What is a Shutter Count and How to Check It?

Whether you’re new to the world of photography or you’re already a seasoned pro, knowing the shutter count of your camera is extremely important. By knowing your shutter count, you can determine just how much longer your camera has before it gives out.

Shutter count is also important when you are buying or selling a camera because it helps determine the cost of the camera and whether or not it’s even worth it to purchase or sell.

What Is a Shutter Count?

The shutter count on your camera is the amount of times that your camera has fired. The higher your camera’s shutter count is, the less time it has to function properly. It’s important to note that not all cameras have the same life expectancies, the same way that not all cars have the same mileage.

Depending on the type of camera that you have, the shutter life could range anywhere from 30,000 to even 400,000 releases. Finding out the shutter life of your camera all depends on the type of camera that you have, but for the most part the process is simple.

Finding Out Your Shutter Count

As mentioned earlier, it can be pretty easy to find out the shutter count on your camera. Oftentimes, all you have to do is look for the specific camera on the manufacturer website. Whether it be a Nikon shutter count, Canon shutter count, or even a Sony shutter count, chances are you’ll be able to find all the information that you need online.

Another way to find out your shutter count is by uploading the most recent photo you’ve taken to a website such as myshuttercount.com, who will be able to tell you the number of the photo that you’ve uploaded.

Again, finding out the shutter count for a specific camera can be different, depending on the brand of camera that you have.

Finding Out the Shutter Count for Your Sony Camera

If you happen to have a Sony camera, it can be a little bit more difficult to find this camera’s shutter count as opposed to another brand. You can try and find out by looking at the camera’s photograph EXIF data. This involves uploading the photo to a website to find out the shutter count, like we described earlier.

If that doesn’t work however, you can always download a program that will help you access your EXIF information without you having to upload a photo to a website.

Finding Out the Shutter Count for Your Canon Camera

Like Sony, Canon cameras are a bit trickier in terms of trying to get their shutter information. Only a few of their models offer the shutter count information on the website, so for the most part you are going to have to use a program that allows you to download the information from your camera onto your computer.

If you don’t want to do this, you can always use a program called Magic Lantern that will run on your camera and will allow you to access the shutter actuation number. Unfortunately, there are risks that come with downloading any programs whether they be on your camera or computer simply because of the fact that you risk potential technical risks.

Your last resort would be to simply walk in to a Canon store and see if one of the employees can help you attain the information that you need from your camera.

Finding Out the Shutter Count for Your Nikon Camera

Like Sony cameras, Nikon cameras also store their shutter information onto photograph EXIF data. This is good news as all you have to do is download a program and plug your camera in to your computer to figure out what the shutter count is. Again, not everyone may feel comfortable downloading any kind of program to their computer, so this may not be an option for everyone.

Believe it or not, you can also get your Nikon’s shutter count by uploading a photo onto your Mac and using the preview app to find out the information that you need. When you go to “inspect” the image, you should be able to see all the information about the camera, including your shutter count.

Of course, if you don’t have a Mac, this will obviously not work for you, so downloading one of the programs we mentioned may be your only option.

In Conclusion

While cameras do have a shutter life, the way you take care of your camera makes a big difference in how long it will last. It also really just depends on how often you use your camera. If you are an avid photographer, your camera will likely not last as long as that of someone who rarely uses it.