Losing your camera equipment is a photographer’s worst nightmare.
It is even more devastating when you lose it on the job or on travel. If it does happen, do not fret. Retrieving your gadgets are still plausible depending on the time window of losing your camera to noticing the disappearance.
If your camera has already gone missing, do the following steps:
1. Go to the police.
It would be wise to make a report to the police or sheriff immediately upon discovering your lost item. They would ask for all the needed information in order to help you. Follow their instructions and file a police report.
2. Go to secondhand shops or resellers
Thieves typically avoid making a paper trail when selling stolen goods. Online marketplaces such as Craigslist, Facebook Market, or eBay typically don’t need proof of ownership so checking them out first would be a great idea. Another place to check is a local pawn shop. Contrary to popular belief, pawn shops are strict with documentation. They would most likely assist law enforcement to retrieve your gadgets.
3. Post in social media
There is a small chance that your camera wasn’t stolen, but instead, just got misplaced and was picked up by a good Samaritan. Make a post on your Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc and let it go viral. Chances are you’d be able to retrieve it easily.
To avoid potential and future disappearances, try the following suggestions
1. Register your camera to online tracking services.
Before using your camera, it is highly recommended to register them in tracking websites. These sites will comb through the internet and search for uploaded photos that could be using your camera’s personal serial number and EXIF data. Websites like stolencamerafinder and lenstag are reputable for effective results.
2. Attach an item tracker
Trackers such as AirTags, Tile Pro, Chipolo One Spot, and others have recently surfaced in the market. They use Bluetooth signals to pinpoint its location where it can emit a sound or be spotted on your phone’s map. These trackers are easy to attach to your camera bag.
Recovering your camera will take time. It could take months or years even with camera tracking services. An item tracker would be ideal because you can track the camera in real time and pinpoint the location with your phone. Attaching the tracker inside the camera bag, however, may be detrimental if only the contents were taken.
Luckily, Foto&Tech has a hot shoe AirTag holder for cameras and DSLRs. All you have to do is place the AirTag in the AirTag holder and mount it on your hot shoe. It’s a fast and convenient way to ensure your camera’s safety.
Click on our photo below to check our AirTag Hot Shoe Holder!
