Geo-Tagging Images

[ksbryan0]

I tried this in the hardware forum and didn't get any response.

I'd like to start geo-tagging my images so I have a record of where they were taken. Neither my 5D2 nor 7D have this built in, so I would need to consider a dedicated piece of equipment for this. There seem to be a number of options available, but nothing really stands from the pack. I'd be interested to hear how others are doing this, and what they like or don't like about it.

[Greg McCary]

Personally I just geo tag them on Flickr or if I am somewhere I want to remember for future reference I save the location on Google maps on my phone. I really don't need another piece of equipment to carry around or a bigger camera just forth the sake of built in GPS. Does the devices you are looking at put the info in the EXIF? If so it may be worth buying.

[ksbryan0]

Yes, there are several devices that automatically log the gps coordinates in the EXIF. I agree that packing around more equipment isn't really desirable, but some of these don't seem to be very large. I am only finding a limited number of user reviews on any of them, so that is why I am looking for the input of folks that use them. Thanks.

[freygr]

Get a Android phone with a camera and GPS or a iPhone and take a photo with the camera phone and the GPS data will be saved with the photo. I just got an iPhone 4 and I'm surprised at how good the little camera really is. Then you can just do the geo tag during post processing, and you are free to use the RAW format of your camera.

PS the GPS eats the battery so make sure you exit the GPS program before putting the phone in standby, with both the android and iPhones.

[ksbryan0]

Thanks freygr. That is a valid option, and I may end up going that route. Just weighing my options.

[freygr]

Thanks freygr. That is a valid option, and I may end up going that route. Just weighing my options.

If you have a portable GPS unit for your car with a internal battery, you can take it with you and note the GPS location and other information using the old fastion method, a paper note book

[ngc1514]

Don't know anything about Canons, but for my Nikon D300 I use a AK-4N bluetooth adapter that plugs into the camera's 10 pin connector and a Holux M1000 data logger. The logger sends the location to the bluetooth adapter and it is automatically added to the EXIF data.

The combination costs a bit less than $200 and works flawlessly.

[gryphonslair99]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...e_Tracker.html

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-GPS-CS3KA.../dp/B001PO5VV8

[ksbryan0]

Thanks for responses. ngc1514, I will check to see if that setup will also work with my equipment. Gryphonslair, have you used the Sony system on your links? Some of the reviews I've looked at hinted that battery life is dismal, but I am not sure if it the same Sony model number. I will have to check that out when I get back home. Thanks again.

[gryphonslair99]

Thanks for responses. ngc1514, I will check to see if that setup will also work with my equipment. Gryphonslair, have you used the Sony system on your links? Some of the reviews I've looked at hinted that battery life is dismal, but I am not sure if it the same Sony model number. I will have to check that out when I get back home. Thanks again.

No haven't used them. Not into geo tagging. Couple of friends use the Sony and seem to like it. Me, I only have one place tagged, and that is so I can get the same shot from the same place in different seasons. Actually it's not even tagged. I have the coordinates written down. I have a hand held GPS unit that I use for hiking etc.


On thing I forgot to mention about geo tagging is that there are some dangers in tagging your images. This is from the top photo on your web page.

EXIF IFD0

* Image Width {0x0100} = 5184 pixels
* Image Length {0x0101} = 3456 pixels
* Bits Per Sample {0x0102} = 16,16,16
* Compression {0x0103} = uncompressed (1)
* Photometric Interpretation {0x0106} = RGB (2)
* Camera Make {0x010F} = Canon
* Camera Model {0x0110} = Canon EOS 7D
* Picture Orientation {0x0112} = normal (1)
* Samples Per Pixel {0x0115} = 3
* X-Resolution {0x011A} = 2400000/10000 ===> 240
* Y-Resolution {0x011B} = 2400000/10000 ===> 240
* Planar Configuration {0x011C} = chunky format (1)
* X/Y-Resolution Unit {0x0128} = inch (2)
* Software / Firmware Version {0x0131} = Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0 Windows
* Last Modified Date/Time {0x0132} = 2010:12:19 22:09:49
* Artist {0x013B} = Ken Bryan
* Copyright Owner {0x8298} = All rights reserved

EXIF Sub IFD

* Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) {0x829A} = 1/2 second ===> 0.5 second
* Lens F-Number / F-Stop {0x829D} = 22/1 ===> ƒ/22
* Exposure Program {0x8822} = aperture priority (3)
* ISO Speed Ratings {0x8827} = 400
* Unknown tag, Tagnum 0x8830 {0x8830} = data ===> 0
* EXIF Version {0x9000} = 0221
* Original Date/Time {0x9003} = 2010:06:29 19: 17 :36
* Digitization Date/Time {0x9004} = 2010:06:29 19: 17 :36
* Shutter Speed Value (APEX) {0x9201} = 1/1
Shutter Speed (Exposure Time) = 1/2 second

* Aperture Value (APEX) {0x9202} = 8918863/1000000
Aperture = ƒ/22
* Exposure Bias (EV) {0x9204} = 0/1 ===> 0
* Max Aperture Value (APEX) {0x9205} = 3/1 ===> 3

