ShutterCount Frequently Asked Questions


Q1 - Serial number not displayed correctly

Symptom

Instead of the correct serial number ShutterCount displays a small number. For example, instead of 034012005786 on an 5D Mark III you get just 7.

Cause

There is a bug in older Canon camera firmware revisions that chop off the lower 32 bits of the serial number, thus returning an incorrect short string. Using the above example, the full 64-bit serial number in hexadecimal representation is 00000007 EB64059A. As the camera chops off the lower 32 bits, only the upper 32 bits are returned giving the value 7.

Resolution

You should update to the latest available firmware. In case of the 5D Mark III the fist version known to work correctly is 1.2.1.


Q2 - Shutter count value is lower than expected

Symptom

For example you bought a camera new, the EXIF file number was not reset, and the current EXIF number shows that you have 9400 shots. But ShutterCount displays a lower value, 8950.

Cause

The cause of this shutter count discrepancy is how Canon's firmware counts actuations. There are two numbers: a non-volatile count and a session (volatile) count (a session is the time interval between power-offs). What ShutterCount displays is the non-volatile count. The session count is zeroed when the camera is powered on. It is incremented during the session and added to the non-volatile count when the camera is turned off. If power gets cut abruptly, then the camera fails to do a proper shutdown and will not add the session count to the non-volatile count - resulting in "missing" shots.

When you remove the battery the first thing the camera does after detecting that the battery door is open is to shut itself down properly. The time it takes to fully open the door is usually enough for the shutdown. So it's hard to cause an abrupt power cut this way. But when the battery runs too low during shooting, it might not provide enough power for a proper shutdown. Or the easiest way to reproduce this phenomenon is to power the camera with a DC adapter and just pull the plug.

Note that the built-in shutter counter on the EOS-1D X is also affected by this phenomenon.

Resolution

There is no resolution or workaround unless Canon changes this behavior.


Q3 - Owner name does not show up

You can set two different names for your Canon EOS camera: an owner's name and an author/artist name. Only the author/artist name can be set in-camera.

The Plus Pack offers the functionality to change the owner name: just click or tap the Owner Name label on the camera summary screen. Alternatively you can use the menu (Camera > Edit Owner Name... on a Mac and More > Camera Settings > Edit Owner Name on iPhone/iPad).


Q4 - What about other cameras?

There are technical limitations that prevent us from supporting some cameras:


Q5 - ShutterCount does not recognize my USB connected camera

In general check the following:

Additionally, on a Mac check:

Make sure that no other app will start when the camera is connected following the steps detailed below, then disconnect the camera, reboot your Mac, turn off and back on the camera and connect it again.

Additionally, on iPhone/iPad check:


Q6 - ShutterCount does not recognize my Wi-Fi / Ethernet connected camera

In general check the following:

Additionally, on iPhone/iPad check:

Follow the recommended pairing procedure to connect your camera to ShutterCount or ShutterCount Mobile. It is discussed in the Getting Started Guide.


Q7 - Why does the app display the counter rounded to 1000 shots?

New Canon cameras (all mirrorless models as well as DSLRs released in the recent years) provide the shutter counter value in 1000 increments. This is how 1D-series models always displayed the counter in the menu. Obviously Canon is on the opinion that this is pretty much enough for practical purposes.

So ShutterCount follows what Canon dictates, and displays the counter identical to how 1D-series models and the R3 does it: in "less than or equal to" notation, and in 1000 increments.

Cameras that work this way are marked with a "T" on the Tech Specs page.


Q8 - What are normal shutter count values for new cameras?

For cameras that report the counter in increments of one, the (viewfinder) photo count should be 0. But please note that it is perfectly normal to have non-zero live view counters (up to a few 10s). We have seen several brand new cameras with initial live view counters in the 30-60 range.

For cameras that report the counter in increments of 1000, the counter should be ≤ 1000.

Higher numbers than these usually indicate that the camera you're dealing with is not new.


Q9 - Why I keep getting "Wrong Communication Function" error messages?

The Connect to smartphone function that you have selected on the camera is not suitable for this app. It will not work.

You must use the EOS Utility communication function (represented by a computer icon). See the Getting Started Guide for step-by-step instructions and videos. Or use the in-app Wizard, which will also give you detailed guidance specific to your camera model.


Q10 - ShutterCount can't read the counter from my Canon image files

With the exception of some very old 1D-series models, Canon cameras do not store the counter in image files. The counter must be read from a camera directly connected with the app using USB or Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

See the Getting Started Guide for step-by-step instructions. Or use the in-app Wizard, which will also give you detailed guidance specific to your camera model.


Q11 - How ShutterCount handles electronic shutter actuations?

On the main screen the app shows mechanical actuations only, since electronic actuations do not contribute to shutter wear.

The electronic actuation counter is displayed on the Distribution Chart, for which you need either the Live View Pack or the Pro edition.


Q12 - Where can I download/purchase ShutterCount for Windows?

We had stopped selling the Windows version on October 14, 2017 due to lack of demand and exorbitant support costs. Please purchase the current Mac or iPhone/iPad versions.

The activation server for the Windows version was shut down on April 30, 2020.