# Locking our bodies with a code like we do our phone... ramifications?



## jdramirez (Jul 17, 2014)

I was in a thread about someone going to Africa and the obligatory word of warning was given about theft of gear... 

It occurred to me... what about locking or bodies with s code the way we do our phones. Photographers need immediate access to their gear, so doing so each time it powers up isn't an option... but what about every 24 hours? In the morning, enter the code and it won't require the code to be entered until the next twenty four hours... 

If the body has wifi, you can back up the code to Canon interwebs and if you forget, you can have an email sent to your account.

Would this deter theft at all... certainly might deter resale value... to get the camera working again, a thief would have to connect it to the computer and re flash the firmware to the device... which might be too much work for a thief.

I guess they could sell it for parts.. Huh...


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## mackguyver (Jul 17, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I was in a thread about someone going to Africa and the obligatory word of warning was given about theft of gear...
> 
> It occurred to me... what about locking or bodies with s code the way we do our phones. Photographers need immediate access to their gear, so doing so each time it powers up isn't an option... but what about every 24 hours? In the morning, enter the code and it won't require the code to be entered until the next twenty four hours...
> 
> ...


It sounds like a Magic Lantern request ;D. Personally I'd never use this - I find the minor delay between turning on my camera and shooting to be bad enough as is!


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## Skywise (Jul 17, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> It sounds like a Magic Lantern request ;D. Personally I'd never use this - I find the minor delay between turning on my camera and shooting to be bad enough as is!



Just put a fingerprint scanner on the power switch like the iPhone! I've NEVER had a problem with that! ;D


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## Besisika (Jul 17, 2014)

Skywise said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > It sounds like a Magic Lantern request ;D. Personally I'd never use this - I find the minor delay between turning on my camera and shooting to be bad enough as is!
> ...


for a 5K+ worth of gear I would, please bring it on.


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## jdramirez (Jul 17, 2014)

Besisika said:


> Skywise said:
> 
> 
> > mackguyver said:
> ...



Our lenses would be stolen and sold or traded for crack... and if someone really wants crack, they will steal our bodies too because they don't know any better... 

I don't mind the delay... but it would be nice if the criminals were told in advance that the mkiii and the 1dx aren't worth stealing.


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## mackguyver (Jul 17, 2014)

Two more things - would we get a discount on our insurance? Also, I'd be all for a Kingston-style lock on the bodies, like they added to the series II supertelephotos.


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## slclick (Jul 17, 2014)

"Mr. Badguy, here is my camera body..no, you don't want this big long white lens...it's an old worthless model"


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## unfocused (Jul 17, 2014)

I'd prefer a tracking chip that indicates where the camera or lens is.


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## dstppy (Jul 17, 2014)

Canon could easily make a 'safetylock' where you literally bayonette the EF/EF-S mount/lens when you ship it/store it.

Do it the right way and you could make it easily known if a lens or body was stolen (if the buyer cares) -- once it gets well enough known, it would cut down on some kinds of theft.

I was going to make a 'safe gun' joke but that always gets people going :/


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## Jim Saunders (Jul 17, 2014)

Having a PIN to enable each lens to a given body strikes me as feasible - no aperture/AF/IS without it. The disable-after-24 hour thing is interesting also.

Jim


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## wsmith96 (Jul 17, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I was in a thread about someone going to Africa and the obligatory word of warning was given about theft of gear...
> 
> It occurred to me... what about locking or bodies with s code the way we do our phones. Photographers need immediate access to their gear, so doing so each time it powers up isn't an option... but what about every 24 hours? In the morning, enter the code and it won't require the code to be entered until the next twenty four hours...
> 
> ...




maybe a programmable joystick/button sequence....that way I can relive my youth and feel like I'm still playing mortal kombat.


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## mackguyver (Jul 17, 2014)

dstppy said:


> I was going to make a 'safe gun' joke but that always gets people going :/


Same here, but I decided not to post it - similar issues apply, but better to stay away from politics. If I had kids, I'd definitely lock up my camera gear, too, though, given the way my niece and nephew play with my gear!


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## Skywise (Jul 17, 2014)

Jim Saunders said:


> Having a PIN to enable each lens to a given body strikes me as feasible - no aperture/AF/IS without it. The disable-after-24 hour thing is interesting also.
> 
> Jim



I was thinking that too but what about those of use that have multiple bodies that use the lenses interchangeably on the shoot - You'd have to be able to pair a lens to X bodies and then "lock" it from being paired to any other camera. Then, of course, there'd have to be someway to reset that when customers forget their PIN so I think that would all be pretty easily bypassable.



wsmith96 said:


> maybe a programmable joystick/button sequence....that way I can relive my youth and feel like I'm still playing mortal kombat.



up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-menu-play.


