Shutter count vs physical condition

The Canon T2i (550D) is still a great camera. I'm using mine along with my Canon T3i (600D) and Canon T7i (800D) cameras.

All of these recent pictures were taken by the Canon T2i (550D) camera in cloudy conditions.  Because of the darker skies, the ISO levels ranged from 400 to 800.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/61635995

To answer your question, I would look around for one that has a low shutter count and the body is in good shape.  You would want one that was only used casually.  If you were in a hurry and had to make a choice today, I would pick the one with the low shutter count.

I've shown photos on the Show Your Snaps thread from two Canon T2i (550D) cameras for over 4 years.   They are probably over 1000 pictures (is my guess).  Prior to using Canon DSLR cameras, I was using Olympus E-500 and E-510 DSLR cameras with the Zuiko lenses.

You didn't tell us your budget, and others may laugh at my suggestion, but I think you'd do better with a Canon-refurbished SL2 from their online store...

hcam wrote:

Hi - Having gotten rid of my Micro Four Thirds camera a few years ago I'm looking at picking up my first DSLR. The EOS 550D currently seems to be the bargain of the century and perfect for my needs.

I've found two - both at the same price. One is in physically better condition (no scuffs, only very minor signs of wear) but has over 60k shutter actuations. The other is more visibly worn (more scuff marks, used hot shoe, worn grip), but has fewer than 10k actuations.

Both are from a reputable reseller and come with a 6-month warranty. Which one should I go for?

Thanks.

If it was me, low shutter count every time. The scuffs don’t cause the camera to break down like a broken shutter can.

Thanks everyone for replies and advice. My concern was that heavy cosmetic damage might suggest mistreatment that could cause problems down the line, regardless of shutter count. In the end I did find the best of both worlds (in my opinion). Picked up a D550 plus 50mm f1.8, carry bag, strap and three memory cards for £150 - 3.5k shutter actuations. I’m sure there are better cameras out there, but to me this really is a bargain. I have more to spend on lenses and by all accounts a really decent camera to learn on.

I hope to chat with all of you in future!