STG Uploader app allows Sony cameras to upload directly to Google Photos

http://discover.store.sony.com/playmemoriesapps/

nathanleebush;

You can download APPs by JUST using your camera's own wifi without PC or MAC, take a look:

P.S.
For "I tried to do this for half an hour before giving up. Apparently you need Internet Explorer to even do this", I do not think without Internet Explorer is an issue, but you may check your camera's setup, you need to set your camera:

Menu > Setup > USB Connection > MTP
Menu > Setup > USB LUN Setting > Single

Please see detailed steps below:

http://briansmith.com/how-to-update-sony-play-memories-camera-apps/

Let us know if it works.

Jun 15, 2016*permalink

Hans Stuhrmann

In case the upload goes to facebook, the photographer gives immediately away the full, worldwide and transferable usage rights including sub-licensing. And all for free. Sony should consider that when promoting this as a new 'feature'.

I guess the situation with intellectual properties and usage rights at google will not be that different. Need to check their contract and legal terms.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

fuego6

Did I miss the sentence where it said it goes to Facebook AND google photos? Who said anything about Facebook?

Jun 15, 2016permalink

DVT80111

Upload what? Unedited 42MP Raw file to Google Photo?

Jun 14, 2016permalink

Aroart

Give me a buzz when they upload to Instagram or Facebook...

Jun 14, 2016permalink

Vanitas Photo

Facebook? really????? ...

Jun 14, 2016permalink

(unknown member)

If it wasn't for this stupid sony's playstore, i would have bought both a6000 and a7ii

Jun 13, 2016permalink

What's wrong with "stupid sony's playstore"?

Jun 13, 2016permalink

(unknown member)

For example you need to spent time to register, create an account, load a credit card on your account to download an intervalometer for 10$ to start a time-lapse.
And that's what makes sony-cameras more like a gadget than a camera.

Jun 13, 2016*permalink

(unknown member)

......than charge those bloody 10$ on the final price of this stupid product.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

Ok, b/c $10 for a feature you needed.

In other words, you would LOVE "stupid sony's playstore" if APPs are free.

YES?

Jun 13, 2016*permalink

(unknown member)

In other words, i would really love an a6000, if i wouldn't have to do anything with no "stupid sony's playstore" at all.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

If you don't like Sony's 'playstore', there's a simple solution: don't use it. Would you prefer the utter lack thereof (DSLRs)? How does the existence of something you can completely ignore sway your purchase decision?

You can buy a hard-wired intervalometer, btw, here.

Apps are the future. Hopefully Sony will release a more comprehensive API in the future with access to more/all camera functions - that would see the functionality of its cameras grow exponentially.

Btw, to reiterate - this isn't even an official Sony app. It's a hack. But the fact that someone could hack the camera to do this is pretty promising for what the future holds.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

abortabort

Thank you Rishi, plus it's also worth noting precious 'hacks' that removed recording time limits.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

(unknown member)

@ Rishi
Since those four comments above weren't enough to make my self clear let me "reiterate"

I don't own an a6000 or an a-7II just because i don't like application-store within my camera.

I also don't have to buy a wired time-lapse intervalometer, as it's already built in my camera

Btw i would not spend money to buy a camera just to hack it and frankly I don't care if this is an official or an unofficial Sony site .

Jun 14, 2016permalink

" Apps are the future. Hopefully Sony will release a more comprehensive API in the future with access to more/all camera functions - that would see the functionality of its cameras grow exponentially. " -Rishi

All you're saying is true, but in the here and now their PlayStore implementation is severely lacking and many of the so-called apps they charge for are things that are BUILT in by other companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Fuji... So we shouldn't reward Sony for a feature that's very much in the concept stage, yet has been in that stage for several years now.

If more apps haven't been written by now it's unlikely to happen, either the API isn't very user friendly or the cross section of willing developers and A7 owners just isn't out there, and Sony for their part hasn't done much to vindicate the whole concept. I think it holds great potential, as did Samsung's Android based cameras, neither has panned out tho.

Jun 15, 2016permalink

Oh and I'm setting aside the fact that the apps load slow and re-arrange the UI etc...

Jun 15, 2016permalink

The poorly implemented Play Memories store is not a good reason to avoid Sony cameras. It's shortcomings are just an annoying footnote on otherwise excellent products. That's like saying you won't buy a car because you don't like the radio. These are strong cameras and, if Sony had never created a Play app feature, would still be excellent in their own right. It's also illogical to think that the Play apps only add functionality the camera should already have. That's utter nonsense. The apps should be, and generally are, specialized functions that handle specific situations. I have no problem with this. I do think that Sony is wasting the potential here with their own half baked apps and no third party support, but none of this detracts from the fact that these are well designed cameras first and foremost.

Jun 16, 2016permalink

Sony continues to screw up with the Play Apps. Why not open the API to third party developers? Why do we have to jailbreak our cameras to sneak these apps in? Even if Sony made some astounding Play Apps, which they DON'T, there is always someone out there who will need something or invent something Sony doesn't provide. I like my A7ii, and all the Sony cameras I have had over the years, but their Play Apps have continued to be a sore spot. The wasted potential here is very frustrating.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

https://developer.sony.com/downloads/camera-file/sony-camera-remote-api-beta-sdk/

FWIW, SONY always has "open the API to third party developers" since day one such as below:

Jun 13, 2016permalink

What Mike FL said. However, it'd be great if they opened up more camera functions in this API.

Also - why such a dearth of apps if an API is available? I've always been curious about this. The app store has seen a staggering lack of options/development...

Jun 14, 2016permalink

joe_leads

No, the PlayMemories-Store is not open to third party developers. That API is for e.g. phone app developers, who want to remotely control the camera. It is *not* for apps that can be installed on a camera directly.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

abortabort

What joe_leads said, the API is accessing the camera via WiFi, of which the apps are quite numerous. AFAIK there is no jail break, but a website set up that works in much the same way as the official site in installing apps. It's all Linux based but the APIs are not readily available.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

Entropy512

@Mike FL - No, they haven't. The API you linked to is a COMPLETELY different one from the one that STG Uploader uses and the comment you replied to was talking about.

Third party on-camera apps are only possible via reverse engineering because the API is CLOSED.

@Rishi - See what I said above. The API that is open is completely different from the in-camera API used by on-camera apps such as the Timelapse app, and the remote API is very limited. There isn't anything you can do with the remote API that isn't possible with the official PlayMemories app. On some cameras that remote API is horrendously crippled - for example there is no way to delete images on the camera via API with the DSC-QX100.

The wifi remote API is crippled compared to the USB tethering API (USB RCC) - also closed but with fairly robust reverse engineered support in gphoto2.

Jun 15, 2016permalink

Ah, thanks for the clarification guys. That would explain it.

So, agree with the OP. Sony would really benefit from opening this all up.

Jun 15, 2016permalink

Any camera maker would, but they still treat their cameras, and specs, and anything technical like black boxes and dark magic that the user shouldn't truly understated...

This is in stark contrast to other industries where OEM are either willing or forced to over time disclose more and more about what goes on inside devices (we know more about the SoC and components on brand new phones than 5 year old cameras).

This has bugged the heck out of me ever since I started getting more into photography a few years ago, I think part of the reason they're able to get away with this is because the press doesn't take them to task over it.

I'm not trying to put the blame solely on the shoulders of DPR and the like, but even small time web journalists (Anand was a kid when he started AT and HardOCP was a two man op) can often prove to be very effective in situations like this even vs giants like Apple and Intel.

It's a matter of transparency, or the blatant lack of it.

Jun 15, 2016permalink

@Mike FL, as others have said, the API you pointed to is not the Play Memories API. It is an API so one can tap into the Play Memories Remote Control app that already exists. So a developer could write a phone app that connects to the camera via that app. However, what I am talking about is the actual Play Memories app layer itself. Developers should be able to code an app that will install directly on the camera and access all the camera functions. I can imagine some pretty excellent new apps. And if the dev kit were easy enough to use, some photographers could even customize workflows. So I stand by my original statement. Wasted potential.

Jun 16, 2016permalink

@Impulses, I think if Sony is really scared of developers screwing up the camera with a buggy Play app, they should have a screening process like Apple uses for their iOS platform. They could even charge developers for the procedure, and make themselves the only authorized store so they can take their cut.

I think they are more scared that expanded camera functionality will compete with newer models and give people less incentive to upgrade.

