Idea: Built-in GPS used to track theft like Find My iPhone

[andrewflo]

So I was Googling small concealable GPS/Bluetooth trackers that I can put in my camera bags... and then it hit me that my 6D has built in GPS duh!

Wouldn't it be awesome if Canon created a feature like Find My iPhone that uses the camera's GPS to track it down if it's stolen?

There would need to be a way to "enable" the stolen flag or the GPS would need to be on continuously. It would only be pingable when the camera is turned on most likely.

But if I had the option for my GPS to be pinged on each start up of the camera for this feature to work, I'd gladly trade the battery life.

Thoughts?

 

[Tinky]

Great idea. I think this kind of already exists albeit through services like lenstag.

If the GPS is enabled it should be within the retrievable (and searchable) EXIF information (along with vitals like the serial number)

It would be neat if Canon would formalise some kind of feature. I already have all my lenses registered with them.

 

[Khufu]

It's occurred to me that in mugging type situations this idea could at least work as a verbal deterrent until it becomes a real thing...

"Dude, this gear belongs to a major media group, it's worth thousands and is GPS tracked - you're going to be found and in such deep sh*t in no time if you take it" could be a handy line to have prepared

...and regarding what's directly above: when I just signed in the forum dropped me in a different thread than that which I was viewing before signing in. Perhaps explains what just happened there! Glitchy day at CRHQ?!

 

[jefflinde]

can't you just take the battery out of the camera to disable the GPS? that would give the their time to either sell it or flash the firmware. Plus there is no passcode like on a phone. So while this would be nice i don't want to have to enter a pass code every time i want to take a picture. Now if TouchID could be integrated into say the shutter button that would be sweet. Unless it is cold and i am wearing gloves. or my hands are dirty. then we are back to the pass code. I think a better deterrent would be to remove the hand or maybe just a pinky of anyone caught stealing camera gear. that would dis-incentivise the theft in the first place. a little harsh but it would probably work. my last remark is more sarcastic but i would rather see efforts to stop the desire or incentive to steal than merely to recover stolen goods.

 

[andrewflo]

can't you just take the battery out of the camera to disable the GPS? that would give the their time to either sell it or flash the firmware. Plus there is no passcode like on a phone. So while this would be nice i don't want to have to enter a pass code every time i want to take a picture. Now if TouchID could be integrated into say the shutter button that would be sweet. Unless it is cold and i am wearing gloves. or my hands are dirty. then we are back to the pass code. I think a better deterrent would be to remove the hand or maybe just a pinky of anyone caught stealing camera gear. that would dis-incentivise the theft in the first place. a little harsh but it would probably work. my last remark is more sarcastic but i would rather see efforts to stop the desire or incentive to steal than merely to recover stolen goods.

Canon CPS announces in 2015 pinky removal service for members who catch thieves of their gear. I like the sound of that Or even better, remember in the movie Blade when someone picks up his sword it chops off their hand?

Obviously thieves could just remove batteries but eventually the camera would need to be powered back on once sold.

And yes the firmware could be flashed but more or less the exact same process can be performed on an iPhone and still the Find My iPhone is a great feature to have nonetheless.

Won't make a camera theft-proof, it was more of just an idea to utilize the tech already available on the camera.

 

[jefflinde]

I am not trying to pee in your Wheaties but GPS is easily shielded where iPhones use cell service which is not as easily shielded. Also you can't easily flash an iPhone as even updating the software requires the "find my iPhone" feature to be turned off which requires the password for the phone.

It would be nice to have some sort of way to track gear but i don't think that currently included technology would be a good implementation of an anti theft measure. A low power cell chip would be a nice addition and it could even use an independent battery that is recharged by the main battery as you use the camera. that way if the battery is removed you would still have say 14 days of power for the cell chip to ping. kinda like a black box in a plane. this could even be an aftermarket item added to an existing camera. there is a company that makes little squares you attached to your keys that ping off of all wifi networks that could also be used. those i know could be stuck to the camera or even a lens.

https://www.thetileapp.com

 

[Tinky]

I would guess most folks stealing cameras want a quick sell on to fund h, crystal or crack. Can't flash the serial number. New 'owners' who have 'unwittingly' bought a stolen camera at a too good to to be true price might not be savvy enough to erase the exif data each and ebery upload if at all.