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## jdramirez (Jul 17, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Two more things - would we get a discount on our insurance? Also, I'd be all for a Kingston-style lock on the bodies, like they added to the series II supertelephotos.


Speaking of insurance... I don't ever want my mkiii stolen... but if it were to happen... maybe right after the mkiv comes out...


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## dstppy (Jul 17, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> dstppy said:
> 
> 
> > I was going to make a 'safe gun' joke but that always gets people going :/
> ...


I'm the jerk hanging $2k of gear around an 8-year-old's neck so he learns how to shoot with something that doesn't have little pictures on the dial. ;D


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## 9VIII (Jul 17, 2014)

Nikon already has a patent on matching lenses to bodies, hopefully that wouldn't stop Canon from implementing something similar.

If you (digitally) lock lenses to bodies and have to input a code every time you turn the camera on (and then leave it on for the rest of the afternoon) that would be pretty secure.
Just require the code again before you flash it. If all goes wrong send it to Canon with a proof of purchase.

Initially it wouldn't be a deterrent, but after a few years people would catch on. It wouldn't make fencing stuff impossible, but with all the extra effort involved it would be far less appealing (going from a one man operation with no skill required to two or more with special equipment).


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## jdramirez (Jul 17, 2014)

they could even rebrand l lenses as well as ls lenses.. the L would still stand for luxury and the s would stand for security


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## Jim Saunders (Jul 18, 2014)

Skywise said:


> Jim Saunders said:
> 
> 
> > Having a PIN to enable each lens to a given body strikes me as feasible - no aperture/AF/IS without it. The disable-after-24 hour thing is interesting also.
> ...



It could be as simple as "enter PIN to enter pairing menu". Employing that option would make keeping receipts even more important so you could prove ownership if you had to get that PIN reset, but if it saves me on insurance then so much the better.

Jim


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## jdramirez (Jul 18, 2014)

I'm a big believer in the secondary market... so that's my concern. If I buy a lens that is paired and coded with a pin, the first time I want to do is pop it on my body and test it out. If the buyer doesn't know to release the lens or they lose the CD... then that could pose a problem. 

Maybe a USB key that you can input software... and then a Sigma style dock... or via usb through the body to unlock. 

I think a USB key that you keep @ home in a lock box would be the figurative and literal key to this plan being feasible.


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## Jim Saunders (Jul 18, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I'm a big believer in the secondary market... so that's my concern. If I buy a lens that is paired and coded with a pin, the first time I want to do is pop it on my body and test it out. If the buyer doesn't know to release the lens or they lose the CD... then that could pose a problem.
> 
> Maybe a USB key that you can input software... and then a Sigma style dock... or via usb through the body to unlock.
> 
> I think a USB key that you keep @ home in a lock box would be the figurative and literal key to this plan being feasible.



What about a microSD card in a little compartment, install it to leave the lens entirely unlocked (so you could sell it), remove it to enable the locking functionality? Something like that.

Jim


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## candyman (Jul 18, 2014)

I try to understand this subject.
It makes sense to lock your mobile since it contains a lot of private information - like contacts (some people store a lot of add. info with those contacts), social media, photos, email etc

Your camera.....it has a memory card with photos only. Let's say the camera get stolen. The thief will open the memory card slot and has access to the photos. A pincode does not prevent it. 
A pincode that prevent the use of the camera? You think that the thief will bring it back? He may throw the camera or try to sell it for parts. But you will not get it back. 
A thief knowing that stealing this kind of camera doesn't make sense because it has a pincode? Most will not know that and try to steal it anyway. 

Even if you have a pincode (or fingerprint scan) it doesn't bring back camera or photos. Yes, photos...it would make sense to encrypt the storaged photos so a stranger would have difficulty to access them. But encrypt photos while they get stored on the memory card will slow down the burst speed - not something we want.

A good insurrance will help...(not bringing back your photos though)


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## Hillsilly (Jul 18, 2014)

I'd find it a little annoying, but if it was an optional feature, then great.

A "find my phone" via GPS/Wi-Fi feature that can be remotely triggered even with the camera turned off would also be pretty cool. You could go and bust some bad girls.


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## jdramirez (Jul 18, 2014)

I'm not concerned about the photos.... but reducing the functionality of the camera/lens to reduce its resale value if stolen. 

