So far I have learned that times and dates recorded by the camera do need some filtering…
These are the variables I can “play” with:
file date (usable for the moment of the last frame)
number of frames & frame rate => total time recorded
via “ffmpeg” the moment of the first frame
I have done some testing by taking images and interval movies of a synced clock. Images are just fine, there does appear to be some delay, but it’s something like half a second at most. For MP4 however: to my surprise there appears to be some sort of error in the time found by ‘ffmpeg’ for the start time, it is exactly a whopping 10 seconds earlier than the time I see on the clock!
Then the rest just became much easier… with more then 75 images the file time is about a second later, another for about 150 images and one more with more then 300 images.
And more importantly: try to reduce the variables:
It may sound so obvious, but when using external GPS recording for later matching it’ll make you’re life so much easier when you know how to synchronize the time of your camera with the GPS time.
The internal clock of your camera most likely isn’t perfect… I just found out that after the last time I synced the time with my phone about three months have passed and the time of the camera was a whopping 6 seconds out of sync!
So remember: before you go: sync the time of your camera with GPS!
The time recorded of your GPS device most likely is in (exact) sync with the time broadcasted by the GPS satellites (it doesn’t get much better than that!)
For the YI360:
connect your app to the camera
tap the gear symbol (top right)
scroll to the bottom and tap ‘others’
tap: ‘correct camera time’
PS: I honestly don’t understand why this isn’t done by default upon connecting the camera to app
Good eye, that did prove to require some treatment after my holiday… am figuring something out with a back pack for later. But If I want the same stability it’ll require a gimbal… thinking about the “g360 feiyu tech gimbal”:
Well, pretty stable and convenient.
The downsides are the same as with backpack-mounted pole - it’ is fixed and you do not have the same level of flexibility and control over the camera position as you do with holding the pole in a hand.
I.e., when hiking in a forest, or in a cave (your example) - you need to be careful not to hit the ceiling or getting trapped by a bush or low-hanging tree branches.
Same - when you cycle and there are low-ceiling tunnels on your path
Rats… since the latest iOS update my iPhone can no longer comunicatie with the YI360 app… I have requested support from YI technologies… they are working on an app update…
This is the message I sent after two months of corresponding/complaining with YI technology:
I feel scammed.
I spent a serious amount of time setting up software to use the YI360 camera for my goal and I have even promoted your camera in the online community where I am active in. But everything is going down the drain. With the total lack of support for this camera I feel scammed out of hunderds of euro’s. I find it beyond unbelievable that you fixed the problem for an other range of your products months ago, but seem to be simply refusing to put in the time to fix the YI360 iPhone app for iOS13. This iOS version is supported by iPhones since 2015!
Does YI technology place zero value in customers who have trusted your company buying your products?
A salient detail: I bought the camera via Amazon, I complained there also. And to my surprise the YI 360 camera couldn’t be bought an hour later… but I got NO RESPONSE what so ever.
I think I will sell the camera to someone who can use it and take my loss.
A disillusioned former YI technologies customer
I completely realize Mapillary is not to blaim, but you guys could seriously “soften the blow” by implementing this feature so that I could use the camera directly via the Mapillary app. This feature (create an option “ignore errors and continue”) could also be helpful in getting basic support/usability for other cameras?
Sigh
[update]
I remembered that I still have my iPhone 6 as a backup (the speaker is crappy, but still works) and I remembered that phone still runs on iOS 12… and “yay” now I can connect to the camera again…
But the conclusion remains: Do not buy anything from YI, their (software) support is terrible. The hardware has great specs and is relatively cheap, but if software support is as horrible as it is with YI, you need third party software i.e. or other people that are dedicated in supporting their hardware… Now it is this camera in combination with iOS… what’s next? You are surrendered to the whims of the company…
In my opinion, not how a company should operate.
