100k Shutter Actuations

geekette · 04-17-2012, 11:18 AM

100k seems kind of low really.. what happens when the shutter finally goes out can the K-5 be repaired. If I spend $1k on a camera it better be able to be fixed. How much does this cost? I could probably go through 100k pictures in 2 years easy.

eddie1960 · 04-17-2012, 11:29 AM

100k is the equivalent of 2777 rolls of film . it's not as small a number as it sounds. and the shutter has a good chance of performing well beyond that, 100k is just a conservative rating. have a look at the numbers on the shutter count data base. 1 K10 user has over a million for example.
If it does need service (certainly it's timing will eventually need adjustment for instance) it shouldn't be wildly expensive about $300 to replace the shutter (by the time most people experience the issue there will be the siren call of a new model)
Mostly i would think there will be other failures before the shutter. Shutter tech is pretty stable and proven.

edit - to hit 100000 in 2 years you need to shoot 137 pics a day every day without stop. that is a large number. I have weeks i shoot well more than that (big events, travel) but i also have weeks i come no where near that and i shoot most days

RonHendriks1966 · 04-17-2012, 11:38 AM

Well I'm closing in on 200k with my K-5 (but that is for total of 5 different body's).

There is also someting as wearing out of a shutter that would make your metering not perfect due to the shutter noot performing optima. No idea when and if it would occur.

The 100k is what is warrented for. So that is a number that would be safe to give free repairs for since the amount of camera's breaking down is small. That is next to a mechanical, also a economical shoosen number.

eddie1960 · 04-17-2012, 11:42 AM

is the 100 k an actual warranty (the part is cheap about $40 but the labour will be high)

Philoslothical · 04-17-2012, 11:51 AM

Agreed with Eddie here. 100k is just what it's rated for under warranty, and it doesn't mean the shutter will fail at that number. Unless you're doing time lapse, or you're a star trails addict, there is no reason for concern, and heck, if you are doing one of those things, you know it goes with the territory.

At the rate I'm going, I'll hit about 25k in the first year. I've been going a bit crazy with it though. There are other parts of the camera I'm much more concerned with failing due to wear. On this forum I've only ever seen a couple posts about failed shutters, and those were invariably well short of 100k, indicating damage or defect.

Relax, enjoy your camera, and work on the assumption that by the time it wears out you will probably be itching for an upgrade, anyway.

RonHendriks1966 · 04-17-2012, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by eddie1960

is the 100 k an actual warranty (the part is cheap about $40 but the labour will be high)

Yes the warranty is 100k or two years for the camera overhere. It is the labor that makes this an expensive repair.

Wheatfield · 04-17-2012, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by geekette

100k seems kind of low really.. what happens when the shutter finally goes out can the K-5 be repaired. If I spend $1k on a camera it better be able to be fixed. How much does this cost? I could probably go through 100k pictures in 2 years easy.

If you can take that many pictures in a couple of years, you are either not thinking about what you are shooting (brainless button pushing), or are shooting enough that you should have back up equipment anyway (high production professional photographer) .
The shutter is rated to 100K cycles (MTBF), not warranted to 100k cycles. If the shutter fails during the warranty period, Pentax would replace it, after that, if it fails, you are on your own no matter how many exposure cycles you have made.

RonHendriks1966 · 04-17-2012, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

If you can take that many pictures in a couple of years, you are either not thinking about what you are shooting (brainless button pushing), or are shooting enough that you should have back up equipment anyway (high production professional photographer) .
The shutter is rated to 100K cycles (MTBF), not warranted to 100k cycles. If the shutter fails during the warranty period, Pentax would replace it, after that, if it fails, you are on your own no matter how many exposure cycles you have made.

Yes offcourse, I should have mentioned that.

I'm brainless

but in sportsphotography there are hi-numbers of pictures these days. Nikon didn't go for a new shutter with a 400k warranty for no reason.

geekette · 04-17-2012, 12:09 PM

yeah, brainless stop motion animations

eddie1960 · 04-17-2012, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by geekette

yeah, brainless stop motion animations

then you are one of the users who should have a backup camera (like Ron)

geekette · 04-17-2012, 12:29 PM

Yeah I suppose I should keep my K-X for the stop motion animation stuff cause it's worth like $275.

maltfalc · 04-17-2012, 12:35 PM

by the time your k-5 hits 100,000 you'll probably be able to buy a replacement for not much more than your k-x is worth now.

