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jlr1001 · Decorated Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 210

So... any speculation on why the backs of the cameras were removed?

Obviously not to remove traces of the manufacturer's branding. Is this just a glaring visual into to us that the cameras have somehow been "modified"...?

If so, it is merely suggestive? Or has it really been functionally modified?

Since we know the model number, if we can locate anyone who has the same one we can have them take a random pic and we could compare any meta data the three respective cameras generate...

Someone suggested earlier that this might yield some info.

... (just thinking off the top of my head)...

-jlr1001

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:08 pm

Cicero · Greenhorn Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Maybe the faceplate is removed to disable the configuration option on the camera. Maybe there is something important about the way the camera is currently configure i.e. what date is it set to? All pictures have a timestamp. I have a cannon powershot and it has settings for the naming scheme of the files. Also it may be adding other meta data to the files such as the author, location, etc. Maybe we can have a series of photos take with the camera uploaded and we could try opening them with different photo management tools to see if any meta data is present.

The cameras don't look extensively modified in terms of the hardware except for the missing back panel, but for shits and giggles what happens if you do take a picture while facing north? maybe the camera has some kinda mechanism that detects the direction you're facing and does something different depending on your direction. Not likely but worth a try.

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:30 pm

Rogi Ocnorb

There are a few digicams that come with geocoding capabilities, out of the box. But this isn't one of them.

An electronic compass can have a pretty small footprint as far as an electronic assembly goes. But the ability to add it in a way that didn't stand out like a sore thumb would be prohibitively expensive.

There are browser add-ins available to view Exif data. But I've found Flickr has a pretty good Exif viewing capability which we could use should vpisteve upload the pic he took.

As an example of Exif data. Here's a dump for one of the photos vpisteve took with his camera:

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:15 pm

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Rorschach · Veteran Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 97 Location: Utah

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:23 pm

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KookieB · Boot Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 34 Location: St. Louis, MO

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:30 pm

Cicero · Greenhorn Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Maybe tachyons are effected by the earth's magnetic field and you have to be facing north for it to work? Is there anything to suggest that all the previous pictures were taken with the observer oriented North ?

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:32 pm

KookieB · Boot Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 34 Location: St. Louis, MO

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:36 pm

vpisteve

Regarding the back plate of the camera and its functionality:

In my opinion, the plate was removed for one pretty simple reason: so it'd fit into the thermos. It just barely fit in the thermos with this removed. But sure, it could've been to make the camera look modified.

As for the thought that it was to remove functionality, well, if that was the intent, it didn't work, as all the button contacts are still right there, and everything functions normally using them, as far as I was able to tell from the instructions we found online.

It's just pretty much a normal, albeit cosmetically broken, camera.

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:51 pm

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vpisteve

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:53 pm

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Rogi Ocnorb

Sorry steve. I didn't see the tag for that one.

Flickr's exif page for that pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_exif.gne?id=2213193733

Here's the OPANDA dump for that pic:

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Kerrisis · Boot Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 37

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:30 pm

thebruce

some way of sending a message to the past? seems kind of redundant if they cansend people and machines into the past... but interestng

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:32 pm

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Kerrisis · Boot Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 37

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:10 pm

KookieB · Boot Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 34 Location: St. Louis, MO

I just emailed with the feedback email on the enitech site..

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:56 pm

MrToasty

**Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:17 pm