arca swiss rm3di serial number

[Wayne Fox]

Need this for an insurance rider. I can't find any number except a small white label on the inside - seems strange it would be a label so I'm sure I'm missing something.

 

[Frederic]

Don't think I've ever seen a serial on an A/S tech or view camera, tripod head or anything. When buying new there's only that accompanying document with a handwritten serial.

 

[Wayne Fox]

Don't think I've ever seen a serial on an A/S tech or view camera, tripod head or anything. When buying new there's only that accompanying document with a handwritten serial.

odd. that means insurance company prob won't cover it.

 

[docmoore]

Probably would with a signed appraisal letter from AS or one of their distributors.

Now that might take a bit of work as even getting information in the past to spur a new sale was difficult.

Bob

 

[jlm]

if you have the sales invoice with a serial number, i would have the body engraved.

 

[stngoldberg]

I've insured all of my technical camera lenses along with the rm3di. My insurance company attached all of my photography equipment to my homeowners policy at an addiional fee of course. The serial numbers were not required; images of the inventory were requested and supplied.
BTW, I have been advised that my equipment is not insured when I ship it with a second party such as UPS, USPS, or FEDEX.

Stanley

 

[docmoore]

I keep a file of every receipt of valuable equipment, have scanned copies of those receipts archived and supplied a PDF of the receipts with SN and pictures of the equipment to the insurance company for a separate rider on my homeowners.

If your company balks I would find a different policy or agent.

Bob

 

[RodK]

Probably would with a signed appraisal letter from AS or one of their distributors.

Now that might take a bit of work as even getting information in the past to spur a new sale was difficult.

Bob

To anyone,
I am available and can do an estimate on your Arca-Swiss gear.
There are no serial numbers as our cameras, being modular would require all the parts to be serialized. This would add several hours of labor and therefore cost, to the manufacture of a camera. So not useful or cost effective.
Years a go Calumet did that sort of numbering. But they were on cast parts, and used part numbers.
So all frames had the same number and all focus mechanisms had the same number as well.
So I got a call from West Virginia. It was a sheriff from a small town, that had seen a report of a stolen Calumet 400 camera with one of these numbers and he wanted to know if that was a camera that belonged to customer of ours that had been stolen. When I told him that perhaps over 5000 Calumet 400 style cameras had been produced over the years all bearing this number, he just stopped in in his tracks. Never realized that about those cameras.

Anyway if you need a replacement estimate for your Insurance on Arca Swiss equipment, just email me a list of your equipment.
You will need to add the serial numbers, of your lenses, when you receive the estimate.
Be well,
Rod

 

[f8orbust]

I can understand not engraving a serial number on every small part, but the big ticket items - er, no. The only person that benefits is the low life that steals your gear - then, unless you've marked the piece yourself (e.g. UV marker) - there's just no way to prove ownership.

OT: Ensuring your gear through a homeowners policy is fine as long as that gear isn't used to make money - not even a dime; if it is, use a proper - and more expensive - commercial / business policy, otherwise in the event of loss the insurer will leave you high and dry ('...never informed us it was being used for commercial purposes' etc.)

 

[Wayne Fox]

Yeah, the problem is the insurance company wants to make sure the police have a way to track the item if I report it stolen. It seems adding a serial number to a several thousand dollar item would be sort of normal. I've already supplied current replacement value, as well as a photograph of the camera.

As far as engraving the serial number from the receipt, how can it have a serial number if it isn't on the item? However, that does give me an idea, all they want is a way to compare to what I have, I suppose I could have any number I want put on there and it would make it unique enough to satisfy them.

 

[Wayne Fox]

So an update from Rod, it does appear the label inside the camera body is the serial number of the camera. I think this is enough to make the insurance company happy as I don't have to provide them a picture of the serial number, just the camera.

 

[RodK]

Thanks Wayne and sorry for the confusion.

Very early models of the R camera did not have the serial number on them in keeping with the modular pieces of our view cameras. We now do place serial numbers on the R bodies.

On an R camera, the serial number is located in the body. To see it, remove the Tum focus module and use full fall or rise movement. The number will be then visible in the upper right corner of the moving back frame, either in the opening or above the right shoulder of the body.