Setting copyright on M50

[SophM]

I've heard that it's a good idea to copyright ones pictures before posting them online.  I've looked up tutorials on how to do it on a M50, but Imdon't seem to have that option on my camera.  The tutorials show the option under tab 5  of Function Settings, but I only have 4 tabs on my camera. Am I missing somthing?

[ebiggs1]

There is a proper and legal way to do it. The legal way here in the US.

You can use the lower-case letter "c" with a parenthesis on either side forming this "(c)." You may also use the  word "Copyright." 

Insert a space after the "(c)" symbol and put in the current year in numerals, as in "2019."  Insert a space after the current year and type in your legal name. Your final copyright notice should appear in this format: "(c) 2019  R. E. Biggs." You may add the phrase "All rights reserved" to your copyright notice although this phrase is no longer legally required. It is protected without it.

On a Windows keyboard you can use alt-0169 to get the © if you prefer.  I suspect Mac's have some similar way to.

[Tronhard]

Hi Ernie
Yep that sounds about right - I think it's pretty international.  Since I put almost nothing on the web - those few photos are my only ones to a website other than this or CiC. I was pretty relaxed about it.  I am not one to deface my photos by putting a watermark across them for example as I know some do.

[ebiggs1]

Not knowing how it is done down under, I wanted to make sure I stated how it is in the US.  Yeah, there is one guy here that seems pretty proud of his work but whatever.

Since I write music plus do photos I am completely aware of the copyright laws. Plus working for a company that had a bank of lawyers that did nothing but copyright issues.

I am sure some of those publications you have done need copyright protection. It is a great amount of work for sure.

[Tronhard]

ah... the issue is low on my priority scale right now - other, bigger issues to worry about, as you know.

[ebiggs1]

All the best, Trevor.

[RobertTheFat]

---

@ebiggs1 wrote:

All the best, Trevor.

---

˄˄What Ernie said!

[Tronhard]

Thanks guys, much appreciated...

[ebiggs1]

Further about copyright, your work must be registered. Registered work is eligible to obtain statutory damages of up to $150K.  Not registered work (most of us) can still win a copyright lawsuit, but you are only entitled to actual damages, which you'll need to prove in court. Registration is about $35 per photo and can take a year to complete.  Been there done that!

[Tronhard]

Over here in NZ our laws are a bit different, but I was surprised to see a couple of my photos included (without reference to me) in an article about paddle boarding.   It was obvious that someone had take them from the site of the paddle boarding group to which my partner belongs.   I immediately contacted the publisher and sent my own copies of the images, clearly showing my copyright, and within a minute they had referenced me as the photographer.  I was ok for them to use the photos as it supported the group, which is for cancer sufferers.

[ebiggs1]

"...within a minute they had referenced me as the photographer."

That still does not make it legal or give them the right to use your work, at least not here in the US. They need written permission to use them.