Canon 1D MkII N - Failure !! I'm so pissed...

Hi Guys,
Firstly, I haven't been to this forum for a while, or to any forum for that matter, but felt what better place to get stuff of my chest.

I am not the happiest of campers right now, and will tell you why....

I have owned a 1D MkII N for around 3 years now, and admittedly, in the beginning was an excellent choice of cameras. The MkIII wasn't available at the time, and Nikon wasn't in the running at all, so I really had no choice. All reviews on this puppy were excellent, so had no reason to be concerned. I don't do all that much sport, and my 1D has done around 30,000 actuations since new (I bought it new). If anyone is fastidious about his equipment, it is me. This is my baby, I treasure it along with all my lenses, wiping it down after every use. There are no scratches on it, other than the flash holder at the top; no matter how careful I am in taking flash on and off, the paint seems to peel there, although, mine is still in good nick.

On Saturday, my shutter failed during a cricket match. Bright yellow streak running through the centre of all the images. At first I thought it was the sensor, my heart missed a beat or two, but after some research on the net, found similar problems with the same camera and model.
I took it to Canon this morning, they quoted me $750Au to replace the shutter.... I walked out no amused, had to cool down out side, let off some steam on Facebook through my iPhone...

You see, I have always tried to buy the very best in every facet of my life. My house, my cars bikes lenses etc.... I just cannot see the sense in buying twice, which seems to always be the case when you buy cheap. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but I plan carefully....
I have already had the sensor replaced at 20k actuations, then had to be re-mapped due to lots of dead pixels, and a few other things as well...
So now what do I do...?? Nikon has been on my mind, the new D3s. I just want better ISO noise levels, and the D3s is way ahead of the MkIV. The problem is that I am so heavily invested in Canon glass right now.

So am considering selling everything at the moment, unless someone can convince me otherwise....

List of my equipment:
400 f/2.8 IS L, 300f/2.8 L (non IS), 70-200 f/2.8 L (non IS), 135 f/2.0, 85 f/1.2 series I, 100 f/2.8 Macro, 24-70 f/2.8, 16-35 f/2.8, 580-EX II x 2, MT-24 EX Twin-head flash, and of course, 1D MkII N with brand new shutter....

As mentioned, I am fastidious with everything. Photography is not my occupation, so everything has been used part time. my 135 f/2.0 is brand new, never been used... the 300 f/2.8 is absolutely as new, not even a scratch anywhere, you would never know it wasn't new.

Any advice or ideas would be very welcome at this stage... it's a very tough call....

Thanks in advance ...

Barry

Get your camera repaired

Sorry to hear about the camera failing during the game. As for selecting a new body or manufacturer, that's all up to you buddy. but if you can stay with canon that would save you money since you already have the optics that you want. if you go nikon's end, you have to purchase all the lens that you want and have to wait for your canon stuff to be sold.

Rey

For the amount you have invested in Canon glass i'd recommend sticking with Canon. I recently jumped from Nikon because of the fact they can't get their act together when it comes to lenses.

What would you replace half your fleet with? Nikon have no decent or new 135 f/2's, 85 f/1.2's, 70-200 f/2.8's that don't cost a heap, or 16-35 f/2.8's (admittedly there is a 14-24 f/2.8 that's rather nice). It's a big jump selling off all your gear and buying Nikon just for a body. Not that it can't be done - it's just a big move when you have so much invested in Canon...

Im surprised they want to charge you with low actuations. Maybe talk to a manager and see what they can do. Its not under warrenty? I thought maybe the 1d series had a different warrenty service.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

You can switch but you'll take a big hit in selling your lenses.

Buy a 1dmk4 and enjoy your current lenses. Dont make your "emotion" overide a "2nd chance" with Canon.

Any camera you buy, has a chance of failing, pay to have it repaired, and be on your way.

Take two cameras always if you want to be sure, especially with the main one being as old as the Mark II N. You should get it repaired but 750 AU sounds like a lot for a shutter though.

30k in 3 years? You need to shoot more man. Your shutter died out of boredom

If the sensor has so many pixels bad that it had to be remapped, other issues and now the second shutter, I would buy a different body, whether the same model, or step up to MKIII or MKIV. That body is just a jinxed unit that may continue to have issues. You can get good money still for broken cameras on Ebay.

I know you are pissed and I would be too. But the gear has probably served you very well to this point.
No matter who makes it, it can and will break. I sent more than one Hassy in for repair, and their manufacturing is second to nobody.

It may be that you had not used the camera enough to keep the lube moving on the shutter. BUT I would write a letter to the head of Canon in NZ and let him know just how po;d you are. This is supposed to be a 250k+ shutter and it lasted a lot less than that. Don't bother complaining to the techs or counter staff, they cannot do anything about it. Talk to the highest ranking person you can get ahold of.

There's no guarantee that a nikon body won't fail either so with all that glass stay with canon. Look at the bright side, you can sell your old body with a new shutter and get you a new 1D4.

TaDa wrote in post #9562694
30k in 3 years? You need to shoot more man. Your shutter died out of boredom

That's not funny....really...LOL

The OP should just buy a markIII and one with...

LBaldwin wrote in post #9562733
BUT I would write a letter to the head of Canon in NZ and let him know just how po;d you are.

not sure the head of Canon New Zealand would particularly care (OP appears to be in Australia...)

if it's any help, replacing a shutter involves removing almost every component and what you have left is the shutter bolted to the frame so it's very time consuming to replace...