p.2 #1 · Realistically, How Long Could a Camera Body Last?
Shorter answer to “how long should a body last” — Likely to maintain physical functionality long enough that its technology seems dated, at least for many users.
p.2 #2 · Realistically, How Long Could a Camera Body Last?
I had two Sony A99's over a decade ago with close to 200K on each of the shutters. At that point, the buttons started to fail on both cameras. Fortunately, Sony has substantially improved their hardware and switch quality since that time.
One of the key failure points on many cameras is the memory slot push-lock mechanism and/or the contacts. If you download your files with a USB cable, you can extend the useful life of this mechanism.
If you shoot in the rain, it would be good to seal the flash mount (the stock cover does not do much). I use plastic rain bags to cover the camera and lens (why risk it?).
Should you shoot well over 250K shots, FP shutters are relatively inexpensive to replace in the event of failure. Nowadays, I think the Sony shutters are good for far more than 250K shots, so it is unlikely that will ever be a problem.
With a little care your A7R5 should last a very long time.
You are very fortunate to be seemingly immune to GAS!
p.2 #4 · Realistically, How Long Could a Camera Body Last?
mojoh wrote:
I'd start worrying when Sony no longer has parts for repairs.
You obliquely hit on the sorts of issues that eventually can make a difference.
If one is the sort of person who is content to shoot until the camera dies and then buy a new one, things like the availability of parts and reliability of the camera might not make a big difference, But if having a camera fail while shooting (perhaps after going to great expense to get to a location, etc.) there comes a point where the odds of a problem increase and you may want something more reliable.
It is a bit like owning a car. I don’t see any reason to replace a car with a new one every few years, but eventually issues crop up with less warning as things wear and the chances that you might get caught in a bad spot increase — so replacing a car that still functions OK might be a matter of reliability. Same with cameras.
