Sony shutter count checker
Sony α cameras hide the shutter count in scrambled maker notes inside each photo. ShutterOdo decodes them in your browser from an original JPEG or ARW.
Drop a photo
Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Fujifilm, and the Canon R5 and R6. Use the original file from the memory card.
No camera handy? Try a sample:
Connect by USB
For Canon EOS bodies that keep the count out of their photos, like the 7D Mark II, 5D Mark III and 70D. Works in desktop Chrome or Edge.
Read-only. Camera settings stay as they are.On Windows? Do a 2-minute driver switch first, no download needed: Windows setup guide. Or use Chrome on an Android phone with a USB OTG adapter.
Your recent checks
USB setup for Mac, Windows and Linux
Charge the battery, switch the camera on, turn Wi-Fi off and use a USB cable that carries data. Many micro-USB cables only charge. Quit EOS Utility, Lightroom, Photos and Image Capture first.
Mac: right before you click Connect, run killall -9 PTPCamera ptpcamerad in Terminal. macOS grabs cameras the moment they're plugged in.
Windows: Windows puts Canon cameras on its own driver, which Chrome can't use. Switch it to Windows' built-in WinUSB driver in Device Manager, no download needed. Step-by-step Windows guide. Or skip the computer and use Chrome on an Android phone with a USB OTG adapter.
Linux, ChromeOS and Android Chrome with a USB OTG adapter: usually works as is.
Technical log
Nothing read yet.
How Sony records the count
Sony writes the count into an enciphered block of the maker notes, so ordinary photo viewers can't show it. ShutterOdo uses ExifTool 13.42, which decodes this block for the α7, α7R, α7S, α9, α1, α6000 series and A-mount bodies.
The count tracks shutter releases. On some bodies, shots taken in silent shooting mode don't add to it. The newest models can take a reader update before their count is decoded.
How to check a Sony shutter count
- Take a new photo with the mechanical shutter. Avoid silent mode for this shot.
- Copy the JPEG or ARW straight off the card. Imaging Edge and Lightroom exports drop the data.
- Drop it on the checker above.
Rated shutter life for Sony cameras
| Model | Rated life | How ShutterOdo reads it |
|---|---|---|
| α1 | 500,000 | Photo |
| α9 | 500,000 | Photo |
| α7R III | 500,000 | Photo |
| α7R IV | 500,000 | Photo |
| α7 III | 200,000 | Photo |
Sony questions
Can I see the shutter count in the Sony menu?
No. Sony doesn't show it anywhere in the camera's menus. Reading the photo's maker notes is the only way without a service visit.
Does it work with compressed or lossless ARW?
Yes. All ARW types carry the same maker notes.
My Sony photo shows no count. Why?
The file was probably edited or exported, or it came through a messaging app. Use an original file copied from the card. If it still fails, copy the technical log and email it so we can add your model.