The alpha shutter count tool

abkan wrote: I uploaded an out-of-cam jpeg taken with A900 with filename DSC08298 and it gave me a shutter count of 10051 or something like that. This is not correct, I estimate the shutter count by simply how many times I got past 9999 to be on the order of 30,000 or so. Shutter has not been changed, but the cam has been serviced twice for sensor claning and soon after that for broken wheels of the mirror return mechanism (or something of that nature).

Not a good example. If a camera was serviced, the internal counter may have been reset by a tech.

The same thing form my A55: file number was 1070, this is what came out: Detected Camera model : SLT-A55V | | | | | Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011b = 128 | | | | | Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011c = 47 | | | | | Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011d = 0 (65536 * 0) + (256 * 47) + 128 = 12160 Total shutter count for file DSC01070.JPG: 12160 I think I have turned the 9999 at least once if not twice before.This camera has never been serviced by Sony.

Not a good example if you only think that and are not sure. If it has only turned over once, the count could be exactly correct when also considering multiple actuations that are recorded with HDR, Multi-Frame NR, Hand-Held Twilight, and panorama shots.

Borut, please list the SonyTags identified till now in the maker notes of the other Alpha cameras! Thx!

Hello all again!

Yes, there are some problems with the tool, as I only threw it together more or less as a proof of concept.
To get a result, you must provide an ORIGINAL RAW, CRAW or JPEG directly from the camera. Like some of you discovered, practically any software for importing/exporting/whatever will destroy this part of the exif.
If you provide a link, make sure to provide the link to the file itself (A usual problem is with flick when you provide a link to the html file which shows your image. I will provide instructions on how to do it correctly later).
The fields for the cameras so far:

SONY Alpha A55 (Possibly also A33, maybe someone can check) Shutter count fields: Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011b = A Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011c = B Sony_MoreInfo0201_0x011d = C SUM = A + (B * 256) + (C * 65536) SUM = (C << 16) + (B << 8) + A

SONY Alpha A900 and A850 Shutter count fields: Sony_FocusInfo_0x0846 = A Sony_FocusInfo_0x0847 = B Sony_FocusInfo_0x0848 = C SUM = A + (B * 256) + (C * 65536) SUM = (C << 16) + (B << 8) + A

SONY Alpha A99 Shutter count fields: Sony_Tag9050_0x0032 = A Sony_Tag9050_0x0033 = B Sony_Tag9050_0x0034 = C SUM = A + (B * 256) + (C * 65536) SUM = (C << 16) + (B << 8) + A

Instructions on how to manually check this are available in this post.

I also developed a small python script which with the help of exiftool finds all the suspect fields in sequential files. With this I think it is possible to quickly identify correct fields.

I would also like to ask people who have cameras with replaced shutters/mirror mechanisms to provide an original file from before and after the service. I am quite sure that this information is stored in the makernotes, and I have a feeling that I know where (but I have no such files on hand)!

Regards,
Borut

mod edit: typo in SonyTags of A900 corrected

Edited by Micholand - 17 April 2013 at 18:30

Just tried an original file from the camera, not imported/downloaded... still getting the same result :(. I will try a JPEG maybe...

Thanks, all. Appreciated.

I compared 2 pictures of the A77 and I'm shure that the counter data is at Sony_Tag9050_0x0032-35:

I would appreciate that!

Use http://tools.science.si/perm/index.php to upload the files permanently. This script is identical, it just leaves the uploaded files in the temporary folder.

Also, added 560 and 580, BUT there are two suspected counters in the EXIF.
One field is the same as the A55/A33, but there is another set of bytes just a couple bytes away, that increases in the same manner, but the number is completely different. Any input on this is appreciated!

Regards,
Borut