Canon Camera Actuations

[rpcrowe]

How do I find out the number of actuations of Canon DSLR cameras.

I am selling two cameras as part of my plan to downsize my equipment: Canon 5D Mark-2, Canon 7D Mark-1... I have been amiss in never selling my gear but, I was wary of eBay and how selling worked on that site. I found out that it is exceptionally easy.

The 5D2 should have very low actuations which, IMO, might be a selling point. That is really a pretty fine camera and a person can snap up one at a relatively low price point.

I tried to Google the above but, Google wants me to download a secondary source program. Isn't there a way, within Canon software to determine how many actuations that a camera has had.

I am keeping two Canon bodies (6D Mark-2 and 7D Mark-2) along with three lenses (Canon 100mm f/2.8 Non-L Macro, 28-70mm f/2.8 Tokina ATX - which I dearly love and the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS ii which I am also quite fond of). I am selling the 70-200mm f/4L IS lens which has been my go to telephoto for general shooting and travel. However, my Sony lens of the same foal length and aperture has made the Canon glass redundant.

[Manfred M]

It's in the file metadata. Get the last image you took and in Photoshop open up the metadata:



It's found under the File Info tab and open the Raw Data tab.

[Rita]

Richard, you might want to google how to get the actuations for the models that you want to sell. Some, not all, Canon camera models have the actuation count blocked and only Canon can get the count.

[Ken MT]

When I looked at this I only got
"<aux:ImageNumber>0</aux:ImageNumber>" from a number of images, both raw and Jpeg

[russellsnr]

Hi, Just a suggestion. Download Magiclantern firmware and before anyone pops up to say it's not safe I have used it on a 600D, 70D and a Canon 'M' camera/s without any problems, you can get the shutter count from there and after you just go over the process again of loading the firmware but let the camera run for an additional 30 seconds and it will auto remove everything again back to Canon firmware. Read Magiclantern install guide https://wiki.magiclantern.fm/install. Russ.

[Rufus]

When I looked at this I only got
"<aux:ImageNumber>0</aux:ImageNumber>" from a number of images, both raw and Jpeg

I found this as well on my Canon 6D Mark 2 whicih is one of the bodies Richard is keeping hold of.

[William W]

It's in the file metadata. Get the last image you took and in Photoshop open up the metadata:



It's found under the File Info tab and open the Raw Data tab.

Manfred - I reckon that's the data from a Nikon DSLR?>

Not the same for an EOS 5D MkII - Canon has that line locked:



I am pretty sure it is locked for all the Canon EOS DSLRs.

There are some downloadable third party programs, I think that they only can access certain (later) models, no idea which models are accessible and I have never tried any of the programs.

WW

[Donald]

Yep, it's been one of the great mysteries of life - Why Canon don't want you to know how many times the shutter has fired. Nikon has always had it available on its models.

[Manfred M]

Thanks for the updates. Not having owned a Canon camera for a long time, I was not away of that manufacturer not writing this information to the metadata in the image. Very strange behaviour by Canon. I'm trying to understand the logic of hiding this information...

[DanK]

It's been this way as long as I have owned Canon digital cameras, which is a long time. I have no idea why. There are a number of third party utilities that provide the information, but I have never tried one, as my preference for keeping unknown software off my computers is greater than my curiosity about the shutter count--although I was sorely tempted when I bought a reconditioned body from Canon several years ago.

[rpcrowe]

I tried camerashuttercount.com even though it only listed the Canon 5D, not the 5D Mark-2



Shooting an image with my 5D2 I uploaded it as directed and ended up with this failure...



I am not going to keep downloading apps because it is not worth it to get the shutter count if my computer gets infected with various virus or malware...

[Manfred M]

Richard - all these online apps do the same thing; they read the file metadata. If Canon cameras do not write number of actuations to the metadata, then there is nothing to read and you are back to where you started; no information.

[xpatUSA]

May I add a caveat?

Image count is not the same as shutter actuation count.

For example, Sigma cameras only "count" images by means of the DCIM file-naming system. The camera can be set to automatically zero the count whenever the memory card is changed or formatted. A factory reset zeros everything, leaving one with a brand-new camera. . Sigma does not fill in the meta-data shutter count tag.

Of course, few here own a Sigma, but the point is that I wouldn't take a "shutter count" as gospel on any camera model.

When selling, it would behoove the Seller to word anything to do with shutter count very carefully indeed ...

[rpcrowe]

I seem to remember being able to connect a Canon DSLR camera to the computer with a USB cable and being able to read the camera actuations with some sort of Canon supplied software. But, that may just be a figment of my faulty memory

Oh well... The task kept me busy in air conditioned comfort during a very hot day. Heat has finally broken for a while but, our hottest months will soon be upon us. Can't complain though, we have about ten-months of beautiful weather and even on the hottest days of late August trough October, it usually cools down after sunset and the nice thing is that sunset comes along earlier during that time...

[loosecanon]

Canon are a pain. DSLR Controller can give a number for most after the 5D but not the 5D 4 as the firmwear changed.
There are a number of apps that say they can give the number shutter count, but most fail for latest models.

[proseak]

+1 for Magic Lantern

[odds]

I seem to remember being able to connect a Canon DSLR camera to the computer with a USB cable and being able to read the camera actuations with some sort of Canon supplied software.

My brother successfully used a utility (https://sourceforge.net/projects/can...-digital-info/ ) on a Windows PC connected to his Canon 7D.

--
Odd S.

[odds]

...For example, Sigma cameras only "count" images by means of the DCIM file-naming system. The camera can be set to automatically zero the count whenever the memory card is changed or formatted. A factory reset zeros everything, leaving one with a brand-new camera.

Engaging/disengaging "Live View" on a DSLR is known to count one shutter activation. Live View ON = mirror up, shutter open. Live View Off = shutter close, mirror down. Thus, one shutter cycle even if no image was captured.

--
Odd S.

[xpatUSA]

Originally Posted by xpatUSA
...For example, Sigma cameras only "count" images by means of the DCIM file-naming system. The camera can be set to automatically zero the count whenever the memory card is changed or formatted. A factory reset zeros everything, leaving one with a brand-new camera.

Engaging/disengaging "Live View" on a DSLR is known to count one shutter activation. Live View ON = mirror up, shutter open. Live View Off = shutter close, mirror down. Thus, one shutter cycle even if no image was captured.

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Odd S.

You did say "a DSLR", Odd, but just to be clear, Sigma DSLRs do not have Live View.

[odds]

You did say "a DSLR", Odd, but just to be clear, Sigma DSLRs do not have Live View.

Ah, thanks. My Nikon head was in Canon gear with your remark on potential difference between image count and shutter count.
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Odd S.