Is GPS Location destination a must have ?

[hjoseph7]

<p>Is GPS Location destination really such a must have ? maybe I'm Paranoid, but I'm not too crazy about the whole world knowing where and when I took a certain picture. To me that is part of the thrill and mystery of having a portfolio. When people say wow where did you take that picture, or, how, or why. I mean isn't that what captions are for ? <br>

The other day I uploaded some pictures to PN and to my surprise the Latitude and Longitude of where the picture was taken came up in the technical detail section. Not sure how since I didn't think my camera had anything like that but apparently the software I used to download the pictures form my camera saved that information. At first I was surprised but then I felt a little uncomfortable and I deleted the GPS info...</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>None of my cameras has built in GPS but occasionally GPS coordinates appear in the metadata on sites where I've uploaded photos. The coordinates don't match my actual location, so presumably it's a default location, or an estimate based on my IP address, which changes every time my DSL modem is reset.</p>

<p>You can easily strip out some or all metadata before uploading photos.</p>

<p>Some photographers enjoy sharing the GPS info with other folks who enjoy traveling and locating the same sites, or the geocaching hobby.</p>

[jim_j2]

<blockquote>

<p>"The other day I uploaded some pictures to PN and to my surprise the Latitude and Longitude of where the picture was taken came up in the technical detail section. Not sure how since I didn't think my camera had anything like that but apparently the software I used to download the pictures form my camera saved that information."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Darn You Harry, . . .<br>

You made me go look!<br>

I know my 50D doesn't have anything to do with GPS and, I keep the GPS on my Smart Phone disabled most of the time! I know that I've run across photographs where I've seen the GPS coordinates also listed when viewing the "Details" tab but had never paid much attention to my own details.</p>

<p>Much like you, . . . I like the "where did you take that picture" part of a conversation about photography. No GPS feature desirable for me!</p>

<p>Now, . . . I can take the Tin Hat off!</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>How I've managed all these years without GPS on a camera, I'll never know. I'm actively looking into getting it fitted to my Rolleiflex Automat.</p>

[peter_doucette]

<p>I used to play "Where in the world" on Picasaweb, and most of the pictures were taken just south of Ghana. I think the coordinates are: 0°00'00.0"N 0°00'00.0"E. Today, most of them are just east of Rio De Janeiro.<br>

John, please don't make me look on ebay for one for my Ricohflex.</p>

[tom_harvey3]

<p>Yeah, I need one for my Instamatic 814. Kinda like playing "Where's Waldo", eh?</p>

[SCL]

<p>Oh yeah...I really need it for my Brownie....I'm not sure how I managed to take pictures without it. Same for my Minox...maybe James Bond was light years ahead of us and had it on his. My Leicas seem to do well without it.</p>

[JDMvW]

<blockquote>

<p>"Privacy is so 20th century" - almost universal comment, no clear single source<br>

"I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords" - Ken Jennings</p>

</blockquote>

<p>at http://news.discovery.com/tech/i-for-one-welcome-our-new-computer-overlords.htm </p>

<p>I used to worry about this sort of thing, but now I am happily embedded in the iPhone collective. Assimilation is inevitable.</p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>I'm not too crazy about the whole world knowing where and when I took a certain picture.<br /><br /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Is it OK for to know where but not when? Roughly half your photos posted here reveals where you were.<br /><br /><br /></p>

[Rick Helmke]

<p>I prefer as little as possible attached information about where and when. No GPS for me and might as well set the date and time wrong as well.</p>

<p>Rick H.</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>It's helpful when you're on a vacation. Once I went on a cruise with my wife to 5 islands in the Caribbean. This was back in the film days and I was shooting a 35mm SLR. So in order to keep track where I was, I always took locations shots of port signs after we got off the boat on each island. Let's face it, a palm tree is a palm tree! That way when I made my photo album, I'd know which island I was on for each shot. Even with that, I got somehow confused and wasn't sure on a few of them ( I had about 12 rolls of 36 pictures). </p>

<p>GPS stamp would have been really helpful.</p>

 

[Two23]

<p>Harry, I'm with you. When I go out, I don't want to be "tracked" like a collared deer or something. It's creepy enough that our emails are being read and the phone companies have been tracing our calls for the past several years.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>Kent: I wouldn't worry about anyone tracking you with your camera. However, I'd be more concerned with the navigation program you have operating in your smartphone. That's how terrorists are targeted with smart bombs if they're still stupid enough to be using their cell phone. In my case, I could get lost in the woods and no one would realize it or care where I am until my wife wondered why I'm not home for dinner yet.</p>

[Two23]

<p>Alan--<br>

I've deliberateyly stayed away from smart phones. Mine does not have GPS at all.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[justthings]

This is really an "it depends" sort of question. I'm a mapping guy and have used GPS technology to map everything from

archaeological sites to tortoise poop, and just about anything else in between that you can think of. For much of the field

work I've been involved in, I would have given my left testicle to have built-in GPS capability with the photographic

equipment we used. For my personal projects, I don't really care, because the level to which I need my photos geotagged

is far less important, though the the mapping/GPS nerd in me would think its cool and fun tech to play with. And when I

consider the operational overhead (battery life, device ergonomics, competition with photographic features, etc) built-in

GPS adds for the value it gives I would prefer my camera doesn't have it. I want my camera to be designed first to take

pictures. Necessary - hell no; desirable for some applications - yes.

