Longevity and useable life of a DSLR

Well the day is finally here, earlier than I expected, I pick up my 20D today

I was given the option of two extended warranties, one to take it to three years, one to take it to five. For piece of mind and because it was not much more I took it to five.

This got me thinking, how long will I be using this before I feel the upgrade pinch again? I was always happy with the EOS 50 I had, and only went to a EOS30 because it was stolen. Now in that the actual shooting cost is effectively zero compared with film, I a fully utilise the rapid fire features of camera (not quite spray and pray), so that is the only real habit change I have made from the film cameras.

Now that the 20D fulfils all my photographic needs, I wonder if I will still be happily using it at the end of my 5 year warranty. I can’t think of any changes they could make to make me want to upgrade, I don’t need a faster frame rate (if anything I would like to be able to slow it down!), I will rarely shoot out the capacity of the frame buffer, the lenses can be changed, the resolution is greater than I require for the work I do.

Am I now in Digital Camera Nirvana?

Hi Peter,

I'm not the best writer, so I'll say it in my (semi-crude) way.

Digital cameras are relatively a new technology. The development pace is fairly fast. So looking 5 years ahead and expecting the camera to hold water by then - relatively speaking- is very optimistic imo.

If you keep the camera, you must remember that the shutter system on a 20D and all other D series camera's are tested and suggested to work anywhere from 40,000-60,000 actuations. 1 series cameras are estimated at around 200,000 actuations.

Obviously, these are not written in stone. If you plan on holding onto your equipment for a long period of time, especially the lower end of Canons range, I am pretty confident that a warranty will come to good use. Again this all depends on how much you shoot. Some shoot 100,000 a year, some shot 1,000.

Hi PR,

If you are talking about mechanical reliability then you are right. However, things move so fast in the dslr world that five years is a loong time. Just think PC's and you'd know what I mean.

Peter,
Who were the extended warranties through and, if you don't mind, how much were the warranties.
For me, I keep camera equipment for a LONG time. I still use my first AE-1 SLR and that was bought back in 1979. About 7 years later I bought a FTB. So that will tell you how long I keep my cameras. So for me a extended warranty would be someting I would invest in.
I am HOPING to move to the 20D next year when I save enough money to get the body and a couple of lenses.
Thanks

Yes and no, the difference is that a 10D/20D will produce the same quality images in 10 years that they do today. Unlike PC's, where they just die. At the current MP levels, dSLRs are perfectly suited for normal and fairly large prints. What will change is functionality and efficiency. Better ISO performance, better dynamic range, faster framerates, dynamic sensors, better metering etc etc.

However, in terms of pictures they will do what they are built to to do for as long as the camera mechanically survives. 20 years down the road, if you grab a fairly unused 20D or even 10D, it will produce great results. Maybe not compared to what is available at that time, but it will still produce sufficiently.

If a 20D is not uncomfortable and annoying now, there is no reason for it not to be that way 10 years down the road. I think there is a slight confusion between DigiCams and computers right now. Computers become unusable as software requirements increase. When you use a camera, it will never change in terms of performance from the day you bought it. Computers become slower and slower, Cameras don't.

Cheers

OK, I miss eye control! I didn't realise how much I used it until it was no longer there I guess I will ahve to learn that manualy, or lock in the centre point only when doing action stuff (as I did on my old EOS50).

Will take a little while to get used to the control layout, being used to the EOS30 and G3

As for Warranty, it was $100NZ for an extra two years, and $150NZ for three, the camera proce was $2850NZ. The warranty outfit is ESP - Extended Service Plan.

The great thing about a film camera, is when better film came out with beter ISO, dynamic range etc, you just started using that!

I made my old Sony Cybershot DSC50 last three years (although I almost had a number of 'accidents' with it ), whislt I had that the SLR still got a lot of use!

I really hope to make at least three years with this. I doubt I will wear it out, I have shot 12000 on my G3 in 12 months, but now I will not be carrying this everywhere I go!

PR,

The 10D or 20D will still perform 20 years from now as they do today, and that's the problem. Things change, technology developes. In 10, let alone 20 years from now, who knows if even jpeg would work.

Oh I know that, but I am just saying that even then the 10D/20D will still take great images.......

I don't think file formats will be an issue, storage device formats might be, my computer (what ever it may be described as in 20 years) will read my multi Exabyte 3D holographic storage cubes fine, but I can't find anything to read these &*#! Compact Flash cards!

I think the stumbling block for camera longevity past 5 years will be a major technological break through, perhaps a sensor that can run into thousands in ISO sensitivity, but generate completely noise free images?

Anyway I am thinking 3-5 years. My first SLR in 1989 was an Olympus OM1, I believe it was ten years old at the time, ans still can take great shots!

Have to disagree, sorry. Dslr's are in their infancy in terms of technology, so , as I estimate, the progress will be linear for some time (example D30, D60, 10D, 20D). A breakthrough usually happens when a certain technology reaches its maturity and stagnate...then boom, new paradigm is found (example film vs. digital).

Hope that makes sense.

I know a wedding photographer that still happily shoots on a D30, he was going to upgrade but couldn't justify it. Granted his images weren't crystal clear at 8x10, but all his customers are thrilled with the quality.

Yes there will be a replacement to the 20D, by the current trends, it most probably will have the same 8.2MP sensor for now, might go a little higher, probably faster frame rate, a little smaller, eye control may come back, perhaps a new design or the support of a alternative card format.

I personally can't think of any major reason to upgrade. I have been waiting since the D30 for a digital version of my EOS30, to replace it, that arrived in my opinion with the 10D, it just so happened I waited for the next one which has ended up being an upgrade for me and digital to boot

Check back with me in three to five years to see if I am still happy!

Ha ha, by then you would have such a cool camera that you won't even reply my "hello".

All the best regardless.

Its about 2.5 years since I bought my state of the art D60. This was a super innovative camera that finally made quality digital photography affordable to the masses.

One year later the 10D came along at a lower price, but without enough improvements to get me to open my wallet.

Now, the D60 is being replace by a 20D, if Canon can ever get a supply of body only cameras available in Canada.

The D60 still takes good pictures, but the 20D is so much better that the D60 will be relegated to a seldom used back-up and will probably be a give-away next time I upgrade.

Given the technological advances have been so great, the rate of significan improvement will probably slow down a bit so I give the 20D 3 to 5 years before there is an advance so significant that an upgrade becomes significant enough to pay the price.

ScottE, you were doing very well...untill the last sentence.

I think the rate of progress is a bit faster than that (IMO of course).