is Google Lens part of your workflow? any tricks?

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

if you have Google Lens as part of your

stock photography workflow, if willing, can

you advise how to best use, any tricks to

get more out of Google Lens for ID purposes?
are you using whilst out shooting? how?
all Google Lens newbies thank you...

Edited July 11, 2023 by Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg

[Michael Ventura]

If I can't i.d. something, especially a man made thing, I point the "Google Lens",on my phone,  at the photo on my computer screen and it often finds similar images, enough to make a positive i.d. on the thing in question.

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

thanks for response;

no one else??

REALLY, NO ONE ELSE USES GOOGLE LENS??!!

[geogphotos]

I use Google Maps but not Lens.

[Rebecca Ore]

13 minutes ago, Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg said:

thanks for response;

no one else??

REALLY, NO ONE ELSE USES GOOGLE LENS??!!

 

I use Seek and Google Lens, plus check the name(s) they come up with against a search for the name on Google.

[wiskerke]

Often for plants. I still have one other plant finder app, but it hardly gets any use now lens is so good.

The other Google app on my phone using the camera function I can recommend: Google Translate.

I mean we all know and use Maps; Images and Search all the time.

 

wim

[M.Chapman]

7 hours ago, wiskerke said:

I mean we all know and use Maps; Images and Search all the time.

 

I find Bing Maps Ordnance Survey data layer (available for UK only?) really useful.

 

Mark

[Bryan]

I've used Lens to help identify plants, but it's not always 100% reliable. You need to cross check with a more authorative source.

 

Like Wim I also find Google translate to be very useful.

[spacecadet]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

to help identify plants,

Plant.net (the phone app) is pretty reliable for this. I don't have mobile data, so just take a phone pic of leaves and flower for checking later- this isn't for Alamy obvs.

However, it will identify from a phone pic off the monitor. I've done that occasionally for contributors here since we lost our plant specialist.

Edited July 14, 2023 by spacecadet

[Allan Bell]

23 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Plant.net (the phone app) is pretty reliable for this. I don't have mobile data, so just take a phone pic of leaves and flower for checking later- this isn't for Alamy obvs.

However, it will identify from a phone pic off the monitor. I've done that occasionally for contributors here since we lost our plant specialist.

 

 

Not lost, just partly retired as he still posts on forums.  Just not answering plant/flower queries any more.

 

Allan

 

[spacecadet]

2 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

 

Not lost, just partly retired as he still posts on forums.  Just not answering plant/flower queries any more.

 

Allan

 

Ah,, I thought I recognised a name lately- is it John Richmond?

Edited July 14, 2023 by spacecadet

[Allan Bell]

Just now, spacecadet said:

Ah,, I thought I recognised a name lately- is it John Richmond?

 

Yes.

 

Allan

 

[John Mitchell]

I've tried to install the Google Lens app on several occasions, but I always get a message saying that it's not compatible with my android phone, which I bought just over two years ago. 😕

[wiskerke]

58 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

I've tried to install the Google Lens app on several occasions, but I always get a message saying that it's not compatible with my android phone, which I bought just over two years ago. 😕

The minimum requirement is Android 6 I believe. That would roughly be a 2015 or 2016 phone.

The current Android version is 13 or Tiramisu.

Make sure to clear out the Play Store cache on your phone.

If you have Lens already installed, but it will not open, make sure the right permissions are set: Camera, Microphone and Storage.

Android has this annoying habit of revoking permissions when you don't use an app often enough. All for our own security of course.

wim

 

[John Mitchell]

3 hours ago, wiskerke said:

The minimum requirement is Android 6 I believe. That would roughly be a 2015 or 2016 phone.

The current Android version is 13 or Tiramisu.

Make sure to clear out the Play Store cache on your phone.

If you have Lens already installed, but it will not open, make sure the right permissions are set: Camera, Microphone and Storage.

Android has this annoying habit of revoking permissions when you don't use an app often enough. All for our own security of course.

wim

 

 

Thanks very much, wim. I cleared out the Play Store cash as per the instructions on the website you linked to, and I'm still getting the incompatibility message for Google Lens. I apparently have Android 8.1.0 on my phone.

[wiskerke]

27 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Thanks very much, wim. I cleared out the Play Store cash as per the instructions on the website you linked to, and I'm still getting the incompatibility message for Google Lens. I apparently have Android 8.1.0 on my phone.

Weird.

You could try to access it from within Google Photos. This is the advice Google initially gave to people with incompatible phones like some Xiaomis.

My Xiaomi 10Tpro accepted the standalone app without complaining. So I have not tried it.

Correction: I just tried it and it works.

Here's the detailed instruction I found (and needed!)

 

wim

 

 

[John Mitchell]

16 hours ago, wiskerke said:

Weird.

You could try to access it from within Google Photos. This is the advice Google initially gave to people with incompatible phones like some Xiaomis.

My Xiaomi 10Tpro accepted the standalone app without complaining. So I have not tried it.

Correction: I just tried it and it works.

Here's the detailed instruction I found (and needed!)

 

wim

 

 

 

Thanks again, wim. I'll check out the link. My current phone has a fairly basic camera. Perhaps that is the reason for the incompatibility. I'm not really into smart phones, but I'll have to get myself a fancier one at some point. I tend to hang out on the receding edge of technology.

 

UPDATE: I followed the detailed instructions and got Lens working through Google Photos. Merci beaucoup.

Edited July 15, 2023 by John Mitchell

[Rebecca Ore]

1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Thanks again, wim. I'll check out the link. My current phone has a fairly basic camera. Perhaps that is the reason for the incompatibility. I'm not really into smart phones, but I'll have to get myself a fancier one at some point. I tend to hang out on the receding edge of technology.

 

Can you get Huawei phones in Canada?   My Huawei phone Y 7 2019 works with Google Lens.   Later Huaweis seem to be blocked out of Google programs.  Not sure about what you have, but other Chinese phones may also be blocked from Google programs.  Best bet might be a Samsung, but here, that's a $100 premium for close to the same features with a similar Huawei.  There are some hacks out there for getting into Google Play Store from a Huawei phone, but I'll probably keep this one until it dies, then go Samsung.  In Nicaragua, iPhones are around double the US prices or were stolen and reimaged in Managua.   Huawei on sale is under $250 last time I bought.

[John Mitchell]

1 hour ago, Rebecca Ore said:

 

Can you get Huawei phones in Canada?   My Huawei phone Y 7 2019 works with Google Lens.   Later Huaweis seem to be blocked out of Google programs.  Not sure about what you have, but other Chinese phones may also be blocked from Google programs.  Best bet might be a Samsung, but here, that's a $100 premium for close to the same features with a similar Huawei.  There are some hacks out there for getting into Google Play Store from a Huawei phone, but I'll probably keep this one until it dies, then go Samsung.  In Nicaragua, iPhones are around double the US prices or were stolen and reimaged in Managua.   Huawei on sale is under $250 last time I bought.

 

Yes, Huawei phones do seem to be available in Canada. Shall keep them in mind. I currently have an Alcatel, which was cheap but fast and full-featured. However, as mentioned, the camera is basic. Also, the screen resolution is not so hot outdoors. Just tried Google Lens (via Google Photos) on a flower that I've been trying to identify. Lens nailed it straightaway. Cool. I'm thinking of upgrading to a Samsung as well one of these years.

[Betty LaRue]

My iPhone has basically the same thing. I tap on a picture to bring it up, then tap it again. At the bottom under the photo, tap on an “i” in a circle. There will be a word like “plant” or “bug” that comes up… tap on it.  It identified correctly a plant I have growing in my garden. Also identified my monarch butterfly.

I have it automatically on my phone, didn’t need to download it from the App Store. I think the IOS needs to be 15s or later. I have 16.5.1. & an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

[NYCat]

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

My iPhone has basically the same thing. I tap on a picture to bring it up, then tap it again. At the bottom under the photo, tap on an “i” in a circle. There will be a word like “plant” or “bug” that comes up… tap on it.  It identified correctly a plant I have growing in my garden. Also identified my monarch butterfly.

I have it automatically on my phone, didn’t need to download it from the App Store. I think the IOS needs to be 15s or later. I have 16.5.1. & an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

 

I guess it is just another reason I should get a new iPhone. I dread the learning process. I'm just getting used to the streaming on my new TV. Certainly a lot there. 

 

Paulette

[Allan Bell]

Can I buy a Google lens to fit my Sony a6500?

 

Allan

 

[M.Chapman]

8 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

My iPhone has basically the same thing. I tap on a picture to bring it up, then tap it again. At the bottom under the photo, tap on an “i” in a circle. There will be a word like “plant” or “bug” that comes up… tap on it.  It identified correctly a plant I have growing in my garden. Also identified my monarch butterfly.

I have it automatically on my phone, didn’t need to download it from the App Store. I think the IOS needs to be 15s or later. I have 16.5.1. & an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Just tried on my IOS 15.7.7 iPhone 7. The feature's not there, so I guess my phone is too old. I'll just have to stick with the Seek app.

 

Mark

[Jose Decio Molaro]

I use it with pictures of flowers or even fruits.
Google Lens helps a lot, it shows several types and has helped me a lot.

[wiskerke]

5 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Can I buy a Google lens to fit my Sony a6500?

 

Allan

With AI you won't even need that.

A real AI self portrait from that same site.

 

wim