BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM

Subject: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Nov 22 - 12:02 PM

any experience with cameras that can extract LatLong and embed it in the image file without needing to connect & tell everyone who, what, where. ??

the Sony Experia Z1 - installed camera doesn't record GPS location. From what I glean it needs both Goggle maps & a SIM card.

The previous Alcatel phone could if enough time was allowed for satellite fix. But it expired.

No SIM because I don't use it as a phone, or a camera much. I have the OS database and local HTML pages that can tell me if a benchmark is near if I give it OSGR from the OSGR app. It even displays LatLong (converted) copy/paste in Maps.me on downloaded maps.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: DaveRo
Date: 11 Nov 22 - 12:39 PM

I expect it uses A-GPS - maybe in addition to GPS.

I have a phone which will provide GPS without a SIM but can take a long time to get a fix (maybe half an hour) in the absence of cell-tower data and a mobile internet connection.

Wouldn't have thought it needed Google Maps though. Mine was running SailfishOS, not Android.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 22 - 01:22 PM

Oh! I was recently phone shopping and thinking about the Sony Experia phone because it's supposed to have a great camera - but I couldn't get my hands on one in a store to take a look at it, see what kind of bloatware Sony adds, etc. So I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S21.

I don't let it tag my photos, but what you're describing sounds interesting; in the past I've documented spots near and along local landmarks to photograph and add to the old Panoramio layer of Google Earth. (For example: the year-round creek that runs through my backyard is a tributary to the Trinity River, that feeds into the Gulf of Mexico. I've tracked it through town and photographed from different parks and roadway bridges.) I haven't added anything since the new Earth iteration merged and removed Panoramio (my photos are still in there somewhere), but the thought does occasionally occur that I could resume that activity. Having the GPS embedded would be helpful, assuming Google doesn't scrape it out of the metadata.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Nov 22 - 02:41 PM

My Samsung S3 mini probably did but the GPS doesn't work. From Utub video I think it would be a simple tightening of an aerial screw that corrodes. But the video was of a S3 so not quite the same.

The Sony Xperia shows the satellite icon and once I have been using Maps.me for a while the GPS stays locked or kicks back in quickly, but no embedded GPS in images. I can save a file from the OSGR app to "downloads" but have to shuffle them over to the SD card and try to remember what they meant! I do photograph the OSGR screen (separate camera 20X zoom) so the time stamp is similar to the target photo. But I have been known to fill the camera and not have a spare card or leave the card in the laptop. (I have swapsies now).

The Xperia is large format, & I don't like walking with reading prescription, even if they are just magnetic clip-ons. Hence the contorted methodology.

I guess I am looking for someone else's experience of camera apps when out of signal or no SIM card. I might have to load a few!

eg
Stone Stiles in the Cotswolds with drop-down menu for similar maps of street furniture, like milestones.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 22 - 10:23 PM

My old phone right now doesn't have a SIM card, it was swapped into the new phone. The new phone doesn't have a SD card (sob!) but I couldn't get the best camera on the mid-range phone. I'll have to play with it without the SIM card and see what happens.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 04:14 AM

Having looked up A-GPS the situation is:

1) it benefits from having net connection by down loading the "GPS almanac and ephemerides" (stuff) from the phone network that calculates and stores these things. FORTUNATELY

2) the necessary "stuff" can be downloaded from satellites at 50 bits/s which takes 12.5 minutes and SURPRISE

3) if I leave the camera app loaded that's what happens BUT

4) there is no way I can see the LatLong on the phone HOWEVER

5) by transferring to a laptop I can see the "details" include LATLONG

6) UNCOPYABLE

7) online EXIF readers can't find the EXIF ! SO

8) taking a screen dump (just the "details") converting to jpg

9) passing the jpg through an online OCR

10) and splitting in VBA we find Lattude (sic) & Lngtude (sic) ** doesn't parse every time

12) Wonder if Flickr could read EXIF - or sigh a weary long.........

13) give up and resolve to photograph the phone screen showing OSGR (because that is easier to read and type, and less error prone) and it has the images side by side with the same timestamp.

** many sites were tried some read the numeral as "~" etc etc. jpg resolution is dictated by Windows, end of line.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 04:15 AM

Technology eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 06:22 AM

identify from imagemagick may be easier for getting the exif data as text from a jpeg. eg.

jon@worthy:~> identify -format '%[EXIF:GPS*]' exiv.jpg
  exif:GPSAltitude=103800/1000
  exif:GPSAltitudeRef=0
  exif:GPSDateStamp=2022:11:17
  exif:GPSInfo=5635
  exif:GPSLatitude=52/1, 40/1, 342834/10000
  exif:GPSLatitudeRef=N
  exif:GPSLongitude=1/1, 16/1, 563448/10000
  exif:GPSLongitudeRef=E
  exif:GPSProcessingMethod=65, 83, 67, 73, 73, 0, 0, 0, 71, 80, 83, 0
  exif:GPSTimeStamp=9/1, 30/1, 37/1
  
  jon@worthy:~> identify -format '%[EXIF:GPSLat*]' exiv.jpg 
  exif:GPSLatitude=52/1, 40/1, 342834/10000
  exif:GPSLatitudeRef=N
  

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: DaveRo
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 07:02 AM

Is it an aeroplane?

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 07:58 AM

The OS Locate app gives exact coordinates and altitude. If you got that on the phone I guess you could at least make a note of where you took the photo

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 02:30 PM

My note-taking is the stand alone camera (20X zoom is often needed) - images get the object in the background and the OSGR screen in the foreground. The main object of the exercise was to not involve fingers, they are error prone. But because GPS accuracy (not the same as resolution) is woeful I feed it into Google maps at home and see if it compares, it often doesn't. The data I see from others are just a far out - especially Apple phones. Accuracy of 5m basically may not be.

I have been given coordinates to 1mm by contractors - but they had a subscription to OS, laser theodolites and it took 30 minutes connected to OS base stations. And a lot of software no doubt.

Google and nls.co.uk maps agree to a better degree.

Jon Freeman - I have looked into VBA that can extract but the ones I have found are Access files - another layer of separation. I will dig a bit.

Sometimes, labour saving just isn't! And finger-trouble can be trapped with a verification that is necessary for other reasons.

we are talking maybe 4000 targets with multiple images. So I look for automation to ease the task.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Mr Red
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 02:33 PM

Then there is the Longitude in the West as positive! No N/S or W/E indicator. Not a deal breaker, but one more hoop. Some images I have dealt with come from Kent!

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: DaveRo
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 03:09 PM

Normally +ve longitude is east.
I assume +ve lattitude is N - but I've never seen a -ve latitude.

Subject: RE: BS: Android camera - GPS with no SIM
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Nov 22 - 09:25 AM

"Is it an aeroplane?"

If you mean my jpg, no. That was a hasty snap of a pair of slippers taken that morning. I'd not used the location bit with the camera on my phone (Redmi Note Pro 9) and wanted a jpg to look at. Not wanting to post home co-ordinates here, I changed lat/long to point to Norwich Airport for the post.