How To Find The Shutter Count On Canon EOS Rebel T3i / EOS 600D

The Canon Rebel T3i is also known as the Canon EOS 600D in certain markets, but we will refer to it as the Rebel T3i in this post. 

Since the Canon EOS Rebel T3i is kinda old now (it was released in 2011), if you’re buying one it’s going to be second-hand.

Either way, if it’s an old camera the only way to really see how much it has been used is by checking the shutter count. 

Whether you are buying one, or just want to check the shutter count on your own Rebel T3i, I’ll show you how to find the shutter count on Mac and Windows.

What Is The Shutter Count On A Canon Rebel T3i?

The shutter count is basically a way to measure how much a DSLR like the Canon Rebel T3i has been used over time.

Sometimes people may refer to the shutter count as ‘shutter actuations’ instead.

Every time you take a photograph on a DSLR the shutter moves in a back-and-forth motion to expose the image sensor and then cover it again. 

One cycle of this counts as one shutter actuation and adds 1 to the shutter count. 

Over time, these shutter actuations can eventually wear the shutter mechanism away and cause it to fail.

Instructions To Find The Shutter Count On Rebel T3i

Official Canon Method

The only ‘official‘ way to find the shutter count on a Rebel T3i is to send the camera to a Canon Service Center and ask them to provide the information.

Canon doesn’t make it possible to do this in-camera or through an official Canon software or utility (not sure why not though).  

To save time and money, people do it themselves with third-party software instead.

Find Your Rebel T3i Shutter Count On Windows

To find the shutter count using a Windows device you need to:

1. Install the right software that is able to check the shutter count
2. Connect your Canon Rebel T3i (600D) to your Windows device
3. The software will then tell you what your shutter count is

Here’s what you can use for Windows to check the shutter count on your Canon Rebel T3i:

1. Canon EOS Digital Info – This one is free.

Check out the video below to see what it looks like. 

2. Freeshuttercount – This is not free.

Freeshuttercount is a website that claims to provide the shutter count for free but it’s not actually free for most people.

This is because it only provides you with a shutter count for free if the camera has less than 1000 actuations.

If the shutter count is higher than 1000 then you will have to pay a small price. At the time of writing, this price is $7.

Finding Your Rebel T3i Shutter Count On Mac

To find your shutter count using a Mac device you will need to:

1. Install the correct software to check the shutter count
2. Connect your camera to your Mac device
3. Use the software to tell you what your shutter count is

The most popular apps for Mac users are ShutterCheck and ShutterCount, but unfortunately, neither of them are free.

1. ShutterCheck

If you run into any issues when using the ShutterCheck app then their support page is useful for troubleshooting. 

2. ShutterCount by Direstudio

If you run into any issues when using the ShutterCount app then their FAQ page is useful for troubleshooting. 

How Long Does The Canon Rebel T3i Shutter Last?

According to some online sources, the shutter count rating for the Canon EOS Rebel T3i (EOS 600D) is about 100,000 shutter actuations, but to be perfectly honest it seems inaccurate judging by the usage data that is available.

You can end up getting over 200,000 actuations on a Rebel T3i, but you could also be unlucky and have the shutter fail after just 40,000 actuations. 

To see the ACTUAL usage that people get from their Rebel T3i / EOS 600D you can use this site created by Oleg Kikin. Below is a screenshot from the site.

At the time of writing, the database has data from hundreds of Canon Rebel T3i cameras. 

Looking at these statistics, it’s hard to believe that the shutter-rated lifespan is 100,000 and the ACTUAL life-span is probably closer to about 43,000 for the Canon EOS Rebel T3i / EOS 600D.

Given that the T3i is fairly old (released in 2011) and is an entry-level camera, this low shutter life is not too surprising.

The caveat with shutter count is that the shutter can fail at 20,000 or 200,000, but you really just never know.

The main rule of thumb is that the lower the shutter count, the better because it shows that the camera has been used less.

What Is A Good Shutter Count On The Canon Rebel T3i?

As we mentioned earlier, the shutter count lifespan on the Rebel T3i seems to be close to 43,000 so if you have more than this amount then the camera is beyond what you should expect as a minimum for the Rebel T3i.

Remember from the data earlier, that the average shutter actuations on a Rebel T3i where the shutter has died is 43,324, so any Rebel T3i that is close to this number is potentially close to having its shutter fail.

If you want to buy a secondhand Rebel T3i, the lower the shutter count the better.

Of course, shutter count isn’t the ONLY factor that can lead to a camera failing…

Someone who has used a camera more, but taken more care when using it may have a camera that lasts longer.

This is because their particular Rebel T3i has probably encountered fewer knocks and bumps which can lead to damage.

Try to inspect the camera for other things like scratches, bumps or dents as this can show things like how the user has taken care of the camera in general.

Also, have a look at the lenses that they have, as this can show signs of how well the user takes care of their equipment too.

Conclusion

So now you should know the average shutter life expectancy and how to check the shutter count on any Canon EOS Rebel T3i (EOS 600D).