Camera anti theft

[Sunus Leica]

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As a recent new Leica Q3 owner who likes to do street photography (among others) I found myself asking why is there an anti theft system built in?  The technology for this is now ubiquitous in the tech environment, pins, fingerprint and eye scanners, and they are cheap.  A system where you put in a pin (maybe once day) could be a firmware update at very low cost to the camera manufacture.  Manufactures may think that no one in the industry is doing this so we don't need to.  Consider smartphones, one of the reasons why people are comfortable purchasing expensive smartphones is that they have become much harder for a thief to use/sell and the instances of smartphone theft have decreased.  So thieves look to other easy to steel non secure opportunities and cameras are easy pickings and the manufactures seem to be happy with this.

In a market where most camera systems deliver ever closer and undifferentiated end results an effective anti theft system at the moment would be a strong reason to choose on brand over another.

Edited March 2, 2024 by Sunus Leica

[LocalHero1953]

I would be really, really, really annoyed if I missed the decisive moment because the camera asked for a PIN. Especially during street photography. And there is no numeric keypad.

Edited March 2, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[Sunus Leica]

A once a day pin system would avoid that and would be easy to do in firmware. A software keypad as per smartphones 

 

Edited March 2, 2024 by Sunus Leica

[LocalHero1953]

4 minutes ago, Sunus Leica said:

A once a day pin system would avoid that and would be easy to do in firmware. A software keypad as per smartphones 

 

It would still ask for a PIN at the wrong time.

YMMV

[kkm]

If the thief has the time to figure out if the camera has an anti-theft-protection or not why aren‘t you run away?

Edited March 2, 2024 by kkm

[Herr Barnack]

2 hours ago, kkm said:

If the thief has the time to figure out if the camera has an anti-theft-protection or not why aren‘t you run away?

The anti-theft protection that Leica needs to install is a small chunk of Semtex and a detonator, which the recently mugged owner could detonate with an electronic pocket remote. 

Word of a few initial muggers with a recently blown off hand would spread quickly on the mugger internet forums, and aspiring muggers would react along the  lines of "well, hell - if you're going to be that way about it..." 

To the sophisticates who would scoff at my proposed countermeasure, I humbly submit that the annals of human history undeniably prove that a little barbarism goes a long way.  😊

Edited March 2, 2024 by Herr Barnack

[Almizilero]

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vor 3 Stunden schrieb LocalHero1953:

It would still ask for a PIN at the wrong time.

YMMV

As with smartphones, a PIN would be an option, not a must. While a PIN seems uncomfortable on a camera, I wouldn't mind an optional fingerprint sensor at a convinient position. They are super fast these days, so put one in the shutter release and one on the back. I press the shutter release anyway to wake the camera up.

[Anbaric]

28 minutes ago, Almizilero said:

As with smartphones, a PIN would be an option, not a must. While a PIN seems uncomfortable on a camera, I wouldn't mind an optional fingerprint sensor at a convinient position. They are super fast these days, so put one in the shutter release and one on the back. I press the shutter release anyway to wake the camera up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fFI5kaXCI

[tom.w.bn]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb Sunus Leica:

..... So thieves look to other easy to steel non secure opportunities and cameras are easy pickings and the manufactures seem to be happy with this.

In a market where most camera systems deliver ever closer and undifferentiated end results an effective anti theft system at the moment would be a strong reason to choose on brand over another.

This is a bold and ridiculous statement that camera manufacturers don't implement an anti theft system because they are happy with camera theft.

The reason why this does not exist is, that a) there is almost zero customer demand and b) that the camera manufacturers had to implement a PIN recovery service for people who forgot the PIN and have a bricked camera. This is really expensive for a handful of users who actually might use this feature.

 

[Almizilero]

vor 7 Minuten schrieb Anbaric:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fFI5kaXCI

 

Seems more like an answer to @Herr Barnack post than mine ... But if your point is that technology can fail, then yeah, sure. Still don't get why one would be opposed to an optional security feature that noone would force you to use. People can leave their smartphone unlocked if they don't want to use a pin/fingerprint all the time.

But I actually don't know if there are fewer iphone thefts since they became basically useless without the user identity. Or is it just the good feeling that the thief can't make money with it?

Edited March 2, 2024 by Almizilero

[GFW2-SCUSA]

I would not want this kind of security on my camera. I use Leica because it is simple, for the most part. If I want complicated I can use my Nikon D850. Beyond that I don't think that the thief network is sophisticated enough to get the word out on the street not to bother stealing a Leica because they have a built in lock. Those that steal cameras grab what looks good and expensive. The M Leica looks like old fashioned and of no value. The SL looks better but why grab that when a Canon or Nikon or even a Sony is nearby. What might be better than a lock-out system would be better situational awareness and avoiding foolish mistakes like leaving the camera on a sidewalk cafe table or other such vulnerable spots. And the bottom line is at 78 I don't want to have to remember one more damn password! 

 

[Maarten]

I suggest to use the viewfinder window of the M as fingerprint scanner. Works on my camera!

[Anbaric]

On 3/2/2024 at 4:48 PM, tom.w.bn said:

The reason why this does not exist is, that a) there is almost zero customer demand and b) that the camera manufacturers had to implement a PIN recovery service for people who forgot the PIN and have a bricked camera.

We all know how Leica would implement this - back to Wetzlar to reset the password, estimated turnaround 6-8 months.

[Derbyshire Man]

Personally I’d much rather have the ability to specify something akin to an internal apple tag with can be turned on/off by the user along with pin protected copyright info setup for exif and with pin setup (and restore) via one’s initial registration at Leica. 

Having said that, no thief is ever going to know that and it’s still going to end up an insurance claim while one watches their camera go on tour!

[AndreasG]

Am 2.3.2024 um 16:57 schrieb Herr Barnack:

The anti-theft protection that Leica needs to install is a small chunk of Semtex and a detonator

"Oh darling, would you mind to take a shot of me" - problem solved

Edited May 6, 2024 by AndreasG