Post Video on Flickr

Flickr now supports video but how exactly to get video from the mobile device to Flickr? Online Sharing and Shozu among the most popular methods to upload pictures have not yet updated to support video uploads to Flickr. Fear not video can still be uploaded without waiting another moment longer and without transferring them to the desktop first.

The first method needs neither Online Sharing or Shozu. Login to Flickr, select Your Account from the You drop down menu at the top of the page followed by the email. In the middle of the page you will find your "top secret" address for posting pictures and now video. This address can be used from any email client, include the one built into every S60 device or via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service aka picture messaging). If the address has been compromised or needs changing for any reason click edit followed by the reset button midway down the page. As Flickr recommends it will be easiest if the address is saved to the address book. Add a subject, body or tag to images and videos using the simple guidelines in Flickr's "special code." One particularly handy feature by using this method, all video or images in a single email or MMS will be given the same subject, body and tags. One word of caution, do not attempt to email overly large images or video. Most email can handle 10MB attachments, some 20MB or more, whatever the limit its a good idea to check before hand. Over the limit email will bounce back or even fail to send.

The second method still involves the "top secret" email address instead plugged into Shozu. Login into Shozu, select Add site, scroll down to email and plug-in the "top secret" address. Shozu may be easier for many as it does not require configuration of the email client, not to mention it offers a more user friendly approach to adding those important details to the images and video being uploaded. Shozu keeps the last 10 most recently used tags further simplifying the process. The down side to Shozu are the known issues with some S60 devices and the 10MB file upload limit. At best quality on the N95 (640x480) a video can become 20MB even with the 90 second limit (don't even get me started on that one) and well within the 150MB file size limit currently imposed by Flickr, which may be too large for even the stand-alone email method.

These solutions are not ideal but are a good stop gap until Shozu and Online Sharing can update their systems accordingly.

-- Matthew Stevens

Comments

[Abdullah R]

90sec video what a joke. OVI is much better solution and is free. I am not going to renew my flickr membership at least!

[Ms. Jen]

Hi Matthew - I tried uploading a short "long photo" today via the m.flickr.com on my N95's browser and all went well. It took a while, but it uploaded successfully and with out much fuss.

[Matthew]

@ms.jen that's great to hear as well. admittedly I'm more along the mind set of @Abdullah R, its too little too later for flickr. they are better off either leaving video out and stay a good photo sharing site or do video right for its premium customers (not users, since users don't pay). 90 secs is a nice or even novel idea 5 years ago. In 2008, 90 secs is nothing. I didn't expect unlimited size or length video but this is absurb. Flickr may not want to be another Youtube and they may very well get their way as not even a photo sharing site. This on top of the mess with MS or AOL buying Yahoo only further emphasises the fact it may be time for me to save the $75/yr (3 pro accounts in our house) and move over to ovi since Nokia wants my longer video, photos and more. I've always felt 25/yr was a bargin but all of this nonsense feels like an they are telling me to shove off, to put it nicely.