Cost to repair or replace sticky shutter?

[lamerkramer]

White band or streak across the top of all of my photos from my research tells me I have a sticky shutter. In LIVE view mode (not looking through the viewfinder), there is no white band across the top of the photo. And when I shoot looking through the viewfinder (not LIVE view mode) and do burst of shots, then only first photo in the series of photos has the white band across the top. How much does it cost to repair or replace a sticky shutter? Strange how it doesn't happen in LIVE view mode using the LCD screen as the viewfinder. How much does Canon charge or should I contact local Tampa Bay area camera shops for estimates? I found a workaround. Crop the white band off the top when photo editing or shoot everything in LIVE view mode using the LCD screen as the viewfinder.

[lamerkramer]

Thanks! I agree that my online $92 quote sounds too good to be true. I’ll probably call Canon tomorrow and maybe shop around for a used camera body.

[lamerkramer]

UPDATE: Called Canon. Mirror problem, not a shutter problem. That's why in LCD screen LIVE view mode the problem does not happen. That's why in burst mode the problem only happens on the first photo and not on any photos, after the first photo. So maybe it's a sticky mirror and I can fix it myself with lubricant or dusting off or similar? BTW, I was told my Canon tech support there are only two authorized factory service centers in the US. The closest one to me is in Newport News, VA. So, this takes me in a new direction. As best I can tell my Canon Rebel T5i is rated for 100,000 shots. My estimated number of photos taken since November 2015 when I purchased the camera bundle on Black Friday of that year is 23,000. Sounds low to me, but I counted all of the photos and I almost never delete a photo and the photos I have backed up add up to close to 23,000.

[RobertTheFat]

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@lamerkramer wrote:

UPDATE: Called Canon. Mirror problem, not a shutter problem. That's why in LCD screen LIVE view mode the problem does not happen. That's why in burst mode the problem only happens on the first photo and not on any photos, after the first photo. So maybe it's a sticky mirror and I can fix it myself with lubricant or dusting off or similar? BTW, I was told by Canon tech support there are only two authorized factory service centers in the US. The closest one to me is in Newport News, VA. So, this takes me in a new direction. As best I can tell my Canon Rebel T5i is rated for 100,000 shots. My estimated number of photos taken since November 2015 when I purchased the camera bundle on Black Friday of that year is 23,000. Sounds low to me, but I counted all of the photos and I almost never delete a photo and the photos I have backed up add up to close to 23,000.

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That particular fact was certainly news to me. And very unwelcome news, as I drive within a few miles of the (seemingly defunct) Jamesburg NJ shop fairly often and have dropped off items for cleaning or repair several times. I received no notification of this, even though I'm a CPS member. Believe me, Canon, if I had gone over to Jamesburg to drop something off and found it closed, I would have been somewhere beyond irate.

[lamerkramer]

I forgot to mention the cost. Etierh $179 labor or $299 labor depending upon what they find at the factory service center. That's labor, not parts. Parts are extra. Return shipping is free from Canon.

[ebiggs1]

"Canon Rebel T5i is rated for 100,000 shots."

First this is an almost useless number. It is just a gauge of how robust the Rebel shutter is compared to others.  It isn't a trustworthy gauge of how many clicks your individual shutter will do.  Some do 10, some do 250,000. Second I will be shocked if your shutter is OK.

$299 is a reasonable cost for a replacement shutter.  That is why I suggested you check out the used T5i market.

[lamerkramer]

Well, it is the shutter. I just held the mirror up and looked underneat the mirror and saw the shutter making the same shape as the white bar I see on my photos. So, it's definitely the shutter. Thanks everyone! I appreicate your help. Now I will have to decide what to do.

[lamerkramer]

Whew! That was close. Camera repair store called and advised me not to do any more shutter clicks. I could damage the sensor, if the shutter curtain has loose parts. I'm taking it to a camera repair shop on Central Ave. in St. Pete, Florida this Thursday for repair for $190. I trust the place because our son is a professional sports photographer at night and an aerial photographer by day and he suggested I take it there because that's where his fellow photographers get their gear serviced and cleaned. And I was thinking I could continue shooting and just crop the white band out of the photos. I'm so glad the guy called me and said it was the worst thing I could do. Whew!

[ebiggs1]

It's probably good advice but I seriously doubt you could damage the sensor. The shutter doesn't sit next to the sensor.  There is an IR filter in between.  Besides filtering IR, the IR filter protects the sensor.

When you hear about people cleaning their sensor, they are actually cleaning that (IR) filter.  You never actually touch the sensor. The surface of the sensor is not smooth, so it needs some type of protection. You probably could not get dirt off of it .

I don't think there is any way to clean an actual sensor without damaging it. So, the likelihood of your shutter damaging it, while possible, it is unlikely you could.

BTW, $190 still sounds too cheap to me for a full shutter replacement. I would almost bet the shutter alone costs that much or more.

[John_]

I am skeptical of repair costs given before they even look at the camera themselves. My gut feeling is that the price was a "guesstimate". Maybe they have an old T5i laying around that they can cannibalize for parts which will keep the cost down.

[John_]

Just for the heck of it, I did a search for a T5i shutter assembly and someone is selling a new one for $39.99 on eBay and he or she has 9 available so maybe $190 is not a "guesstimate".