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Hardware that supports iPhoto '09's geotagging

by Dave Caolo Jan 7th 2009 at 1:15PM

I spent yesterday afternoon like many of you: Hunched over my keyboard in a posture-defying mound, my eyes locked on 1440 x 900 pixels of real-time information and fingers tapping keys like so many coked-up woodpeckers. A Mountain Dew and Cinnabun stood at the ready, should I need refueling. I was a gold-encrusted invitation to hypertension if you ever saw one.

As Phil Schiller gave his demonstration of iPhoto '09, with its face recognition, fancy travel books, themes and "Places" feature, I was most impressed by the geotagging. If shot with the right hardware, iPhoto recognizes where a given photo was taken, and places it on a Google map. If the photos in an event span several locations, it notices that, also. The built-in maps are very attractive and handy, as you can search your entire library by geographic location. As I watched all of this, one thought was echoing in my mind.

I don't have single piece of hardware that can do this.

It's what I call a Mario Batali Moment. I'm a real Mario fan, but every time I watch his show, I get a little depressed. As Mario sits down to a small family table in Umbria, olive trees and screeching cicadas in the background, I think, "There's another incredible Italian salami I'll never get to try."

A brief Google search turned up good news. I didn't have to spend several hundred dollars on a GPS-aware camera. Here are several devices that will get the job done without breaking the bank.

  1. The Wolverine GEO connects to several Nikon and Fuji DSLR's and embeds GPS coordinates in an image's metadata (EXIF) during exposure. Just click and you're done. The Wolverine GEO costs $149.99US.
  2. The GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr is a small GPS device that you carry around as you shoot photos. As you take pictures, you camera records the time. The PhotoTrackr also records the time and the GPS location. The included software merges the two. Small, tidy and $129US (the "lite" version is $99US).
  3. Similarly, the Amod AGL3080 GPS Data Logger connects to your Mac via USB port, allowing you to grab the recorded log in standard NMEA format. Mac-compatible software is included. The AGL3080 will run you about $70US.
So there are three relatively inexpensive options. Yes, I realize that the 3G iPhone will tag photos with GPS information, but it isn't the greatest camera in the world. You can also add this information by hand, but who wants to do that? Instead, there's good news:

iPhoto geotagging needn't be your forbidden salami.

Update: Our readers continue to offer additional suggestions. Keep them coming, folks! Here are a few from the comments.
  • David notes that "...the GISTEQ product does NOT support geotagging of RAW images," so keep that in mind. His solution: "I ended up using the iTU4l.pl perl scripts from http://www.schimmelnetz.de/projekte/iTU4l/ and HoudahGeo ($30US)."
  • jadam points out another solution: "If you have a standalone GPS that supports track logging, turn tracking on and bring it along with you on your next photo shoot. Then once you are finished, use the free GPSPhotoLinker (Free) to geotag your photos."
  • Tim suggests the SD GPS Data Logger ($125).
  • John Fischetti and a couple of others suggested the Eye-Fi Explore Wireless card ($99US).
  • John suggested the Jobo photoGPS (couldn't find a price for some unknown, frustrating reason), which mounts on your camera's hotshoe.
Others have recommended iPhone/iPod touch Geo Tracking software, like OnLocation ($2.99US) [App Store link] and Trails ($1.99US). Thanks, everyone! Keep the great suggestions coming.

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I spent yesterday afternoon like many of you: Hunched over my keyboard in a posture-defying mound, my eyes locked on 1440 x 900 pixels of...
 

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Richard Akerman

Since I see a few mentions of the Eye-Fi Explore, I think it's important to mention that while this will do automatic geotagging, it is NOT a GPS. It uses local wireless signals (Wi-Fi) to determine its location (the Skyhook WiFi node map provides the locations). No wireless = no location, so forget using an Eye-Fi Explore to geotag your photos in the middle of the woods.

http://scilib.typepad.com/techreviews/2008/06/eye-fi-explore.html

January 14 2009 at 10:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Richard Akerman

I've spent a lot of time looking at different GPS loggers with a particular focus on the Mac. The AGL3080 has a lot of advantages if you don't mind AAA batteries, and you use the latest firmware. My personal preference is the Qstarz models particularly the BT-Q1000 series, but they require more technical expertise to get the tracks downloaded.

