Shutter Actuation

[qtpie36963]

I'm no newbie to photography, but I just heard about a thing called shutter actuation. This is something my photography teachers have never mentioned before. Is this just something with Digital?

Am I to understand that there is a maximum number of pictures my Nikon D40 will take? Can someone explain this all to me?

Thanks!

 

[robbieduncan]

A shutter actuation is simply clear English: it's an operation of the shutter. So each time you press the shutter release button that's one shutter actuation.

All manufacturers rate their cameras in terms of expected shutter actuations. This is the number of actuations they expect the shutter to be able to sustain without breaking and needing servicing. This does not mean that your camera will die the instant you hit this number: most will last longer. In addition it doesn't mean that when it "breaks" it can't be fixed, but it might not be economically viable to fix it...

 

[66217]

Every camera has a limited life-time, the shutter would eventually fail. I have read a D200 would have an average life of 200,000, the D40, if I am not mistaken, has around 50,000.

 

[qtpie36963]

Every camera has a limited life-time, the shutter would eventually fail. I have read a D200 would have an average life of 200,000, the D40, if I am not mistaken, has around 50,000.

I also read someone about the D40 being around 50,000. Thanks!