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iOS geolocating app?

R

robgendreau

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
3,472
340
I looking for an app that will geolocate photos based on a MAP. I realize there are apps that use the gps and synching to geotag existing photos, but I want something that allows me to use a Google map (preferable not an Apple one :rolleyes: ) to tag it, like some of the desktop applications. It's just handy to do it on the road when I'm thinking of it rather than waiting until I return home (and forget where I was ;) )
 
I'm a little confused by your post. If you are taking photos with your iPhone, then they are already geotagged, so long as you've enabled location services for the camera.

If you are taking them with another camera, then why not just use a geotagging app (there are several of them, but I use Trails)? Otherwise, I'm not quite sure how you are going to tag a photo on your camera by pinning a location on a map on your iPhone. Or you can just snap a photo with your iPhone at the same location and then use that information to manually drop a pin for your other photos in something like Aperture (and maybe iPhoto, but I stopped using that several versions ago).
 
Sorry; I thought it was obvious I was not talking about geotagging photos that are already geotagged. And using the phone isn't practical in GPS mode; the battery is dying too quickly when running GPS apps. When I need to do that kind of geotagging I use a dedicated GPS logger since it's far more efficient and accurate. And using HoudahGeo or other methods to do it in bulk later works, but that means lugging a laptop around. Overkill for a few photos.

I'm not sure how I'd do it with maps on the phone a la Aperture's method, which is why I asked. Not being a developer, I'm not sure it even can be done in iOS.
 
So say you can mark the location on your iPhone map of a photo you took with your camera. Then what? You would still need a way for the two systems to interact. A geologging app does this semi-automatically (meaning you still need to run the photos and gpx file through HoudahGeo or Aperture). There's no way to geotag photos taken with your camera by using your iPhone other than to run a geologger app. You are using two different devices, and you need some way for the two to communicate with each other. That's what the geotagger's gpx file is for. Otherwise, you have to do it manually by dropping pins in Aperture. In fact, this is exactly what I do when I take photos and don't have my phone with me to run a geologger.

To save my phone's battery, I will often just pause and resume the geologging app, turning it on only when I am taking photos. You'll end up with a gpx file that jumps around a lot, but that's fine. It can be a bit of a pain to remember, and then to wait while the phone's gps gets a lock on the location, but it makes the battery last a lot longer. For those moments when I forget or shoot something that requires I be quick about it, then I will just manually geotag the photo(s) later.
 
robgendreau said:
Sorry; I thought it was obvious I was not talking about geotagging photos that are already geotagged. And using the phone isn't practical in GPS mode; the battery is dying too quickly when running GPS apps. When I need to do that kind of geotagging I use a dedicated GPS logger since it's far more efficient and accurate. And using HoudahGeo or other methods to do it in bulk later works, but that means lugging a laptop around. Overkill for a few photos.

I'm not sure how I'd do it with maps on the phone a la Aperture's method, which is why I asked. Not being a developer, I'm not sure it even can be done in iOS.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you're using your iPhone for taking photos. If so it sounds like you're a prime candidate for a Point and Shoot that has built in geotagging. This would take care of your concerns over your phones battery life. It will also make for better photos.
 
Aargh. Sorry; I assumed way too much.

I'm not taking photos with the iPad. They would be geotagged already (although not sure if that's true if in Airplane, mode etc.).

I'm not syncing to a camera. Maybe Eye-Fi would do that; dunno.

I'm not interested in a GPS app that records waypoints and then syncs later on with a computer and a roll of imported photos. Have lots of ways of doing that now.

I want to import a photo to an iPad (raw would be nice) and in addition to editing it I'd like to geotag it. Even if the metadata is messed up (date on camera wrong, etc etc). By just finding the location on a map. As one can do in numerous computer applications. But on an iPad.

I can manually enter coordinates in the metadata, but that's a bit of a pain with the limited cut and paste of an iPad.

And BTW the built-in GPS's in cameras I've seen aren't as useful as a logger and the software. Some can eat up your battery. Some GPS apps also lag on geotagging because they insist on continually running to make a track rather than simply being switched on and off.

I just don't have much use for geotagging most photos; I only do it occasionally and hence the need for just the map-to-saved-photo workflow. Did this all the time with "Assign location..." in Aperture.
 
robgendreau said:
Aargh. Sorry; I assumed way too much.

I'm not taking photos with the iPad. They would be geotagged already (although not sure if that's true if in Airplane, mode etc.).

I'm not syncing to a camera. Maybe Eye-Fi would do that; dunno.

I'm not interested in a GPS app that records waypoints and then syncs later on with a computer and a roll of imported photos. Have lots of ways of doing that now.

I want to import a photo to an iPad (raw would be nice) and in addition to editing it I'd like to geotag it. Even if the metadata is messed up (date on camera wrong, etc etc). By just finding the location on a map. As one can do in numerous computer applications. But on an iPad.

I can manually enter coordinates in the metadata, but that's a bit of a pain with the limited cut and paste of an iPad.

And BTW the built-in GPS's in cameras I've seen aren't as useful as a logger and the software. Some can eat up your battery. Some GPS apps also lag on geotagging because they insist on continually running to make a track rather than simply being switched on and off.

I just don't have much use for geotagging most photos; I only do it occasionally and hence the need for just the map-to-saved-photo workflow. Did this all the time with "Assign location..." in Aperture.
Click to expand...

No worries. It's a tough thing to explain on here. While there's plenty of apps that will allow you to edit your exif data, most apps assume you've already tagged the photos. You've got me curious though, so I'll do some digging of my own and see what's out there. It seems like EXIF editing and sorting apps of this nature are rare. At least the good ones are. IF there's an app that CAN or WILL do such a thing it would be Photosmith, but it only works with Lightroom. I don't think it has it yet, but people have been requesting it so I'd keep an eye on them. I'm still waiting for them to bring us Aperture support.
 
Photosmith would be great; I'm transitioning from Aperture to LR anyway.

But geotagging is in the "planned" stage. At least they're considering it.

Thanks.
 
robgendreau said:
Photosmith would be great; I'm transitioning from Aperture to LR anyway.

But geotagging is in the "planned" stage. At least they're considering it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

They're also planning a complete redesign with a new importing method that doesn't use the camera roll. Sounds like they're more concerned about a rebuild right now then adding new features. Could be a while.
 
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