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Learn to Use It!
Note: this post is an update to a recent article on shutter count for cameras and provides practical information on how to find out your camera’s shutter life expectancy and the various ways to find out the camera’s current shutter count. It was written by one of our readers Jeremy T
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First of all, check the shutter life expectancy of your camera. It can sometimes be difficult to find this out; camera makers may not even release the details at times. However, this is changing; there are a few resources online with the details. Olegkikin.com features the shutter life expectancy for numerous models from all the different brands; if yours is not listed there, then a quick Google search should provide you with an answer.
Now that you’re aware of how long your shutter should or will last, you need to find out the current shutter actuations or shutter count of your camera. It’s basically how many photos you’ve taken.
There are several free (freeware) sources on the internet which can be used for this.
Canon Cameras
It’s necessary to note that Canon doesn’t store the shutter actuation details in the EXIF data. So for Canon, things are a little different; the best program to check your shutter count is EOS Info.
EOS Info is a neat little program by AstroJargon. It’s freeware, although they do ask for donations if you can spare it. It will provide the shutter count, the serial number, the camera model, the firmware version as well as the owner and date the results as well. EOSInfo works with almost any DSLR, excepting the 500D (may/may not work; their website says not, but it’s worth giving it a shot anyway). How does it work? Simply connect the camera to your computer using a cable, run the program and – voila! Your details are there for your examinations. Prepare to be surprised, though, as sometimes it’s more than you think! It’s not available for Macs, though, only for PC’s; however, EOSInfo is the updated version of the 40D Shutter Count a previous edition, which – despite the name – works on almost any DIGIC III/IV DSLRs, excepting the 1D series. It runs on Macs, using a cable as like EOS Info.
Nikon and Pentax Cameras
Nikon and Pentax store the shutter count details in the EXIF data. For Nikon and Pentax, you can either use My Shutter Count – simply upload a JPG or RAW and get your results – or download Opanda IExif . Note: IExif should work with Pentax; this has not been tested/. However, if it doesn’t, you can still use My Shutter Count to get your shutter count.
Olympus Cameras
Olympus doesn’t store the shutter acutation details in the EXIF, but conveniently, there’s a nice trick one can use for Olympus bodies. Simply follow these instructions:
- Turn your camera on
- Open your memory card door
- Press “PLAY” +”OK” at the same time
- Press on the dial, in order: up, down, left and then right
- Depress the shutter release button fully
- Press up on the dial
Sony Cameras
Unfortunately, for Sony users, it might not be possible to find your shutter count. You can try using Opanda IExif, My Shutter Count or even EOS Info/40D Shutter Count – however, there’s not guarantee they will work. It’s worth a try, but at the moment, it doesn’t seem possible to find the shutter actuations for Sony cameras.
If you’ve found other ways to do this for the brands above or other brands of cameras we’d love to hear them in comments below so that this can become a resource for others.
Both don't work with modern SLR (after the 550D)...
Pretty usless
I found an online tool for Sony shutter counts at http://tools.science.si/index.php
I uploaded the last picture I took with my alpha 55, model that was correctly identified by this tool, and I get two different informations: exposures (2557) and shutter actuations (5115) Could you explain the difference? Which one is the real number for the amount of photos taken, and why one of these figures is 2x the other?
Thanks
Didn't work with my Canon 60D, i've tried everything that I found in the internet, bot on windows and on mac. There's one web-site that gave me the number, but it's twice as big as my recent image number, and i know, that this number never reached 9999.
There seems to be confusion over 'image number' and 'shutter count' or 'shutter actuations'. The image number is a resettable number, depending on your camera model. And may also show different values for .jpg and RAW images. The shutter count, certainly for Nikon DSLR from my own experience, is not resettable, even if the camera is taken-in for service. I'm looking at the example from Winston and suspect the first three digits are a 'folder' number, and the last four digits are the image number which increments on each frame. Probably somewhere in the menu system these can be deleted or reset to zero.
See my earlier reply and try Kuso EXIF Reader. It shows all EXIF data including shutter count.
I have a Sony A200 and was told the shutter count was displayed on each photo as part of the information. My camera currently shows 103-1546. The last four digits resets at 9999, and the first three goes up one, but I don't really know how this works. I think my count may be something like 103,1546.
Kuso EXIF Reader shows fill EXIF data, including Image Number (total images taken), and is free at
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Digital-Photo-Tools/KUSO-Exif-Viewer.shtml
The program doesn't recognise my Canon 60D.
