Stolen Camera Finder
Printed From: Dyxum.com
Category: Equipment forums
Forum Name: Other photographic topics
Forum Description: Miscellaneous photographic topics
URL: https://www.dyxum.com/dforum/forum_posts.asp?TID=83262
Printed Date: 15 January 2025 at 09:01
Topic: Stolen Camera Finder
Posted By: Frankman
Subject: Stolen Camera Finder
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 14:52
|
I came across this article and thought I would share it with all the members. In a nutshell, every digital camera carries a unique serial number that is stored in the EXIF file. The following article describes how a photographer managed to retrieve a camera that had been stolen 3 years previously using software that trawls the net looking for the serial number: http://www.watoday.com.au/digital-life/cameras/snapped-camera-thieves-meet-their-match-20111229-1pdkw.html#ixzz1i03S2tFJ" rel="nofollow - here The site that carries the application is http://www.stolencamerafinder.com/" rel="nofollow - here I hope to never have to use it. It may come in handy to those of you that have had cameras stolen. Cheers, Frank ------------- *** Sony A850 * A700 * Minolta 5D and other stuff *** |
Replies:
Posted By: harveyzone
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 15:32
Exept, as the article points out, it does not work with Sony (or Minolta) cameras, as they do not store the serial number in the Exif data. ------------- Tom Harvey Sony A77; Sony A100; Minolta Dimage 7Hi; Minolta Dynax 5; Minolta Dynax 7000i |
Frankman wrote:Posted By: utcreeper
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 20:26
That seems like a reasonable call to petition for a firmware update. ------------- http://www.flickr.com/photos/kreeper - Me @ flickr Various A-mount gear |
Posted By: harveyzone
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 22:40
It is not the first time that it has been mooted. It assumes, of course, that the serial number is stored with in the camera, and that it can be accessed and written out via software. It seems a reasonable assumption, but I have no idea if it is a correct one, and if it isn't then no amount of firmware updates would make it possible. ------------- Tom Harvey Sony A77; Sony A100; Minolta Dimage 7Hi; Minolta Dynax 5; Minolta Dynax 7000i |
Posted By: Frankman
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 23:28
|
Bummer! I didn't read the "fine print" about Sony/Minolta. Nevertheless, it may be useful for anyone with other systems. Cheers, Frank ------------- *** Sony A850 * A700 * Minolta 5D and other stuff *** |
Posted By: jdkeck
Date Posted: 01 January 2012 at 23:46
|
i sure hope sony adds the serial number to their cameras, and i would really wish for a firmware update giving you the option to add one. ------------- a850,cz24-70,, sony 35 f1.8, sony 70-300g, minolta 70-210f4, sigma 70-200 f2.8hsm is, sigma 100-300f4 |
Posted By: Bob Maddison
Date Posted: 02 January 2012 at 08:47
| It is unlilely that a firmware update could be used. The camera needs to be able to identify the serial number as a digital number and this must be built into the camera. If you could add the S.N. yourself, it could just as easily be overwritten! |
Posted By: brettania
Date Posted: 02 January 2012 at 10:05
I actually posted a link to the same article http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/finding-lost-cameras_topic83147.html" rel="nofollow - here on December 29.  OK -- so "Stolen" sounds more sexy than "Finding".  ------------- http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/posting-images-and-links-faqs_topic28010.html - Posting Images and Links | http://tinyurl.com/oz62mfp - Posts awaiting answers |
Posted By: Bob J
Date Posted: 02 January 2012 at 10:39
|
Ricardovaste has a feedback to Sony thread http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/dear-sony-a850-a900-feedback-re-future-models_topic83098_post968973.html#968973" rel="nofollow - here where I've raised this as well. ------------- RBJ ~ http://tinyurl.com/h7uhozk - Moderation on Dyxum |
Posted By: mirthseeker
Date Posted: 03 January 2012 at 11:47
|
The owner of Stolen Camera Finder has responded to an enquiry I made about the site - Anyone purchasing a second hand camera can check if it has been reported stolen by performing a search, it also returns any missing camera reports that users have entered. You can see all the reports people have entered on http://www.stolencamerafinder.com/lostandfound.jsp" rel="nofollow - this map. . Unless you are buying a Sony! One more reason to ask Sony to include serial nos. in exif. |
Posted By: klw10
Date Posted: 05 January 2012 at 14:28
| This in interesting software. Sony should really look into putting the serial number of the camera in exif data. |
Posted By: Steve-S
Date Posted: 06 January 2012 at 02:33
Then it's just a matter of a fw update so that the device_ID gets written to EXIF automatically, with model-# and a bunch of other data... Of course, if there's no such ID (in the ROM or wherever), then all this is just idle wishing...  - Steve S. ------------- a77_SAL18-135_ZA135/1.8_Tam200-500_Tam180/3.5_Tam10-24_Min50/1.7 |
Posted By: mirthseeker
Date Posted: 06 January 2012 at 04:36
|
Of course, if there's no such ID (in the ROM or wherever), then all this is just idle wishing... - Steve S. [/QUOTE] Even if there is currently no serial number available in the camera electronics  , what is "idle wishing" about requesting Sony to put it in future models, like http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/dear-sony-a850-a900-feedback-re-future-models_topic83098_post968473.html#968473" rel="nofollow - this . 
