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Canon Reliability Survey - WAY DOWN?
"Photo Review Australia published the results from their annual reader survey. Here are the results of the question 'How do you rate your main camera’s reliability over the past year': - Rated their main camera's reliability as good or excellent The ranking: OM / Olympus: 95% Nikon: 92% Sony: 88% Fujifilm: 78% Panasonic: 64% Canon: 60% " (Leica wasn't included as they didn't have a large enough sample size to get an accurate number) --- Clearly there are a lot of OM / Olympus, Nikon and Sony users that reported 100% reliability ratings to get such high average numbers. But that 60% Canon reliability rating seems REALLY surprising. Is there a single issue of some kind that's heavily skewing the 2023 results? Or is there something else going on? Or...? Mar 17 23 09:01 am Link After I switched from the OM system to Canon, I've had 4 bodies. The only problems I have ever had was a mirror detachment ( a known problem, though not to me until it happened), and a scratched sensor cover (user error). My 2 most recent bodies were 5D and 5D3. Have not yet ventured into the ML cameras. Though, with fewer moving parts, I would expect an increase in reliability (the biggest failure point that I did preemptive replacement was the shutter, and with ML that should not be an issue) That said, I had multiple failures with Canon point and shoots--S100 series, to the point that when the last one failed I switched to Sony. I think part of the problem is inherent to the technology, but that's no excuse. So I think the meaning of the survey depends on which types of cameras were targeted. Mar 17 23 09:47 am Link Does the survey break down the number of cameras that are X years old of each of the cameras companies in their survey ? I would expect that as a rule the rate of failure of older cameras would go up the older the cameras are. Other important factors are how many images were captured in the last year, and the environment in which the camera is used. Mar 17 23 08:38 pm Link Without reading the result, questions and data it is virtually meaningless. Sid they define reliability? if so how. To a pro it might mean it works all the time. To a beginner it might mean getting perfect focus, quick focus lock or "Correct exposure when the failure is caused by user ignorance, Not a Canon shooter and longtime critic of canon ( spent 20+ years selling all brands and have shot with most) but I see Canon, Nikon and Sony as pretty much equal and IMO you cannot go wrong with any of them. My Preference is with Nikon. Mar 18 23 06:52 am Link Everyone has raised some good questions. I tried to find more detailed information, but it looks like they've only released a press release so far, summarizing the upcoming results of their annual reader survey. The only thing that is clear, at least at this point, is that they asked their readers the following question: "How do you rate your main camera’s reliability over the past year?" Definitions of "your main camera" and "reliability" were left up to the reader. And the results were based on those that rated their main camera's reliability as "good" or "excellent" (as judged by the reader), with the results reported by brand, providing there was a statistically large enough sample for that brand. Having said that, each of the camera brands were playing by the "same rules", so to speak. I.E. Responding to the same simple question. But the sheer size of the Canon difference certainly got my attention. And I don't doubt that the size of the Canon sample should be quite significant, possibly the largest out of all of the camera brands(?), considering how popular the brand is. I thought I might have missed something that was happening with Canon that I wasn't aware of. So I'll also be quite interested to see what additional details come out once the full article is published. Along with any possible explanations that might account for the difference in the Canon results. Mar 18 23 10:28 am Link LightDreams wrote: I will note that they left out cell phone cameras, which are probably the most popular camera right now. Mar 18 23 10:41 am Link Well it certainly sounds like there isn't any major Canon DSLR or high profile Mirrorless Camera problem out there, as no one here (at least so far) seems to be aware of any large scale problem. As I said, I thought I'd just missed something... But it certainly make sense that Canon is also a major producer of those "Sure Shot" style cameras, or whatever they're currently called. Mar 18 23 11:05 am Link I can't complain about the Canon cameras that I use, but I will complain about their DPP4 software. In my environment at least, I have found that DDP4 will, after a time of being idle, start scanning files in other directories than the one I have told it to be the working directory, at which point, it will usually end up causing the CPU to spin and DPP4 then becomes non-responsive and I have to kill it from the operating system. With DDP3 I have never had that issue. My work-around for that serious problem is to use a dedicated drive partition where there is only one sub-directory in it and that sub-directory only contains the raw files that I intend to work with for that editing session. Outside of that dedicated sub-directory I make certain not to have any files, so when it starts snooping around outside the working directory, it will not find any files. Mar 18 23 11:52 am Link Interesting. Did the article go into any detail? What were the reported problems, repair costs? From my own reading of Canon user groups, there is a problem with Canon hotshoes ripping out of the R5's. A vulnerability that would up their repair rates and depress resale values. Mar 24 23 09:02 am Link Warren Leimbach wrote: No. Frustratingly, there are still no real details. But then again, I don't have a subscription to their magazine. Mar 25 23 10:41 am Link I question the math. 100% of my Canons have been 100% reliable. That's like, 200% reliable, right? May 27 23 11:32 am Link |
