# Map Utility: select multiple images for tagging



## niels123 (Nov 13, 2016)

Here's the thing: sometimes I do macro stacking *very* close to the ground and I can't have my GPS tagger on the hotshoe as my camera is hanging upside down on my tripod with the hotshoe tuching the ground.

Afterwards, I make a single image with the GP-E2 attached, just for the GPS coordinates. In Map Utility, I'd like to add this GPS info to all the images. I can click "Add/delete location information", select a pin and click save. I hate to repeat this for each image.

How do I perform this operation on a larger number of images at once (but not all images in one folder)?


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## Stu_bert (Nov 13, 2016)

In lightroom, use the first image to provide you with the correct location on the map - remember to zoom in. Then select the other images and drag/drop them onto the same image. GPS will be updated.

If you're not using Lightroom's Map, then sorry 

I do the same trick with an iphone...


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## niels123 (Nov 13, 2016)

Stu_bert said:


> In lightroom, use the first image to provide you with the correct location on the map - remember to zoom in. Then select the other images and drag/drop them onto the same image. GPS will be updated.
> 
> If you're not using Lightroom's Map, then sorry
> 
> I do the same trick with an iphone...



 I understand what you mean. However, this 'trick' only updates the xmp and does not write the GPS data directly into the CR2 (which is what I'd like to do). The original Canon software does write GPS into the CR2 files, and since it's original Canon it should be safe for my CR2's. Besides: I have multiple backup copies of the CR2 files.


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## LDS (Nov 15, 2016)

niels123 said:


> I can't have my GPS tagger on the hotshoe as my camera is hanging upside down on my tripod with the hotshoe tuching the ground.



The GP-E2 works also connected via USB (unless you're using the USB port for other devices, of course), and in LOG mode (it doesn't need a camera connection in this mode). 

In LOG mode, the receiver logs the position every n seconds into a log file, and then later the Map Utility can automatically add geotagging data using images timestamps and the log file. See page 12 of the Map Utilitiy manual. You don't really need to remember to geotag an image as a reference point.

Because I guess you don't move quickly while stacking macro shots, the GPS log will be fairly precise. You can set the log frequency from the GPS menu. Remember also to sync the camera clock for maximum precision.


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## niels123 (Nov 15, 2016)

LDS said:


> niels123 said:
> 
> 
> > I can't have my GPS tagger on the hotshoe as my camera is hanging upside down on my tripod with the hotshoe tuching the ground.
> ...



Thanks for the reply.

1) I did discover this feature and applied a log file on a set of images. Strangely, only part was tagged, although the tags where accurate.
2) Some day I want to go through my archive and tag lots of old files for which I don't have a log file available.

Any easy / handy solutions for applying tags to a large number of CR2's directly? (not the xmp metadata)


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## LDS (Nov 15, 2016)

I don't know why it tagged only a subset of the images. It could be a Map Utility bug, or the log file hadn't the needed data. I don't know how much the image timestamp and a log gps fix timestamp can be apart before Map Utility gives up. That's why it is important to set the desired log frequency, and sync the camera clock with the GPS one. Also, the time zone settings can be important, especially when summer time kicks in. It would be interesting to inspect the log to understand why there were not enough matches.

For geotag editors (use at your own risk, when modifying RAW files  ), on Windows, you can try http://www.geosetter.de/en/. On macOS try http://www.houdah.com/houdahGeo/.

Note, however, that "XMP" is just a metadata format. It can be embedded into a file, or written to a "sidecar" file. Lightroom doesn't attempt to modify RAW format (but the DNG one), so it writes modified metadata to its catalog or sidecar files. What metadata format RAW files use is up to the RAW file specifications.


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## Stu_bert (Nov 16, 2016)

niels123 said:


> Stu_bert said:
> 
> 
> > In lightroom, use the first image to provide you with the correct location on the map - remember to zoom in. Then select the other images and drag/drop them onto the same image. GPS will be updated.
> ...



Hmmm. Not sure why you want to as XMP files are a standard used by more than just Adobe it's an ISO standard. But hey, that is your choice 

An alternative opensource editor - not sure if It does batch updates

http://geotag.sourceforge.net/


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