I tried uninstalling the program and downloaded it again and reinstalled it and it still wont work
The Nikon version works fine. It does what it says on the box!!
is there a way to find out by using the menu on the camera? i was gonna buy a used canon s100 from someone on craigslist, but i can't tell until after the purchase by going into the exif info on the computer. once money exchanges hands for the purchase, the buyer isn't going to take back the camera if i find out he had lied about how much he has used the camera.
To Ray Lotier. What computer you've used and what was the all process to see the shutter actuations on the Canon Mark 2. Thank you Joe B
Shutter count for Canon using Linux. Likely works with many others. Hit up gphoto.org for specs.
If you are running Linux for an Operating System, install gPhoto (even if you don't use Gnome). Remove the SD card (to avoid any pesky "Camera in use" errors). Plug the camera in, go out to a bash prompt and type:
gphoto2 --get-config /main/status/shuttercounter
Here is my results First shot was the T1i, second was the XS:
mikey@linux-tf6v:~> gphoto2 --get-config /main/status/shuttercounter
Label: Shutter Counter
Type: TEXT
Current: 9392
mikey@linux-tf6v:~> gphoto2 --get-config /main/status/shuttercounter
Label: Shutter Counter
Type: TEXT
Current: 26729
I'm amazed that some people worry their camera is going to break if it has a five-figure shutter count. I used an Olympus OM-2 for 'decades' and have no idea how many total shots it took, but probably 50,000+. It worked / I was happy. Maybe the digital manufacturers should stop giving this information, then the stress-levels of some users would benefit !
As Zafar mentions, in a few years, because of all the hype and upgrades that go-on in the digital camera marketing world, we'll all want a new one long before it has a chance to breakdown.
KUSO Exif viewer told me the shutter count for my Nikon D300s from my last photo (7776). The olegkikin website showed one user had more than a million shutter count and still going. So I am not worried. If I shoot 10000 photos a year I am still good to go for ten years, and I am sure I will buy a new camera after that.
I shot almost 1000 pictures per use of a camera. So if I use it 100 times. Sorry for me, shutter should be replaced.
Do try XnView, specially for Nikon. It's downloadable online for free.
Easy option for NIKON in MAC Preview: Open your last shot in PREVIEW > View > Show Inspector > click on Nikon Tab within the inspector - Shutter Count is in the list.
Preview shows image number 0. on my Canon 50D it will not give me a correct shutter count on my MacBook pro (8 months old). Am up to date with software update. Could be biased on Canon or the 50D.
This program is perfect!!! My 5D MKII have only shutter counts 115.
Doesn't work on my 7D either. I just get the “Unhanded exception has occurred in your application……” message. I click ok and I get "no camera connected" message.
It does work on my 5D mk. ii . Hopefully they'll fix the 7D compatibility problem.
The 5D has 5,871 shutter releases and I bought it 5 months ago. Sheesh ! The 7D must have a million by now !
Unfortunately, the Preview software on Mac did not provide me with the real image number... I'm using a 400d and I have made thousands of pictures and the Preview only "sees" 192 ...
Hi again. I used XHTML tags in my message which got lost in translation.
Try FILE ....FILE INFO.....ADVANCED....then Schema (http://ns.adobe.com/exif/1.0/aux/)
Hi, the 'image number', which is the same as shutter actuations, is in the file information in Photoshop.
Click , Scroll the menus along to and look under <Schema (http://ns.adobe.com/exif/1.0/aux/).....
Tony
It wont work with my EOS Kiss X4 (550D)
It says 'No Camera Connected'
On my 500d if you don't reset the counter which i don't know why you would it will keep count of the amount you have taken. I'm pretty sure after it gets to 100-9999 it goes to 101-0000
here is an example of shutter fail, http://www.karlgrobl.com/EquipmentReviews/BrokenShutter.htm
I guess it is important to check the shutter often especially for the pro.
I have tried shutter actuations but it didn't works for my canon. is there any software from canon to read them all???
My shutter count worked. It says 835 actuations. I bought the camera 2nd hand so that seems low-but I'll take it.
Thanks again.
Bruce
XNview will show Nikon shutter count in EXIF info. With my Pentax 1stDL it shows characters like you get with the Alt Num Lock keys in the shutter count area. I think they translate to a count but am unsure how. I am going to try both the fixes you outlined above. Thanks.
Bruce
I can't get EOSinfo to work with my Canon 7D. It works fine with my 40D, but with 7D I get the following error message, and then the application opens saying there is no camera connected.
