# Sensor life



## sanj (Dec 14, 2014)

Hello.
Is there something like 'sensor hours' before it goes bad? After a certain amount of clicks the shutter mechanism needs to be replaced but how about sensor? 
Before video I am not sure if this mattered but now with so much video being shot on DSLR does the sensor go bad after a certain usage?
thx for any input!


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## takesome1 (Dec 14, 2014)

sanj said:


> Hello.
> Is there something like 'sensor hours' before it goes bad? After a certain amount of clicks the shutter mechanism needs to be replaced but how about sensor?
> Before video I am not sure if this mattered but now with so much video being shot on DSLR does the sensor go bad after a certain usage?
> thx for any input!



About five minutes of life pointed toward the sun at high noon in video mode would be my estimate.

I would be interested to know also, but I bet it depends quite a bit on the conditions you are shooting in.


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## ajfotofilmagem (Dec 14, 2014)

In normal use, should last for several years. But exposed to sunlight during live view generates overheating, which can denificar the sensor. The film also deteriorated with high temperatures, but you bought a new one after another 36 photos. :

Beware of lasers pointing directly at the camera lens, video mode. A powerful laser can burn a pixel row in a fraction of second.


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## rfdesigner (Dec 14, 2014)

sanj said:


> Hello.
> Is there something like 'sensor hours' before it goes bad? After a certain amount of clicks the shutter mechanism needs to be replaced but how about sensor?
> Before video I am not sure if this mattered but now with so much video being shot on DSLR does the sensor go bad after a certain usage?
> thx for any input!



Yes.. but not in a meaningful sense.

What you're talking about in silicon are processes like "electromigration", modern IC deisgn follows processes to mitigate this to an extent that it just doesn't happen.

Outside of silicon you have problems with solder aging, I've seen a fair few circuits die as the solder crumbles.

Either of these will eventually kill a camera. However the golden rule with ALL electronics is keep it cool and clean. Don't mount your TV over the fire, don't let a Hi-Fi get full of dust (dust is an insulator, so lets chips get hotter than designed) 100C is the key temperature, if the silicon itself operates beyond 100C for any length of time then lifetime halves for every 10C above that, I'm not aware of sensors getting anthing like that hot.

If your kit is kept cool and clean it should last a VERY long time.. I'm thinking at least a couple of decades, possibly much more.

Frankly your camera is massively more likely to die from shutter failure, damage from dropping, or fungus. To avoid fungus look up museum artifact protection. basically, keeping humidity below 50% RH, and at an even temperature, room temperature is fine.

So don't store your camera in your car, or in a damp cupboard.


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## sulla (Dec 14, 2014)

Sensor life is not limited per se. Taking photos or video does not wear the sensor. Taking video over a long period of time warms up the whole electronics, but unless the electronic warms up so much as to damage it, there will be no harm. (Note that the cinema-EOS have improved electronic cooling, my guess is: not without a purpose).

Pointing the sensor to the sun (especially through a powerful tele-lens) or lasers, however, can damage it, but this is no "wear", it will burn the sensor within seconds. I think Biran at the-digital-image has burnt some plastic parts just beside the sensor of an EOS1 by acidentally pointing a EF 800 towards the sun, but the sensor remained intact...


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 15, 2014)

Yes, sensors have a life, but its not measured in exposures, but over time, the sensor deteriorates. You start to see more noise and stuck pixels. Its nothing to worry about, some of the 20 year old sensors still work, but they do have more visible noise and stuck pixels.

As sensor manufacturing technology has continued to improve, I would not be concerned with sensor life at all. The shutter will die and the camera value be reduced to near zero long before a sensor wears out. Current sensors may be good for 50 years or more, imho.


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## Ryan85 (Dec 15, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Yes, sensors have a life, but its not measured in exposures, but over time, the sensor deteriorates. You start to see more noise and stuck pixels. Its nothing to worry about, some of the 20 year old sensors still work, but they do have more visible noise and stuck pixels.
> 
> As sensor manufacturing technology has continued to improve, I would not be concerned with sensor life at all. The shutter will die and the camera value be reduced to near zero long before a sensor wears out. Current sensors may be good for 50 years or more, imho.



+1


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## sanj (Dec 15, 2014)

Thank you everyone.


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## Aglet (Dec 15, 2014)

I've heard that (older) outdoor security cameras can suffer from fading color response, likely due to the CFA aging/fading. not likely to be an issue with DSLRs and even mirrorless types are likely to be lost or otherwise broken down before suffering from CFA fading.


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## sagittariansrock (Dec 15, 2014)

In my lab, there are CCD cameras that have been kept on day and night for the last six years, with no visible deterioration in IQ (admittedly, they aren't HD SLRs). The light is pretty dim though...
BTW, in case anyone is curious, the brand is Sony


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## Hillsilly (Dec 15, 2014)

sanj said:


> Is there something like 'sensor hours' before it goes bad?


Why assume they will go bad? Maybe we'll discover that sensors get better with age? Perhaps in 100 years time artists will covet the sensors from the early 2000's for their colour shifts, dead pixels, CFA fading, sun damage, laser damage, accumulated background radiation exposure etc etc? All of these should give each sensor a unique signature that sets it apart from the mainstream, making them very valuable. In fact, I'm going to start stocking up now.


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## justaCanonuser (Dec 15, 2014)

Some Leica users have trouble with corroding sensor glasses in their cameras, but that's a special quality issue of a series of Kodak CCD sensors: 

http://en.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/Leica-News/About-Leica-News/Global/Important-Information-Concerning-the-CCD-Sensors

I guess as long as you don't abuse your camera and burn pixels as described by others in this thread, the sensor will survive the full life cycle of your camera. Even the sensor in my wife's old Nikon D300 still worked flawless when the camera was mechanically falling into its pieces at about 90.000 shutter actuations (my 7D with about the same age and use still works nicely, of course including its sensor  ).


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## weixing (Dec 15, 2014)

Hi,


Hillsilly said:


> sanj said:
> 
> 
> > Is there something like 'sensor hours' before it goes bad?
> ...


 Yes... better stock now. In 50 years time, the king of "Canography" will be 1D4 or may be 1DX.... ha ha ha ;D

Have a nice day.


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