Photography
Jason O'Flaherty
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Curious about drop-in filters and how they fit into high-end lenses like the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3? When I first encountered them, I found little to no explanation about what they were or how they worked—until I got hands-on. In this article, I break down the mystery behind drop-in filters, show you how they function, and share tips on where to find replacements. Whether you’re a wildlife or astronomy photographer, this guide will help you get the most out of your gear. Click to learn more!

What are Drop-In Filters?
Photography Tutorial
Jason O'Flaherty
11 Secrets to Stunning Zoo Photography

Unlock the secrets to capturing stunning wildlife photos at the zoo. With 11 expert tips, you’ll learn how to transform ordinary zoo snapshots into professional-level portraits. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned photographer, these insights will help you elevate your zoo photography to new heights.

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Product Reviews
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Ulanzi Cooling Fan

The Ulanzi Cooling Fan is a cost-effective solution for preventing camera overheating, significantly extending recording times for models like the Sony ZV-1 and Fujifilm X-H2. Learn more about its impressive features and why it's a must-have accessory for videographers.

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Tracking Camera Gear with Apple AirTags

The effectiveness of Apple AirTags in safeguarding camera gear against loss or theft is put to the test. Through real-world experimentation of their functionality, discover how these tags assist in tracking down missing equipment. Finally, the potential security implications of these tags for user privacy are examined.

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Map

Google Street View Tutorial - Insta360 One X

Google lets users update the Street View shown on Google Maps provided you use a certified camera to do so. Reasons why you might want to do this are:

  • Google Street View has never visited an area

  • New houses or buildings have been erected since the last time Google drove by

  • The information shown in Street View is out dated

In a previous post, I showed you how to update Google Street View using a GoPro Fusion 360 camera. The process was plagued with uncertainty and required the use of a computer and a separate program called Trailblazer. Overall, it was far from an ideal solution. The one benefit is that it let you map a variety of thing, such as streets, trails, flights and sailing.

But the GoPro Fusion isn’t the only consumer camera capable of updating Google Street View. Another popular choice is the Insta360 One X. The benefit of using this camera over the GoPro Fusion is that there is no computer required. Everything is done using your phone.

When I started out testing this camera, I thought it was the clearly obvious choice for general mapping because in the Insta360 App, there was a convenient Google Street View (GSV) setting and my first 2 attempts at mapping went smoothly.

You simply record a video with GSV turned on, copy it to your phone and share to Google Street View and that was it. It wasn’t until I started recording this video that I started running into issues. It seems the camera/phone solution doesn’t like sharp curves and was just as prone to unexpected errors (if not more so) than the GoPro Fusion.

Also, while the Insta360 One X does do away with the need for a computer, it requires you to have an active connection to your phone, with the phone screen turned on, the entire time you are recording because it gets its GPS information directly from the phone. This drains the battery on the Insta360 One X very quickly due to the constant wifi connection.

As it is, I do still recommend giving the Insta360 One X a try for straight mappings, but if you plan to record winding roads, either drive really slow (I suspect that the GPS Polling is slower than expected and causes jumping around) or record it multiple times to make sure you have a good copy.

Curious which is faster, Android or iOS, at processing the recorded videos? I put 2 of the top of the line devices (at the time of recording) against each other to find out.

(If you didn’t feel like watching, the iPad Pro 2018 beat the Pixel 4 XL by over 20 minutes)

Here are the steps to upload to Google Street View using the Insta360 One X

  1. Verify your Camera as at least firmware version 1.17.15

  2. Make sure you can pair your camera to your phone wirelessly using the standard process

  3. Switch the camera to Video mode

  4. Adjust Settings

    1. Set resolution and framerate to 5.7k 24 fps (24 fps makes the file size slightly smaller than 30fps)

    2. Turn on GSV (located all the way to the right)

  5. Record the street section. Drive 20 mph or slower (especially if not driving straight)

  6. Stop Recording

  7. Transfer the video to your phone. Use the included cable for increased speed and better battery life

  8. Once the video is on your phone, Select the video

  9. Click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner then choose “Optimize Stitching” to improve quality.

  10. Close settings and Click the Share button. Select Google Street View from the Export options. Turn off “Post to Insta360 community” if it’s turned on

  11. Click Share. The video will begin processing and then upload to Google Maps.

  12. Once done, you can go to the Google Street View App and view the progress of your video under Profile.

After a few hours, you should start seeing your mapping show up on Google Maps. It will continue to process over the next couple of days depending on how long of a stretch you recorded.

Here are the locations I mapped for this video:

Here is the equipment I use to mount 360 cameras to my car:

As you can see in the video, the process isn’t perfect. When it warms up, I’ll try to iron out the bugs and create a guide to ensure more reliable mapping. Bookmark this website or subscribe on YouTube to know when that video comes out.