Shutter count on 1Ds mark iii why send to Canon and if no longer available as service has stopped ?

[Hunterphoto]

I know about the debates and posts about the lack of accuracy with the various attempts to obtain an  exact and correct  shutter count through various programs and means such as "EOS" or "ShutterCount "and the requirement to send  the camera  to the Canon repair centers as part of a service, but I have now been told by a local dealer, that since Canon stopped official support for the 1Ds mark iii as well as as the 1D,  this count from a repair center  is no longer a viable option.

My question is two fold: Why was it ever necessary to go through the expense of sending it to a repair center? 

Is there some unique reason with the camera to keep it from being able to ascertain the count from other means? 

Examine the history starting  with 35mm film cameras.  I am not sure of the exact start date, but for film cameras made in the 1980's and later, it is relatively easy to ascertain the number of rolls of film shot through it.  While a roll of film may have 24 or 36  shots available, one may simply assume 100 rolls equals no more than 36 times 100 equalling 3,600 or less shutter count, perhaps as low as 2,400 shutter activations, if only the 24 shot rolls were used.  

Now on to digital: Shuttercount and other programs give a fairly reiable shutter count for the 1 Ds mark ii and earlier cameras and models as well as later production cameras, but not the 1Ds Markiii  (and another 1D model---1D mkIII ) 

Later production cameras that have video available, do present different issues but the 5D Mark IV will show an approximate count on the camera LCD with a >< sign, understandable with the video option. 

Second part: Is it true that either the repair centers will not or can not perfom a shutter count as Canon has dropped official support based on the passage of time? 

If so, then why is it that Canon has not made the means and method to perform the count generally available, either for free or at a price, to shooters, or at least, to  the various dealers and unofficial repair shops? 

I would prefer to think it is not to provide more incentive to replace the cameras with newer models, acting in the same type of method and with the intent and purpose as Microsoft has done with windows 7 to force upgrades [downgrades, in my opinion] to W10, with its spyware of keystrokes and other data going to their Cloud, Cortina, and even more worse, their forced upgrades that have wrecked drives and destroyed files and software, and with the latest upgrade has removed all barriers and guards to prevent forced upgrades.  

See the posts in this thread that does not answer the above questions, only discusses the issues about where and how to get the count--from Canon only;

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/General-Camera-Discussion/Shutter-count/m-p/34203/highlight/true#...

[Peter]

SPT requiers XP to read the shutter count from 1Ds III and 5D. Perhaps the same goes for Canon.

[Hunterphoto]

Peter 

What is SPT ?

as to "stp requiers XP to read the shutter count from 1Ds III" , for photos, i primarily use windows 7 Ultimate, which will operate  any XP program.

Help?

I have to leave to  do some work right now..

[Peter]

---

@Hunterphoto wrote:

Peter 

What is SPT ?

as to "stp requiers XP to read the shutter count from 1Ds III" , for photos, i primarily use windows 7 Ultimate, which will operate  any XP program.

Help?

I have to leave to  do some work right now..

---

The Society of Photo-Technologist. $99 is not worth it if the shutter count is your only purpose with the software.

The features of the cheaper version are:

1. Print and pdf the Improved Camera FAX.
2. Read and change the camera's electronic serial number.
3. Read and change the camera's Shutter count.
4. Read and change the camera's Mirror count.
5. Read and change the camera's Total count.
6. Read and clear the camera's internal error codes. PLUS the last 7 Error Codes
7. Identify the Lens on the camera when the error occurred!
8. Download, save and upload the camera's Adjustment data.
9. Download, save and upload the camera's Digital image data.

[ebiggs1]

"The Society of Photo-Technologist. $99 is not worth it if the shutter count is your only purpose with the software.

The features of the cheaper version are:............................"

You probably need to reread this pertinent post.

"Shutter counts can be easily fudged."

[Waddizzle]

Shutter counts can be easily fudged.  I suspect Canon loads diagnostic firmware into the camera, takes a reading, and then reloads the normal firmware into the camera.

As far as Microsoft forcing people to upgrade, it was done for software security reasons.  They redesigned Windows from the ground up, which is why users could not transfer existing applications to Windows 10 like you could with previous OS upgrades.

[Hunterphoto]

sounds like the only reasonable answer i have seen yet, but what about all the other cameras?

Yes, as to Microsoft, I have repeatedly heard the same lame MS excuse, but that is more sales talk to scare people into W10, per numerous experts who also point to W10 enormous secuirty issues with the data not always going only to the MS cloud but other places, plus the W10 "back door or backdoor porch" that can easily be hacked, unlike W7. 

For those who value their photo collections, it would be advisable to use not merely one,  but three separate backups using special methods to transfer the files to seperate [from the computer] hard drives, plus special security software, or otherwise, come one happy day, they may all be gone in a mushroomed shaped cloud or corrupted beyond recovery.  

BTW, when doing one of the latest  forced updates, when the HD is too full, MS can delete files, including precious photos, to make upwards of 20GB or more of space for the use of MS to insert thier updates.  And there is no legal recourse for damages. 

And do not rely on the Cloud as a backup. 

[Peter]

What I have seen (5D II) the factory menu and studio menu are hidden in the normal firmware and not in a factory firmware.

[Hunterphoto]

I have 5D mark Iv, and it shows the count as descibed above, but I had to read numerous pages of their 600 page manual to find it, then use it via the right buttons to figure out how to do it with the software or operating software installed straight from factory.

Dont know if that would work on (5D II) .   Never had that model. Same procedure might work on (5D II)  as it worked on my 5D mk iv.

[ebiggs1]

"... it is relatively easy to ascertain the number of rolls of film shot through it."

I don't agree or see how that is any sort of reasonable. A lot of guys, back in the day, and me, bulk loaded film.  We put every count we wanted in a 35mm canister.  If you shot a lot this saved you tons of money. When I was working, when you went to the film vault and ordered 35mm film they gave us a carton (12 rolls).  No effort was made as to whether it was all used or whether we were using one or two or three or more cameras. Counting film rolls is not a way at all to determine shutter count.

My feeling is, Canon never thought it was important to anybody.  It really tells you little about the camera. For instance you have two cars both with 100k on the clock.  You don't know their history. Both have been detailed.  Which one do you buy?  However, one was driven from Kansas City to Denver on I-70 and the other got its 100k doing the Baja desert race.

So in my thinking knowing the history of the camera is far better than knowing the shutter clicks. If a camera has 5 clicks on it, it can fail on click number 6. If it has 100k on it, it can go another 100k.  Ya just never know. That one with 5 clicks may have shot 2000 hours of video.

I currently have four 1 series cameras. I don't know the shutter count on any of them. Even though the 1DX tells you somewhere in the menus what it is, I guess.