Sony shutter count: how it works
Sony mirrorless and SLT cameras store the number of shutter actuations inside every photo, in an encrypted MakerNotes area that regular EXIF viewers cannot display. Our tool deciphers it and shows you the count: just upload an ARW or JPEG straight out of the camera, with no editing or app transfer in between.
Drag your photo here, or click to choose it
JPEG or RAW (NEF, ARW, RAF, ORF, PEF, DNG…) · max 60 MB · straight off the memory card
Supported brands
Generally works with: Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Ricoh, Olympus / OM System and several Panasonic models. Canon and Fujifilm: in most cases the count is NOT in the files — we read it at the lab (included in the full check-up).
How it works for your brand: Nikon · Canon · Fujifilm · Pentax · Ricoh · Full EXIF viewer
Where the count is stored
Sony writes the counter into the MakerNotes (the proprietary section of the EXIF metadata), inside a block scrambled with a substitution cipher that tools like ExifTool know how to decode into the ShutterCount, ShutterCount2 and ShutterCount3 tags. The data is present in both .ARW raw files and JPEGs, but only in original files: export from Lightroom, resize the image or send it through a messaging app and the MakerNotes are stripped, taking the count with them. On some older models the value is stored modulo 65,536, so on heavily used bodies the counter wraps around and needs to be read with some judgement.
Which models work
Sony coverage is among the best of any brand: virtually every E-mount body (A7, A9, A1, A6000, ZV-E and FX series) from the original A7 to the current line-up, plus the NEX and SLT ranges (A77, A99, A58 and so on) from roughly 2010-2011 onwards. First-generation A-mount DSLRs (A100, A700, A900) and compact cameras are not readable: their files simply do not carry a usable counter. One caveat on the newest bodies: on recent generations (A6700, A7C II, A7CR, ZV-E1, A1 II and later) the tag records mechanical shutter actuations only, so silent shooting with the electronic shutter may not increase the counter. A low count does not always mean light use.
What to do if no count shows up
First, make sure you uploaded an original file: no exports, no transfer apps that recompress the image. If the file is genuinely straight out of the camera and no count appears, the model most likely does not write one, or writes it in a format not yet decoded. In the workshop we assess the camera regardless of metadata: our €60 check-up covers shutter, sensor and mechanics, and if the shutter is near end of life we replace it with an original part, from €150.
Common questions
Does the Sony shutter count include electronic shutter shots?
It depends on the generation. On the newest bodies the tag counts mechanical actuations only, so silent bursts do not increase it. On earlier models the value represents total exposures. To judge real wear, always weigh the count against the overall condition of the body.
Why can't the count be read from a Lightroom export or a WhatsApp photo?
Because the data lives in the MakerNotes, which almost every editor and messaging app strips out when exporting or recompressing. You need the original ARW or JPEG, copied straight from the memory card.
How long does a Sony shutter last?
Sony rates several models between 200,000 and 500,000 actuations depending on the body. That is a statistical figure, not an expiry date: some shutters go well beyond it, others fail earlier. If yours is close to the limit or you see dark bands in your photos, we replace shutters from €150.
Can the counter be reset or faked?
The value in the file mirrors the camera's internal counter and cannot be zeroed from the menus. Even a shutter replacement does not necessarily reset it, as on Sony it is tied to the body's electronics. For a second-hand purchase it is a reliable indicator, as long as it is read from a recent original file.
Ready to get your gear working again?
Tell us what is wrong, ship your equipment to our lab in Ancona, and we take care of the rest. Diagnosis is always free — you only pay if you approve the quote.