 

Also, I think the paranoia related to someone being able to see where you took a given photo in the past is misplaced - are

you really freaked out that someone will know you were at (x,y) location on some particular day three years ago? Why? No

one is going to track you by your GPS as that doesnt broadcast, its a receiver only technology. I understand the concern

about live tracking you with your phone but that is only possible because your phone is more actively pinging cell towers

and broadcasting a unique identifer (MAC address) if you have WiFi or Bluetooth enabled. So turning off GPS isn't that big

a deterrent to being surveiled. Tech today is being used by retailers for example to track the MAC address broadcast by

your phone or other devices and are using that data to look at shopping behavior. This kind of information is also being

used to track your vehicle in a similar manner - how do you think all those traffic flow maps you see or traffic advisory

boards on the freeway work, in part by tracking your MAC address broadcast by your WiFi and Bluetooth. What

application did the Seattle PD have in mind when it installed a grid of sensors to read WiFi broadcasts in the city? These

use cases are far more disconcerting I think and have nothing to do with GPS. Also remember that most of these devices

and these features can be turned off.

[AlanKlein]

<p>I'm concerned with those apps that have access to so much going on in your smartphone. Ok, access to you GPS allows them to tell you their nearest store, restaurant, etc. by knowing your current GPS coordinates. But why do they need access to your camera, microphone, and contacts? That part really concerns me.</p>

[justthings]

@alan, you just have to be aware of what the apps are doing with those components.. When you download an app, you

can read what it does with all the different services it accesses. Like anything else, its a user beware system. Or, you can

simply choose not to participate.

[AlanKlein]

<p>It's astonishing what these apps can find out and do. Here's a list of what available. While not all are used by most, many are used that provide a lot of private details. <br>

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/6014972?p=app_permissions&rd=1</p>

<p>I looked at Tapatalk, which is a way of easily looking at forum like this one: While some are obvious, other like reading the contents of your storage allows them access to privacy access codes and other stuff. <br>

<em>Identity Contacts/Calendar Location SMS Phone Photos/Media/Files Camera/Microphone Device ID & call information Wi-Fi connection information </em></p>

 

<ul >

<li>find accounts on the device</li>

</ul>

 

In-app purchases Device & app history Cellular data settings Identity Contacts/Calendar Location SMS Phone Photos/Media/Files Camera/Microphone Device ID & call information Wi-Fi connection information

 

<ul >

<li>test access to protected storage</li>

<li>modify or delete the contents of your USB storage</li>

</ul>

 

 

In-app purchases Device & app history Cellular data settings Identity Contacts/Calendar Location SMS Phone Photos/Media/Files Camera/Microphone Device ID & call information Wi-Fi connection information

 

<ul >

<li>view Wi-Fi connections</li>

</ul>

 

 

<p><em>Other</em></p>

<ul >

<li><em>receive data from Internet</em></li>

<li><em>install shortcuts</em></li>

<li><em>use accounts on the device</em></li>

<li><em>run at startup</em></li>

<li><em>full network access</em></li>

<li><em>control vibration</em></li>

<li><em>view network connections</em></li>

<li><em>prevent device from sleeping</em></li>

</ul>

 

[pmind]

<p>I don't have GPS on any of my cameras (surprisingly), but I do find myself wanting this feature on occasion. There have been a few times where I've just plain forgotten where images where taken. As for sharing that information, it can surely be removed without much trouble before posting. However, being tracked by my camera or phone location is a concern I don't have...you can't reliably shop at Target without your privacy being compromised.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>One of my acquaintances who designs software for Macs and Apple devices said he was surprised to discover how much information was revealed about users when he began designing apps for iPhones and iPads. In some cases the info was necessary for the apps to function as intended - for example, ephemeris software depends on location and is annoying without automatically retrieving that info based on GPS or WiFi IP, and useless without at least an option for manually entering location.</p>

<p>I have a sun shadow app that was modified for the Kindle Fire HD, which has no GPS but does provide an approximate location based on my WiFi modem - I say approximate because it can vary across a large metropolitan area every time the modem is reset. But it's close enough for my purposes.</p>

<p>But I've seen some apps requesting access to devices that have no legitimate need for such access, such as single player games (not MMORPGs) and a TV listing app having access to the tablet's camera.</p>

<p>On the other hand, if I used a smartphone camera it would primarily be for either social networking or documentary photography/video. In either case, I'd want the GPS info on by default. For example, if I happened to be in an unfamiliar area and photographed/video recorded an accident, crime in progress, etc., it would be much quicker and more accurate to pass that info along to emergency response crews if the GPS automagically recorded the info. I'd also want it for keeping track of family in case they were in an accident, had a medical emergency or were otherwise incapacitated.</p>

[ryan_ware]

<p>I have used GPS in the past and find it useful for my own purposes. I like to have the info so if I want to go back to somewhere and reshoot, I have the exact location. I typically don't publish the GPS location if I put a photo online, in fact I'm careful not to because I sometimes photo things that the world doesn't need directions to because some vandal or thief would find it of interest. I always have GPS disabled for family and people pics.</p>