number of expected exposures

I am buying a used 1ds. It looks like it has seen around 6800 exposures. Does the camera start at 1 when you first use it? Would 6800 be considered relatively new? How many pics is a 1ds supposed to give?

6800 might not be really accurate. You can reset it or roll it over so it may be 36,800 - at least I think the 1DS rolls every 10,000.

I'd be more concerned with the condition overall. Is it mucked up? Was it taken care of? And does the price seem like a good value?

Try a blast of 1/4000 follwed by a couple 10-second exposures might be a test for the shutter - but that's supposed to last something like 200,000 releases I think, so again I wouldn't be too worried.

thanks, that helps. it was purchased origionally in Dec 03 so I am guessing the 6000 is right.

You can always send it to someplace like KEH to have it checked out. Chances are that if it was purchased in Dec '03 it's not even close to worn out. But it does beg the question "Why is it for sale?".

the guy who has it owns a successful chain of stores in my area. He says he lent a friend 30k to start an internet catalog business. Never got off the ground but the guy bought all of the photo equip. The guy selling it says he is not interested in it. Just got the equipment from the guy and is selling it to make some of his money back. He has all of the origional receipts.

The shutter in the EOS 1D and EOS 1Ds are identical and both are rated for 250,000 shutter cycles according to Canon.

I have several EOS 1 series film bodies with well over 500,000 shutter cycles with no failures.

Does anyone know the sutter actuations for the 10D? Where do you find this information for different cameras?

The shutter in the D30/D60/10D/ 300D is rated by canon for around 30k to 60k cycles while in warranty. I had the actual number written down but can't find that paper right now....It is not uncommon for them to fire well beyond that. Serveral D30/D60/10D owners have reported cycles up to and past 110,000. If they break, replacement can be done for around $250.USD. As long as you don't work in adverse conditions or burn the shutter out with high sync voltage (over 6volts) it should get to around100k actuations no problem. Only canon can tell the total number of shutter actuations via their proprietary software. They used to be pretty free about handing out the developers kits with that software included but have really tightened up on who'll they'll give it to.

10D Actuations

Wow! It sure did not take me long to use up 30,000. 6 mos. I guess I got the wrong camera for what I do. (Soccer tournaments) . I shoot nearly 3000 shots a weekend.
I sure hope mine goes to 100,000. When it fails, does it go all at once or do you start noticing things along the way?
I will have to start making more money at this business (new business) to get my husband to feel like I do that I should upgrade, but I do love my 10D.
Thanks for the info
Andrea