You can see more information in my GPS logger reviews and comparison spreadsheet.

http://scilib.typepad.com/techreviews/reviews-list.html

January 14 2009 at 2:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Vincent

I'm also investigating howto geotag my picture made with my SONY A300.
I've just made a test using :
- iPhone V1
- iGPS360 module made by Orange Gadgets
- xGPS software from xwaves.net
- HoudahGeo
By activating the "GPX trace", I got a GPX file that I've been able to use with HoudahGeo. It's not a perfect solution as you have to leave your iPhone ON but at least it works.

I also noted a problem with the TIME tag that was generated by xGPS, it didn't logged the date right. I have manually edited the file and it was imported OK by HoudahGEO.

I just send an email to iGPS360 maker and xGPS developper to know if they could be interested in developping a very small app with just 1 button to "start/stop geotag" so the log file doesn't get too big, and the battery doesn't get drained due to GPS activity.

January 09 2009 at 2:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lbarry

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/digitalcamera/coolpix/p6000/index.htm

iLife 09 and Nikon P6000 (with built-in GPS). Made for each other...

January 09 2009 at 11:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ecobore

As a Canon and Mac using Pro - I am frustrated beyond belief that Canon haven't instigated the possibility to write GPS data directly into the metadata of the RAW images generated by the new EOS 5d mkII as the images are shot. You can do this with Nikons with a simple GPS add on - Canon, oh why oh why are you making us suffer!!

January 08 2009 at 4:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bernhard Snizek

OK, it's not a DSLR but my Nokia N95 does that too with a little add on programme you launch before taking pictures !

January 08 2009 at 3:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
zideshowbob

I can recommend the wintec wbt-201 it works smooth via BlueTooth (Houdah GPS). And the battery (Standard Nokia) lasts about a day (And ebay provides with cheap replacement batteries). I paid about 100EUR in July 2007 but maybe it is cheaper now.

As I mentioned: Recommended!

January 08 2009 at 2:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Roman

I've used the GPSPhotolinker with my BT-1000P unit, and the workflow is quite simple, if a little slow with RAW from the 40D and the 50D.

I wrong a review about it here: http://www.romant.net/technology/fantastic-gps-logger-a-field-report-for-bt-1000p/


Wish Canon would be a little more open, and would allow for third party developers integrate a GPS through a hot-shoe, or other data means, and directly embed the data at exposure time.

January 08 2009 at 1:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Roman's comment
Roman

that should have been 'wrote'.

that's what I get for talking to someone else whilst writing a comment.

January 08 2009 at 1:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ljun

wouldn't the GPS tracker (trails or onlocation) go to sleep when the iPhone goes to sleep (screen turns off)?

If so, how do you from a practical sense, use the app let's say ... on an all day trip in the city taking photos at random times .....?

January 08 2009 at 12:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to ljun's comment
Roman

Actually the app can prevent the iPhone from going to sleep. I use such an app for tracking my runs.

One downside is that it drains the battery quite quickly, so don't expect it to stay on anywhere near even half a day (as the screen must remain on as well).

Plus it gets quite hot :(

January 08 2009 at 1:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
seth

Just tried this out using the iPhone 3G and a Nikon DSLR. I used the free app MotionX GPS Lite to record a track on the iPhone while I was out taking photos, then the free desktop application GPSPhotoLinker that others have mentioned to automatically link the photos with the GPX file generated by the iPhone. Worked flawlessly and embeds the latitude and longitude coordinates directly in the NEF files. Very cool, simple, and completely free - assuming you already have the iPhone :)

January 07 2009 at 7:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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