I extract coordinates on google maps by plotting an overlay (exhibit A). I then reuse these same coordinates as the path variable in the google static map (exhibit B) and for some locations, it does not plot to the same location.
I then typed out a CSV file that I can import into the google maps web app to add a new overlay and it mapped correctly, which tells me there is something strange happening in the google maps static map.
Sample CSV import for testing overlay
lat,lon,title,
-26.052937841371918,28.060764598707202,Test 1,
-26.052994468511443,28.060752528766635,Test 2,
-26.05304868595982,28.06076996312523,Test 3,
-26.053040252136153,28.061060982803347,Test 4,
-26.052978805688355,28.060979845980647,Test 5,
-26.052934226872722,28.06093357787514,Test 6,
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit B in terms of the google static map:
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?scale=2&zoom=20&size=500x500&maptype=satellite&geodesic=true&path=color%3A0x00000000%7Cweight%3A1%7Cfillcolor%3Aorange%7C-26.052950%2C28.060751%7C-26.052940%2C28.060928%7C-26.053038%2C28.061048%7C-26.053054%2C28.060762&key=[input your google API key here]
The exact same code generates the following output also (correct output)
Sample 1:
Sample 2:
So it isn't an issue of the code, as most outputs are correct, but rather something strange occurs on specific instances that as you can see in Exhibit B, there is a non-negligible shift in the points of latitude.