Shutter Count

[Joel4JC]

I am buying a used 5D Mark III and I have 30 days to try it out for a full refund. All the post on this site that I've found referring to shutter count, the solution says PM to the person asking the question. How do I find the solution? How can I check the shutter count on a 5D Mark III?

Thanks in advance,

Joel

[jrhoffman75]

1. I agree that the only way to get a true accurate count is via Canon Service.

2. The shutter count from both of these programs were identical, as it expected it to be, since they both use Canon's SDK to access the camera.

Doesn't 2 contradict 1?

[Joel4JC]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

1. I agree that the only way to get a true accurate count is via Canon Service.

2. The shutter count from both of these programs were identical, as it expected it to be, since they both use Canon's SDK to access the camera.

Doesn't 2 contradict 1?

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No 2 does not contradict 1, as a software developer myself, SDKs are not the holy grail for 100% accuracy. It would depend on what Canon decided to include in the SDK. There may be some undocumented features that the developer is unaware of that may give a more accurate result. Or Canon may not have included some features that would yield a more accurate result. SDKs have been know to have bugs 🙂 Then there is the question, "does Canon use the same SDK to retrieve the shutter count or some other method?"

However, I plan on finding out myself by:

1. Getting a copy of the Canon SDK and take a look under the hood.

2. Take one of my cameras into Canon Service and get a shutter count and then compare it to the programs I've mentioned earlier. If there is a discrepancy, then I'll have dive a litte deeper into the SDK to see why.

[jrhoffman75]

I will be interested in your findings. I’ve done it with four different model cameras and two different software products and results were exact.

[Joel4JC]

"You do know the shutter is not the number one cause of early camera failure?  It is dropped cameras. Second is wet, getting moisture inside the camera.  Shutter count tells you neither. That is one reason why I say you need to know the history of the camera you are buying used. "

ebiggs1, if you have the luxury or great fortune of knowing the history of the camera, then I agree with you 100%. Now, let's go back to my used car example. How many used car buyers have the luxury of knowing the actual history of the car they are buying, especially if they are buying it from a dealer. I believe you would much rather purchase the car with the lower mileage versas the high mileage car when you know nothing about the history of the car. There is real value in knowing the odometer reading on a car, that's why by law, the odometer reading has to be disclosed and you attest to its mileage, for both used and new cars. No guarantees, but the probability of the lower mileage car having less problems and lasting longer is greater.

The only way I am going to know the history of a used camera is if the person selling me the camera is 100% honest about it's use. If the person selling the camera is not being honest, I'll have no way of knowing if it has been dropped, wet or any other harmful experience.

Furthermore, I believe the shutter count would be of more value when buying a Rebel, 60D, 70D, or 80D class camera. Because the impact of 50,000 clicks on one of these is way different than the impact of 50,000 clicks on a 5D or 1D series camera.

Now, if you are selling a camera and you can show the shutter count is low, you will get a higher price for the camera. I know some professionals photographers and prosumers have heart burn with buying cameras on eBay, however a ton of peope do. So, using eBay as an example, just two days ago, a 5D Mark III with an advertised shutter count of 4111, went for $1775.00, while yesterday a 5D Mark III without a shutter count being shown, went for $890. Looking at past sells on eBay the average price of a 5D Mark III is in around $1100 and a lot of them show the shutter count. So for the seller in this case, there was real value in knowing the shutter count and advertising it with the camera.

ebiggs1 all I am saying, is that there is a real value in knowing the shutter count, at least for me.

[ebiggs1]

"I am saying, is that there is a real value in knowing the shutter count..."

Joel if it makes you feel more secure, then I am all in for you.  Just remember it isn't a tell all.  In your car analogy what if the two cars with very low mileage spent most, 90%, of that time idling?  The other got the same number of miles but by being driven? Obiviously the second example is the one you want. But you do not know that. This is the point I want you to understand when you think one camera is better than the other because of the shutter count. 

[Peter]

Canon Japan and Magic Lantern give the same shutter count from 6D and 7D.
Tornado EOS give the same shutter count as Magic Lantern.

On 5D II there is a firmware bug with the shutter count. Something about to make it powerless and it doesn't register the last batch of shutter count.

[MikeSowsun]

Magic Lantern unlocks the actual shutter count and also includes LiveView actuations

 19,529 Total (rounded up to 20K) = 16497 photo actuations + 3032 Liveview actuations

[areejbashir]

I'm looking to purchase a used canon 5d mark IV with a new instuled Shutter Count and reflector installed. Is this a good idea? Can i trust the camera will function fine?
The installment has been done by Canon and proof of the installment is availabe.

Please advice. thank you very much

[ebiggs1]

If you have a receipt from Canon, not a Canon dealer, but actually from Canon, I would have no objection to buying it. Of course this should be reflected in the price as the rest of the camera is as old as it was before the service was done. 

Canon not only replaces parts that are faulty but they do a complete service check for OE operation before they return it.

That is why it has to be Canon that did the work and not some Canon dealer.