Jun 16, 2016permalink

That's the kind of backwards thinking older players in the market would adopt IMO... Sony's done an incredible job of iterating IMO, specifically with hardware improvements you can't really match in software, and at a pretty quick pace on the FF side (maybe less so on APS-C, but the a6300 is still a big hardware leap forth when it did arrive). They really shouldn't have that kinda fear, if anything, a few killer apps will only expand the market and create more buzz.

Jun 17, 2016permalink

https://sony-pmca.appspot.com/

For some one like to make own in camera APPs, as a start, there are some sites documented how to get into SONY cameras' "Android subsystem used to run apps from the proprietary Sony PlayMemories Camera App Store (PMCA)" such as this one:

Jun 17, 2016permalink

Entropy512

@Mike FL - That's exactly how this STG Uploader app was created. It was also done exclusively by reverse engineering and installing apps is a hassle. Which goes right to the original commenter's complaint of "Why not open the API to third party developers? Why do we have to jailbreak our cameras to sneak these apps in?"

Jun 20, 2016permalink

Jonathan F/2

Sony Play Apps are garbage. They're half-baked, self-contain apps that don't integrate with the main interface of the camera. Do these people at Sony even use cameras or do they just like going over spec sheets all day?

Jun 13, 2016permalink

EthanP99

Dont hate that your camera cant do this at all.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

El Chavo

Wow... You really have a grudge against Sony: you say you "have had" almost all Sony cameras and weirdly enough gave them all half stars, all your comments are trashing Sony and you are clearly making stuff up just to knock Sony all the time.

That basement you live must be a cold sad place.

Jun 13, 2016*permalink

"Sony Play Apps" are more than fine, and they are very useful as far as I can see.

BTW, SONY is the only camera maker has APPs can be install/uninstall easily, and some of the APPs are very useful.

Try them.

Jun 13, 2016*permalink

abortabort

Yes, with very good reason.

Apps are apps, they don't 'integrate' with the OS, they run on top. They have their own settings because, let's be real here, when you use an app to perform a specific task you are wanting it for that task, you don't want to have to reconfigure the entire camera for that particular task, which is usually highly repeatable.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

hammarbytp

Jonathan F/2 is right. Apps are a great idea, but badly implemented. Accessing them is difficult and interrupts your workflow. Unlike phones, where apps are used to add additional functionality, camera apps extend the camera functionality. Imagine of on your phone you installed a new dialler app, but rather than expanding your present one you had to go to a whole different menu to access it. Apps such as the bracket pro would make more sense of they extended the present bracket options. They is also that feeling that Sony are making you pay for functionality that others give you for free, but in a clunkier manner

Jun 14, 2016permalink

I agree that the existing Play apps are generally half-baked. However, I don't have any issue with them being self-contained. They should be specialized for specific situations. I don't think they should alter the overall camera functionality, which I think would turn into a nightmare of bricked cameras and very expensive tech support. However, I would be happy if Sony spent as much money developing the Play apps (or opening up the API) as they did promoting them. Then we wouldn't have such an anemic selection of novelty toys, and might get some full featured add-ons that could really be useful.

*edit: spelling

Jun 16, 2016*permalink

hammarbytp

Personally I would be happier if Sony just spent the money adding the features as part of the standard system and updating the firmware

Jun 16, 2016permalink

Max Iso

Finally. This was the straw that broke the camel's back, now i can ditch those pesky raws and finally spend that $3k for my jpeg fix.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

tkbslc

It probably runs on lower end cams, too. So it's not as absurd as it sounds.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

LegacyGT

Google Photos can store RAW files as well.

Jun 13, 2016permalink

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPGWTRasjb-2-mys3Oz3tD_h4AYuND1S_uZXn1k4LGPnaBKR1v0tnFH9IjV3jKhHg/photo/AF1QipNvVzDJMPkW3DRHKJttXvBqsvU024dCnqyeAbMS?key=Zm1oQ0VYVHQ2dXBjU3BaWnJ0MXB5LTJoTjBlaHBn

LegacyGT - what's the latest on that? Will it actually store the Raws (rather than just create a downsized JPEG from it)? Raws > 16MB?

Would be very cool to automatically have everything upload to a service in the cloud from which I could set up a sync with my NAS. Photo ingestion/curation is a real problem that needs to be solved, particularly for power users/pros.

Jun 14, 2016permalink

LegacyGT

It actually stores the RAW file - here is a link to one posted by a friend. You can actually download the RAW yourself as well (no sign-in needed if the person makes the photo public).

Jun 14, 2016*permalink