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Reliability concerns the extent to which different observers or the camera yield the same results in observing the same situation. The test case was conducted in a heavily used urban space and much of the data, from observer to observer, and observer to camera, was found unreliable. Reliability decreased as pedestrian frequency increased but not so uniformly that data from this study could be used to determine an exact number of persons that can be accurately mapped. Reliability \"checks\" should be made in pretesting of direct observations, also in retrieval of data from film. Direct observation and time-lapse photography can be used conjointly with the intent of using camera as an accurate basis against which to assess the reliability of direct observations, but with precaution taken to ensure the accuracy of camera data. 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