waypoint synchro for better accuracy in pictures geotagging

[fdl]

Hi all Imatch users
I would like to add a request for a feature that in my humble opinion is worthy to reconsider again.
For photographer using the GPX Track Log Import menu in the map panel of Imatch, maybe they will agree with me that synchronizing using track points (instead of waypoints) from the GPS track log file is very straightforward and convenient, but not very accurate.
For most part of the naturalist (birdwatchers, plant lovers,...) or field scientists community the use of waypoints in the GPS is widely accepted. Why don´t include in the Imatch menu the possibility to synchronize pics times with waypoint times (not only track log time)?
Please see if this request suit you too,

from a for long Imatch lover,

felipe

[jch2103]

I'd support this, although I hardly ever use waypoints. Note that you'd have to load waypoints one at a time and then use a procedure very similar to what IMatch already uses for GPX track logs (i.e., check the date/time of the photo(s) against the date/time of the waypoint). If you have a lot of waypoints, it would be much easier to use a GPX track log instead.

Regarding accuracy of the GPX track log, it very much depends on how the track log is recorded and how accurately the camera date/time is set. I've had excellent results with stand-alone GPS devices (including my Garmin sports watch) and mixed results with GPX logs created by smartphone apps. I've also used Nikon's SnapBridge, which can be reasonably accurate, but results depend on app settings and how the phone records locations (I've had situations where the phone used a local cell tower location instead of GPS coordinates).

++ Also note that if you already have waypoint coordinates, you could type or copy/paste them into the IMatch Map module Find dialog, set a location pin and then assign images to that location. Should work OK in your use case. If it doesn't, please repost here so we can see what went wrong.

[Carlo Didier]

Same as John here. The track logs are largely precise enough (seldom more than 10-20m off an who needs more precision?). Never ever used waypoints.

Big advantage with a track log is also that you may forget to set a waypoint, but the track log just runs, you only have to start it at the beginning.

But of course, workflows and requirements vary, so the option might be interesting to some users.

P.S.: if anyone knows how to fully automatically get recorded track logs from my phone to my PC (without internet!!!) ...

[DigPeter]

-1

How accurate do we want or need? My commercial gps device claims accuracy to +/-3m at best, but there is no explanation as to the meaning of that figure: is it absolute (point is with 3m of that position) or is it a statistical figure (based on standard deviations, perhaps 50%, 80% of readings will be within 3m?).  So I always regard a gps reading as being within 10m of the true position.  I would have thought that is good enough for the great majority of purposes.  And as said above, it depends on the camera time being accurately synchronised.

I would not use waypoints.

[Carlo Didier]

... it depends on the camera time being accurately synchronised.

Excelent point!

[fdl]

Thank you all for your comments, ideas and suggestions. I will take note of your recommendations, and try to follow your advices. But please think not like photographers but as naturalists and folks alike, they also carry cameras with them. You usually take pics when you walk, you go on a trekking, walking across mountains enjoying the scenery and taking pics form time to time, or driving a car, stop for a quick documental picture and keep going...  clicking a waypoint in your gps and then synchro latter on a bunch of them seems an appropriate way to me.

Thanks, thanks again for your ideas

[Carlo Didier]

Thank you all for your comments, ideas and suggestions. I will take note of your recommendations, and try to follow your advices. But please think not like photographers but as naturalists and folks alike, they also carry cameras with them. You usually take pics when you walk, you go on a trekking, walking across mountains enjoying the scenery and taking pics form time to time, or driving a car, stop for a quick documental picture and keep going...  clicking a waypoint in your gps and then synchro latter on a bunch of them seems an appropriate way to me.

Thanks, thanks again for your ideas

That's the exact scenario where I would use a track log. Start it at the beginning of the day and stop it when you're back. Very simple. Try it out and if it doesn't suit you, you can still go another way.
Waypoints may give you the option to add a comment when you create them, I don't know, so that might be useful for you.

[DigPeter]

That's the exact scenario where I would use a track log. Start it at the beginning of the day and stop it when you're back. Very simple. Try it out and if it doesn't suit you, you can still go another way.
Waypoints may give you the option to add a comment when you create them, I don't know, so that might be useful for you.

That is also what I do.  Provide camera time is synchronised accurately with the GPS, IM can do the rest - no problem.

[fdl]

okay thanks a lot, It seems to me that I should pay more atention to my camera time in order to use track log accurately. So, I will try it in my next trip.

thanks again for your recomendations

[jch2103]

Also let us know if you're able to copy/paste waypoint coordinates into the Map module Find dialog as suggested in https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=10793.msg76980#msg76980

[Carlo Didier]

... I should pay more atention to my camera time in order to use track log accurately ...

That's equally valid if you use waypoints 

[Mario]

Good practices when starting to shoot on a new day:
Checking all settings (ISO, Aperture, bracket etc. sequences, flash settings) and the time (in UTC).
Takes only a few seconds but can avoid problems caused by wrong settings while trying to catch a shot...

[ubacher]

Mario's advice:

Checking all settings (ISO, Aperture, bracket etc. sequences, flash settings) and the time (in UTC).
Takes only a few seconds but can avoid problems caused by wrong settings while trying to catch a shot...

Since I tend to forget I added code to my renamer script to check the settings of the camera on the last shot.
If it finds not-normal settings it puts out a warning. I then set the camera settings back to my usual settings.
Saved me many times already!

[sinus]

Mario's advice:

Checking all settings (ISO, Aperture, bracket etc. sequences, flash settings) and the time (in UTC).
Takes only a few seconds but can avoid problems caused by wrong settings while trying to catch a shot...

Since I tend to forget I added code to my renamer script to check the settings of the camera on the last shot.
If it finds not-normal settings it puts out a warning. I then set the camera settings back to my usual settings.
Saved me many times already!

Sounds very cool, ubacher!!!

[fdl]

Dear all,

Eventually I had a change to move around Madrid and yesssss, track log is working really nice now  thanks you all.
I also checked out the suggestion from https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=10793.msg76980#msg76980, and yes it worked okay too, I was able to fit waypoints to pics using this method, though I guess very time consuming if you have lots of pics from a trip.
So, it is just one possible scenario where waypoints may be needed, for battery time saving, especially when you are in a remote place with no power available for long, i.e. an expedition. But other than that, I will use track long from now, thanks again Mario for this piece of software.