[vladimiroltean]

Hi, I'd like to keep a record for all my cameras (where and when I bought them, price, what works, what doesn't, where/when/why they've been serviced, etc). This info would be passed on for cameras that I sell. Initially I thought about storing that info on an NFC sticker, but there are various technology limitations (180 bytes max storage, can't read it on metal, can't find a good enough spot to place the sticker such that the phone will come in close enough contact to read it). So now I'm thinking of printing some small QR codes that link to somewhere, and the Pentax Serial Number Database might just be the right place. Only trouble is, I can't seem to find a way to get an URL for each table entry?
Could the site admins consider producing stable URLs for this kind of thing?

[Adam]

I'm a bit confused- are you asking for a URL to a serial DB entry that only shows a specific serial?

If so, you can simply add &serial=xxx to the end of any database URL, for example:
No. 6437400 - Pentax K-5 Serial Numbers - Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com

There is also a list of all your serials:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-serial-number-database/?do=viewmyserials

[vladimiroltean]

Thanks, querying the database by serial number is indeed what I was looking for (at least partially).
Thinking more, the database might not be quite fit for my use case? Let's say I buy a lens from a pentaxforums user who had that serial number inserted in the database prior to selling it to me. The lens has fungus and this is described in the database.

(a) I want to service the lens and append that information to its description. Can I do that if I wasn't the user who originally introduced the serial number?
(b) I want to resell the lens, and remove from the description the fact that it ever had fungus. If point (a) is solved by allowing me to edit the item's description since it's now in my possession, what prevents me from doing that?

It somehow appears that a proper solution would require a public/private key pair which would be created by the website when the database entry for its serial number is first created, and then physically transferred together with the sale of the camera itself (QR code, whatever). Also, even if you have the private key of the camera, you couldn't delete info added by a different pentaxforums user who had access to the same private key.

Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear that the database has these features? Either I'm overthinking, or I'm under the impression that some of the information in there will not age quite well. Once ownership is transferred, the info is pretty much read-only.

[Adam]

When ownership is transferred, we can do the same for the serial DB entry. Unfortunately there is no way to preserve the history should you wish to update the description, but it's certainly possible to change it to reflect the latest status of the lens.

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



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