Serial Numbers Sensitive?

[dstppy]

Hi guys, another odd question.

I've occasionally seen images of cameras that had the serial numbers blurred out, like you do for license plates.

Any reason behind that?

I ask, because I want to post shutter count for sale of some of my bodies. I can't see a reason the serial shouldn't be posted though.

Is there anything I'm missing here?

Thanks!

 

[neuroanatomist]

In theory,if you hadn't registered the camera/lens online, someone else could. Someone could also report the camera/lens as stolen, for no reason other than to annoy you. Easy enough to black it out...

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Dstppy.
What Neuro said!
If you want to prove the count is from the actual camera you are selling just quote or show the last 2 or 3 digits. Not enough for someone to claim ownership of the camera, but enough to tie the shutter count to the camera.

Cheers Graham.

In theory,if you hadn't registered the camera/lens online, someone else could. Someone could also report the camera/lens as stolen, for no reason other than to annoy you. Easy enough to black it out...

 

[dstppy]

This is why I post here.

Thanks guys.

-Ernie

 

[mackguyver]

I do this whenever I sell my gear as there are a number of eBay scams. One is where people will report your gear as stolen and have the authorities (or at least people claiming to be) come after you (a hassle at the very least to prove ownership). Another as Neuro pointed out is to register the lens as their own and then they will use it to commit insurance fraud. There are many others, too, and if you're a legit seller, people won't think that you are the one trying to be fraudulent.

Another scam or sorts that has happened EVERY time I've listed a camera for sale is multiple people wanting to know the shutter count. Mind you, these are the same people who want to charge you $5+ on their website that promises to show you the shutter count. There are free tools for some Canon bodies, but not for many of them and they know that. Thankfully, FoCal added this feature before my last auction and I simply posted a screen shot of the shutter count ;D, but alas, I still received half a dozen of these messages.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hi Dstppy.
What Neuro said!
If you want to prove the count is from the actual camera you are selling just quote or show the last 2 or 3 digits. Not enough for someone to claim ownership of the camera, but enough to tie the shutter count to the camera.

Cheers Graham.

Show the first three digits, those tell a buyer what he needs to know. Most lenses have one of two or three ranges of digits, and the last digits are all they need to report it stolen.

 

[dstppy]

Thankfully, FoCal added this feature before my last auction and I simply posted a screen shot of the shutter count ;D, but alas, I still received half a dozen of these messages.

I am so dumb. I should have checked FoCal . . . I'd used it all weekend on my mk3.

I went independent when someone asked, though, and found out that there's an apple App. So I paid $3.

 

[mackguyver]

Thankfully, FoCal added this feature before my last auction and I simply posted a screen shot of the shutter count ;D, but alas, I still received half a dozen of these messages.

I am so dumb. I should have checked FoCal . . . I'd used it all weekend on my mk3.

I went independent when someone asked, though, and found out that there's an apple App. So I paid $3.

Don't feel bad - it's a fairly recent feature on FoCal and I fell for it the first time I sold a body, too.

 

[sagittariansrock]

Thankfully, FoCal added this feature before my last auction and I simply posted a screen shot of the shutter count ;D, but alas, I still received half a dozen of these messages.

I am so dumb. I should have checked FoCal . . . I'd used it all weekend on my mk3.

I went independent when someone asked, though, and found out that there's an apple App. So I paid $3.

Yeah, me too.
Is this only on FoCal pro, or also with FoCal Plus?

 

[mackguyver]

Yeah, me too.
Is this only on FoCal pro, or also with FoCal Plus?

It's in all of the versions, but is kind of hard to find, here's the info from Reikan, but I'm not in front of my PC, so I can't tell you how to find it in the interface. Just poke around and you'll find it.:
http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/index.php/tests/camera-information/

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Mt Spokane.
I would have thought that they would need the whole number to report it stolen, or are you saying that it is only the last few digits that are different, the first bit being the same on all bodies of the same type so they can generate the whole number? In which case that wouldn't prove it was a particular body would it? I have no knowledge of the numbering scheme, so I'm looking to be educated, not arguing.

Cheers Graham.

Hi Dstppy.
What Neuro said!
If you want to prove the count is from the actual camera you are selling just quote or show the last 2 or 3 digits. Not enough for someone to claim ownership of the camera, but enough to tie the shutter count to the camera.

Cheers Graham.

Show the first three digits, those tell a buyer what he needs to know. Most lenses have one of two or three ranges of digits, and the last digits are all they need to report it stolen.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hi Mt Spokane.
I would have thought that they would need the whole number to report it stolen, or are you saying that it is only the last few digits that are different, the first bit being the same on all bodies of the same type so they can generate the whole number? In which case that wouldn't prove it was a particular body would it? I have no knowledge of the numbering scheme, so I'm looking to be educated, not arguing.

Cheers Graham.

Hi Dstppy.
What Neuro said!
If you want to prove the count is from the actual camera you are selling just quote or show the last 2 or 3 digits. Not enough for someone to claim ownership of the camera, but enough to tie the shutter count to the camera.

Cheers Graham.

Show the first three digits, those tell a buyer what he needs to know. Most lenses have one of two or three ranges of digits, and the last digits are all they need to report it stolen.

Serial numbers for bodies and for lenses follow a different scheme. For lenses, Brian at TDB had it figured out thru 2013, but I haven't seen a update. The first two digits are a date code of sorts.

Camera bodies seem to have the first digits indicate the model number.