Geo Tagging location of a shot into the picture file

[RobertP]

I've processed my pictures from last weeks trip to the Dordogne and started resizing a few for posting and realised a lot of the little French towns look quite similar. Working out where I was and when is possible but it is making my head hurt.

So I start looking at these GPS recorder things that record a track of where you have been. From what I've read you use some software to write the location into the exif and the location is decided by the time the picture was taken compared to the GPS track. Also read only jpegs can have the exif added but that is OK as I always export all my pictures to Jpeg.

So question is... is it that simple?

Seems like most things you can pay a variable prices for these things. I've looked at this one on ebay which is in my 'nice to have but not essential' budget for this. Only managed to find one mini review outside ebay which did say it was OK.

not looking for something more elaborate with navigation etc. Simple is good

Now if only TomTom could record a track. where the car was parked would be enough of a clue!

edit. And don't suggest a notebook and pen as I'd never remember

 

[pearce_jj]

I read somewhere that the new 5D would have it built-in, don't know if that's true or not!

 

[reddeathdrinker]

My old man got an ickle GPS receiver that parks itself on the hot-shoe of his D300, plugs into the 10-pin socket. Does the job, but seems to take a while to get a position. My brother bought it for him, can't for the life of me remember where though...

It writes the location data to the EXIF at the time of shooting - you don't mention what camera you have, Nikon-wise, it's D200/300 upwards that have the capability

 

[RobertP]

Canon 5D. I saw the Nikon option mentioned when searching GPS.

 

[GarynLea]

That one on ebay uses the Sirf3 sat loc chipset so looks a good one. They stand a better chance of tracking the satellite signal from indoors or where there's building etc close by.

 

[Chappers]

Robert

Nip over to the luminous Landscape web site and check the posts there. I'm sure I've seen some correspondence on the subject, but can't find it there. If not post a new thread

Alternatively get a little pocket recorder and make a note of the location with reference to frame numbers. Or if you are really flush get the 1Ds lll it has a built in voice recorder that adds a wave file to the image file.

 

[H.M.]

Afaik a pocket GPS receiver with a readable log is what you need. It ought to record the time and the corresponding coordinates. When you get back home you get an app to match your photos' EXIF time with the GPS log, and you'll have the exact location that particular photo was taken.
Ready for upload onto Google Earth.

Imo it doesn't add anything useful to have a special (expensive) GPS scanner to sit in your hotshoe on top of the camera, writing the coordinates 'live' to the image's EXIF file as you shoot it: it occupies the hotshoe so that you cannot use it for a flash gun or anything else, it influences your camera's gravity point adversely, and the combo can easily break.

 

[RobertP]

I'll leave it a day or two in case someone knows something bad about the model then take a punt on the ebay one.

 

[RobertP]

Considering I only ordered it Sunday, it turning up this morning from Taiwan is pretty good going

delivered this end by Parcel Force. no signature wanted and no duty to pay

I've installed the software and transferred my first gps track (from window sill to desk) to the computer. Didn't take any pictures on the way so will try that later.

Took some pictures of the device and some screen caps of the software so i'll do a review when i can.

So far so good.

Canon BP511 and AAA batteries for scale

 

[Yv]

My old man got an ickle GPS receiver that parks itself on the hot-shoe of his D300, plugs into the 10-pin socket. Does the job, but seems to take a while to get a position. My brother bought it for him, can't for the life of me remember where though...

It writes the location data to the EXIF at the time of shooting - you don't mention what camera you have, Nikon-wise, it's D200/300 upwards that have the capability

If you could ask the old man make/model, would be interested to know, as could be useful when traveling with the D200 in strange places.