[pathdoc]

So, I've had mine since 2012 and the shutter's closing in on 10,000 clicks this week (probably passed it already, actually, because there were plenty of shots I've deleted in-camera for complete and utter fail, so IMGP9981 doesn't tell the full story). And so I got to thinking, how high can a well-cared-for K-5 go before it dies through over-use?

I might add that I started the year with about three and a half thousand of those shots, and have piled on the other six thousand since. Sure, I have LBA, but you can't say they're not getting used!

[sergysergy]

the shutter life is supposed to be 100000 if I am not mistaken

[photolady95]

IMGP9981

That isn't your shutter count. Use this tool to see how many clicks your camera actually has taken.

[FantasticMrFox]

No one knows. DSLRs are getting more and more complex, thus they do not have the life expectancy that old SLR cameras used to have. Pentax' semi-pro cameras are very solidly built, and if you treat them well they can probably last a decade. Shutter wise the K5 is rated to 100,000 actuations. If you're unlucky you might get a little less, if you're lucky you might exceed 200,000. No one knows.

[pathdoc]

Shutter wise the K5 is rated to 100,000 actuations.

the shutter life is supposed to be 100000 if I am not mistaken

This is what I needed to know. Thanks. In that case, it should be good till at least the second generation of full-frame and possibly more! Unless, like my unfortunate *ist-DL, it decides to turn its toes up just north of ten thousand.

That isn't your shutter count.

I admitted as much in my original post:

plenty of shots I've deleted in-camera for complete and utter fail, so IMGP9981 doesn't tell the full story

I bought mine new and haven't reset it, so I know the IMGP count is pretty close to reality, depending on how many the factory took in the course of QC. Speaking of which, if anyone's just bought a new Pentax DSLR and hasn't opened it yet, feed IMGP0001.jpg into the link and see what you get.

[Giklab]

so I know the IMGP count is pretty close to reality

Except it isn't. As others before have tried to tell you, you need to check the actual number with a program.The numbers only go to 9999 so as soon as you go over 10 000 clicks + in-camera processings you start from 0001 again.

[BrianR]

Speaking of which, if anyone's just bought a new Pentax DSLR and hasn't opened it yet, feed IMGP0001.jpg into the link and see what you get.

Nothing new here, but IMG00006.DNG out of my k5iis showed a shutter count of 13, while my latest IMG14540.DNG shows a shutter count of 15832. I've also never reset the counter on the file name (but added a "1" after the first rollover).

My k100d is just shy of 70k and still functioning. Luck of the draw I suppose afaik it had no published manufacturer rating.

Though old and missing recent models, you might find this website interesting Camera Shutter Life Database

[pathdoc]

The numbers only go to 9999 so as soon as you go over 10 000 clicks + in-camera processings you start from 0001 again

Yes, I am well aware of that. However, I keep all but the absolute worst images and I don't shoot HDR very often, so within a reasonable margin of error, ten thousand is about right. If I'd bought it used with God only knows how many click-overs it would be a different matter, but even 11,000 or 12,000 would be far closer to 10,000 than it is to the claimed rated life of the shutter. And once again, in my own words and by my own acknowledgement:

IMGP9981 doesn't tell the full story

[THoog]

Ron had 118,000 on one of his K-5s three years ago, so even that 100K isn't a hard-and-fast number.

[pathdoc]

so even that 100K isn't a hard-and-fast number.

Neither is three-score years and ten.

[THoog]

Neither is three-score years and ten.

True, and quantity should not count as much as quality. When Mozart was my age, he'd been dead for more than decade!

[pathdoc]

Then allowing for the electronics not frying or other bad things not happening to it, I have PLENTY of time to think about a successor. If the worst happened before the FF comes out, I would probably be going with one of the K3's (K3-II is tempting, but I use the onboard flash too much around the house to feel happy doing without it and I neither need nor want the GPS).

[Pioneer]

Anywhere from 2 days to halfway to forever.

I have a *ist DL2 that is still chugging along in great shape and a couple of K10Ds that are used regularly (less so since I acquired my Q system) and show no signs of dying.

Whether or not this has any application to the K5 or not I don't know. But I suspect that they will hold up just as well.

For pros it certainly makes sense to begin looking for replacements or backups once your camera shutter cycles pass a certain point. In their case a new camera every year or two makes definite sense.

For the rest of us...lets just say this. I seriously doubt we exceed our camera's expected useful mechanical/electronic lifespan before we buy a new one.

[mike7fa]

I guess I have been lucky, as a user of many DSLR's since they were introduced I have only had one shutter/mirror failure and that was a two year old with 30k actuations. It's not something I consider in the grand scheme of things when out in the field, but I do carry an extra body (K10D or K5D-11) in case of an accident or loss.

[normhead]

I've already purchased a K-3 and relegated the K-5 to back up status. So it doesn't really matter. I've never had a digital camera fail ahead of my usual 3 year upgrade cycle.