 

[andrewflo]

I am not trying to pee in your Wheaties but GPS is easily shielded where iPhones use cell service which is not as easily shielded. Also you can't easily flash an iPhone as even updating the software requires the "find my iPhone" feature to be turned off which requires the password for the phone.

It would be nice to have some sort of way to track gear but i don't think that currently included technology would be a good implementation of an anti theft measure. A low power cell chip would be a nice addition and it could even use an independent battery that is recharged by the main battery as you use the camera. that way if the battery is removed you would still have say 14 days of power for the cell chip to ping. kinda like a black box in a plane. this could even be an aftermarket item added to an existing camera. there is a company that makes little squares you attached to your keys that ping off of all wifi networks that could also be used. those i know could be stuck to the camera or even a lens.

https://www.thetileapp.com

True it wouldn't be as effective as Find My iPhone since there's no cell service. Maybe an additional (but still affordable) chip could be added like you said to make this more plausible?

I actually was looking at Tile (which is Bluetooth only, effective range of ~100-150ft. And you only track proximity, not location). Cheap and small but I think attaching one to your actual camera or lens isn't the most convenient. It would be more likely hidden in your bag. But then if someone really takes it and scurries off out of the 150ft range before you can find it, you're kind of screwed.

Then there are (slightly bulkier) GPS units which require a monthly service plan, but track true location. But still if someone takes just the camera and not the bag, you're screwed again. Which is what led me back to thinking about how some of these cameras already have a GPS unit built into them.

This is obviously just an idea. I doubt it could really be pulled off as an afterthought with the GPS currently built into cameras. But it seems like a killer feature that, if done right, would be such a huge selling point.

 

[mackguyver]

There's just one flaw in the theory - the find my phone services use cellular communication or WiFi to send the GPS coordinates to Apple/Google's servers. Unless the camera can use the WiFi to send the location, which is possible, GPS alone won't do anything to help locate the camera.

OTOH, if the thieves upload geotagged photos with the serial # in the EXIF, you might be able to find them. Just ask John McAfee

 

[andrewflo]

There's just one flaw in the theory - the find my phone services use cellular communication or WiFi to send the GPS coordinates to Apple/Google's servers. Unless the camera can use the WiFi to send the location, which is possible, GPS alone won't do anything to help locate the camera.

OTOH, if the thieves upload geotagged photos with the serial # in the EXIF, you might be able to find them. Just ask John McAfee

Touche... the GPS coords would have no way of being transmitted. And I think trying to get the camera to connect to WiFi if stolen makes things much more complicated.

 

[pwp]

There's just one flaw in the theory - the find my phone services use cellular communication or WiFi to send the GPS coordinates to Apple/Google's servers.

Now there's an opening for a third card slot in Canon bodies...for a sim card!

-pw

 

[mackguyver]

There's just one flaw in the theory - the find my phone services use cellular communication or WiFi to send the GPS coordinates to Apple/Google's servers.

Now there's an opening for a third card slot in Canon bodies...for a sim card!

-pw

I think that's kind of inevitable (eventually) once high bandwidth cellular networks become widespread and data plans become a bit more reasonable.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Now there's an opening for a third card slot in Canon bodies...for a sim card!

A device that can take pictures and can be used to make phone calls? That's crazy talk. Something like that would never catch on.

 

[andrewflo]

Now there's an opening for a third card slot in Canon bodies...for a sim card!

A device that can take pictures and can be used to make phone calls? That's crazy talk. Something like that would never catch on.

haha well played