gphoto2 shutter counter for 1DmkIII

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I am trying to get shutter counts for my cameras. Gphoto2 run in linux seems to work fine for my 5DmkII and 7D but not for my 1DmkIII. It is supported in PTP mode, although I don't know whether my camera is in PTP mode...

Anyway, I get an error message that the camera cannot be found. Anyone got any ideas what I have done wrong?
 
I am not sure why but the first time I tried this I think the camera was still "mounted" according to Linux which might have been why gphoto2 wasn't working. Now I have unmounted the camera I don't get error messages, but I don't get the shutter count either. The program returns:

Label: Camera Status Information

If I run gphoto2 --auto-detect it returns:

USB PTP class camera usb:001,006

so I think it is seeing the camera, even if it doesn't know that it is a 1DIII
 
Check you've got the 1dMk3 drivers or whatever it is for Linux. The computer will detect the camera as soon as it's plugged in, whether or not it's got what it needs to mount it I'm unsure of. Check online for all the appropriate software!

Thats all I got unfortunately, sorry if it doesn't help!
 
Hi Alex,

The machine seems to detect a camera as Shotwell opens as soon as I turn the camera on. Everything works just like it does when I try the 5D or 7D, except that gphoto2 doesn't give a shuttercount.

Mounting and unmounting seems to make a difference to the messages I get, but I still don't get a shutter count.

Ahh well, I'll keep trying.

Ian
 
PTP is just a transfer protocol. Camera's will operate in either PTP mode or as mass storage.

In the mass-storage class mode, the camera simply appears to the computer as a simple card reader. You can move files back and forth from the camera as desired, but it can't do anything beyond this. Since the MSC was part of the original USB spec, pretty much every OS that supports USB will be able to natively access the camera in this mode without any drivers.

When the camera is in the PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) mode, it appears to the computer as a camera. As such, asside from basic file transfer tasks it allows you to remotely control the camera (fire the shutter, change exposure, etc.) as well as use various advanced features (custom curves, additional settings, etc.). Generally speaking most PTP drivers will also mount the camera's memory card, so you'll have all the functionality of MSC as well.

If shutercount works with your camera, your cam is probably in mass storage mode. That can be changed in the menu.
 
I am rapidly coming to the same conclusion Tug. With the 7D and 5D there is a shuttercounter option in gphoto2. This disappears with the 1DIII connected.

Ian,

I have had the 1DS3, 1D3 and now a couple of MKIV's and Ive never been able to find any software which will read the shutter count... I'm sure it has to go back to Canon to get that info.

With the other Non 1D Canon bodies there a a few bits of free software that will give you shutter counts.
 
This may sound stupid, but the simplest way for me to check how many shutter actuation's my camera has done is to take a photo then read the file number. I'm currently on 8602.. so I've taken 8602 photos on the camera. Therefor, 8602 shutter movements.

Just a suggestion if it's nothing important!
 
Thanks guys.

I think I am in the required PTP mode as gphoto2 recognises the camera as such.
The gphoto2 websire seems to suggest it all went wrong with the 1DIV, which made me think it would work with the markIII but there is no shuttercounter option so I think only markIIs are fully compatible.
I think the file number probably is my best bet but I have no way of telling whether I, or the previous owner, reset this. I need the count for a potential buyer, but let's hope he isn't too fussy.
 
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