What is shutter actuations or shutter count?

Shutter actuation or shutter count are number that represent how many time your camera shutter has actuated, every time your shutter open and close when taking a picture, count a one actuation. Since camera shutter are mechanical part, it will fail to operate someday when it reach it’s maximum actuation, it will worn out just like your shoes, or car’s tire.

It is very important to know your shutter actuation number to prevent the sudden fail while you are working with your camera, especially if you are a pro Photographer.Or you are planning to buy a second hand camera. Here is a link where a professional photographer get it’s shutter broken during an assignment.

If your camera shutter has worn out, you can repair it at your camera service center, it will cost you 100 – 250 $. They will disassemble your camera and replace the shutter with the new one, and reset the shutter count to zero again, and start counting. In other word shutter count is representation of your camera shutter life expectations, not your camera life. After you change your camera shutter you can shoot normal again. Just like your car tire has worn out and you can change a new tire and your car start working again.

Nikon D3 Shutter Unit

Each model, camera actuations is vary, some will have 100k expectancy shutter count, on some pro model such Nikon D3s, it is equip with a Kevlar / carbon fibre composite shutter with 300,000 exposure durability.

Nikon D3s has been tested up to 300.000 shutter actuations

 To simply check your nikon shutter actuations  please go this page and upload a file directly from the camera.