[slackercruster]

I read someplace here the shutter count could be reset? If true, is there anyway to find out the true shutter count when buying used?

Thanks

[eddie1960]

I know the service departments will reset it if they replace certain parts like the shutter . I think you probably need access to specialized gear to do it though. Resetting the counter isn't the same thing of course you can do that any time
Photome should be able to give the correct read.
I doubt there is enough profit in defrauding people over shutter count for it to be worth someone hacking. Nikons apparently may reset the shutter count with a firmware upgrade, i haven't heard of this being the case with Pentax

[eddie1960]

keh had this to say

KEH Camera Blog: Shutter Actuations

If a consumer gets their shutter replaced by an independent repair shop, there is no reset button to start the shutter count all over again. The manufacturer may have the capability of resetting the shutter count, but, at this time, none of the manufacturer repair facilities have made that completely clear when questioned. For this reason, the shutter actuation count cannot be completely trusted. Fortunately, for you as a consumer, some of the most recent camera's will have the capability of having a shutter count and a mirror actuation count. This will eliminate the inaccuracy of actuation counts when a shutter is replaced.

[noblepa]

I read someplace here the shutter count could be reset? If true, is there anyway to find out the true shutter count when buying used?

Thanks

There is some confusion at work here, because there are two counts kept by the camera.

There is an internal shutter count, set to zero at the factory, but which usually has a couple of hundred actuations on a brand new camera, due to QA testing. This count can not be reset, at least not by the user. The value is included in the exif data for every shot.

There is also a file number, used to create file names for the images, such as IMGP1234.JPG. In this example, the file number is 1234. This number CAN be reset, although it normally keeps counting until it reaches 9,999, at which time it rolls over to 0000. To reset the number, take a memory card, with image file IMGP1234.JPG and put it in a memory card reader on your PC. Rename the file to IMGP0001.JPG and put it back in your camera. The camera will see the file and the next image will be named IMGP0002.JPG.

I believe that there is also a menu option to tell the camera to reset the file number.

[slackercruster]

There is some confusion at work here, because there are two counts kept by the camera.

There is an internal shutter count, set to zero at the factory, but which usually has a couple of hundred actuations on a brand new camera, due to QA testing. This count can not be reset, at least not by the user. The value is included in the exif data for every shot.

There is also a file number, used to create file names for the images, such as IMGP1234.JPG. In this example, the file number is 1234. This number CAN be reset, although it normally keeps counting until it reaches 9,999, at which time it rolls over to 0000. To reset the number, take a memory card, with image file IMGP1234.JPG and put it in a memory card reader on your PC. Rename the file to IMGP0001.JPG and put it back in your camera. The camera will see the file and the next image will be named IMGP0002.JPG.

I believe that there is also a menu option to tell the camera to reset the file number.

Yeah, that is what I mean. So from your description we really don't know the true shutter count when we are buying used. The seller can monkey with it.

BTW, I emailed KEH about a cam they were selling on ebay and they said they won't disclose the shutter count.

[eddie1960]

Yeah, that is what I mean. So from your description we really don't know the true shutter count when we are buying used. The seller can monkey with it.

BTW, I emailed KEH about a cam they were selling on ebay and they said they won't disclose the shutter count.

If you get a recent jpeg with exif intact photome can give you an accurate count though AFAIK . the img number rolls over at 9999 even if you don't do anything but the core info is still there
AFAIK you cannot strip that info though the manufacturer may be able to reset it when they change a shutter.
KEH said in the article i linked they don't discuss it

[noblepa]

Yeah, that is what I mean. So from your description we really don't know the true shutter count when we are buying used. The seller can monkey with it.

BTW, I emailed KEH about a cam they were selling on ebay and they said they won't disclose the shutter count.

The seller can monkey with the file number, but NOT the internal shutter count. AFAIK, the internal shutter count doesn't roll over to 1 after hitting 9999, either.

If you are buying face-to-face, take your own SD card and a laptop along. Take a shot and put the card in the laptop and use one of the free exif readers (Opanda, exiftools, etc.) to display the actual shutter count. This is 100 percent sure to be accurate.

If buying by mail or online, its a little more difficult. You could ask the seller to send a recent image. However, while the in-camera shutter count can not be changed, the value in the exif data for any particular image can be changed. The free program exiftools can change exif values, so, unless you take the photo yourself and have physical custody of the SD card, you can't be 100 percent sure that the value you see is accurate.