Shutter Count Checker & Guide

02 / Find your method

Start with your camera brand.

Sony: check an original JPG or ARW.

Many Sony Alpha cameras record shutter information inside the photo’s maker notes. Start with a freshly captured JPG copied straight from the card, or an original ARW. Select it in the reader above and check that the detected model matches your camera.

Supported examples include the A6000, A6300, A6400, A6500, A6600, A6700, A7 II, A7 III, A7 IV, A7R II–V, A7S II–III, A7C, A7C II and A7CR. Support is limited to the recognised model IDs listed below; it is not a promise that every Sony camera or firmware version will work.

Silent/electronic shooting can leave the mechanical counter unchanged. A low result therefore does not show how much filming or electronic photography the camera has done. If the file is from an older session, the reading describes the camera at that time.

Check your Sony photo ↑

For another reading or a model not covered here, see the independent Sony Alpha Shutter Tool.

Nikon: start with the latest original photo.

The reader supports Nikon files containing the standard readable ShutterCount field in Nikon type-2 maker notes. Try an original JPG first; an unedited NEF may also work. The camera name and the recorded value appear together, so you can check you have selected the right file.

Do not assume that every Nikon result is mechanical-only. The meaning varies by model and can include electronic exposures. In particular, a counter from a camera without a mechanical shutter cannot indicate mechanical shutter wear.

If no value appears, try a new JPG copied directly from the card. A missing value is an unsupported or missing-data result, not evidence that the camera has never been used.

Check your Nikon photo ↑

Pentax: use the untouched camera file.

Supported Pentax files contain an encoded shutter counter together with the camera’s original date and time metadata. All three are needed to interpret it. Choose an original JPG or PEF; changing the metadata can prevent a meaningful reading.

The counter may be reset during servicing and does not include Live View or video shutter activity. Treat it as supporting information alongside the camera’s condition and service history. Pentax-branded compacts, Ricoh cameras and converted DNG files are not universally supported.

Check your Pentax photo ↑

Canon: a photo often cannot provide the answer.

This reader does not decode Canon shutter counts. For many EOS models, the useful reading requires a direct connection to the camera rather than a JPG upload.

1. Identify the exact EOS model and your computer’s operating system.
2. Check the compatibility list of a reputable shutter-count application before purchasing or installing it.
3. Connect the camera with a suitable USB data cable and follow that application’s instructions.
4. If your model is unsupported, ask Canon service about the available inspection options.

ShutterCheck’s macOS compatibility list is one starting point. It is a third-party application, not part of MakCameras, and may require payment. Some supported Canon cameras report counts in steps of 1,000 rather than an exact single-shot total.

Do not use the file number or the “shots remaining” display as a substitute. Those values describe image numbering or card capacity.

Panasonic Lumix: find your model’s procedure.

Lumix shutter information is accessed on the camera rather than with our photo reader. Find your exact model below: similar names do not guarantee the same controls or firmware behaviour.

How to use the tables

1. Charge the battery. Follow the preparation for your model.
2. With the camera off, hold the buttons in Start-up together while switching it on. Release them afterwards.
3. Press and release the Display sequence combination the stated number of times. A plus sign means press the buttons simultaneously.
4. Find SHTCNT, record the value, then switch the camera off.

PWRCNT is power-on activity; STBCNT is flash activity. They are not shutter counts. A missing SHTCNT is not a zero reading.

These concise reference tables summarise the linked guides; MakCameras has not physically tested every model and firmware combination. Keep the exact model and firmware version with any reading you record.

Fujifilm: distinguish shutter count from image count.

Some Fujifilm JPGs contain an image counter. If available, our reader labels it “Fujifilm image count — not lifetime shutter count”. This field can reset or wrap and must not be presented as proof of lifetime mechanical usage.

X100V and X100VI: use the camera menu

1. Turn on the camera and press MENU/OK.
2. Open Set Up → User Setting → Shutter Count.
3. Read the approximate value shown on screen.

Fujifilm describes this as an approximate count. Other actions that operate the lens shutter, including switching the camera on or off, can also increase it. It therefore need not equal the number of saved photographs.

Menu availability varies across the X and GFX ranges. Check the manual for your model rather than assuming every Fujifilm body has this option.

X100V official instructions · X100VI official instructions

Olympus / OM System: check model-specific support.

This photo reader does not support Olympus or OM System shutter counters. For a reliable reading, identify the full model name and ask the manufacturer or a qualified service centre for the appropriate procedure. Avoid trying a hidden-menu sequence intended for a different body.

If you already have a diagnostic reading, confirm what its label means before calling it a shutter count. Different counters may describe different camera operations.

What this reader can — and cannot — read.

JPG is the easiest starting point. The tool also accepts TIFF-based ARW, NEF and PEF files with supported metadata. HEIC, HEIF, CR3, RAF, converted DNG, screenshots and video files are not supported. For Fujifilm, use an original JPG.

Results are decoded from the metadata supplied in the file. They are not authenticated service records: metadata can be altered and counters can have model-specific limits. This tool does not certify a camera’s condition or remaining life.

What does the number actually tell you?

Mechanical and electronic shooting

A mechanical shutter has moving parts; electronic shooting reads the sensor electronically. Depending on the camera, a reported counter may count mechanical activity, recorded images or a mixture of actions. Read the result label rather than comparing numbers across different brands as if they measured the same thing.

Video and servicing

A camera can have a low still-photo counter after extensive video use. A shutter replacement or other servicing can also change how a reading relates to the camera’s overall history. Ask about service records when assessing used equipment.

There is no universal “good” count

A durability rating is not an expiry date or a guarantee of remaining photographs. Assess the sensor, autofocus, controls, card slots, mount, battery compartment and physical condition as well. For shopping advice, see our guide to buying used equipment.

Questions & troubleshooting