In the pre-digital era, consumers held onto their cameras for generations. Now they often dispose of them within months.

It's the hidden costs of miniaturization: As things get smaller, they get more complicated and prone to errors. Many new cameras fail due to the delicate nature of the components — and consumer abuse. With repair costs being on par with the price of buying a new model, many consumers choose to buy a new camera instead.

The average life span of a digital camera is just 2.7 years, according to the Photo Marketing Association.

None of this is hurting camera manufacturers, who continue to show sales growth, year after year. "If cameras sold for $500 and constantly broke, there would be more of an outcry," says Chris Chute, an analyst with research firm IDC. "But at $200 for a good, new camera, people say, 'I might as well buy a new one,' and don't seem to mind."

A 7-megapixel camera sells for an average of $199, down from $349 a year ago, says Chute. A megapixel is a measurement of a camera's resolution.

However, there is a good bit of grumbling on the Web about how quickly these cameras die. If you type the phrase "Error E18" into search engines, you'll find hundreds of notes posted by consumers upset about getting this message on their Canon cameras. E18 means the camera is inoperable because the lens won't close.

Steve Bell, a Phoenix-area Realtor, bought a new Canon point-and-shoot in October. It stopped working shortly after Halloween.

"I do a lot of cycling and want something I can take around in my jersey pocket," he says. "I expect the camera to get bounced around — but work."

Chuck Westfall, director of customer relationships for Canon, says that in most cases it's poor upkeep of the camera that causes it to fail. "Anyone who takes one of these cameras around without a case is asking for trouble," he says.

Consumers want small cameras that can be toted around, with zoom lenses that don't stick out of the camera, Westfall notes. Canons, like most rivals, have zooms that expand barely on the front of the camera. Most of the movement is actually done inside the camera. Drop a camera or bump it around inside your pocket and you might damage it, he says.

Vladan Nikolic operates a Web site devoted to E18 errors (www.e18error.com). He says he's received over 700 posts from Canon owners who've received the same errors. He agrees with Westfall: In most cases, he says, it was poor care of the camera that caused the problems.

"You don't get an E18 for no reason," says Nikolic, who works for a shipping company in Belgrade. "I wasn't careful when I got mine. I powered up the camera while it was still in the case. People need to take better care of their cameras."

Dave Etchells, who runs the point-and-shoot camera review site Imaging Resource (www.imaging-resource.com) also blames consumer mishaps for most breakage. "People had their camera in their back pocket, and sat on it, or went canoeing and the camera fell into the water."

He's a big believer in camera cases for point-and-shoots. A final tip from Westfall: When packing a suitcase, don't put the camera at the bottom of the case. "Heavy weight can damage it," he says.