What is Shutter Count – Understanding the Basic Concepts
Cameras are lovely, lovely devices, and considering the innovation that they have seen over the past couple of years, it is safe to say that you are getting some excellent cameras that are in the market that are way more technologically superior as compared to some of the older cameras and that is a good thing.
However, the one thing that has remained around is shutter count as that is one thing that is a part of nearly every new camera that you buy on the market.
Shutter Count
If you have been wondering what is shutter count, then the answer is rather simple. Shutter count refers to an estimation of just how much the camera has been used. In simpler words, every time you take a picture, the shutter count number increases.
Shutter Count and Camera Lifespan
Most of the cameras that you see in the market are rated at anywhere from 150,000 to 300,000 shutter counts. However, you have to understand that most cameras actually last well beyond their rated life, as a matter of fact, we rarely see a camera breaking down because of shutter count.
Whether you are buying the best Nikon or Canon cameras, you should be aware of the fact that shutter count is among the last things you will have to worry about. Still, a lot of people panic about the camera’s life and shutter life expectancy so we are going to make things easier for you going forward.
How to Check the Shutter Count?
Now, when it comes to finding the shutter count of your camera, things are going to be a bit different. However, you do have to understand that just because I said “different” does not mean that they are going to be complicated. In some cases, it is a lot easier than one might think, so you have to be sure that you are looking at all the things that we are discussing.
Checking Shutter Count for Different Camera Brands
Simply put, the shutter count of your camera is usually stored in the EXIF data of the picture that you do. In most cases, you just need to take a picture and upload it to a website and it will tell you exactly the shutter count on the photo.
However, this is not the same for every camera as not every model is supported. You can even watch the video below to see just how much shutter count matters in a used camera or a brand-new one. Therefore, when you want to check a camera’s shutter count, you at least know.
For Canon cameras, you are going to either download the EOS Info software or head over to camerashuttercount.com to get the information. However, there are many instances in which this might not work, and in such a case, you can take your camera to the retailer or a Canon service center and they can check the shutter count for you.
For Sony cameras, you can go to this website, upload the photo and it will tell you the shutter count without any issues.
A noteworthy thing is that in my experience of finding the right shutter count, I did run into some issues as not every website was properly responding to the queries and some would just straight up give an error. So, it is a hit-and-miss in some cases.
What is EXIF Data?
Now, I have mentioned EXIF in this article before but for a lot of people, it is something that they do not have any information about. It is not at all difficult. For those wondering, EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format and it serves as a standard that defines specific information related to an image or other media that is captured by the camera.
For those wondering, EXIF data carries a lot of information in it. For starters, you can get access to the exposure that your camera was set to, the ISO level, as well as the date and time the image was captured, the shutter speed, the aperture that was used, and the GPS location, too.
Back in the day, photographers would need to carry a pen and a notebook with them to note down these things but modern cameras now have EXIF data that they can get access to with ease.
What are the Canon Shutter Count Ratings?
I have already mentioned before that every camera comes with a different shutter count rating; with some being higher than others and how cameras easily live beyond their rated shutter count, so it certainly is a good thing. Still, if you find yourself wondering, below are some of the cameras and their shutter count ratings.
| Camera Model | Shutter Counts |
|---|---|
| Canon 1D X Mark III | 500,000 |
| Canon 5D Mark IV | 150,000 |
| Canon R5 | 500,000 |
| Canon R6 | 300,000 |
| Canon 90D | 120,000 |
| Canon T5i/T6i | 100,000 |
Every camera is going to give you a different shutter rating, therefore, if your camera model is not listed above, you can always refer to the product’s website and that should give you a better answer.
What are the Nikon Shutter Count Ratings?
Moving onto the Nikon cameras, the ratings that you are going to get are more or less similar to the Canon counterparts if not more. Still, for those who are interested in looking at the ratings, the table below sheds light on some of the shutter count ratings for cameras.
| Camera Model | Shutter Counts |
| Nikon Z7 II | 200,000 |
| Nikon D6 | 400,000 |
| Nikon Z6 II | 200,000 |
| Nikon D810 | 200,000 |
| Nikon D7200 | 150,000 |
| Nikon D3500 | 100,000 |
There you have it, this should give you a better idea about the shutter count of the Nikon cameras. Again, if you cannot find the listing in the table, then Nikon’s website or a quick Google search should be able to get you all sorted.
What is a Good Shutter Count?
Now that we have gotten most of the information out of the way about shutter count, I am going to answer an age-old question about shutter count, and that revolves around which shutter count is considered to be a good one because it is just as important as one might think and it is always important to know about shutter counts, to begin with.
With that said, most of the shutters are rated at a minimum of 100,000 actions, and at the same time, we have seen the shutter actuation being rated as high as 500,000 in some of the professional cameras.
A good shutter count cannot really be determined because I have seen and used so many cameras that are well beyond the rated shutter count and are still working fine. As a matter of fact, the chances of cameras doing so for some other reasons than the shutter count are actually higher.
However, if you are planning on selling your camera, in our case, the lower the shutter count, the better. Because for some odd reason, buyers still want to know just how much the shutter count is.
How to Check the Shutter Count on Canon Cameras?
As we are heading toward the end of this article, we are going to talk about a few more important points that people need to know about different cameras by Canon. If you own a Canon camera and you want to find the shutter count on the camera, the process requires you to go through a few steps and we are going to take a look at them just now.
Below I have mentioned a few resources that you can check out to get access to the shutter count of your Canon camera.
- Head over to camerashutter.com and upload your photo so it can tell you the shutter count.
- If that does not work, you can download a program called EOS Info and check the shutter count of your camera through that method.
- If that does not work, the best thing is to take the camera to any good camera shop or the place from where you got your camera and have them check it out for you.
How to Check the Shutter Count on Nikon Cameras?
Thankfully, if you want to check the shutter count on your Nikon camera, the process is much easier and simpler.
All you have to do is head over to myshuttercount.com, upload the image, and then your shutter count will be revealed without a hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
This is not the first time someone has asked us about the shutter count and how things work. To be honest, you really do not have to stress over this and if you have been worried about the shutter count of your camera, then there is nothing to stress over it. The thing is, you should be enjoying your camera and using it as an investment rather than worrying about when it will break.
The chances of a camera breaking on you are much higher through other means than the shutter actually breaking.