"Unhanded exception has occurred in your application......"
Do you I have a problem witht the 7D I just bought, or does EOSinfo just not yet work with the 7D?
Thanks for any help,
Neil
No, this is not option for me.. bcoz i have operating system windows - xp, 32 bit. To create the 3d model from any overlapped digital photographs i must have to do camera calibration first.. and so far camera calibration needed exif file of camera which contain focal length and all camera parameters.... so please suggest me another option to get exif file in my casestudy.....
how i can get exif fille of any photograph which has been taken by my digital camera...??? can u help me..???
How do you find it on the Samsung NX10 ?
For Nikon cameras, if you have Photoshop CS4 (I believe it works for earlier versions also) simply open an unedited JPG or NEF image and then got to File/File Info, and select the Advanced tab. Expand (click on the little arrow at the start of the line) the line finishing in "exif/1.0/aux". In the expanded display, the shutter count is shown as "aux: ImageNumber".
Canon T2i - error retrieving shutter count. I get this on my mac mini running os 10.5.8 with a 2Ghz Core 2 Duo. I unplug the usb cord and it gives me this error immediately. I then turn plug the cable in, turn the camera off and on, click Get Shutter Count, wait a second or two and then I get the same error message, error retrieving shutter count. Apple's Preview V 4.2 has a lot of exif data, but doesn't reveal the shutter count for the T2i, but will for NEF (Nikon raw files). http://www.myshuttercount.com/ also fails so I assume that the shutter count is not in the EXIF data. Anyone have a work around?[eimg url='http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ERz0xZQ_fJE/TKP-lAORxwI/AAAAAAAAC0g/9l5aDqY2PB0/40DShutterCount.png' title='40DShutterCount.png']
Thanks for this, i was just looking for a way to figure that out. Kinda goofy you cant see it in camera on a nikon.
To see that camera data from looking at the Exif data with Apple's Preview > Inspector, it might only work with the latest version of the Preview app. I was using Preview version 5.0.2
If you have an older version, you might try upgrading it or try one of the other methods suggested in other comments, or shown in other blogs or other how-to websites. If I could edit my post and get rid of the second duplicate post above, I would!
I did not found it on my NIKON D-80
After installing the firmware hack and bootable CF on my Canon Rebel XTi, I was able to get a reading of the shutter count. Getting this hack working was a little more involved than I thought but really wasn't too difficult, and provides some cool new functions ("spot" metering, high ISO modes, and shutter actuations!). Pulling the count is a little bit of a workaround, but atleast I can now get it, plus access a scary looking service menu I'm afraid to touch.
I'm not sure I entirely trust the count though, since it only shows a little over 8k actuations - I've probably put most of those on myself, but was told when I bought it that it was used for over a year, and it looked like it too.
(Second post of this, I could not see the first attempt)
Yes, the Apple "Preview" application that comes with every Mac is a very useful program with some nice features that many Apple users don't use often enough. Like Will said before, you can see your image count with this free Apple program. Just open any of your JPG's with Preview and then go to Tools in the menu, and Show Inspector. (Or use the keyboard shortcut that is also shown there). A little pop up window comes up and you can then see all kinds of info on your photo. Click on the "i" icon, then the Exif tab and you can quickly see information from shutter exposure, to what lens model and lens serial number, and when you scroll down you can see the image number. The last shot you made of course would show the latest image number. At this Inspector Tool window, you can also then click on the "Nikon" tab and that same Image Number is then called the "ShutterCount".
What I don't seem to find there, however is what Camera model or camera SN was used. Does anyone know where to find that using Preview or some other application that we probably have at hand?
[eimg url='http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa252/marcelhoward/Photos%20for%20Blog%20Comments/Screenshot2010-05-31PreviewInspecto.png' title='Screenshot2010-05-31PreviewInspecto.png']
Yes, the Apple "Preview" application that comes with every Mac is a very useful program with some nice features that many Apple users don't use often enough. Like Will said before, you can see your image count with this free Apple program. Just open any of your JPG's with Preview and then go to Tools in the menu, and Show Inspector. (Or use the keyboard shortcut that is also shown there). A little pop up window comes up and you can then see all kinds of info on your photo. Click on the "i" icon, then the Exif tab and you can quickly see information from shutter exposure, to what lens model and lens serial number, and when you scroll down you can see the image number. The last shot you made of course would show the latest image number. At this Inspector Tool window, you can also then click on the "Nikon" tab and that same Image Number is then called the "ShutterCount".