04-17-2012, 11:18 AM	#1
geekette Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 528	100k Shutter Actuations 100k seems kind of low really.. what happens when the shutter finally goes out can the K-5 be repaired. If I spend $1k on a camera it better be able to be fixed. How much does this cost? I could probably go through 100k pictures in 2 years easy.

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04-17-2012, 11:29 AM	#2
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	100k is the equivalent of 2777 rolls of film . it's not as small a number as it sounds. and the shutter has a good chance of performing well beyond that, 100k is just a conservative rating. have a look at the numbers on the shutter count data base. 1 K10 user has over a million for example. If it does need service (certainly it's timing will eventually need adjustment for instance) it shouldn't be wildly expensive about $300 to replace the shutter (by the time most people experience the issue there will be the siren call of a new model) Mostly i would think there will be other failures before the shutter. Shutter tech is pretty stable and proven. edit - to hit 100000 in 2 years you need to shoot 137 pics a day every day without stop. that is a large number. I have weeks i shoot well more than that (big events, travel) but i also have weeks i come no where near that and i shoot most days

04-17-2012, 11:38 AM	#3
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Well I'm closing in on 200k with my K-5 (but that is for total of 5 different body's). There is also someting as wearing out of a shutter that would make your metering not perfect due to the shutter noot performing optima. No idea when and if it would occur. The 100k is what is warrented for. So that is a number that would be safe to give free repairs for since the amount of camera's breaking down is small. That is next to a mechanical, also a economical shoosen number.

04-17-2012, 11:42 AM	#4
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	is the 100 k an actual warranty (the part is cheap about $40 but the labour will be high)

04-17-2012, 11:51 AM	#5
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Agreed with Eddie here. 100k is just what it's rated for under warranty, and it doesn't mean the shutter will fail at that number. Unless you're doing time lapse, or you're a star trails addict, there is no reason for concern, and heck, if you are doing one of those things, you know it goes with the territory. At the rate I'm going, I'll hit about 25k in the first year. I've been going a bit crazy with it though. There are other parts of the camera I'm much more concerned with failing due to wear. On this forum I've only ever seen a couple posts about failed shutters, and those were invariably well short of 100k, indicating damage or defect. Relax, enjoy your camera, and work on the assumption that by the time it wears out you will probably be itching for an upgrade, anyway.

04-17-2012, 12:02 PM	#6
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by eddie1960 is the 100 k an actual warranty (the part is cheap about $40 but the labour will be high) Yes the warranty is 100k or two years for the camera overhere. It is the labor that makes this an expensive repair.

04-17-2012, 12:03 PM	#7
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by geekette 100k seems kind of low really.. what happens when the shutter finally goes out can the K-5 be repaired. If I spend $1k on a camera it better be able to be fixed. How much does this cost? I could probably go through 100k pictures in 2 years easy. If you can take that many pictures in a couple of years, you are either not thinking about what you are shooting (brainless button pushing), or are shooting enough that you should have back up equipment anyway (high production professional photographer) . The shutter is rated to 100K cycles (MTBF), not warranted to 100k cycles. If the shutter fails during the warranty period, Pentax would replace it, after that, if it fails, you are on your own no matter how many exposure cycles you have made.

04-17-2012, 12:06 PM	#8
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by Wheatfield If you can take that many pictures in a couple of years, you are either not thinking about what you are shooting (brainless button pushing), or are shooting enough that you should have back up equipment anyway (high production professional photographer) . The shutter is rated to 100K cycles (MTBF), not warranted to 100k cycles. If the shutter fails during the warranty period, Pentax would replace it, after that, if it fails, you are on your own no matter how many exposure cycles you have made. Yes offcourse, I should have mentioned that. I'm brainless but in sportsphotography there are hi-numbers of pictures these days. Nikon didn't go for a new shutter with a 400k warranty for no reason.

04-17-2012, 12:09 PM	#9
geekette Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 528 Original Poster	yeah, brainless stop motion animations

04-17-2012, 12:10 PM	#10
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	Originally posted by geekette yeah, brainless stop motion animations then you are one of the users who should have a backup camera (like Ron)

04-17-2012, 12:29 PM	#11
geekette Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 528 Original Poster	Yeah I suppose I should keep my K-X for the stop motion animation stuff cause it's worth like $275.

04-17-2012, 12:35 PM	#12
maltfalc Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Winnipeg Photos: Albums Posts: 396	by the time your k-5 hits 100,000 you'll probably be able to buy a replacement for not much more than your k-x is worth now.