ShutterCount Mobile vs Photography Pal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ShutterCount Mobile
This app reads the shutter actuation count for Canon, Nikon, and Pentax digital cameras. It helps determine a camera's usage, check if a pre-owned item is truly new, and avoid service center trips. Features include unlimited readings, wear indicators, and history logging.
- Unlimited shutter count readings
- Shutter wear indicator
- History logging in CSV format
- Live View and electronic shutter counters (optional)
- Graphing and shutter life forecasting (optional)
- Canon EOS camera management (optional)
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*** The original, most feature-rich and only iOS shutter count reader that works with all new Canons *** ShutterCount displays the number of shutter actuations (the shutter count) of your Canon EOS, Nikon or Pentax digital camera - see the complete list of certified models below. The shutter count is read directly from USB or Wi-Fi connected Canons, and from image files for Nikon and Pentax cameras. With ShutterCount you can easily check whether a newly purchased camera is really new, or how heavily used a pre-owned item is. And you can save a trip to a service center by doing the reading for yourself. BASE FEATURES • Unlimited readings • Counter for still photos • Wear indicator with numeric and graphical rated shutter life percentage display • History logging to track camera usage; logs are stored in CSV format that can be imported into Numbers or Excel for further processing • Reports in plain text format • Wizard to guide you through the reading process LIVE VIEW PACK (optional in-app purchase supporting select Canon models) • Counters for live view/videos and electronic shutter • Distribution chart PLUS PACK (optional in-app purchase) • Graphing • Shutter life forecasting (not available for some Nikon and Pentax models) • History deduplication • Canon EOS camera management (date/time sync, owner name editing, copyright information setting, outdated firmware warning, IPTC export/import) • Raw copyright information display and secure personal data wiping for Canons CERTIFIED CAMERAS USB connection (requires a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or a USB-C equipped iPad; Wi-Fi on the camera must be disabled): • Canon 1D4/1DC/1DX/1DX2/1DX3/5D2/5D3/5D4/5DS/5DSR/6D/6D2/7D/7D2/40D/50D/60D/60Da/70D/77D/80D/90D/100D/200D/200D2/250D/450D/500D/550D/600D/650D/700D/750D/760D/800D/850D/1000D/1100D/1200D/1300D/1500D/2000D/3000D/4000D/8000D/9000D/C50/M6II/M50/M50II/R/R1/R3/R5/R5C/R5II/R6/R6II/R6III/R7/R8/R10/R50/R100/Ra/RP; Kiss F/M/M2/X2/X3/X4/X5/X6i/X7/X7i/X8i/X9/X9i/X10/X10i/X50/X70/X80/X90; Rebel SL1/SL2/SL3/T1i/T2i/T3/T3i/T4i/T5/T5i/T6/T6i/T6s/T7/T7i/T8i/T100/XS/XSi Wi-Fi/Ethernet connection is supported using built-in networking or Canon transmitters on the above cameras having the "EOS Utility" function. The camera must be paired directly with ShutterCount using this function. Image files: • Nikon D2H/D2X/D2Xs/D3/D3S/D3X/D4/D4S/D5/D6/D40/D40X/D50/D60/D70/D70s/D80/D90/D200/D300/D300S/D500/D600/D610/D700/D750/D780/D800/D800E/D810/D850/D3000/D3100/D3200/D3300/D3400/D3500/D5000/D5100/D5200/D5300/D5500/D5600/D7000/D7100/D7200/D7500/Df/Z5/Z5II/Z6/Z6II/Z6III/Z7/Z7II/Z8/Z9/Z30/Z50/Z50II/Zf/Zfc/ZR; 1 AW1/J1/J3/J4/J5/V1/V2/V3; Coolpix A • Pentax *istDL/*istDL2/645D/645Z/K1/K1II/K3/K3II/K3III/K3IIIMono/K5/K5II/K5IIs/K7/K10D/K20D/K30/K50/K70/K100D/K100D Super/K200D/K500/K2000/Km/KP/Kr/KS1/KS2/Kx Cameras not listed here are not supported. FOR DETAILED COMPATIBILITY INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: https://www.direstudio.com/shuttercount/tech-specs Questions? Problems? Check out the Getting Started Guide (https://www.direstudio.com/shuttercount/getting-started), the FAQ (https://www.direstudio.com/shuttercount/faq), or contact our support by tapping Report a Problem on the More tab! DISCLAIMER: The app displays the camera's internal counter. DIRE Studio is not responsible for how well and accurately the camera maintains that counter. The forecast is calculated based on your previous usage, and will change if you use the camera differently in the future.
