it looks like

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

LowriderS10 wrote in post #15131552
Is it more expensive to replace the shutter than to buy another used 500D these days?

It's probably a bit cheaper to replace it but I'm using it as an excuse for myself to get a second hand 5D2 and use my 5D as a backup haha.

How adventuresome are you? The part is $50 (US) on eBay should want to fix it yourself. Go to http://www.ebay.com …ART-OEM-NEW-/320632040620. You can likely find instructions on the web as to "how".

I have taken apart laptops with ribbon cables before but I'm a bit scared of all the tiny ribbon cables in a dslr + the 300v flash capacitor. I'm not sure I'm brave enough, haha. Thanks for the tip though