Shutter count for pre-owned body

Beav · 23 Apr 2020

Hi guys,

i'm looking for a Canon 6D mki pre-owned. I've noticed you can get excellent condition ones for £520 (with a warranty) and good condition for £450 ish. Tempted just to pay the extra and get an excellent one as my current 60D is in great condition with only 15k shutter count. Ile be a bit dissapointed to part ex it and get yes an upgrade 6D but marks all over it etc and cosmetically worse.

What shutter count would you recommend to try and stay below in terms of a pre-owned Canon 6D? There are a few 10-20k, quite a few 30-60k and then some are 90K plus but ile definitley avoid those.

Thanks,
Beav

toohuge · 23 Apr 2020

What would the benefit of spending the extra on an excellent condition example bring?

I'd go for one in good condition - with used, you never know the life of the camera - it's a risk, but you get a solid warranty, especially if you buy with WEX for example.

As for shutter count... there's not real magic number, but if you're against 90k plus, I would usually go for the example with the lowest number in the condition bracket you are happy with.

Beav · 23 Apr 2020

toohuge said:
What would the benefit of spending the extra on an excellent condition example bring?

I'd go for one in good condition - with used, you never know the life of the camera - it's a risk, but you get a solid warranty, especially if you buy with WEX for example.

As for shutter count... there's not real magic number, but if you're against 90k plus, I would usually go for the example with the lowest number in the condition bracket you are happy with.

Might be right there. I'm on MPB. Just looked at excellent condition and even some of those have small scratches over the top LCD and the base of the camera. Suppose if i get one with a few marks already on it I won't be worried about using it too much

Ile probably look foor 20-30k shutter count if I can.

Just wondered if theres a certain shutter count you reach then it needs a service etc?

toohuge · 23 Apr 2020

Beav said:
Might be right there. I'm on MPB. Just looked at excellent condition and even some of those have small scratches over the top LCD and the base of the camera. Suppose if i get one with a few marks already on it I won't be worried about using it too much Ile probably look foor 20-30k shutter count if I can.

Just wondered if theres a certain shutter count you reach then it needs a service etc?

The shutter count service question could break the internet!

Here's my take on camera servicing.... I don't service cameras till there's a problem.... Some heavy shooters will get cameras serviced and on a pro body, I'd consider 300k a good time to look at servicing and certainly 500k as there's a lot moving around. Plus - you have to remember, that a lot of the guys that are servicing bodies on a semi regular basis earn their living from these - so it makes sense to keep things up to spec. Furthermore, both Canon and Nikon have professional service offerings to assist in this process with faster turn arounds etc.

If you aren't earning your living from photography, I can't see a reason to have a camera serviced until something goes wrong...
Canon suggest that the shutter life on the 6D is 100k ... that seems a little low in my opinion, but the 6D is a non-pro body so seems fair. That's not saying that the camera is bust after 100k, but that's a good sign to get things serviced / if the shutter failed no one would be too surprised. Manufacturers shutter ratings are interesting, Nikon & Canon rate their pro bodies up in the 3-400k range and I know of loads that have flown through that - some close to a million without issues, others failing at under 100k or even less - it's a gamble and no one knows.

I think a 20-30k would be fine.

When purchasing second hand, I rarely go for anything in decent condition as most of my stuff gets pretty beat up, so I'd be wasting money as the used value would be plummeting each time the camera got scratched etc.