What I don't seem to find there, however is what Camera model or camera SN was used. Does anyone know where to find that using Preview or some other application that we probably have at hand? [eimg url='http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa252/marcelhoward/Photos%20for%20Blog%20Comments/Screenshot2010-05-31PreviewInspecto.png' title='Screenshot2010-05-31PreviewInspecto.png']
I used Opanda IExif 2.26 on the files from my Nikon D200 and something is definitely screwy. I noticed this right off because I use a sequential numbering scheme on my files, changing the leading 4 chars after every 10,000 shots so that the file number is essentially a shutter count. The file number tracked the shutter count as reported by Opanda fairly closely for awhile, but right around 24000 shots, the error went from +200 to -200, and soon thereafter the shutter count jumped by about 27000! So right now my filename is at 36000 but the shutter count in the Exif is 63562. Anyone seen similar behavior?
I just tried the Opanda software to get my NIkon D70 count and it gives the same as My Shutter Count, which is way below what I have taken. ?
I uploaded a photo from my second hand Nikon D70 to My Shutter Count and it gave a number of clicks way below what I have taken since I got the camera. I presume the previous owner (a wedding photographer) had heaps more shots from this camera. Maybe it is the reset thing after 10,000 that someone mentioned above?
Awesome, thanks! According to the EXIF file, my newest camera has done 5707 actuations, and it has a life expectancy of 100,000 so should have it for another 15 years before I have any problems. And if Henri Cartier-Bresson was right, and my first 10,000 photographs are my worst, then I'm about half way there!
Tried this. Works on the Canon 50D just fine. Shutter count was right around where I thought it would be.
Tried it on the Canon 7D and it said that software loaded successfully, but the when I ran it, kept getting the error message. Switched back to the 50 D, and yup it worked.
For some reason it does not rwcognize the 7D
Tried it on my Canon EOS 50D, and it worked great.
Hey Johanna,
I haven't tried it, but since Fuji's DSLRs are basically Nikon D200's (and similar models) with a different look (excepting the things like a higher dynamic range, etc...), I would think it's the same.
Wow! It works! Thanks!
Unfortunately no one seems to give any instructions on the Fuiji FinePix cameras. I have the S9500 DSLR, and cannot find any tips or tricks for this one.
well thank you Darren for the tip. ill give it a shot =)
if any of you are on flickr, when you upload it retrieves all the exfi data to. This tells you the shutter count
Olympus E-520 also needs "MENU"+"OK". Sharon's link is very helpful (thanks!).
On my Olympus E3 none of the tricks works. can anybody tell me how it works on my camera?
Many thanks, Peter
i've tried Photome for Pentax and Nikon. It works.
My Pana FZ20is 6 years old, very battered and looks bad but is still working, 49800picks, read on exif, my olympuses are alder but, not being a pro, I never took 50000pics with the same body....
Another option for many cameras is using sites like flickr....upload file and view the EXIF data...you should see the shutter count under "image number"
If you have a flickr account, upload an UNEDITED shot, go to the exif data, it's down there, think it's called shutter count. I would check, but my stupid work network won't let me.
On Mac, I use EXIF Viewer which is a free download:
http://homepage.mac.com/aozer/EV/
It shows comprehensive exif information including shutter actuations (on Nikon JPEG at least).
I didn't realise Preview worked too - Thank you Will!
@mario , others...
I used Opanda to check a JPG I had made from my Nikon's RAW (NEF) files ... the shutter-count apparently survives the process in the EXIF data, but some "save for web" routines may strip info like this out...
Too bad Opanda can't open raw files, I don't want to upload it to http://www.myshuttercount.com/ for it's relatively big files.
Thanks for the link to the Opanda software - I've been looking for something like this, and when I open the last shot I took with my Nikon D80, I can see the total shutter-release count up to that point. (I'm creeping up on 23K).
tonys, it doesn't explicitly state that EOSInfo works only with digic III/IV processors, but it does say "EOSInfo works with almost any DSLR, excepting the 500D"
It also says that the old version, 40D shutter count, which is also available for mac, "works on almost any DIGIC III/IV DSLRs, excepting the 1D series"
So I thought the current version of EOSInfo had been updated to also include shutter counts for older models, which is why I installed and tried it, but alas you are right it won't work for my XTi.
I've never been able to get that link to work for my Pentax K10D. And I don't strip the exif. Not to mention it takes a LONG time to upload a 10mb RAW file even on DSL.
