File Numbering in 7D

[Daniel D. Kim]

Hey guys, first thread post. :)

I don't know if this has been up previously but I was curious about the file numbering system of the 7D.

I purchased my camera from b&h last night with a new sandisk 16g. Both brand new.

I shot at max about 10-15 pics? And, few videos. I wanted to transfer few of the files and opened up my CF and voila~ the file names were beginning around 5400.

I thought new camera's would name its files starting from 0001, for example.

This obviously, have bummed me out because I felt like I was jibbed.

So I formatted the card through the 7D's 'format' option. I thought maybe it was the SanDisk; maybe when they were testing the cards, it wasn't formatted properly.. If that even makes sense, haha.

After formatting the card, the files are now starting from 0001.

Yes, I'm happy that it wasn't the camera, but yet, weary because it might have been the camera and someone used it previously (returned item of some sort..). Not even in the tens, but in the thousands :|

Any light on this would help a poor guy in misery. Haha Thank you so much!!

GOd bless.

[Chris Hurd]

Check your warranty card. Does the serial number match the one on the camera? There's your answer. Fry's might sell a used camera as new, but B&H wouldn't do that.

[Daniel D. Kim]

Thanks, Chris!

I'll make sure to check it when I get back home.. however, how would that justify that mine is new? Someone could have gotten for few days and just returned with everything in tact?

[Bill Pryor]

It's easy to return items to B&H. And recently a friend of mine got a new Canon 17-55 IS lens but it didn't have the plastic wrapping and all. Obviously had either been returned or was a floor sample. No problem, the lens was fine. But if the counter is at 5400 on your camera, that would mean 5400 shots had been done, right? That's quite a lot. A person could have bought the camera, used it on a big shoot, then returned it within the 2 week period. They would probably check it out and make sure everything's there, then resell it, unaware it had that much shooting time if they didn't check out the numbers.

It seems to me in order to get 5400 shots on the camera in a short time period, it would have to have been used in the rapid fire mode quite a bit.

[Bill Engeler]

This is an old Canon topic. There are a number of reasons that the numbers started where they did, the first being the card put in the camera. If it had any file on it, the camera will continue with a larger number. Canon file numbering is for this reason unable to tell you much anything about the history of the camera. FYI, here's an old discussion on another forum 30D & Folder Naming - Canon Digital Photography Forums

[Daniel D. Kim]

I'm guessing the B.Pryor's theory. I hope it is not, though. :)

The reason for that belief is I took the card out of the box. Brand new. and it had nothing to do with the folders as there was only one folder. DCIM ->EOS7Dxx.. I forget exactly what the folder is called.

and the actual file names were being created in the five thousands. Which is why it made me think maybe someone used this camera previously.. OR the card was used in the factory.

Not sure what counts it. THe card or the camera... :(

[Bill Pryor]

Mine stared at 0000. Unless you reset it just keeps on going. You can go into the menu and tell it to start over on each card, but then you end up with files of the same number, so I think it's best to just let the counter run. Even if there were files on the card, the camera is going to start numbering from where it stopped before. Have you checked the serial number yet with the card as Chris suggested? Also check it with the invoice.

[Craig Coston]

I'm guessing the camera randomizes to some extent. I have had my camera since a month after the 7D was released, and right now my camera's last shot was numbered 9289. I know for sure I haven't taken that many shots. Further, I had a week long shoot earlier this month and hired someone who just a month prior had purchased a 7D. I know for sure he didn't use it more in that month than I have in the half year of owning my camera, and his files were numbered higher than mine when I pulled them off the card.

[Daniel D. Kim]

Hey guys, thanks for all the concern.

Bill, I checked it and everything matches (Still doesn't give the facts if someone used it for a shoot and returned it) the warranty card is a bit creased for some reason, too.

Craig, that's some comforting news. Haha. Quick question though, were the cards you guys using brand new when you loaded into 7D?

Thanks guys!

[Bill Pryor]

Mine have all been new.