Does anyone have a cell phone that will date/time photos?

Hello everyone. I currently have a prepaid cell phone where I buy minutes. It's a flip phone, and I am finding it is grossly inadequate to meet the requirements of some mystery shops. I am ready to get a smart phone (without a contract.) Can anyone recommend a cell phone, or even a small pocket camera) that will date/time photos?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Phone Shops

I use the Open Camera app on my Android Phone. It is free and is very flexible in terms of how you want it to work. It can easily put the date and time on the photo. It should run on any reasonably new Android phone. I personally use a Samsung Galaxy S5. I believe that the S3 and S4 are now available as prepaid phones. The S4 was the phone I used until last year and is now almost 3 years old. The S 3 (or SIII) was introduced in 2012.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2016 03:59AM by myst4au.

I use APD Time Stamp app for Android. Free and easy to use.

My Samsung 5 does. You can usually find a good Smart phone by buying "behind" the tech curve.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I have used Timestamp It for iOS. It also was free and easy to use.

Any smartphone (not just phone) should have this function in the phone and/or camera settings. I agree about buying one version behind with most tech. However, be careful! My 2013 LG smartypants phone totally died, and I was told it was built that way, and you could not change the battery. My new LG smartypants phone can be opened, battery changed, etc. Do your research -- I'd hate to hear you bought a device that died on you soon after.

I do not know how to display the date and time on a photo using a Samsung S4, S5, or S6. I just searched the internet, and all I can find are recommendations for apps such as the one I mentioned earlier (Open Camera). If someone actually knows how to do this on an Samsung S4, S5, or S6 without using an app, I would really like to know. I agree with LGRM that "any smartphone... should have this function in the phone," but apparently Samsung and Android 5.0 ("Lollipop"

do not agree with us. I'd appreciate learning how to do it. Adding the time and date as a "tag" does not make them show up on the photograph.

I agree that there is value in having a phone with a removable battery, but Apple and now Samsung (S6) disagree.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2016 04:01AM by myst4au.

Do you mean actually stamp that on the photo? If not, my galaxy s5 (and probably most phones) does track this. You can view it with the photo open and choosing "more info."

"View information" does not "print" the date and time on the photo. MSCs that want the date and time on the printed on the photo want to see if when they view the photo. At least one MSC (iSecret Shopper) actually wants the original file since they look at the meta data which automatically embeds the time, date, camera model, location and a bunch more stuff in the file itself, but iSS is the exception. The rest want to be able to view the date and time on the photograph without doing anything except to open the file.

@Threemom wrote:

Do you mean actually stamp that on the photo? If not, my galaxy s5 (and probably most phones) does track this. You can view it with the photo open and choosing "more info."

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Thank you, myst4au. I downloaded Open Camera onto my Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite tablet and it worked great! I was able to go to the mall and take a photo with a date and time stamped on the pic. My sis bought me the tablet when I did audits for GfK, but I haven't used it in a while. I still need a phone, and I will definitely remember to look for one with a removable battery.

Dang these MS companies that have to have a time/date stamp, when you ALREADY had to have a receipt showing proof of purchase, and photos as well. Overkill.

Kona Kathie

@kathierost wrote:

Dang these MS companies that have to have a time/date stamp, when you ALREADY had to have a receipt showing proof of purchase, and photos as well. Overkill.

Yes, especially if it's a same-day upload. Still, if they pay me enough and on time, I'll give them pretty much whatever proof they want.

Android users, if you want simple datestamped photos and don't need the time on them, Date Camera is free and works well. There is also Open Camera by Mark Harman -- Awesome free app with that and much more.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2016 03:25PM by TechSavvy.

Shopperfest hooray for you! First pick up a lot of phone shops and soon you will be an expert on smart phones and know just the one you should get. I got a Galaxy S3 after the S4's came out. Having a smartphone made shopping sooo much easier, mainly because I use dropbox to automatically upload my photos. When I need a timestamp I can retroactively open them with the ADP timestamp app.

I have a Virgin Mobile no contract phone. I think Sprint is also offering good no contract deals.

You should do some cell phone shops and find out the best cell phones on the market.

@myst4au

You need to use the camera app you are using. The Samsung camera software does not have the built in ability you are looking for.

OP, any smartphone will do, as there are plenty of free camera apps with the ability you need.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

I have a Nokia Lumia 640 smartphone with the Windows 8.1 Denim OS (yeah, I know! but I like it!) Now, the Windows OS smart phones are LACKING in apps compared to Android and iPhones.....BUT.....I have found a GREAT, FREE, app in the Windows App Store called "Timestamper"....it opens up the camera and automatically puts the date and time on the photo...don't have to do a thing!! It's really a neat little app!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2016 06:55PM by guysmom.

B-b-b-b-b-but using these third-party apps to add a time stamp "alters" the photos.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

Using Open Camera creates the photo with the time and date on it from the start. It doesn't alter an existing photograph. The time and date can't be added later using Open Camera, and the information can not be changed.

@Tarantado wrote:

B-b-b-b-b-but using these third-party apps to add a time stamp "alters" the photos.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I have Open Camera as my MS camera app, no one is complaining.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Does anyone have a cell phone that will date/time photos?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine