What is considered alot of actuations? How many pics can a camera take before it goes on ya?
Lets say a Canon Rebel or 10D.

Canon says that the shutter of Pro cameras like the 1D MkII is good for about 200000 exposures. I didn't find the numbers for the 10D, 20D or the Rebel, but something like 100000 seems to be reasonable.

In the last 9 month I've made about 10000 exposures with my 20D, so it should be good for another 7 years or so. By that time an 8 megapixel camera will be something like a Ford T-model is today.

Just been reading this on another forum. Any where from 7000 to 40000 shots for the 300/350. Just as bad for the Nikon 70.

forgive the newbie question, but is the shutter a serviceable part of the camera? this is all news to me. i do quite a bit of time-lapse photography, so i'll blow through 300 pictures during a day session. i'd hate to think my 350d will be dead in a year.

Henry,
The good news: Yes, the shutters on nearly all slr cameras are serviceable.

The bad news: Replacing the shutter mechanism on your 350D might cost nearly more than 50% of the camera's value. It's not a trivial fix.

ken... thank you for that.

still, half the price of the camera is half the price of the camera -- i feel a wee bit better.

I'm at 120,000 with my D2H . With that many shots in under a year, I'm aching for a different camcorder/SLR product for action sports:

1) DSLR with electronic shutter for 10-20 fps (mirror used for first shot)
2) Shoots 1-2 MPixels at continuous rates of 10-20 fps.
3) Uses primo glass and focus engines currently only found on high end cameras.
4) Shutter would help "mark" still shots to help index video .

Though, I doubt a flash/strobe could keep up with this job without melting.