Configure photo size for data collection

[Kylie]

During data collection, a photo is often an important piece of information to collect. However, large photos quickly increase the size of your database and result in slower upload and sync times. But you need that photo! Choose your photo size to capture what you need and minimize its impact on your database.

Note: While photos can be large and credits are consumed for storage based on the size of your data, the storage of attachments (including photos) is charged at a lower rate per GB than the feature data itself.

All three of the ArcGIS apps for data collection support a custom photo size. Here's how you set it up in each one:

ArcGIS Survey123

In ArcGIS Survey123, you can control the image size in a couple of ways:

• In Survey123 Connect, you can set a maximum size for the longest edge (in pixels) for all photos in the Options tab.
• In Survey123 Connect or the browser, you can set the maximum file size (in MB) for each individual image question. This will only be used when collecting data in the browser.

In both cases, this only applies to photos taken through Survey123. Photos that were added from the device use their original file type, resolution, and quality.

Learn more about restricting the image sizes in Survey123 Connect in Media questions > Images. In the browser, you'll find the File size > Maximum setting at the bottom of the Validation section for configuring an Image question.

ArcGIS Field Maps

In ArcGIS Field Maps, there are a couple of ways to set the photo size:

• The map author can set it as a part of the App settings specified during map configuration. See Configure the map > Specify photo size.
• The data collector can set it in the mobile app's settings. See Configure the mobile app > Specify photo size. (If the map author has provided a size, the mobile app defaults to it when the map is open. Details for how to override the map author's setting and use a device setting instead are included in that linked topic.)

In both cases, the size is applied not only to photos taken through the app but is also used as the max size if uploading a photo to a feature.

ArcGIS QuickCapture

In ArcGIS QuickCapture, you can set the photo size for all photos captured through the project. While configuring the project, go to the General settings and set the Photo size. 

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And that's it! Now, no matter which field app you use, you can configure your photos to meet your project requirements. 

[mattkramer]

Hi Kylie,

I was curious if it was possible to set some of these settings through the ArcGIS API for Python, or some other way that gets around needing staff to configure this on a map by map (or form by form) basis. Specifically for Field Maps, I was curious if this could be automated.

Thanks,

[Kylie]

Hi Matt! I reached out to the Field Maps team and they believe it is possible through the ResourceManager in the Python API. 

Here's a user who has done so: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-field-maps-questions/accessing-the-field-maps-designer-app-sett...

And here is the Python doc: https://developers.arcgis.com/python/guide/accessing-item-resources/

I do want to remind you that you'll want to do this on a test map and not a production one to start though! It's not something I or the Field Maps team has first hand experience with.