A Eulogy: After Fifteen years and three months...

[DocsMachine]

Minor update: Left it without either the main battery or the coin battery (which was, up 'til now, original!) for... well, I'd meant for a couple of days, but turned out it was over a month.

I'd picked up a new coin battery, and somebody had suggested that leaving it all off would basically reset the software (if it turned out to be glitchy software.) Needed to clean off the desk this morning, so I went ahead and tried it. Nope, shutter still won't fully actuate, and gives the same "Err99" message.

Pulled the batteries- which is a shame, the original rechargeable still works for weeks at a time!- and found it a place of honor up on a shelf. Kind of a pity, but she gave me service well over and above the design expectency. I sure can't complain.

Doc.

[Falcon16]

Been using my 50D for nearly 7 years, second owner and got it with 18K on the counter. First thing I did was put Magic Lantern on it to get all sorts of neat features, including raw video ( though it can't record sound but I can use an external source and sync it later) I'll have to pull it out and check the counter but I want to say I'm at 50-60K and I run a 16GB CF card in it that also was in my old Rebel XTi. I've got the battery grip, 4 batteries, a 430ex and numerous lenses. if I can get the same life out of this as you got out of yours I'll have it for another probably 10 years as I use it for portraits, airshows, vacations etc.

[DocsMachine]

Er, I mentioned I'd already picked up a lightly-used T5i to replace it- two years ago.

I also have a 1D. I had a 1dMkIIn that I bought the year after I picked up the XT, but last year, I gave that to an MCB'er for a sort of one-off Secret Santa. I replaced that with a lightly-used 1Dx.

The only reason I'd put any money into fixing this XT is simply to revive an old soldier. Maybe see how long I can keep it going. But really, I don't "need" it anymore, and it's well earned it's rest.

Doc.

[chrislognshot]

it will be cheaper to buy one then fix it. since Amazon $60 dollars not worth time to canon and your better off get 70D since have then lenses. and better option for wifi and new stuff for low lighting

[SignOfZeta]

I just checked the metadata from the most recent shot from by D3200 (because its not "pro" this can't be viewable on the camera anywhere yet it logs it internally) and it says 26,162. You take a lot of pictures, man! This was a new body in 2012 and during that time I had a kid and went to a ton of races. When it dies I plan to...find the closet thing to it and go right back to shooting. I've grown very used to this tool and I don't want to change anything.

Mirrorless...the point/appeal is totally lost on me. Whats it for again? So people who learned to take pictures on a phone can feel more comfortable? I've had people borrow my camera and insist on using it in Live View mode and holding the thing two feet away from them...and then try to zoom with buttons...is it for those people? I see the base camera can be small but the ones I was looking at needed flash added on to them even so by the time you have the capabilities of cheap SLR+kit lens you have something the same size or larger...so I don't get it. I can't bleeping stand touch screens though and I vastly prefer a view finder. If I were into video I can totally see the appeal since from my experience SLRs are only good for video if you shoot like a pro cinematographer (blocking, lighting etc) and totally stink at any sort of challenge related to motion or crazy lighting, things that phones and such are totally geared toward (Girls Gone Wild, etc). If I were a journalist getting stuff thrown at me all day maybe I'd be interested in mirrorless.

[chrislognshot]

if looking for upgrade got 80D or new canon mirrorless body's not sure on which mirrorless body but 80D or 90D is next step up for camera.

[XEMON]

Reminds me of my 20D, it still has the magnesium body ... heavy as hell and also 8MP ...
It has not seen much used the last few years (life have been kicking my ass teh last few years).

I have an old camera collection (~50 here and same back in France), It would definitely have a spot on such a shelf

[foughtwolf]

The answer is clearly to strip it out, add a short barrel and figure out how to make it shoot paint at unsuspecting players.

[lew]

Thank it for its service, put a bullet in it, and move on.

[ford]

I bought my Nikon D80 around the same time (give or take a year) you picked up your Rebel. It has held up really well for me and my needs. Though it sounds like you've taken 10 times the shots I have over that time.

[DocsMachine]

Did you see if Canon would service it?

-Haven't had time. Not sure I want to incur the cost, either, as I could see it easily being a $300 repair. (I've had Canons fixed before. )

I can get a lightly-used XT off eBay for less than fifty bucks if I wanted another. And as I said, I have a newer T5i that I bought specifically to replace it, so barring the proverbial wild hare, I suspect that I'll retire this one to a display piece. It's served me admirably, and deserves a rest.

Doc.

[SignOfZeta]

Did you see if Canon would service it?

[fullofpaint]

Shoot it, use it, don't worry about it.

haha, oh that's actually supposed to be 180K. It was my workhorse all through college and first few years of freelancing. Still runs like a charm, mostly just amazed it really hasn't had any issues with everything I've put it through.

[DocsMachine]

Man, I was just thinking about how much longer my 5Dmk2 is gonna last. Last I checked I was around 80K actuations, still runs like a champ though other than a cracked screen from a dumb PA dropping my camera bag onto concrete.

-The 5D shutter is warranted to 100K actuations. The old 1D stuff was warranted to 100K as well, though I think the newer high-ends are now warranted to like 150K (not 100% sure, but rumor has it.) Personally, I'd be surprised if you don't get 150K at least of a relatively recent 5D. Keep in mind this XT was something like five years older, and a cheap "consumer" grade, as opposed to the more "prosumer" 5D.

Shoot it, use it, don't worry about it.

Doc.

[glaman5266]

It’s going to be a sad day when my truck dies. I’ve had it for 12 years now & it’s basically become a part of me. It’s been one of the few never-changing constants in my life. It’s got (in theory) a ton of life left but it will be sad when I finally have to move on. Hopefully I get another 10 years out of it, because I plan on running it into the ground.