# how long do canon speedlights last?



## chinolofus (Aug 16, 2009)

i dont really know anything about flashes but i have a chance to get a used canon 550ex for $160. i just wondered how long these things last? i dont know much about how much this flash was used but i will find out later today. i assume you can just replace the bulb or something if it goes bad. how much does that cost? 

so just so i can have something to go on....how long does a casually used flash usually last? and what cost am i looking at to getting it going again when it goes bad?


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## Opher (Aug 16, 2009)

Dont know much but any well maintained equipment should last.

Found this on a forum

"I have a 550EX with what I think is a bad flash tube.
Canon wants $118+shipping to fix it, but the part 
itself (Y17-3159) is only $6.08 from Canon (+$7 tax & shipping).
But does anyone know the magic procedure for opening the
head? It's more than just removing the two screws....
Happy to hear any wisdom on this!
Thanks, Michael"


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## KmH (Aug 16, 2009)

chinolofus said:


> i dont really know anything about flashes but i have a chance to get a used canon 550ex for $160. i just wondered how long these things last? i dont know much about how much this flash was used but i will find out later today. i assume you can just replace the bulb or something if it goes bad. how much does that cost?
> 
> so just so i can have something to go on....how long does a casually used flash usually last? and what cost am i looking at to getting it going again when it goes bad?


Years and years, if properly cared for. The cost of a repair will vary depending what's broke. A bulb runs about $12.


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## chinolofus (Aug 16, 2009)

ok...i assumed the electronics would last a long time. i just wasnt sure if the bulbs go out every few years and then i would have to spend 75 bucks or something to get it fixed. if its cheap then its no big deal.


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## DRB022 (Aug 16, 2009)

Take care of it and it'll last forever. It gets a ton of flashes per battery charge, too. My friend has one and he almost never has to charge it.


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## chinolofus (Aug 17, 2009)

yeah i got it last night and so far i love it. i read that it only gets about 50 flashes before the batteries die but that is crazy talk. i took prob 100 pics just messing around with it and its still going strong.


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## Big Mike (Aug 17, 2009)

The battery life (number of shots) has a lot of factors.  Firstly, the capacity and charge level of the batteries.  Secondly, the flash power used...if you fire every shot at full power, it will give you far fewer shots than if you are shooting at 1/64 power.  Also, the recycle time is slower with higher power bursts.  

The bulbs to burn out, and there are other things that can go wrong as well.  While the bulbs are cheap, changing them isn't just a simple task.  Flashes have a capacitor, a device to store electricity.  So even without batteries, a flash could give you a very bad shock if you don't know what you are doing.


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