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Where Did I Take That Photo?


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I’m wondering if anyone here has seen or used the ATP Photo Finder. It seems to be announced everywhere, but available nowhere...which makes me wonder if it is more promise than product.

 

The device is supposed to permit you to easily add geotags to your photos. As I read the press releases, it works like this. You initially set the time on your camera and on the Photo Finder to be the same. The Photo Finder is a GPS that records to its memory the time and your location every 5 seconds. Then you take your pictures, over whatever period. Later, you take the memory card out of the camera and put it in the Photo finder. The Photo Finder synchronizes the times in its memory and the times recorded in the EXIF of each image and adds the location (lat/lon) to the EXIF.

 

If it works, it would be a real asset on the road. If anyone has any first hand information, please add it here.

 

Here is a link to a review:

 

http://www.sciuridae.co.uk/technology/atp_...nder_review.htm

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Interesting device and one that I'm sure has an audience but I'm convinced it's not me and I suspect it's not you, either. The two advantages identified are automation and no need for a PC. If purchasing this device really saves someone from spending money on a computer, that's cool. As for me, I've already be sucked into that purchase several times. Besides, if you're tagging the photos for Picasa or something similar there's going to be a computer involved in there somewhere. But the claim that no PC is required for the tagging is certainly valid and is part of the automation advantage.

 

The idea of simply popping a card into the device and having everything tagged with a single button push is attractive. But what's it worth? I saw a guess of $130 for the device. That's not bad and it may get cheaper. But what you have is a single function device. For about the same money or a few bucks more, you could has a GPS receiver that not only told you where you've been (and that indirectly) but where you are. Most receivers record some amount of history and with that and some free software and the PC you admittedly don't otherwise need, you can geotag away although you have to press much more than one button.

 

You may recall a thread in which Jennifer was shopping for a GPS. One of it's side paths concerned geotagging and some free software called Location Stamper (http://wwmx.org/). Since then I've been geotagging with abandon and my Garmin.

 

I recognize the convenience of one button tagging but it's not worth too much to me. And I even have doubts that it would be a net gain in the convenience account after I subtracted the inconvenience of caring for and feeding another battery powered device.

 

I realize that I sidestepped your question of "first hand information" and just started bashing away. Sorry but I really don't think this product is for me (and it's raining in Ohio).

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Interesting device and one that I'm sure has an audience but I'm convinced it's not me and I suspect it's not you, either. The two advantages identified are automation and no need for a PC. If purchasing this device really saves someone from spending money on a computer, that's cool. As for me, I've already be sucked into that purchase several times. Besides, if you're tagging the photos for Picasa or something similar there's going to be a computer involved in there somewhere. But the claim that no PC is required for the tagging is certainly valid and is part of the automation advantage.

 

The idea of simply popping a card into the device and having everything tagged with a single button push is attractive. But what's it worth? I saw a guess of $130 for the device. That's not bad and it may get cheaper. But what you have is a single function device. For about the same money or a few bucks more, you could has a GPS receiver that not only told you where you've been (and that indirectly) but where you are. Most receivers record some amount of history and with that and some free software and the PC you admittedly don't otherwise need, you can geotag away although you have to press much more than one button.

 

You may recall a thread in which Jennifer was shopping for a GPS. One of it's side paths concerned geotagging and some free software called Location Stamper (http://wwmx.org/). Since then I've been geotagging with abandon and my Garmin.

 

I recognize the convenience of one button tagging but it's not worth too much to me. And I even have doubts that it would be a net gain in the convenience account after I subtracted the inconvenience of caring for and feeding another battery powered device.

 

I realize that I sidestepped your question of "first hand information" and just started bashing away. Sorry but I really don't think this product is for me (and it's raining in Ohio).

 

Denny,

 

OK...then the executive version is: I could accomplish the same thing with free software and my existing laptop and GPS.

 

 

I lost my Garmin by leaving it on the car roof, and my present GPS makes a great paperweight. But with your advice, I can start looking for a good GPS, and in the meantime test some of the free geotagging software.

