Posted by Howard Cihak on November 29, 2012 at 7:43 PM
Here's the scenario ...
I'm looking at a 5D mk2 that the seller says has about 2500 actuations on it after Canon replaced the shutter. However, when I hook it up to my laptop and use EOSinfo, I get about 47,000 actuations.
Does it make sense that EOSinfo would be counting all the actuations in the body's life regardless of replacing the shutter?
Does it make sense that a shutter would need to be replaced with only 44,500 actuations?
Posted by Paul DeCesare on November 30, 2012 at 1:43 AM
Great question for Canon Tech Support. I'm sure there's a counter that needs to be reset in the firmware and it may not have when they repaired it, but they would certainly know.
44,500 does seem young, the shutter is rated for 150,000 in the 5D2. Here's an interesting chart, not sure how accurate it is, but it does say that there's a 7.5% chance that a 5D2 shutter could fail in the 45K range. That factoid and a buck eighty will get us a ride on the subway, not much more, lol!
Posted by Dan Roberts on November 30, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Only Canon could tell you whether they reset the counter when they replace the shutter.
The chart referenced in Paul's post looks like a pretty typical statistical distribution of failure rates for complex manufactured equipment. Having done a lot of work in my professional life with equipment reliability and risk analysis, personally I would avoid a piece of equipment with a history of having failed at the low end of the manufacturer's stated life expectancy. It is possible that it's a one off problem but also potentially indicative of that particular piece of equipment being on the edge of acceptable manufacturing tolerances and subject to additional premature problems.
Then again, risk analysis is all about weighing probability, consequence, and benefit. If the price is low enough and you don't count on the camera for your livelihood, it may be a good decision...
Discussion
2 repliesI'm looking at a 5D mk2 that the seller says has about 2500 actuations on it after Canon replaced the shutter. However, when I hook it up to my laptop and use EOSinfo, I get about 47,000 actuations.
Does it make sense that EOSinfo would be counting all the actuations in the body's life regardless of replacing the shutter?
Does it make sense that a shutter would need to be replaced with only 44,500 actuations?
44,500 does seem young, the shutter is rated for 150,000 in the 5D2. Here's an interesting chart, not sure how accurate it is, but it does say that there's a 7.5% chance that a 5D2 shutter could fail in the 45K range. That factoid and a buck eighty will get us a ride on the subway, not much more, lol!
The chart referenced in Paul's post looks like a pretty typical statistical distribution of failure rates for complex manufactured equipment. Having done a lot of work in my professional life with equipment reliability and risk analysis, personally I would avoid a piece of equipment with a history of having failed at the low end of the manufacturer's stated life expectancy. It is possible that it's a one off problem but also potentially indicative of that particular piece of equipment being on the edge of acceptable manufacturing tolerances and subject to additional premature problems.
Then again, risk analysis is all about weighing probability, consequence, and benefit. If the price is low enough and you don't count on the camera for your livelihood, it may be a good decision...
No need to thank me for confusing you further