Max Aperture = ƒ/2.83
* Distance to Subject {0x9206} = -1/1 m
* Metering Mode {0x9207} = pattern / multi-segment (5)
* Flash {0x9209} = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
* Focal Length {0x920A} = 30/1 mm ===> 30 mm
* Original Subsecond Time {0x9291} = 34
* Digitized Subsecond Time {0x9292} = 34
* Colour Space {0xA001} = 65535
* Image Width {0xA002} = 800 pixels
* Image Height {0xA003} = 533 pixels
* Focal Plane X-Resolution {0xA20E} = 5184000/907 ===> 5715.55
* Focal Plane Y-Resolution {0xA20F} = 3456000/595 ===> 5808.4
* Focal Plane X/Y-Resolution Unit {0xA210} = inch (2)
* Custom Rendered {0xA401} = normal process (0)
* Exposure Mode {0xA402} = auto exposure (0)
* White Balance {0xA403} = manual (1)
* Scene Capture Type {0xA406} = standard (0)
* Unknown tag, Tagnum 0xa431 {0xA431} = data ===> 570510430
* Unknown tag, Tagnum 0xa432 {0xA432} = data ===> 24/1,70/1,0/0,0/0
* Unknown tag, Tagnum 0xa434 {0xA434} = data ===> EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM

EXIF IFD1

* Compression {0x0103} = JPEG compression (6)
* X-Resolution {0x011A} = 72/1 ===> 72
* Y-Resolution {0x011B} = 72/1 ===> 72
* X/Y-Resolution Unit {0x0128} = inch (2)
* Embedded thumbnail image:

Your tagging information will be in that data. Be careful of what images you tag and what you post with those tags.

Go to Google Maps and type in 38.89763 -77.03653 The guy that lives there won't mind. Everyone knows it is his address.

The point is, if you have children, or if you shoot photos inside your house or another persons house and that geo tag is there it is as good as giving the address out. Sorry, but it is the cop in me that makes me feel obligated to point that out. It may be that you are already aware of this. There have already been incidents of criminals finding geo tagged images in their area on web sites, getting an address from that tag and breaking in as well as stalking incidents. While geo tagging can be fun it can also be potentially dangerous as well.

[ksbryan0]

Thanks gryphonslair, I appreciate the caution. I wouldn't foresee tagging images at home or at locations that are "normal", but I travel multiple states on a fairly frequent basis, and generally shoot photos at random spots along the way. By the time I get back home and catalog images, there are times when I don't recall exactly where certain shots were taken. Thanks again for your input.

[gryphonslair99]

Thanks gryphonslair, I appreciate the caution. I wouldn't foresee tagging images at home or at locations that are "normal", but I travel multiple states on a fairly frequent basis, and generally shoot photos at random spots along the way. By the time I get back home and catalog images, there are times when I don't recall exactly where certain shots were taken. Thanks again for your input.

Not a problem. Wasn't sure exactly what you meant from your first post since you stated you wanted to have a record of where your images were taken. There are people that like to geo tag everything and they don't realize the potential consequences of doing so.

[freygr]

The jpg information with a GEO-Tag, form an iPhone

[gryphonslair99]

Near N. Rosa Parks Way and Denver eh?

[freygr]

Near N. Rosa Parks Way and Denver eh?

That is within walking distance, but not close. From street view you can't see my house as the trees are in the way.

[Sebastian]

I use an Eye-Fi card with geolocation, works really well as long as there are known WiFi networks nearby. If I'm out in the boonies I just use my iPhone with GPS4Cam.

[gryphonslair99]

That is within walking distance, but not close. From street view you can't see my house as the trees are in the way.

Yeah, well if you hadn't removed part of the longitude and latitude from the EXIF data I could have shown you the house from google maps and a couple of others. One would not have made you happy because it would also give me owner/occupant information as well.

That was the point of my post. Geo tagging needs to be used carefully and there are lots of people that don't realize how easy it is to find out lots of little tidbits about them in the online age. :idea:

[freygr]

Yeah, well if you hadn't removed part of the longitude and latitude from the EXIF data I could have shown you the house from google maps and a couple of others. One would not have made you happy because it would also give me owner/occupant information as well.

That was the point of my post. Geo tagging needs to be used carefully and there are lots of people that don't realize how easy it is to find out lots of little tidbits about them in the online age. :idea:

I'm was surprised that Rose Parks & Denver came up, as Google Earth, put the tag in the middle of the Willamette River off of Swan Island.

[gryphonslair99]

I'm was surprised that Rose Parks & Denver came up, as Google Earth, put the tag in the middle of the Willamette River off of Swan Island.

Might have been due to a slight error in your entry of the longitude and latitude. I did that on yours and ended up in the Philippines. Gave it away real quickly. I just knew that wasn't right, well unless you live in the middle of the jungle.:biggrin5:

I just got done communicating with a poster in another forum over the GPS data. The poster had innocently posted a photo that was taken with a cell phone. When I contacted the poster via in house notifications they were stunned to see me give them the address of where they lived. They quickly removed the photo. People just don't realize sometimes that some of these high tech gadgets also can cause serious problems.

[freygr]

Might have been due to a slight error in your entry of the longitude and latitude. I did that on yours and ended up in the Philippines. Gave it away real quickly. I just knew that wasn't right, well unless you live in the middle of the jungle.:biggrin5:

I just got done communicating with a poster in another forum over the GPS data. The poster had innocently posted a photo that was taken with a cell phone. When I contacted the poster via in house notifications they were stunned to see me give them the address of where they lived. They quickly removed the photo. People just don't realize sometimes that some of these high tech gadgets also can cause serious problems.

Yes there was an entry error a 44 instead of a 41. It in the middle of an apartment complex close to a middle school and boiling ally.