 

And its raining here too! :rolleyes:

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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One of it's side paths concerned geotagging and some free software called Location Stamper (http://wwmx.org/). Since then I've been geotagging with abandon and my Garmin.

I've begun looking into this too. I haven't tagged any of my photos yet, and my biggest concern right now is selecting the right tools to use to tag my photos, both the captions and the geotagging. I downloaded the wwmx stamper a week or two ago, but I wasn't sure how it was storing the info. Does it store the coordinates in the same place that Picasa does with the same EXIF tags?

 

My big fear is to spend weeks tagging photos with one tool that becomes obsolete and stores the tagged info in some header that no other tool uses. I want to make sure it's in some sort of "standard" format so my time spent won't go to waste--I'd like to make sure that software I'm using 20 years from now will see and recognize those tags for what they are.

 

I assume you are tagging with WWMX--what other tools have you successfully read those tags out with?

 

Chris

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From the webpage:

 

As for the RAW / CR2 formats, I think the Picture tracker only works with jpeg files.

 

 

I do all of my shooting in RAW mode. Although I do like the concept of a single device to track and tag where photos are taken unless the device can handle RAW I won't be adding it to my wish list.

 

Roadhound

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I lost my Garmin by leaving it on the car roof...
Well, at least the Garmin knows where it is'

 

I could accomplish the same thing with free software and my existing laptop and GPS.
Correct, although with more steps than pushing one button.

 

Does it store the coordinates in the same place that Picasa does with the same EXIF tags?
I don't know much about Picasa. My guess is that it doesn't modify any EXIF info at all. I'm pretty sure that Flickr's "geotagging" just records something within your Flickr album that lets it position the photo on a map. I'm guessing, without justification, that Picasa is similar.

 

I assume you are tagging with WWMX--what other tools have you successfully read those tags out with?
EXIF is a standard that presumably is the same for anyone who uses it. I've read out some EXIF information with a few different programs but the only software I have, aside from LocationStamper, that displays the location info is PhotoShop Elements.

 

It doesnt look like ether the ATP device or LocationStamper supports RAW. I shoot very little RAW (and do nothing with what I do shoot) and my camera produces a small JPG version of each RAW image so I can answer the "where'd I shoot that?" question.

 

It looks like Sony is coming out with a somewhat similar device although they make no claims about not needing a PC.

 

As I said, I'm sure there is a market for these devices but I have doubts that it includes anyone who has posted to this thread so far.

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This is all great input - but will it help people like me who don't know where they are most of the time to start with???

I think, for now, I'll just stick with the old method - pencil, piece of paper (yeah, Denny, I know - I left the damn list in the room at Hopson Plantation when we left) writting down a short note using the picture number on my digital camera.

I'm NOT of the digital age.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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...the old method - pencil, piece of paper...
I had thought of mentioning that you also had a method that did not require a PC.

 

But Alex and KtSotR, please note that the topic is "Where Did I Take That Photo?". Not "Where did I leave that GPS/notepad?" :D

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In some of my poking, I found Downloader Pro which claims to support "major raw formats". It's the only one I've seen fo PCs although there apparently a couple more for Macs. A decent article with links to those is here.

 

I understand that RAW is a wonderful thing for those who know how to pilot a darkroom. For the rest of us, it is less wonderful. While I'm sure the formats are similar, they are manufacturer specific so you need software that knows the actual camera you're using. The previous model of the camera I use (Panasonic DMC-FZ8) supported TIFF rather than RAW. For my own use, I think I prefer that. It was both lossless and interchangeable. In my mind, wide interchangeable support ups the odds of being able to handle the file in twenty years.

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Denny,

 

Your posts have included many wise (as in useful, well informed) insights on this subject. Thanks!

 

The "funny" part of my lost Garmin story is that it fell off the roof within 100 yards of my house, and I still couldn't find it!

 

Oh......and if I had roadhound's photo skills, I would shoot in RAW myself. But when your "talent" is in taking 20 shots of the scene and hoping one comes out, RAW takes up too much storage!!! :rolleyes:

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave

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Denny,

 

Your posts have included many wise (as in useful, well informed) insights on this subject. Thanks!

