Photographing Gpsr

[+Onslow Fisherman]

Hi all,

 

I am trying to photograph the screen of my Garmin II Plus in order to be able to show the coordinates. Mostly I am getting too much reflection. I need to be able to show the background, buildings etc in the picture. Any clues, other than buying a new receiver with brighter backlighting.

Onslow Fisherman

[+Melrose Plant]

Yes, it's sometimes a difficult proposition. I don't do this very often, but here are two things you might try: 1) Hold the unit as far from the camera as you can reach with your arm, or find something to set it on. This is so that hopfully the GPSr and the building will be somewhat in focus. 2) Make sure the flash on the camera is turned off. This can cause a lot of unwanted reflection on the GPSr screen.

 

It's not much, but maybe it will help.

[+spotter/g]

I have photographed my GPSr many times for use in my Cache memory books. What I do is hold my GPSr at arms length and focus on it, with what ever else im trying to show in the back ground. I, however use a flash, so what I do to not get a glare is to tilt the screen like 5 degrees to the left or right so the flash bounces off to one side.

[+Team Cotati]

Are you using a digital camera?

Edited June 19, 2005 by Team Cotati

[+IVxIV]

Sometimes sticking on of those PDA screen protector covers onto the GPSr screen can help reduce glare. It's worth a try if you do the photo thing often. And like gpspotter said, try holding the GPS at an angle & that should help.

 

By all means use a digital camera for this process! You can see immediately in the LCD display if the photo is a keeper or not.

[+JMBella]

If you're using a digital there should be a setting on it that looks like a flower. That's for very close shots. Also, don't use the flash.

[+mtn-man]

I have noticed that for sharp focus you must do as others have said and hold the GPS out as far away as possible. One key that I have found is not to zoom in when you take the picture. You reduce the depth of field too much by doing that. I see this all the time taking pictures of TBugs in front of an object far away. The best pictures are the ones that are zoomed out. If you are taking a bigger digital photo you can crop it down and have good focus on the objects.

 

Your best bet for trying to shoot the detail of the GPS screen and other objects is to do 2 pictures: one with the buildings and GPS in focus far away, and then a second one with a close up of the GPS screen using the macro function that JMBella suggested. The buildings will be fuzzy but in the same position with a clear photo of the GPS screen.

[+budd-rdc]

If your camera (digital or not) accepts lens attachments, I'd recommend a polarizing filter of some sort. This minimizes the reflection effect. It will make photographing easier not just for the GPSr, but countless other applications.

 

Otherwise, as others have suggested, select Macro mode (usually a flower icon) for close-up shots. If you don't have manual focus, you can trick the auto-focus by holding an object with distinct features next to it.

[+Onslow Fisherman]

Are you using a digital camera?

Yes I am using a digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix.

 

Thanks to everybody who has replied to me query, there are a number of useful hints for me to try

[+Onslow Fisherman]

Are you using a digital camera?

Yes I am using a digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix.

 

Thanks to everybody who has replied to me query, there are a number of useful hints for me to try

Oops it should have been "my query" tut tut