Photography Pal
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Photography Pal helps photographers remember every great shooting location and plan future photo outings with clarity and intention. Organize photo shoot itineraries, document location visits with GPS coordinates and weather conditions, track camera and lens usage, and use built-in photography calculators to make smarter decisions in the field. Designed as an all-in-one photography planner, field companion, and journal, Photography Pal brings locations, gear, and essential tools together in a single focused app so you can spend less time managing details and more time concentrating on light, composition, and timing. Shoot Planning and Itineraries Plan photography outings in advance or manage ongoing projects while on location. Create photo shoot itineraries with defined start and end times, or keep plans open-ended for exploratory sessions and long-term work. Add multiple planned locations to organize arrival windows, shooting time, and travel flow. Automatically schedule stops by driving distance or set hourly intervals to build an efficient route. Receive notifications when a planned location becomes active, and automatically capture GPS and weather data upon arrival - turning plans into fully documented visits. Locations and Visits Save photography locations with GPS coordinates, weather details, and associated gear. Explore your location visits on a pinned map with different styles. Organize them by area, trip, theme, or project for easy reference. Track repeat location visits over time to better understand light, seasonality, and creative potential. Add notes, attach photos, and quickly search locations by name, tag, rating, or gear. Gear and Field Tools Maintain a centralized list of cameras and lenses and associate gear usage with each shoot or location visit. Built-in field tools include automatic weather capture, a hyperfocal distance calculator, a neutral density exposure calculator, and a star trail calculator for night photography. Built for Photographers Light and dark appearance options provide comfortable viewing in any environment. Photography Pal is lightweight, mobile, and designed for photographers who explore with purpose. Photography Pal is more than a tracker, it is a practical field reference that helps document your work and supports better decisions at every stage of your photographic process.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Photography Pal at $1.99 against ShutterCount Mobile's $9.99. Photography Pal also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). ShutterCount Mobile's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.4). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
ShutterCount Mobile costs $9.99 and Photography Pal $1.99 up front. ShutterCount Mobile sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Photography Pal asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ShutterCount Mobile | Photography Pal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.3 (66 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 66 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | #73 — better | #196 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DIRE Studio | Luminous Bit Dance, LLC |
Bugs and requests
ShutterCount Mobile
Reported bugs
11 issues- WiFi pairing fails on certain camera models
- App doesn't connect despite correct configuration
- Shutter count displays as zero on mobile version
- Inconsistent readings between mobile and desktop versions
- Connection timeout issues lasting 30+ minutes
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- Incompatibility with 5GHz WiFi networks
- Camera not detected in pairing wizard
- USB connection not working with newer iPhones
- App crashes during connection process
- Cannot differentiate between mechanical and non-mechanical actuations
- Bug in latest camera firmware prevents reading shutter count
Requested features
9 requests- Clearer, more detailed step-by-step instructions per camera model
- German language version
- Improved error messages with troubleshooting guidance
- Support for non-mechanical actuation differentiation
- Lower price point ($2.99-$3.99 range)
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Better documentation for USB connection method
- In-app tutorial or wizard improvements
- Support for older Canon camera models (60D, 5D Classic, T5, 30D)
- Automatic camera detection without manual pairing
Photography Pal
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ShutterCount Mobile
- Feature Level 6 to 7 Upgrade$1.99
- Live View Pack$5.00
- Plus Pack$7.00
Photography Pal
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ShutterCount Mobile free?
Is Photography Pal free?
Do ShutterCount Mobile or Photography Pal have ads?
Which is updated more often, ShutterCount Mobile or Photography Pal?
Which is more popular, ShutterCount Mobile or Photography Pal?
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