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Ever wonder how many shutter actuations your Canon 40D* has?  This utility will tell you.

This is a bare utility, so there's no setup program and none of the required support files are included - but they all should have been installed when you installed the EOS Utility.  If you don't have the EOS Utility installed, this utility will not work.

Instructions:

1) Download the file here.
2) In Windows Explorer, unzip the file
3) Copy the .exe file into the folder where the Canon EOS Utility is installed (typically, C:\Program Files\Canon\EOS Utility)
4) Run (double-click) the .exe
5) Follow the instructions. When you press the "Get Count" button, the shutter count *should* appear next to the button.

* Read FAQ #0

FAQ:

0) I have a 1D*/5D/10D/20D/30D/50D/300D/350D/400D/450D/1000D. Will the software work with it?
This works on any of the Canon DIGIC III/IV DSLRs except the 1D* series. This means the 40D, the 50D, the 450D, the 1000D, and presumably the 5DMkII (someone test the 5DMkII, please and let me know).

It will not work on the 1D*, 5D, 10D, 20D, 30D, 300D, 350D, and 400D.  It's not that I have anything against the owners of those cameras, but simply that the Canon SDK does not support retrieving the shutter count for them.

1) The software reports that I've taken 1234 pictures, but the last image on my CF card is numbered 1111 (i.e., the number reported is higher than the last image number number on the CF card). Why?
If you've ever taken images while tethered to a PC with the EOS utility or other software, or with no CF card in your camera, those increment the shutter actuation counter, but not the numbering system for your card. If you've reset the image numbering on you camera or "rolled over" 9999 images, this may also occur.
2) Does using LiveView affect the shutter count reported?
Taking pictures while in LiveView increments the shutter count. Entering and exiting live view mode does not.
3) Is there a Mac version?
No.
3a) Why isn't there a Mac version?
It's because you Mac owners act *sooooo* smug and superior.
3b) Really?
No, the real reason is because I don't own or have access to a Mac to develop on.
4) How does it work? Is it majick?
Yes.
4a) Seriously. Are you looking in the EXIF data?
No. It doesn't matter if there are any images on the camera or not, or even if there's a CF card inserted - the camera just needs to be connected.
5) I've heard that only Canon can extract this number, so you must be lying. Are you lying?
No, I'm not lying. I've heard the "Canon service center" mantra too - but there are thousands - well, hundreds - okay, at least *3* people I know of who believe this number to be a relatively accurate count of shutter actuations.
5a) Why only "relatively" accurate?
See FAQ #2.
6) I'm using Windows Vista 64-bit, and I get the error "BadImageFormatException."
Download the latest version, it fixes that issue.
7) The software reports that I've taken 1234 pictures, but the last image on my CF card is numbered 4999 (i.e., the number reported is lower than the last image on the CF card). Why?
You may have used the CF card on more than one camera, and the other camera's images were numbered higher. DSLRs typically name image files by grabbing the highest image number on the card and incrementing by one.

Change history:

Version 2 2008/09/29
  • Now works on Windows Vista 64-bit.
Version 1 2008/08/26
  • Initial release

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