Drop an ARW RAW file from your Sony Alpha a6900 and get the exact shutter actuation count in seconds — processed entirely in your browser, never uploaded anywhere.
Check Shutter Count →The Sony Alpha a6900 (2025) is the advanced enthusiast APS-C mirrorless successor to the a6700, featuring an upgraded 26.2 MP BSI CMOS sensor with enhanced phase-detection AF coverage, improved BIONZ XR processing, and 4K/120p video. It inherits the a6700's compact form factor while adding improved computational imaging and enhanced subject tracking. The mechanical shutter is rated at approximately 200,000 actuations.
| Model | Release | Sensor | Rated Shutter Life | RAW Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Alpha a6900 | 2025 | 26.2 MP APS-C BSI CMOS | ~200,000 | ARW |
| Sony Alpha a6700 (predecessor) | 2023 | 26 MP APS-C BSI CMOS | 200,000 | ARW |
| Sony Alpha a6600 (older flagship) | 2019 | 24.2 MP APS-C BSI CMOS | 200,000 | ARW |
The Sony a6900 does not display the shutter count in its on-screen menus. The count is embedded in the MakerNote of every ARW RAW file. To read it:
You can drop multiple ARW files at once to compare shutter counts across a shooting session or verify multiple bodies.
When buying a second-hand a6900, the actuation count indicates how much of the rated ~200,000-shot shutter life has been used.
| Actuation Count | % of Rated Life | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 10,000 | 0 – 5 % | Very low use — near new |
| 10,000 – 50,000 | 5 – 25 % | Low use — plenty of life remaining |
| 50,000 – 120,000 | 25 – 60 % | Moderate use — normal for active shooters |
| 120,000 – 170,000 | 60 – 85 % | High use — negotiate price accordingly |
| 170,000 + | 85 %+ | Near or past estimated life — budget for shutter replacement |
The Sony a6900 writes images in Sony's ARW format — a TIFF-based container with proprietary Sony MakerNote data. ShutterCount parses the EXIF structure to locate the Sony MakerNote, then extracts the shutter counter from the appropriate tag.
The shutter counter is stored as a value in the Sony MakerNote at a model-specific offset. For the a6900, the offset follows the same pattern established by the a6700 generation, where the count is stored in the SonyModelID-referenced CameraInfo block. All parsing happens entirely in your browser — the file never leaves your device.
Sony does not reliably embed the shutter counter in the MakerNote of JPEG files produced by Alpha cameras. Use an ARW RAW file. If you shoot RAW+JPEG, use the ARW side of the pair.
No. The a6900's electronic shutter uses the sensor's rolling readout without moving the mechanical curtain. Those frames are not counted. Only mechanical shutter exposures increment the counter.
The a6900 succeeds the a6700 with an upgraded 26.2 MP sensor, improved subject tracking (added birds-in-flight and vehicle recognition), 4K/120p video, and enhanced computational processing. The mechanical shutter rating (~200,000) and ARW RAW format are unchanged.
EXIF metadata in JPEG files can be modified by software tools. The ARW RAW MakerNote is harder to tamper with but not impossible to edit. The hardware counter inside the camera itself can only be reset by a Sony service centre after a physical shutter replacement. Always verify from an original ARW file taken with the camera, not a screenshot.
Video recording on Sony mirrorless cameras uses the electronic shutter pathway and does not increment the mechanical shutter counter. A camera used heavily for video may have a much lower shutter count than its age would suggest.
ShutterCount supports the full Sony Alpha lineup. See related guides: