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How long will a camera motor last?
- Thread starter jwolf6589
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Probably about 100k actuations is what it’s rated for. Maybe a little more or a little less.
It's a lot of shutter actuations, yes. Other cameras with mechanical shutters from Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc are generally warrantied for between 200k - 500k. Those are warranties are for professional bodies, of course.
Your camera was introduced in 2018, but it hasn't been discontinued yet, which is good news. Canon usually makes DSLR parts available to camera repair shops for 5 years after they discontinue a model. I don't know if they have the same policy for compact cameras, though. I have a feeling they don't, because point-and-shoots are less of an investment, and people are more likely to replace than repair, especially if the cost of a repair is a decent percentage of the cost of replacing a camera. Canon is in the business of selling things, not repairing them, after all.
That said, maybe you can find a repair shop that will fix the motor that pushes the lens out when you turn the camera on, if it stops working. Has that motor been giving you problems?
Posted my photo stats for my weekend trip in another thread. But out of 122 photos taken 100 were taken on Powershot.
I have had my Sony RX10 IV for several years and have used it extensively through that time -- several thousand images, actually. It has a power zoom which has to transport a fairly heavy lens, and it still works just as smoothly and responsively as the day I bought it. I am not at all concerned about something going wrong with it. If something does, I would simply go out and replace the camera with another of the same model or a newer model if one were available at that time.
On my Powershot, the first thing to fail was that little auto-opening/closing lens cover. Maybe the result of one of the many times it's hit the ground... And it had probably been turned on/off at least 5000 times by then (7500 photos taken, and I turn it on/off in between almost every photo). But even out of warranty Canon will repair it for a reasonable price.
I have never dropped mine in a year of usage. I don’t want to default to using a dumb phone that has a weaker battery, overheats, and lacks a 40X zoom.
I am worried by the time Powershot gives up the Ghost all P&S cameras will be gone. I hope this never happens. I will buy used if I have too. Don’t want to use a dumb phone that overheats in hot sunlight, lacks a 40X zoom, and has a weak battery.
The RX10 IV has been on the market for about four or five years now, I think, and there has been no mention from Sony about updating it and bringing out a new version, so it is likely that this is the end of the road for that particular model/camera, which is a bit more substantial -- larger and heavier -- than a pocketable P&S camera and offers more features and functionality. That said, though, I don't think that all P&S cameras will be biting the dust over the next several years, but at this point it is hard to guess how things will go.
That said, there is certainly a lot to commend the convenience of a smartphone camera, and yes, for many people these will eventually replace their P&S cameras if they have not already. Today I was in my local library, saw a really cool exhibit in their display case and because I liked what I was seeing and also knew that a friend would love this as well, I pulled my iPhone 12 Pro out of my purse and snapped off a few shots....because I could, because I had the iPhone with me. Was it something that would have propelled me to go home and grab one of my dedicated cameras and return to take some shots? No, but it was something fun to see and I had the means of right then and there capturing images on my iPhone.
Smartphone technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past several years and undoubtedly will continue to do so, but it still is not capable of capturing all of the types of scenes or in the same way that I can get with my dedicated cameras and more of the technology in a smartphone camera is around the whole AI thing and requires less knowledge and expertise on the part of the shooter in the first place than using a dedicated camera does.
If you are that concerned about the possibility of at some point something going wrong with your Powershoot, you might want to start setting aside some money now to save up to buy a second Powershoot even in advance of the potential demise of your current one.
That said, there is certainly a lot to commend the convenience of a smartphone camera, and yes, for many people these will eventually replace their P&S cameras if they have not already. Today I was in my local library, saw a really cool exhibit in their display case and because I liked what I was seeing and also knew that a friend would love this as well, I pulled my iPhone 12 Pro out of my purse and snapped off a few shots....because I could, because I had the iPhone with me. Was it something that would have propelled me to go home and grab one of my dedicated cameras and return to take some shots? No, but it was something fun to see and I had the means of right then and there capturing images on my iPhone.
Smartphone technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past several years and undoubtedly will continue to do so, but it still is not capable of capturing all of the types of scenes or in the same way that I can get with my dedicated cameras and more of the technology in a smartphone camera is around the whole AI thing and requires less knowledge and expertise on the part of the shooter in the first place than using a dedicated camera does.
