Canon Adds Password Protection to Ten EOS R Series Cameras

Canon is adding a new password protection option to 10 of its mirrorless EOS R series cameras via a firmware update. While the update is only available in Japan at the time of publication, it should roll out to other regions in short order.

Canon says that it is adding this feature due to requirements issued by European cybersecurity regulations: “Some camera products have a password setting function for protecting personal information and security in the camera.” It is slated to become available on July 17, 2025.

The feature is being added to 10 cameras: EOS R1, EOS R3, EOS R5 Mark II, EOS R5, EOS R6 Mark II, EOS R7, EOS R8, EOS R10, EOS R50, and the EOS R50V. As pointed out by Digicame-Info, the feature might not be that important to entry-level or amateur photographers who would likely feel as though a password would be burdensome to enter every time the camera is turned on or woken from sleep, but it would likely greatly appeal to professionals, especially photojournalists, who have a higher concern for security.

Specifically, this feature is meant to protect networks: IP addresses, MAC addresses, and network infrastructure. It is a new requirement in the European Union per its Radio Equipment Directive (RED). The idea is that adding a password will prevent brute force attacks if a password is entered after 10 consecutively failed password attempts during startup.

Unfortunately, while some level of protection has been repeatedly called fir by photographers for years, this won’t serve that purpose. When a camera with this firmware in it is turned on for the first time, a photographer is asked to enter a PIN. When the camera is then restarted, the PIN is requested again. There is an option to not have the camera ask for that pin again, at which point that screen will never appear unless the camera is factory reset, in which case these steps restart.

If a photographer forgets their pin, they can choose to reset the whole camera and it returns to factory default and asks for a new PIN. From the camera’s settings, a photographer can manage the password, reset it, or clear it and reset the camera. Since it is so easy to bypass through resetting, it would not work at all for theft prevention.

That is a shame, as over the past few years, there have been multiple instances of violent attacks on photographers by thieves. Jefferson Graham’s camera was stolen while he was recording a stand-up in broad daylight. YouTube and photographer Manny Ortiz had $16,000 worth of gear stolen from him while in Europe. Reporters were held up at gunpoint and had their cameras stolen in San Francisco, while a new crew’s security guard was shot and killed during an attempted robbery of cameras in Oakland.

Canon has thus far not added the firmware update to its websites in Europe or North America, but given that the reason this feature was developed was to abide by European cybersecurity regulations, it should only be a matter of time before it rolls out at least to that region.

A full breakdown of how the password feature works is available on Canon Japan’s website. The firmware should become available to download on July 17, although it is not clear if this date applies to just Japan or other regions.

Update 7/10: After spending more time reading about the upcoming firmware, PetaPixel has updated the story with an explanation as to why it likely won’t work for theft prevention. Additional links have also been added to show why Canon is likely adding the feature.