Ideas for identifying pictures - swim meets and other events

LarryRyder · #1 07-26-2006, 10:14 AM

There was a product that enabled you to scan a bar code and then hand it to the customer so they could find there pictures. What I am thinking about is a small keyboard that I can key in the event heat and lane as they change.

This exif data would be loaded into a DB, maybe with the swimmers names. Then they could search on event heat and lane and maybe name also.

Has anyone heard of a product like this? Any idea how the barcode device fits into the work flow to update the exif?

Is it possible to shoot tethered to a Windows CE "Palm" type device? If so I could add the information here.

I shoot Nikon if this makes a difference.

NillToulme · #2 07-26-2006, 10:38 AM

Note that this sort of thing is the subject of some very interesting ongoing patent disputes and threatened litigation. This thread will get you started on the topic.

Nill
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www.toulme.net

Brian_Wilcox · #3 07-26-2006, 10:30 PM

Back when I was shooting teams. A place in Cal called MPV...Muti Visual Products. They had a bar code system for just what you are asking about....Brian

LarryRyder · #4 07-26-2006, 11:11 PM

Thanks for the feedback but apparently I was no clear as to what I was looking for.

Brian, I am not looking for the bar code system, it was just the closest to what I have in mind that I know of. I can't see how it could be adapted to swimming were I am taking several lanes at a time. I am thinking a numeric keypad that I can punch in the lane number they are in without even looking.

Nill, I know about the patent but I doubt if it would apply and I don't plan on stopping to look for a better way because of it.

EricC · #5 07-27-2006, 01:27 AM

Larry,

I still can't picture (no pun intended) what you are trying to do. I understand that you want to key lane/heat info, but into what? Are you trying to create a DB of lanes/heats to integrate with the photos later.

I remember a company that came up with a small disk that had a color pattern on it. You had the runners stick it to the bib and the accompanying software scanned the photos and did some kind of sorting so that you could pull up a runner without having to spend hours keying bib numbers.

MVP 800-293-9055 mvpcards.com

Eric

DouglasUrner · #6 07-27-2006, 05:09 AM

Larry, is your hope to be able to link a photograph to some external data -- perhaps by synchronizing time between a PDA and the camera? Or are you trying to get information into the metadata the camera is saving?

Here's a thought. If you can get your PDA to time stamp notes, you could syncronize the clock in the PDA with the camera and have a system that would enable you match up your notes with the camera files based on the time stamps. All you would need would be the disciple to write before you shoot.

Doug

LarryRyder · #7 07-27-2006, 09:16 AM

What I am thinking about is a small numeric keypad that I can keep in my hand that will update the metadata in the images. When I load the images I would load this information into a database for searching - I can handle this part.

During the same heat at a swim meet I may take pictures of 2-6 lanes. What I envision is I am ready to take lane 1, I press 1 on the keypad then take the picture(s). Now I am ready for lane 3, I press 3 then take the picture(s) and somehow this gets empeded in the image.

I asked if shooting teathered to a PDA is possiable because that would give me a platform that I can write my own software for if needed