Shutter count What the number really says.

The shutter count tells you how many photos have been taken with a camera. On this page you can read how to find that number, what counts as high, and how much weight it deserves.

How do I see how many photos my camera has taken?

That depends on the brand. With most brands the number is tucked away in your photo's data; with a few you have to look in a menu.

Nikon

Present in every photo, on the DSLRs as well as the Z series.

Sony

Also in the photo. On the newest models (A1 II, A7 V, A7R VI) only the mechanical shutter is counted - exactly the number that says something about wear.

Canon

Canon only stores it in the photo on part of its range: the R5, R6, R6 II, R8 and R50. If you have a different model, a photo will not get you there. For DSLRs there are separate programs that read the camera over USB; most service points can also look it up for you.

Fujifilm

On the newer models it is in the photo after all: the X series from roughly 2016 onwards (X-T2 and later, X-Pro2 and X-Pro3, X-E3 and X-E4, the X-H series, X-S10 and X-S20, X100F, X100V and X100VI) and every GFX model. It is also present in RAF files.

Two things to know with Fujifilm. The number counts every shot together, including those taken with the electronic shutter - so it sits higher than mechanical wear alone. And the counter runs to 32,767 and then starts again at zero, which makes it a lower bound on a camera that has worked hard. A firmware update can reset it as well. With Fujifilm, treat it as an indication rather than a hard measurement.

The oldest models (X-Pro1, X-E1, X-E2, X-T10, X100S, X100T and X70) do not record it in the photo. On the X100V and X100VI you can also find it in the menu under SET UP, USER SETTING, SHUTTER COUNT; on the X-H2, X-H2S, X-T5 and X-S20 you read it out through the Fujifilm XApp, under Equipment.

Olympus and OM System

Not in the photo either. These cameras have a hidden service menu that shows the number; the button combination differs per model.

Pentax and Ricoh

Present in the photo, including in DNG files.

How much shutter count is a lot?

That depends entirely on the type of camera. The same number means something very different on an entry-level body than on a professional one.

So a professional camera with 80,000 shots still has most of its life ahead of it, while that same number on an entry-level model means it has done its work.

For every camera we offer we list the rated shutter life of that specific model, so you can see the shutter count in proportion.

How much does it really matter

Less than most people think.

A shutter is a wear part that can be replaced. If it fails, that is annoying but not the end of the story - repair is usually possible and costs a fraction of a new camera.

More important than the number is how the camera has been used. A body that has taken 100,000 shots in a studio is usually in better shape than one with 30,000 shots that spent years going to the beach.

That is why we look at the whole picture when we grade: the shutter count, the state of the body, the glass, the sensor and the working of every part.

Our shutter warranty

We provide warranty on the shutter mechanism for 12 months, or up to 50% of the rated shutter life of that model - whichever comes first.

An example. The shutter of a Canon 5D Mark IV has a rated life of 150,000 shots. Buy that camera from us and the shutter warranty runs to 75,000 shots that you take yourself, counted from your purchase - or until 12 months have passed.

Mirrorless: the number often says little

Not every camera has a mechanical shutter, and not every camera keeps track of how many shots have been taken.

On mirrorless cameras that expose purely electronically there is no mechanical part wearing down. The shutter count says far less there - sometimes nothing at all. On cameras with both shutters we list the number of mechanical shots wherever possible, because that is the number that speaks to wear.

And on older film cameras the record simply does not exist.

Then condition weighs more heavily

If the shutter count is missing, or the camera has no mechanical shutter, the state of the camera is the most important measure. How does the body look, how do the dials run, is there any sign of moisture or sand, how clean is the sensor.

That is a better measure than people think anyway. A camera with 500,000 shots that spent its whole life in a studio is often in better shape than one with 50,000 shots that spent years going to the beach and the mountains. The number tells you how much work was done, the condition tells you how it was done.

So we always assess both. What we apply per condition is on the product conditions page.

Selling or trading in your camera?

When you make a request we ask for the shutter count, because it counts towards your offer. Not sure of the exact figure? Pick a range or leave the field as it is - we read it out ourselves on arrival and adjust the offer in your favour if needed.

Want to know it now? On check your shutter count you read it free in your browser from an original photo - nothing is uploaded.

Link: selling and trading in

Unsure about a specific camera?

Call us on 085 301 83 32. We will pull up the details, look at where it stands and tell you honestly what we make of it - even if that means recommending a different example.