If Canon incorporates this locking functionality across the board, thieves would have a fiduciary causation to avoid Canon gear. 

If you are going to risk your freedom... you want to get the most return on your risk...

I think a stolen car has more value for the parts alone... I'm not sure you can say that about a camera body.



candyman said:


> I try to understand this subject.
> It makes sense to lock your mobile since it contains a lot of private information - like contacts (some people store a lot of add. info with those contacts), social media, photos, email etc
> 
> Your camera.....it has a memory card with photos only. Let's say the camera get stolen. The thief will open the memory card slot and has access to the photos. A pincode does not prevent it.
> ...


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## crashpc (Jul 18, 2014)

Didn´t read whole thread, but it would be nice to have the option - you look into viewfinder, it scans your eye, and lets you store data on memory card (for next time chosen)..


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## jdramirez (Jul 18, 2014)

crashpc said:


> Didn´t read whole thread, but it would be nice to have the option - you look into viewfinder, it scans your eye, and lets you store data on memory card (for next time chosen)..



I like the idea, but I think that would drive up cost.


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## candyman (Jul 18, 2014)

crashpc said:


> Didn´t read whole thread, but it would be nice to have the option - you look into viewfinder, it scans your eye, and lets you store data on memory card (for next time chosen)..


Why a camera and viewfinder.....
You look with your eye...and it store a still or a video instantly in the cloud. With an eye-lens you can zoom-in and zoom-out....now THAT would be something....


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## 9VIII (Jul 18, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I'm not concerned about the photos.... but reducing the functionality of the camera/lens to reduce its resale value if stolen.
> 
> If Canon incorporates this locking functionality across the board, thieves would have a fiduciary causation to avoid Canon gear.
> 
> ...



I really doubt there's much of a black market for camera parts. That requires a population of people willing to build or repair cameras on their own, which as far as I know is pretty much limited to LensRentals.com.


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## dgatwood (Jul 19, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I'm not concerned about the photos.... but reducing the functionality of the camera/lens to reduce its resale value if stolen.
> 
> If Canon incorporates this locking functionality across the board, thieves would have a fiduciary causation to avoid Canon gear.



It's a good start, but a better solution would increase your chances of getting caught. Put a cellular chip in the thing, but leave it powered down. If someone fails to unlock the camera with a fingerprint or PIN, the cellular chip immediately goes live, and every thirty seconds, sends GPS coordinates back to Canon servers until the user unlocks it correctly. To make it infeasible for criminals to disable this feature, use a self-contained microcontroller instead of the main CPU, powered by a supercapacitor deep inside the unit.


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## jdramirez (Jul 19, 2014)

I love the idea... but I don't want to pay twice as much for a lens because of the infrastructure and added tech. That's why I lean towards a software issue.



dgatwood said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not concerned about the photos.... but reducing the functionality of the camera/lens to reduce its resale value if stolen.
> ...


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## Skulker (Jul 19, 2014)

How much of a problem is it?

How many cameras and lenses get stolen?

Has anyone got any data?


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## dgatwood (Jul 19, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> I love the idea... but I don't want to pay twice as much for a lens because of the infrastructure and added tech. That's why I lean towards a software issue.



Oh, I meant in the camera *body*. Chances are, if they steal the lenses, they're going to steal the body, too, and if you report the theft quickly enough, they'll all be in the same place.

You'd never be able to pull off that sort of tracking in a lens, realistically, for space reasons. To secure the lenses, I like the idea of providing an unlock code with the warranty paperwork, and programming the lenses so that they won't work with any camera until you authorize that camera by entering the unlock code. Also provide a way to reset the lens and wipe the whitelist so that store demo lenses don't come preprogrammed with a hundred authorized bodies or whatever. 

Oh, and you'd have to provide a global unlock option so that the lens would still work with older cameras that don't support the security feature. Maybe ship the lens unlocked and program it so that when you first connect it to a camera, if the camera doesn't ask the lens for its lock status within the first ten seconds after asking for the protocol version, the lens sets a flag in nonvolatile storage so that it will stay unlocked until you explicitly lock it.


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## wsmith96 (Jul 28, 2014)

Skywise said:


> up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-menu-play.



F A T A L I T Y

lol


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## jdramirez (Jul 28, 2014)

wsmith96 said:


> Skywise said:
> 
> 
> > up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-menu-play.
> ...



I'm not sure why... but that reminds me... I want to play Milon's Secret Castle.


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