Does a digital camera get tired ?

John wrote:
My company previously used a Canon Eos1 .It cost a considerable amount and
seemed to produce really good results when new. As time went on I notice
that the image quality was no longer that good. The dynamic range didn't
seem to be what it used to be, especially in high contrast outdoor
situations. It didn't seem to be as sharp anymore either . It got to the
point that it was unusable so we bought the new model and just put the old
one on a shelf. Lately I've been noticing a an occasional lack of sharpness
and this one is only a year and a half old ! Before I get involved with
Canon tech support I could use whatever info I can get. Do chips wear out ?
We use the camera alot so we're talk about many many actuations . Any help
or info will be greatly appreciated.
Are you sure it's not the lens getting dirty?
Is the camera exposed to cigarette smoke or similar?
Are the mechanics of the lens all right?
If I were you I'd go into a shop and try a fresh lens.

Normally chips don't wear out in the sense you mean.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker