How long should a compact digital camera last?
My first compact digital camera was a 2-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 950 that I bought in 1999 for a little more than $800. That camera is still fully functioning. However, there are no fixed-lens compact cameras in that price range, only digital SLRs and interchangeable-lens cameras. Currently, the compact market taps out at $500 and those are the high-end megazooms that, sadly, I wouldn"t expect to last more than three years. They"re just not built for long lives of regular use. canon camera batteryI"m convinced that current digital point-and-shoots priced less than $300 will work for a maximum of three years before dying. Basically, for every $100 you spend up to $300 you"ll get one year of regular use. After three years of use, you"re shooting on borrowed time. Spend more than $300 and chances are you"ll have a paper weight before the camera will earn out. olympus camera battery
It"s a safe assumption that the more someone spends on a camera, the better they"ll treat it, too. That"s one reason I would expect digital SLRs to last longer than an average compact camera (at least the midrange-to-professional models). The ones I"m on the fence about are interchangeable-lens cameras since they have a lot in common with point-and-shoot cameras, but seem to have higher-quality construction.
Of course, this is all just my opinion based on testing a lot of cameras and reading a lot of user reviews from disappointed shoppers who weren"t thrilled with replacing a camera so soon after it was purchased. What are your experiences or expectations?