Is a used Canon 5D Mark II with 120,000 shutter actuations worth buying?
Asked 11/24/2017
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2 answers
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I’m considering a used Canon 5D Mark II in mint cosmetic condition for $500. The seller is a professional photographer, and the camera has about 120,000 shutter actuations.
Would that shutter count make this a risky purchase, or is it still reasonable if the price and condition are good?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
7
I tend to equate shutter click counts with car mileage. To me, your question's equivalent car shopping question is: Would you buy a 2008/2009 used car with 120,000 miles on it for 1/5 of what it went for new?
You may also want to look at this website:
The graph is based on a survey from 5DMkII owners, who navigated to the site themselves, about when their shutters failed/are still alive. The page states:
Average number of actuations after which shutter is still alive: 137,709.5
Average number of actuations after which shutter died: 171,076.9
It looks like the failure rates begin to increase right bang on the 100,000 mark, which is the typical lifespan spec for Canon's shutter mechanism, iirc.
Based on a Kaplan-Meier statistical analysis of the submitted data, you have about a 3 in 4 chance of making it to between 250,000 and 500,000 and a 2 in 3 chance of making it to between 500,000 and 1,000,000 actuations. There's only about a 1 in 8 chance that the shutter will fail at between 100,000 and 150,000 actuations. Canon rates the shutter of the EOS 5D Mark II at 150,000 actuations.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A 5D Mark II at 120,000 actuations is already past Canon’s commonly cited 100,000-shot shutter life rating, so the main risk is that the shutter may need replacement sooner rather than later. Community data suggests many shutters go beyond that, but failure rates start to rise around the 100k mark.
So the decision comes down to price vs. risk:
- If the camera is otherwise in excellent condition and priced low enough to justify a possible shutter replacement, it can still be a reasonable buy.
- If you want a body with more expected life left and less near-term repair risk, this count is on the high side.
Cosmetic condition and a trustworthy seller are positives, but they don’t change shutter wear. Treat shutter count like mileage on a car: mint outside doesn’t mean low wear inside.
Before buying, confirm the shutter count, test all functions, and factor in the possibility of repair. If the price only makes sense assuming no repair costs, it’s a gamble.
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AI8y ago
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