If you are that concerned about the possibility of at some point something going wrong with your Powershoot, you might want to start setting aside some money now to save up to buy a second Powershoot even in advance of the potential demise of your current one.
I use my phone most of the time. But when I go on vacation I want a 57X zoom, a battery that lasts a long long time, and a device that wont overheat in the sun.
The thing to watch for - that was a concern on previous RX100 models I owned, was that as the camera was so “pocketable”, I maybe didn’t take enough care. It was a bit of a dust magnet for general pocket fuzz. Putting it in a pocket or a backpack, it will pickup dust, sand, detritus, fluff whatever over time. The one that is the least considered yet the most damaging is actually paper fibres and dust from receipts, notepads etc. Paper, while mundane can be lethal for a number of reasons.
As the lens motor pushes the front element out, it allows the dust to get on the side of the lens housing and that ends up inside the camera when you turn it off. Also, the lens moving causes air movement that can get dust inside the lens assembly.
Ultimately this can get in the motor workings, gum up the lubricant that makes it smooth and worse, on the sensor.
With a P&S, you cannot pop the lens off and give it a clean.
So, CAREFULLY I will say that again, CAREFULLY using your vacuum cleaner, periodically clean the front of the camera to keep it clean. You are not wanting to use enough suction to make pieces move but you want to get in the gaps.
Oh and never use a can of compressed air! The initial blast leaves some propellant and you dont want that in the camera.
My RX100 VII fits very nicely into a thin, soft microfibre pouch meant for sunglasses. I use that to protect the camera when carrying it in my purse or bag. I also use one of these pouches for my iPhone when I put it into my purse or pocket, too -- keeps it from getting scratched by anything else in the purse or pocket.
Same here for the RX100s though I use a pouch that came with a Peak Design item - cant remember which one. Problem is I scrunch it up and pocket it so it too collects dust.
I have it in 2 cases. One separate case that fits into my Camcorder case to carry both camers with me,
I try to remember to put the pouches back into a drawer when they are not being used rather than having them sit around in my purse or pocket or worse, out on a table somewhere -- the latter being an ideal place to collect dust!
Oh I won’t leave Powershot laying around. It goes back in its case which fits in Vixia larger case.
I know its a vastly different generation, but my PowerShot G2 still works exactly the same as the day I bought it almost 20 years and 20,000 pictures ago. I'll admit it hasn't seen very much use since 2009, but I let my 6-year-old daughter use it and occasionally bring it along when the DSLR is too big.
Vis-a-vis camera storage, I sometimes keep one camera (RX10 IV) out on a table to grab quickly so I can run out the deck if there is interesting bird action going on, but we haven't had much of that lately so now it is back in the cabinet with its brethren.
I only use those microfibre pouches when carrying either the small RX100 VII or my iPhone 12 Pro in my purse or bag. They are not cushioned in any way, they only protect the items from scratching and getting dusty. I do have several camera bags in various sizes and configurations that I use when needed, such as traveling or an afternoon photo excursion around my own area.
At home my cameras and lenses live in an armoire, which makes it quick and easy to select what I want to use at any given time. In the past I found that storing camera bodies and lenses in bags makes it all too easy to forget what one has, and I like opening the armoire door and seeing my options and being able to grab something quickly. Sometimes I'll start out shooting with one lens and then start thinking about different approaches with another lens so will grab that lens, swap it with the one on the camera and continue shooting.
I only use those microfibre pouches when carrying either the small RX100 VII or my iPhone 12 Pro in my purse or bag. They are not cushioned in any way, they only protect the items from scratching and getting dusty. I do have several camera bags in various sizes and configurations that I use when needed, such as traveling or an afternoon photo excursion around my own area.
At home my cameras and lenses live in an armoire, which makes it quick and easy to select what I want to use at any given time. In the past I found that storing camera bodies and lenses in bags makes it all too easy to forget what one has, and I like opening the armoire door and seeing my options and being able to grab something quickly. Sometimes I'll start out shooting with one lens and then start thinking about different approaches with another lens so will grab that lens, swap it with the one on the camera and continue shooting.
Really? I hope they are those old disposable cameras that I used to see in stores everywhere.