Shutter Count

[Mistermixson]

I noticed when i take a set of pictures they are numbered, XXX-YYYY and then there is a dash and another number after it. when i delete this set from the card and the first set of number's (X's) reset to 0 but the Y's continue to go up one. I have been researching what a shutter count is and at first glance thats what i thought it was but the information online about how hard it is to find a shutter count has me thinking that cant be it. what is the set of numbers after the dash?

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

What you are seeing is not the shutter count, but the file number. You didn't state what camera you have; the actual file numbering scheme varies from camera to camera.

The industy standard protocol limits the file number to four digits and the total file name to eight alphanumeric characters.

For many cameras the numbering system is IMG-XXXX where XXXX starts at 0000 and ends at 9999.

If you never reset the counter then a new folder is created for the next image after 9999 and it starts again at 0000.

If you never reset the counter and keep track of the folders then you can approximate the shutter count by adding up the highest number in each folder. (I say approximate because if you use Live View the shutter actuates but file number doesn't increment up. 

[Mistermixson]

Thank you, that perfect sense