{
  "id": 8949232,
  "title": "Canon wants to build fingerprint sensors right into camera grips. The question is why?!",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/canon-wants-to-build-fingerprint-sensors-right-into-camera-grips-the",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-21T14:32:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Digital Camera World",
    "slug": "digital-camera-world",
    "url": "https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/mirrorless-cameras/canon-wants-to-build-fingerprint-sensors-right-into-camera-grips-the-question-is-why"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Canon has filed a patent suggesting that they may integrate fingerprint scanners directly into the grips of future mirrorless cameras. The application, published in the US on September 17 under patent number 0279905, outlines three potential designs for incorporating the fingerprint sensors into the camera's grip. One design places a fingerprint sensor on the front grip and a thumbprint reader on the finger rest at the back of the camera. Another design uses two fingerprint sensors on the front grip to improve accuracy based on hand size. The third design also employs two sensors on the front grip but positions them differently. The patent aims to create a fingerprint scanner that does not require photographers to move their hands from their typical shooting position. However, the patent does not specify the purpose of the fingerprint scanner. Canon has previously explored the idea of using biometric authentication on cameras, including a 2018 patent for a fingerprint sensor on both the front of the camera and the lens, and a 2020 patent for a screenless selfie camera that used fingerprints to save profiles and determine who to follow. Adding a fingerprint sensor to the camera grip could enhance security, preventing unauthorized use of the camera and its network settings. It could also serve as an alternative to a PIN for unlocking the camera, potentially saving users the time and effort of typing in a PIN. Additionally, a fingerprint sensor could be useful in scenarios where multiple people use the same camera, such as on production teams, by saving user profiles and customizing settings based on who is holding the camera. However, the cost of adding a fingerprint sensor and the potential weight or weather seal requirements must be considered. Canon files thousands of patents annually, but many of these never make it into a final product. Published patents offer insight into Canon's ongoing research and development efforts.",
  "summary": "Canon has filed a patent for a design that builds fingerprint sensors right into the grip of a mirrorless camera",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}