New Feature: Photo Waypoints
We are beyond excited to announce that one of the most requested features is live on CalTopo: Photo Waypoints! This feature is now available to users with a pro, desktop, or team subscription on the web and mobile app.
Have you ever wanted to attach an overview photo of your route or include a picture you took from across the valley? How about uploading an image of a clue from a search that could be really important later? Or documenting an important creek crossing or turn to catch on your approach?
Well, look no further- photo waypoints has you covered.
There are so many uses for this feature and it goes beyond just waypoints. Photos can be attached to markers, lines, polygons, and tracks, or simply uploaded to a map for later reference.
Photo waypoints allow you to easily capture visual information on your map.
Customize your map by turning on or off thumbnail visibility as desired. You can also view larger versions of your photos in the media viewer as well as download the full size version to your computer or mobile device.
Side by side screenshots of the media viewer on the web (left) and mobile app (right).
Photo waypoints is available on both the web and mobile app. Like all other maps or map objects in CalTopo, photos added to maps on one platform will auto sync with the other platform, making it easy to add and access visual information on your map.
There are several different ways to add photos from your computer and phone, including taking a photo directly in the app. For more information on how to use this feature, check out the comprehensive guide on the Photo Waypoints page of our user guide.
What are you waiting for? Go try it out! If you don’t have access to this feature, consider upgrading to a pro subscription or higher at caltopo.com/join. If you have questions or feedback, let us know below or email us at help@caltopo.com.
Outstanding feature!! THANK YOU!
Thanks for sharing our excitement Bryan!
I tried this attaching a subject photo to LKP marker. It shows nicely in computer version but not on IPhone version. I’ll stick with emailing photo separately.
Can you email us and explain more about how it is not showing up well on the iPhone? help@caltopo.com. We would love to troubleshoot this with you.
Resolved. Today’s email post suggesting
“Update app” resolved my issue. Ken
Hello, I have a teams account but don’t see the add a photo option on my mobile, only on the desktop app. Would love to let me SAR team know that this feature is now available. Thanks!!
It sounds like you need to update your app version from the app store on your device. Photowaypoints is live on 1.10.5.
This is really awesome. I like to make hiking guides to share with people and Caltopo is a big part of that, as I just share the public URL of the Caltopo map as the meat of the guide.
I see photo waypoints are a Pro feature and I’m currently on Mobile. If I move up to Pro now to gain this feature, but in the future move back to Mobile (or Free) what happens to my maps that use it?
My hope is that your answer is: the photo waypoints stay that are there, but no new waypoints can be added. I only ask as I give away these guides for free.
That is correct. Users with a mobile or free account can view photos on maps but not add them.
Cool – and that’s the same for me: as the author of the map, I would still see those photo waypoints, but wouldn’t be able to edit them? (I assume I could remove them). Sorry that I feel naive on how Pro and Mobile accounts work when they’re downgraded.
That is correct Justin! You’d still be able to see your photos and delete them. We do not delete data if you downgrade a subscription (for instance going from mobile to free, you can maintain private maps, just not create more than the free limit of 5).
There is possible a slight bug on how it works. If you have one marker up on the map (clicking on the name of the marker) and do not close that maker but click on the “pencil” icon for another marker to edit it. The one that you used to bring up with the pencil will come up in the lower right and show the “add” icon for the photos. When you add it it will not go to this marker but instead to the marker opened up in the center of the screen.
Thanks for emailing us this Doug! If anyone else finds something not working quite right please shoot us an email at help@caltopo.com.
Wooooooo!! Great new feature 😀 How do I toggle thumbnail visibility? I’m not seeing that option anywhere.
This page in the user guide goes through thumbnail visibility: https://training.caltopo.com/all_users/objects/photo-waypoints#preview
Wonderful new attach photo feature! Are there plans in the works to have the option to make a file “Not visible” .
It would be nice to have the photos not visible to others working on a search and only to a certain people.
We are not planning to add that functionality within a map. Many teams will use more than one map, and give access to each appropriately.
Finally. Thank you.
10/10 Praise CalTopo!
I love CalTopo and just want to recognize how responsive you all are to comments, questions and potential software bug reports. Thanks for this wonderful tool!!!
This is a great feature! Will photos be added during a json import? I’ve noticed that the json file references photos on a server.
Thanks!
Yes, if it is a GeoJSON that was created by a CalTopo export. It may not be compatible with other programs that export GeoJSON at this time.
If I download layers for offline use on my phone, will photos that were present in the original map also be downloaded at full resolution? Unless I’m doing something wrong that doesn’t seem to be the case. If I click on a photo it brings up a preview (with other thumbnails of photos present on the map) but if I click on any of those photos it says, “unable to render image”. Is there a way to download the full resolution photos when downloading layers for offline use?
Hi Dave, Downloading layers is totally separate than syncing map items/photos. At this time, you do need to download each photo individually that you wish to have available at full size, offline. The thumbnails will sync if you sync the map objects/map to your device.
To download full size for offline use, open the photo in the media viewer while online, and tap on the photo for the “download” icon/to download the photo to your device.