How long is Canon going to support your camera?

[Sporgon]

An official Canon CPS repair centre - H Lehmann - just repaired my EOS 1n. The electro magnet that controls the mirror had failed but Lehmann were still able to fit a new one. That camera ceased production in 2000. They were also able to full service it including shutter calibration. So I have no worries over my 5DS cameras in the future !

 

[Sporgon]

5Ds R was released in 2015 and scheduled to end 2027... another body that will be supported for a dozen years.

It should be ten years from when the camera is officially discontinued. You could still buy a new 5DSr in 2021, so six years is surprisingly poor on Canon’s part IMO. However, as I said in an earlier post, third party’s will be able to repair for years after that, assuming they stay in business, which is certainly not a given judging by todays climate.

 

[SwissFrank]

Cameras improve all the time, so I'm unlikely to hold onto an older model for long

Well, this still affects your sale price. I agree I will probably continue to trade up, but if the camera is unsupported when I sell it, people would be stupid to pay as much as if it were supported.

That said, support isn't that important. I've shot for several years professionally and several decades as just an amateur, and I've never had to take a camera in for repairs, and if there is never another firmware update that's probably fine. On the other hand I HAVE had to get several lenses repaired, but I think there are enough lenses parted out that independent repair shops can obtain used parts forever.

 

[SwissFrank]

Was there any need for the 135TS?

Personally I wanted one to shoot butterflies: both macro and tilt helps get the wing in focus.

 

[masterpix]

One of the concerns people have when purchasing used cameras is how long will Canon support the product with repairs? This is a very valid concern and Canon has updated their list of cameras and how long they will officially support them. If you’re looking for a great deal on the Canon EOS R for

See full article...

I must say that Canon cameras last much longer than the "support time" and when someone makes a decision regarding which camera to buy should give this factor a lesser importance.

 

[EricN]

Personally I wanted one to shoot butterflies: both macro and tilt helps get the wing in focus.

How difficult is it to adjust the tilt fast enough?

 

[entoman]

Well, this still affects your sale price. I agree I will probably continue to trade up, but if the camera is unsupported when I sell it, people would be stupid to pay as much as if it were supported.

That said, support isn't that important. I've shot for several years professionally and several decades as just an amateur, and I've never had to take a camera in for repairs, and if there is never another firmware update that's probably fine. On the other hand I HAVE had to get several lenses repaired, but I think there are enough lenses parted out that independent repair shops can obtain used parts forever.

I'm probably unusual, but that doesn't really affect me - after 5-6 years my cameras are so battle-worn that they're pretty much unsellable, so I either keep them as emergency backups, or pass them on to a novice to play with, or sell them on eBay for spares.

I've only had to get a camera repaired once in 50 or more years of shooting (when I bent the contacts in the CF slot on a 7D). Likewise I've only had to get a lens repaired once - an EF24-105mm F4L which needed the entire middle lens group module replacing due to the aperture controller failing. It was rather annoying as I'd hardly used the lens. It was only a month beyond the Canon warranty period, but Canon (UK) refused to fix it free of charge.

The above experiences are part of the reason why I no longer buy gear from the UK Canon distributors. Why pay approx 30% extra for a 1 year warranty that is virtually worthless, when I can get a free 3 year parts and labour warranty and a huge saving on purchase price, by buying grey?

 

[entoman]

At 2 decades old... wouldn't you want to buy a RF body?

I typically upgrade bodies every 3 years, but retain at least one older body for about 5 years as an emergency backup. Currently I have an R5 and a very battered 5DMkiv. Both were purchased about 6 months after their launch dates. I don't anticipate upgrading from the R5, as I don't think the (assumed) benefits of an "R5 Mkii" would justify the expense.

Most likely, I'll wait until the R5 Mkii is announced, by which time the price of the original R5 will drop massively, so I'll then get another R5 and use the current one as a backup/second body.

 

[rbr]

Most older cameras can be replaced relatively inexpensively, probably for less than the repair would have cost. A bigger issue is the repairable lifespan of some of the big white telephotos that are both expensive to repair and replace. IS units and focusing motors that no loger function can render them useless.

 

[dolina]

It should be ten years from when the camera is officially discontinued. You could still buy a new 5DSr in 2021, so six years is surprisingly poor on Canon’s part IMO. However, as I said in an earlier post, third party’s will be able to repair for years after that, assuming they stay in business, which is certainly not a given judging by todays climate.

Given that its last year of sales it sold for a fraction of its 1st year MSRP then the shorter parts availability cycle is somewhat OK

If it was still at original MSRP then I'd really complain.

 

[dolina]

I typically upgrade bodies every 3 years, but retain at least one older body for about 5 years as an emergency backup. Currently I have an R5 and a very battered 5DMkiv. Both were purchased about 6 months after their launch dates. I don't anticipate upgrading from the R5, as I don't think the (assumed) benefits of an "R5 Mkii" would justify the expense.

Most likely, I'll wait until the R5 Mkii is announced, by which time the price of the original R5 will drop massively, so I'll then get another R5 and use the current one as a backup/second body.

If it becomes too difficult/expensive to repaid after a decade's use I'd just buy a the current 5-Series RF body.

 

[entoman]

If it becomes too difficult/expensive to repaid after a decade's use I'd just buy a the current 5-Series RF body.

Yeah, the R5 isn't perfect, but it does almost everything I want/need, and I'd happily buy another one if/when mine expires. I'll be very interested to see the specs of the eventual replacement, but it would take a major sensor upgrade to convince me that I'd gain enough to make a "R5 Mkii" worthwhile. There's very little to complain about regarding R5 image quality, but a bump to 90MP with no loss of image quality *might* convince me to upgrade eventually.

 

[hachu21]

Long term support for repair is ok.
Yet, a lot of thoses cameras have been quietly wrote off from image.canon support list. My M6 inclueded.
No more camera to phone and pc seamless sync.

 

[SnowMiku]

6D: September 2025, that's a pretty good support period.
90D: Undecided, I guess they will support the 90D for 3 years or so after they stop making them.
It's interesting to see that most EF-M lenses are undecided.
EF 70-300 4-5.6L IS USM: November 2027, I wish this one got a longer period of time, I know it got released in 2010 but I've only had mine for a few years.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Although Canons CPS is very fast and quick, it is rather expensive and seems to be "looking for things to repair"...
I recently used CPS service for my EOS R (cleaning the sensor/ EVF/ screen and some parts) and a repair on the RF 24-105mm F4. The work done on the R was fine, EVF feels like it is brand new. For the RF 24-105mm, Canon stated that one lens element had to be adjusted and therefore they would have to renew the entire zoom ring as well. It cost 380 € just to get the lens fixed. The lens had issues but I thought an AF adjustment should´ve done the trick (That would have only cost something like 75 €).
After the repair, which I had eventually done, I talked to a Canon sales person in a nearby photo store. He actually told me, that there is no need need for replacing the zoom ring when adjusting a lens element. Furthermore, he basically confirmed that if "you send a lens to CPS they'll always find something that needs a repair." That's also the reason why he doesn't send his Canon gear to CPS anymore...
In addition to CPS now turning into a "paid membership" I definitely won't go there anymore.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Canon and other companies should not only state how long they'll support repairs and parts, they should also commit to how long they actively develop and publish firmware updates for each camera body. I'm happy for all R5 users that three years after release they still get updates, but I'm also kind of pissed the EOS R got updates for barely two years after it started to sell. Especially, since there are/ were several things to improve...

 

[entoman]

Canon and other companies should not only state how long they'll support repairs and parts, they should also commit to how long they actively develop and publish firmware updates for each camera body. I'm happy for all R5 users that three years after release they still get updates, but I'm also kind of pissed the EOS R got updates for barely two years after it started to sell. Especially, since there are/ were several things to improve...

I sympathise, but it would be difficult for Canon to state in advance how long they will provide firmware updates, because they won't be aware in advance of how many bugs will need to be fixed or how long it will take to fix them.

If you're talking about new "features" or enhancements, Canon won't know more than about 3 years in advance what new models they'll launch, or what technology will be available, and they have to consider whether adding features to an existing model will cannibalise sales of future models.

My own view is that camera companies should provide *bug fixes* for at least 2 years after a model is discontinued (because retailers will still be selling off stock of new bodies). But they are under no obligation to provide *any* enhancements or new features after the initial launch date - although clearly to remain competitive they must do so.

 

[tomytom]

Useless. I was looking to buy a 2nd hand EOS R for hobby photos, but given the lack of 3rd party affordable lens options, I will go to Sony A7III.
Unbelievably dumb decision by Canon to push people away from their system. And then they wonder why Sony gains market share )

 

[neuroanatomist]

Unbelievably dumb decision by Canon to push people away from their system. And then they wonder why Sony gains market share )

Sure, sure. That explains why in 2022 Canon took away the #1 ranking for domestic (for them, i.e., Japan) mirrorless camera sales that Sony had held for many years.

But thanks for signing up here today just to tell us about your decision. Don’t let the door hit you on the posterior on your way out to the magical place that is Sonyland.

 

[SwissFrank]

How difficult is it to adjust the tilt fast enough?

I would put it like this: just guess, and you will probably be far superior to not tilting.

Personally, I'd shoot at f/16 or something with the 90mm/2.8 and the EF2x. and a 250D or 500D closeup "filter" lens. I'd choose a tilt, then manuver the camera until it seemed to maximize sharpness in the viewfinder at f/2.8. Granted I couldn't see fanstastically well how focused it was, but since the actual photo was stopped down 5 stops more, if it looked OK in the viewfinder it'd be good in the image.

I generally shot macro that way: adjust the camera, then move back and forth until I nailed the focus, so you could say I handled tilt the same. If it is really to near/too far/too tilted/not tilted enough, then I'd adjust a bit and try again.

There's also a "hinge principle" that worked on old view cameras and I kind of mentally picture in my head to estimate what will work: Picture the plane the film is located on extending infinitely in all directions. Then picture the plane of the tilted image, interesecting with the first plane along a line. You adjust your lens so a plane going through the lens's front element also has to intersect the other two planes along the same line. To picture this, open a hardcover book on your desk about 45 degrees and stand it vertically. The back cover nearest you has the film mounted on it. The front cover is the plane of focus. Some page in the middle of the book has the lens going through it. Now I don't know exactly whether the lens plane is meant to be the front element or middle element or what, but, if I just use this as a quick rule of thumb for my first guess, it's often something I can work with.