You’ve likely heard the term “shutter count” at least once or twice. And if you are not sure what is shutter count and why it is such an important concept in digital photography, this article is for you.
Shutter Life Expectancy
The shutter in your camera is a mechanical door that opens and closes when you take a picture letting the light to reach the camera’s sensor.Cameras have a limit to how many times a shutter can open and close before the camera needs a serious spa day (also known as, being taken apart and refreshed). This is known as the shutter life expectancy. Every camera brand and body have their own shutter life expectancy numbers. It may range from 30,000 releases to hundreds of thousands of releases. All moving parts will quit performing at some point, and the shutter is certainly no exception.
How do you know if your camera is close to, has hit, or far surpassed the shutter life expectancy? Well, my friends, this is calculated by something called shutter count (sometimes referred to as shutter actuations).
What Is a Shutter Count (Actuation)?
Shutter count is the number that represents the number of times the shutter was clicked or opened and closed to take a picture. It tells you the number of photographs a camera has taken. Shutter actuation count is the best indicator of how much the camera has been used, similar to the used car’s mileage.It is important to know the shutter actuation count. Whether you’re looking to buy a used camera or just keeping up with ensuring your camera doesn’t die, the shutter count is something you should be very well familiar with.
Why Is It Important to Know the Shutter Count?
With the shutter being a mechanism that opens, closes, and is often pushed to its limits (sports photographers, I’m looking at you!) One can imagine that such a device will wear out, lapse in speed, and otherwise break down over time. Nothing lasts forever, sadly. As such, knowing the shutter count of your camera or a camera you are about to buy is very important.With a camera you own, you don’t want it to stop working in the middle of a photo shoot. Although a camera will not “die” per say if you’ve reached the shutter expectancy (much like a car won’t necessarily break down once you’ve hit a certain mileage), the camera will likely stop working properly and need maintenance.
The best way to predict when this maintenance will be necessary is being aware of your current shutter actuations. This way you can budget enough money to get the camera looked at and not risk a dead camera in the middle of an important photo shoot!
Your shutter count is also very important if you want to sell your camera. Although a variety of variables come into play when pricing a camera (how old is the camera? Any physical damage?), the shutter count might be one of the most important ones. Because the shutter actuation tells you how many photographs were taken, a buyer can determine how heavily the camera has been used. This all factors into how you price your camera.
Likewise, if you’re buying a used camera, you need to ask for the shutter actuations. This gives you a valuable snapshot into the camera’s life and helps you determine if the price is justified or there is room to negotiate!
What is a high shutter count?
A high shutter count refers to a camera that has taken so many pictures it is nearing the shutter expectancy. Shutter expectancy differs between brands, models, and even camera levels.For example, on average entry level cameras are rated for approximately 50,000 shots, mid-range cameras are rated for around 100,000 shots, and professional cameras are rated for around 200,000 shots. Any shutter count that is nearing these numbers is considered high.
What is a good shutter count?
Technically, there isn’t really a “good” shutter count as much as there is “the lower the shutter count, the higher the value of the camera”. This is something that rings true for buying or selling used equipment. The less shots the camera had taken, the better the camera is.How To Check the Shutter Count
To check your camera’s shutter count, go to the CameraShutterCount.com website and upload a photo you took recently. If your camera stores the shutter count in the image’s EXIF data, it will be displayed instantly. But if your photo’s EXIF data does not contain the shutter actuation count information, you will need to use different tools which vary for each camera brand.
How To Check the Shutter Count on Fujifilm Cameras
You can find the shutter count on your Fujifilm camera on www.apotelyt.com website.
How To Check the Shutter Count on Canon Cameras
Unless you’re using a few select models such as the 1Dx or the new Mirrorless R, unfortunately, Canon makes viewing the shutter count a bit more complex than many of the other brands. Canon does not store the shutter count information in the file data, instead, it is stored deep within the camera. Only special programming is really able to dig this up, or taking the camera to a Canon authorized repair shop.A few companies have created some freeware software to help Canon users find out how many pictures they have taken with their camera. A company called AstroJargon has created two pieces of software for this very reason: Windows users will utilize EOSInfo and Mac users can rely on 40D Shutter Count. To use either of these programs, simply connect the camera to your computer using a cable and run the program. Another one you can use is EOS Inspector (Mac only).
There is a program (known as firmware) that you can install into your camera to extend Canon’s default features. Magic Lantern is a free software add-on that runs from the SD/CF card and adds a host of new features to Canon cameras.
One of its features includes access to the shutter actuation number. Installing third-party software on your camera has its risks and in some cases may void the warranty, so do keep that in mind.
How To Check the Shutter Count on Nikon Cameras
Nikon is a breath of fresh air in the shutter count department as this brand stores the shutter count details in the photograph EXIF data.You can’t normally view the specific EXIF data you need via a computer, but thankfully, there are plenty of fantastic online freeware to quickly let you know the shutter count of your camera without needing to plug the camera body into the computer.
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All you have to do is upload the last photograph you took with your camera, and all of the shutter count information is yours. Some great websites to do this through include:
