Part 1: osm.org/user/Negreheb/diary/405306
Part 2: osm.org/user/Negreheb/diary/406030

360° Mapping Salzburg – Update #3: Better Mounting, Better Coverage

Hello OSM Community,

I’m continuing my effort to capture 360° images of the city of Salzburg for use in Mapillary and Panoramax. The goal remains the same: improve OpenStreetMap data, especially in areas with unresolved notes where better visual context can help.

Progress So Far

Here’s the current state of coverage from my 360° image collection:

My Route Planning Setup

To plan my routes, I’ve been using OSMAnd’s built-in GPX recording and map display. This allows me to see where I’ve already been and make instant decisions on which streets to cover next - without having a router trying to direct me back on track constantly.

I can also choose freely whether to ride on streets, paths, or cycleways depending on conditions. This flexibility has proven much more practical than relying on pre-planned routes.

Managing Photos for Upload

On the photo management side, I’ve kept my setup from last time: using the command-line tools from both Mapillary and Panoramax. They continue to work flawlessly and are far more stable and efficient than the GUI options.

However, I still need to manually filter the images - removing duplicates taken at traffic lights, while standing still, or checking my phone. It’s a bit of work, but it ensures that the uploaded sequences are clean and useful. I’m not sure i want this with the video-mode - but with the new mounting it might be worth a try.

What’s Changed Since the Last Post

One major improvement: I switched from a helmet-mounted camera to a selfie stick mounted directly on my bicycle. This setup means I can now look around naturally (better safety) while riding without affecting the camera’s field of view.

Additionally, I’ve started adding a nadir - a small branded graphic at the bottom of the image that hides the mounting point and promotes our local OSM club. I followed the excellent guide by Trek View to make this happen.

Example picutre with Nadir on Mapillary

Reflections on the New Setup

The fixed camera mount provied useful so far. The image quality more consistent, but I also feel more comfortable riding. My bike has a bit of an unusual frame, which made mounting the selfie stick with clamps surprisingly easy.

What’s Next?

My goal remains ambitious: to capture all of Salzburg, street by street, and make the imagery available to everyone through Mapillary and Panoramax. I believe this kind of street-level imagery can benefit the entire OSM community—locally and beyond.

If you have ideas, tools, or workflows that might help, I’d love to hear them. And if you’re local and want to collaborate, let’s connect!