 

The "funny" part of my lost Garmin story is that it fell off the roof within 100 yards of my house, and I still couldn't find it!

 

Oh......and if I had roadhound's photo skills, I would shoot in RAW myself. But when your "talent" is in taking 20 shots of the scene and hoping one comes out, RAW takes up too much storage!!! :rolleyes:

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave

 

The first few times I used RAW mode I was extremely dissappointed with the results. The pictures were muddy, color saturation was poor, and very rarely did a picture look like I thought it should. Once I learned how to make the corrections in RAW (which really isn't that diffcult once you do it a few times) you are able to improve on the lossless image. It is comparable to darkroom work from the perspective of the way that the film was developed affected the quality of the image. If you have ever done color film processing working a RAW image is much, much easier. I convert all of my images from RAW to TIFF and only use jpg's as the final product, never editing a jpg image.

 

Yes, it does take a few more CF cards and burning through 10GB worth in a day of shooting has happened, (usually when I am at an event with a lot of action photos). But, once you realize that you can make a lot of adjustments in RAW the actual number you feel you need to take decreases. I've even taken the RAW image, adjusted the same image for different exposure values, and then recombined the images in Photoshop. The attached image was the same image adjusted into 3 different TIFF images in RAW mode (2 for the sky and one for the foreground). I would have to look up the GPS data but can tell you that it is somewhere near Furnace Creek in Death Valley.

 

In regards to size my 8-mega pixel DSLR produces a 5MB RAW file and a 50MB+ TIFF file. The jpg file size depends upon what was in the photo.

 

A hot shoe mounted GPS that interfaces directly with the camera would be a cool thing. I am a bit surprised that nobody has made one that plugs into the USB port.

 

SC10_91_22.jpg

 

Roadhound

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Rick, you're definitely one of those who can use RAW data to full advantage. Beautiful picture. I just take the occasional RAW shot in case I catch Elvis in the background and someone else can massage it into a big dollar National Enquirer cover. Curiously, RAW files produced by my 7 megapixel camera are about 11 MB compared to your 5 MB files. I guess that's just a sympthom of the manufacturer specific formats.

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Rick, you're definitely one of those who can use RAW data to full advantage. Beautiful picture. I just take the occasional RAW shot in case I catch Elvis in the background and someone else can massage it into a big dollar National Enquirer cover. Curiously, RAW files produced by my 7 megapixel camera are about 11 MB compared to your 5 MB files. I guess that's just a sympthom of the manufacturer specific formats.

 

BTW, speaking of Elvis and taking this thread way off topic, January 8th was his birthday. I think I'll have a peanubutta and nelly sandwich in his honor.

 

I aint nuthin but a roadhound...

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I had thought of mentioning that you also had a method that did not require a PC.

 

But Alex and KtSotR, please note that the topic is "Where Did I Take That Photo?". Not "Where did I leave that GPS/notepad?" :D

 

 

True Denny - but making note of where I took the photo, ie, (photo) #2 - Blues Museum, Greenwood is pretty much telling me where I took the photo number 2 in my digital camera - right??

I'm doing with a simple pencil and paper what a complicated gadget is doing electornically. :D

 

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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True Denny - but making note of where I took the photo, ie, (photo) #2 - Blues Museum, Greenwood is pretty much telling me where I took the photo number 2 in my digital camera - right??

I'm doing with a simple pencil and paper what a complicated gadget is doing electornically. :D

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

 

Alex,

 

You have the wrong terminology!!

 

You are using an integrated portable data collection system with pressure pad, interactive stylus, and erasable technology.

 

The location data can be downloaded to your PC via the digital data entry board, and synchronized with your photos via the intelligent interface.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Alex,

 

You have the wrong terminology!!

 

You are using an integrated portable data collection system with pressure pad, interactive stylus, and erasable technology.

 

The location data can be downloaded to your PC via the digital data entry board, and synchronized with your photos via the intelligent interface.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

I have that same device but mine keeps giving me an ID-10T error and then it tells me to check for a loose nut behind the keyboard.

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