I recently bought a new camera and will be using my older version for a backup. This means I have another old, older version sitting around unused. I decided to sell it and in the process of doing so, I wanted to check to see how many actuations (shutter clicks) it has so I could pass along that information.

How do I check?

There are a few ways to do this. You can take it to a camera shop or if youā€™re within driving distance of a dealer or manufacturer repair facility you can have them check for you. Iā€™m guessing that this isnā€™t always an option. There are several apps you can download that will check for you.

I downloaded the ShutterCount app on my MacBook, plugged in my old Canon T1i and it automatically pulls up the information.

shutter count

You can find the list of compatible cameras here.

This is just one app I found in the App store for Apple. There are numerous other options out there.

Here are a couple of sites I found with a quick search:
FreeShutterCount.com: for Canon, Nikon and Sony available for Windows & Mac.
CameraShutterCount.com:Ā  this is a different way of doing this, they have you shoot an image and upload it. Not all cameras upload shutter count information though as I found out when I uploaded an image and received this message: Your camera doesn’t add shutter count information to images. They directed me to the Shutter Count App.

There are a few other apps available in the App Store that range from $.99 to $4.99.

Why do I need to know this

Like anything, our cameras have a life expectancy. Itā€™s a good way to just check in with our equipment and get an idea of how much life is left in it. Then we can be prepared for the inevitable when that sad day comes and our camera stops working. Itā€™s also good to know any time you plan on selling equipment, most buyers will want to know how much life the camera is expected to have after they purchase it.