|
Posted By: utcreeper
Date Posted: 06 January 2012 at 10:18
Certainly. But thieves aren't known for their technical prowess, so a user-selectable SN is better than nothing at all. Likewise for simply 'Photographer Name' which can be set in other systems, and written to exif. Certainly it's not foolproof, but it's better than nothing imo. ------------- http://www.flickr.com/photos/kreeper - Me @ flickr Various A-mount gear |
Posted By: Steve-S
Date Posted: 06 January 2012 at 16:02
+1 !!! step up to the plate, Sony! ------------- a77_SAL18-135_ZA135/1.8_Tam200-500_Tam180/3.5_Tam10-24_Min50/1.7 |
Posted By: Rouge Recon
Date Posted: 13 January 2012 at 03:59
| What about a way to locate lost/stolen cameras that have built in GPS? |
Posted By: Steve-S
Date Posted: 13 January 2012 at 06:44
1. GPS is a receiver-technology; the camera would need a transmitter too (e.g. cellphone) or you'd have no way to track it down. 2. Assuming pix (w/ GPS in exif) from the camera show up on Flikr or the like, it still needs a unique-camera ID (such as a serial-number). Knowing that (for example) there's a Flikr-user shooting an a55 with lots of pix whose GPS/EXIF data places the camera in the LA area, doesn't help: you'd need to know if it's a PARTICULAR a55... - Steve S. ------------- a77_SAL18-135_ZA135/1.8_Tam200-500_Tam180/3.5_Tam10-24_Min50/1.7 |
Posted By: matthiaspaul
Date Posted: 07 May 2012 at 14:13
|
I haven't checked myself yet, but what about the USB device serial number? It's an optional part of the spec, but if it is used, it should be unique and can be read out. Greetings, Matthias ------------- -- Minolta-Forum (MiFo) - German forum for the Minolta, Konica, Konica Minolta and Sony world of photography: http://www.mi-fo.de" rel="nofollow - http://www.mi-fo.de |
Posted By: faceless_el
Date Posted: 06 April 2013 at 08:20
funny on their website they list only one Sony camera as being supported, the A100  -------------  | Sony α77ii | Sony NEX-C3 | Learning one picture at a time
|
Posted By: Sky_walker
Date Posted: 06 April 2013 at 11:56
|
O_O They support almost every Sigma, but only one Sony? lol... ------------- Sony A77, A200, Minolta α7, Flashes, Several lenses covering 8-300mm in total. Primes shooter (though not avoiding zooms). |
Posted By: harveyzone
Date Posted: 06 April 2013 at 20:38
|
I'm not sure why it lists the A100, as it doesn't seem to be supported. It certainly never used to be listed back when this thread started. To check I have just uploaded an (out of camera) A100 JPG file and it couldn't find any serial number, although strangely, when uploaded to http://regex.info/exif.cgi - Jeffrey's Exif Viewer , it does list an 'Internal Serial Number' for the same file, even if it bears no resemblance to the cameras 'external' serial number. Perhaps they do have some kind of serial number hidden away in the Exif data for someone to discover. ------------- Tom Harvey Sony A77; Sony A100; Minolta Dimage 7Hi; Minolta Dynax 5; Minolta Dynax 7000i |
Posted By: faceless_el
Date Posted: 06 April 2013 at 21:50
@sky - funny you mentioned that, I have never met a photog who uses a Sigma camera ever
@harvey - that's good to know harvey ------------- | Sony α77ii | Sony NEX-C3 | Learning one picture at a time
|
Posted By: Pirate
Date Posted: 23 May 2014 at 20:15
|
Ahoy! Unless I've overlooked a link in any of the previous posts, has anyone mentioned http://www.stolen-property.com/report-stolen-camera.php - this site as an additional reference option? ------------- http://www.fluidr.com/photos/kopczewski - Fluidr http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photographer.php?p=4091 - Airplane-Pictures |
Posted By: jannatul18
Date Posted: 07 June 2014 at 10:39
| Its seem to me unbelievable but still very smart idea to find the stolen camera! |
Posted By: autosparky
Date Posted: 08 June 2014 at 09:14
| doesn't lenstag do the same thing by matching serial nos of lenses to those listed as stolen? |
Posted By: clippingpath
Date Posted: 30 May 2015 at 18:13
| It is really interesting idea. We can even use 3G technology to ensure the security of our Camera. |
Posted By: flip43
Date Posted: 08 February 2016 at 09:56
|
If Nikon and Canon et al can do it why not Sony? |