Assuming you've never reset your file naming, can't you just refer to the file number? That would make my shutter actuations slightly over 10,000.
I've owned this camera for two years so that's not bad.
To tell you the truth, I'm not going to even worry about it. If I want to take ten photos from different angles of the same thing, I'm going to keep doing that. That's why I like digital. You can see what you've shot immediately. If you don't like the result, like the exposure or composition, you can shoot it again. And again.
Until one day, somewhere far in the future, you camera stops working. Maybe.
I use Irfanview (freeware) as a file viewing utility. If you download the (also free) plug-ins you can view the EXIF information, where you can find the shutter count for many digital cameras. It works for my Nikon D90.
For those with a Mac and a Nikon (and probably other camera brands too, but I don't have the option of checking...) you can use the built-in Preview to find out shutter actuations instead of downloading any new software:
1) Open jpeg image in preview
2) press Cmd-i
3) Click on the "EXIF" tab at the top, and scroll to the bottom
4) You should see "Imagenumber" towards the bottom; as far as I know, this is the actual shutter count.
http://www.olegkikin.com/shutterlife/sony_dslra330.htm
If you have a Sony A-330 please post your actuations on this website, to find your actuations look at the number of the last picture taken on each of your memory cards and add them for the total. If you've taken over 9999 with a certain card then add that 9999 to your grand total.
As stated in the article, the Canon shutter count program only works for cameras with Digic III and IV processors, including the 450D, 40D and 5D Mk II.
It doesn't work for older cameras (e.g. Digic II) like the 20D, 400D (aka XTi) and 5D Mk I
- as far as I can tell, only a Canon service centre can tell you the shutter count for the older cameras
@Mike Clemens: Maybe the 7D is too new, you might have to wait for an update from AstroJargon
The program didn't work completely on my 20D. It told me the firmware, s/n and camera but said shutter was 0. It isn't 0.
@radek:
Correct me if I’m wrong but I think that it is just enough to check an internal file name given by the camera.
Nope. On most cameras, the file name "resets" after 10,000 images. So, for example, my Nikon goes from DSC_9999.jpg to DSC_0001.jpg -- with no indication in the file name that this is really image 10000, not image 1.
In addition, most cameras let you reset automatic numbering at will, or any time you reformat your card -- so the file name may be entirely wrong.
The Mac version of 40D Count worked on my 40D (Go Figure!) but didn't work on my XTi (400D).
I am glad it worked for my 40D as I bought it second hand and was not sure what the count was. Now that I checked it I am still not sufferring buyers remorse. It has a low count just as the seller stated.
Thanks for this article and the resources that you provided!
If you're using a Canon P&S, another way to get the shutter count (along with the true firmware version and a few other things) is to follow these instructions from the CHDK website:
1. create an empty file called vers.req (not vers.req.txt) in the root directory of your SD card.
2. switch on the camera in playback mode and wait for the main screen (caution: switching on in rec mode and changing to playback later with open lens does not work with all models!)
3. press the func/set + disp. buttons together (i.e. press set first, keep holding it down, then press disp.).
You will see Model Name, P-ID, a string like Firmware Ver GM1.00E, Error State and Firmware Date. The 1.00E part is the firmware version.
4. while holding down func./set and pressing disp. three times, the number "Total Shoot" appears. That is your shutter count.
If you can't get it to work, see http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ and look for the section on how to get the firmware version for your camera.
E400 Olympus series use MENU + OK.
On the Olympus E-410, press Menu and OK instead of Play and OK. You may have to try a couple of times. Here is the link I used.
http://www.biofos.com/cornucop/hidden.html
My camera has 51K so I guess I was right in getting my E-30. ;)
EOSinfo shows my shutter count on my XTi as zero, hmm.
I tried it on my Olympus E-410 and it doesn't seem to do anything.
Thank you so much for the links- I was really curious to find out what my camera's "mileage" was after the original article. Nikon D40X- 10610. Middle-aged, from what I gathered from the "My Shutter Count" site.
Both EOSinfo and 40Dshuttercount do not work with the first version of the 5D. They do work with my 5D mk II.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that it is just enough to check an internal file name given by the camera.
Works on my 40D but does not work with a 7D. It just says that there's no camera connected. Power cycling the 7D with the camera connected doesn't fix things. Also an error message is displayed when EOSInfo starts saying that there was an "unhandler exception" If you click continue the application starts and works at least on my 40D. I installed the problem on a Vista SP2 system.