Life expectancy of mirrorless cameras (Z8 , Z9)

[RichF]

Working lifespan may out last the your willingness to work with an outdated camera. Hard to imagine that a Z 9 or Z 8 would be obsolete but in 5 or 10 years, the Z 9 iii or iv may make the camera less desirable.

The real answer to your questions, is that the camera will probably outlast you willingness to use it

 

[MartyD]

I hope I never have to use a digital camera until I wear it out!

 

[John Navitsky]

Working lifespan may out last the your willingness to work with an outdated camera. Hard to imagine that a Z 9 or Z 8 would be obsolete but in 5 or 10 years, the Z 9 iii or iv may make the camera less desirable.

The real answer to your questions, is that the camera will probably outlast you willingness to use it

right. it's not necessarily that the camera won't work. but you likely will have a much better camera.

in 10 years the z9 will be of similar vintage as the d4 is today. are people still using the d4? sure. have most of the people who had d4s upgraded? yah, probably.

 

[John Navitsky]

remember there are still lots of mechanical parts on the z9 like the buttons and knobs. the battery/card contacts wear.

i've had grime get into my z9 buttons already.

nikon is only going to have spare parts for a given model for a so long. folks have already posted here about gear nikon couldn't repair due to lack of spare parts.

so some of it is going to be how hard you use it. if you put in on the shelf it may last a long, long, long time. you use it hard, you're going to have things wear out.

but, i'd rather mine wear out and have a million pictures to show for it.

 

[bleirer]

Who says cameras last 10 years?

 

[Nimi]

Case in point, some clients request analog. I use an F5 (ca '97) and an Olympus 35 SP (ca '70, my dad's old camera). Obsolescence is defined by use-case, not features of existing technologies.

 

[John Navitsky]

Who says cameras last 10 years?

i’ve seen people post about how they’re still using their d3 bodies or d90 and similar. so certainly they can. but most people have moved on

 

[RichF]

right. it's not necessarily that the camera won't work. but you likely will have a much better camera.

in 10 years the z9 will be of similar vintage as the d4 is today. are people still using the d4? sure. have most of the people who had d4s upgraded? yah, probably.

I get bored with my old toys. I want shiny new ones.

 

[BlackRockArt]

Thats a sensitive topic...

Look at Apple - you may sit with a perfectly good 2016 Macbookpro - but sorry - the new PS wont run on it as you can't update to the latest OS
(I think only 2017 models can still update)

Is there something coming to screw us with ML too?

Winston,

Don't give up, you can still update to the later version of MacOS manually.

I even updated a 2014 Mac Air to Big Sur, it's a little hassle, I had to make a bootable USB disk.

Oliver

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

Winston,

Don't give up, you can still update to the later version of MacOS manually.

I even updated a 2014 Mac Air to Big Sur, it's a little hassle, I had to make a bootable USB disk.

Oliver

Thank you for that info!

 

[Len Shepherd]

Winston,

Don't give up, you can still update to the later version of MacOS manually.

I even updated a 2014 Mac Air to Big Sur, it's a little hassle, I had to make a bootable USB disk.

Oliver

Can you send a private message - or post how to do this?

I have a 12 year old MacBook Pro - on Catalina 10.15.7 - currently reserved as an emergency back-up machine

 

[BlackRockArt]

Can you send a private message - or post how to do this?

I have a 12 year old MacBook Pro - on Catalina 10.15.7 - currently reserved as an emergency back-up machine

Hi Len

I don't know about MacBook Pro, so my experience only worked on MacBook Air, the early 2014 version.

Here is how I did it:

1 ) Back up your files, programs, and Apple ID, if there is any recovery information, write it down.

2 ) Download MacOS image files, there are plenty of those around on the Internet,

3 ) Put the file on a USB drive,

4 ) Boot from the USB drive, do a clean install.

NOTE: if you need to download files, best to run it from ethernet, the Macbook WiFi is just slow.

Oliver

 

[BillNaiman]

Eric wrote "Cameras are computers that accept lens attachments".

I completely agree. While some functions in the Z8/Z9, no doubt are enabled by specialized chipware (e.g. hardware), the ability to update firmware is becoming more and more enabling than for previous DSLR bodies. Just consider some of the features offered by versions 3 and 4 of the Z9 firmware. In certain respects, its like we all just received a new body with new features. I believe more new features will be given to us and some performance improvements will also arrive courtesy of on-going optimization of the complex algorithms that are required for so many of the features that make the Z8/Z9 the great cameras that they are.

 

[Tony_B]

Firstly, what a great forum this is. Good subject matter and intelligent feedback.
Now to my input. Most enthusiast level mirrorless cameras (to my knowledge) have a mechanical shutter, usually as a default setting, with an electronic shutter for times when the mechanical shutter is not appropriate. Consequently, the shutter count and all discussions re a shutter count become important for (most) mirrorless cameras. There are serious disadvantages with the electronic shutter (see https://www.canon-europe.com/pro/infobank/electronic-vs-mechanical-shutter/). For reasons given in that comparison, I am somewhat surprised that the Nikon Z9 does not have a mechanical shutter. Perhaps their technology has overcome the inherent problems of electronic shutters. If anyone can explain this I would be happy to know.
Perhaps it is obvious in hindsight, but with my camera (Fuji X-T4) and probably others, electronic shutter actuations do not record as 'shutter' actuations. It follows, that a low shutter count s/h camera may disguise the possibility that the camera has had a great deal of life/abuse if the electronic shutter has had extensive use instead of the default mechanical shutter. So, treat shutter count with caution.

 

[bleirer]

Firstly, what a great forum this is. Good subject matter and intelligent feedback.
Now to my input. Most enthusiast level mirrorless cameras (to my knowledge) have a mechanical shutter, usually as a default setting, with an electronic shutter for times when the mechanical shutter is not appropriate. Consequently, the shutter count and all discussions re a shutter count become important for (most) mirrorless cameras. There are serious disadvantages with the electronic shutter (see https://www.canon-europe.com/pro/infobank/electronic-vs-mechanical-shutter/). For reasons given in that comparison, I am somewhat surprised that the Nikon Z9 does not have a mechanical shutter. Perhaps their technology has overcome the inherent problems of electronic shutters. If anyone can explain this I would be happy to know.
Perhaps it is obvious in hindsight, but with my camera (Fuji X-T4) and probably others, electronic shutter actuations do not record as 'shutter' actuations. It follows, that a low shutter count s/h camera may disguise the possibility that the camera has had a great deal of life/abuse if the electronic shutter has had extensive use instead of the default mechanical shutter. So, treat shutter count with caution.

The Z9 and Z8 don't have rolling shutter which is the reason given for sometimes needing a mechanical shutter. The readout is fast enough. Cool system I think. I'm waiting for Canon to follow suit. They also have mechanical and fully electronic and first curtain electronic. Really only the R3 is fast enough for full electronic in all situations,

 

[Tony_B]

The Z9 and Z8 don't have rolling shutter which is the reason given for sometimes needing a mechanical shutter. The readout is fast enough. Cool system I think. I'm waiting for Canon to follow suit. They also have mechanical and fully electronic and first curtain electronic. Really only the R3 is fast enough for full electronic in all situations,

Quote:
The Z9 and Z8 don't have rolling shutter which is the reason given for sometimes needing a mechanical shutter. The readout is fast enough.

Not being familiar with the latest Nikons, and out of curiosity, I have looked into this further. This video demonstrates that you can see rolling shutter effects, but only at exceptional shutter speeds: https://youtu.be/wIfg6sXGmHs
I am seriously impressed.

 

[John Navitsky]

basically any camera that uses a stacked sensor such as the sony a1, a9, canon r3 will share this attribute with the nikon z8 and z9.

 

[Nimi]

The Z9 and Z8 don't have rolling shutter which is the reason given for sometimes needing a mechanical shutter. The readout is fast enough. Cool system I think. I'm waiting for Canon to follow suit. They also have mechanical and fully electronic and first curtain electronic. Really only the R3 is fast enough for full electronic in all situations,

Canon is releasing some new BSI sensors = fast readout = no rolling shutter. Once there is a cheap global shutter, the mechanical shutter is gone.

 

[bleirer]

Canon is releasing some new BSI sensors = fast readout = no rolling shutter. Once there is a cheap global shutter, the mechanical shutter is gone.

Have they announced something?

 

[Nimi]

Have they announced something?

Three new stacked sensor cameras coming from Canon [CR2]

The Canon EOS R3 was the first camera produced by Canon to come with a Canon manufactured stacked image sensor. This was a much needed advancement from Canon to

www.canonrumors.com

 

[John Navitsky]

there are advantages to being last

 

[Ken Miracle]

Thats a sensitive topic...

Look at Apple - you may sit with a perfectly good 2016 Macbookpro - but sorry - the new PS wont run on it as you can't update to the latest OS
(I think only 2017 models can still update)

Is there something coming to screw us with ML too?

I resemble that remark ... I do not use this one for photography editing, cataloging etc. that is a mac studio ... but this 2016 macbook pro works great, has a new battery/keyboard installed, for many thing. It can not be updated to the newest operating system. But it may run with it for years until apple stops keeping the old OS updated to be okay with safari etc. etc.

 

[Ken Miracle]

Quote:
The Z9 and Z8 don't have rolling shutter which is the reason given for sometimes needing a mechanical shutter. The readout is fast enough.

Not being familiar with the latest Nikons, and out of curiosity, I have looked into this further. This video demonstrates that you can see rolling shutter effects, but only at exceptional shutter speeds: https://youtu.be/wIfg6sXGmHs
I am seriously impressed.

I have never seen rolling shutter on my Z9's and I frequently shoot at very high speeds I did see it once on my Z6II that I had and have seen it on friends other brand mirrorless that do not have the stacked sensors etc. to allow for the fast refresh rates, Z9 120fps, Sony A1 etc.. My big issue with electronic shutter was lag (slide show effect) when shooting birds in flight. With my wifes Z50 and Z7II what I am seeing in the viewfinder has already happened and the bird is further along it's flight path. Why I did not go mirrorless all the way until the Z9 came along.

 

[billklipp]

Without moving parts the theoretical life span should be infinite, but ... The batteries have a finite number of discharge/charge cycles they can withstand and replacements may become unavailable. Dust and moisture eventually work their way in irrespective of how well sealed the body. There are always hidden manufacturing defects in individual items that shortens their life.

Certainly not infinite just because of some fewer mechanical parts. For example electronic screen are surely not infinite nor at are buttons and other parts

 

[macwalter]

Thats a sensitive topic...

Look at Apple - you may sit with a perfectly good 2016 Macbookpro - but sorry - the new PS wont run on it as you can't update to the latest OS
(I think only 2017 models can still update)

Is there something coming to screw us with ML too?

Actually you can. You can update to the previous Mac OS and still run latest Adobe. I have a 2016 MacBook Pro and did this for travel.