Geo Tagging Enabled

[Photoworks]

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I went on a bike ride today with my SL2, I found out that is you have a app running to track path the Leica Fotos app is not be able to share the GPS location with SL2 over BT.

It work fine as soon I have terminated the other app..

sounds like a downside.

[davidmknoble]

I have to say, this is one of the reasons I have debated going from the SL to the SL2.  The other is that I would have to sell my second battery hand grip, really right stuff bracket and the remote shutter release - and then rebuy them all for the new SL2.

I could deal somewhat with the rebuying of accessories, although I don't want to spend that money on this system.  However, I shoot in many locations where I don't necessarily have my phone with me, or locations where charging a phone is difficult or very time consuming (solar).  So, I do not want to waste phone battery for GPS images.

One solution might be to put a GPS into the battery grip as a second alternative.  Then, at least, there is a choice.  This was what the M240 and M246 used the multi-function handgrip for and the M10's have the EVF.  Requiring software on a running phone seems like a backwards solution.

I was glad to see the S system was upgraded with the same body and form factor.  As all the other S cameras, the focusing screens and the tripod mounts (and batteries) have not changed.  There was one change for the battery grip and remote shutter release, but not bad for over 10 years.

I will probably stay with the SL original...

[scott kirkpatrick]

We're all trying to say what would make Geo-tagging work better for US.  We seem to care about reliability,  getting an accurate fix within a short time after waking up the camera, not having to keep multiple devices in the right and not obvious active state, and battery power.  Our battery power limits seem to be carrying one extra battery and shooting over part of a day, recharging at night.  That makes sense.  Now how do we make our arguments match up with the priorities of Mr. Stefan Daniel and his team in Wetzlar?

They probably want to see Leica Camera AG  produce and maintain products that bring in enough revenue at a low enough cost to keep  Mr Kaufmann and his heirs happy, so that they do not retreat to Salzburg, leaving behind an empty palace like the elegant buildings Hasselblad abandoned a few years ago in Gothenburg.  And each of them is responsible for the continued employment of a fair number of people who are Leica's institutional memory.  In this framework, it is possible to see why Fotos is doing the following:

 

Write one app, which talks to a consistent interface for BT and WiFi in each camera line.  I hope they are doing this in Wetzlar, where the camera engineers can talk to the app programmers, but the temptation to let it all get done by contractors in India must have been strong.  

Every country has a ministry of communications that only lets products be shipped into their country if they don't endanger the nation, so stick to standard chips with embedded firmware and protocols that have international acceptance.  (I lost 2 months during a beta test once in such a ministry because I failed to let them think that this was just an existing product on loan.)  Let the phone makers (Samsung, Motorola, HuaWei, etc) deal with the complexity of writing GPS and localization code that is fast and accurate yet still complies with national requirements not to operate too close to borders, reeducation centers in the far west, or sensitive military institutions. Then work with whatever smart phones achieve worldwide distribution.

 

I think the next iteration will be improvements in camera firmware, not just to keep the interfaces fully standard (and standards are multifold, and evolving, so it may be necessary to get them all to a common standard standard). We can help by providing details of cases where different cameras seem to work differently, or different phones make this easy or hard.  We also can help by sharing what has to be done at the phone to make connection work in fewer tries and to keep the localization interface alive while moving around. Leica is risking its reputation for only doing things in a simple, "right" way by allowing a public beta, and we can help if we keep their needs in mind as well as our own.

[spassig123]

I don’t have a smartphone yet.

Would it be possible in future to use an external small device on flash connectior if a manufacturer design it?

Jochen 

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, spassig123 said:

I don’t have a smartphone yet.

Would it be possible in future to use an external small device on flash connectior if a manufacturer design it?

Jochen 

You can always use any GPS logger and sync later with your photos.

I use a Garmin watch on my bag for that.

[BernardC]

5 hours ago, spassig123 said:

I don’t have a smartphone yet.

Would it be possible in future to use an external small device on flash connectior if a manufacturer design it?

Pentax, Canon, and Hasselblad have offered similar devices, and you will find a few DIY instructions on the Web.

However, you can probably use Leica's solution with any Android or iOS device that has GPS, without a network connection. That list should include most iPads, many Android tablets, old smartphones, etc. You just need to make sure that you have a compatible OS version (Android 6 and up, not sure about iOS), and that the device uses a GPS chip to find its location.

[hofo100]

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vor 2 Stunden schrieb Photoworks:

You can always use any GPS logger and sync later with your photos.

Thanks for reminding of a solution that is much more reliable than the Fotos App. Synchronizing GPS data from a GPS track log in LR is really simple. And a GPS logger (phone) would work most of the time anyway. I tried by importing data from hikes were I used a hiking app (Komoot). Results are perfect.

[spassig123]

Hi

I searched and found GPS logger like Garmin etrex 10

All external GPS tracker are bigger as a small device on flash connector or build in in camera.

Is that right?

If I buy a Garmin Eurex 10 in which way the GBS data are store in pictures on Mac device.

Must I have additional software? 
I use CaptureOne for RAW editing.

Jochen

 

 

[acapella]

Dear all,

I am using the Leica Foto's app (2.1) with 'Geotagging' set to always and in the iPhone I also have set the switch 'Location data permission' to always. 

While shooting pictures (with the Q2 but also with the SL2) I can see the bluetooth and satelliet symbols projecten in the EVF. Still I do not see GPS data appear in the metadata (using Lightroom Classic). 

I must be missing something very simple here, has anybody any idea?

 

Thanks & regards. 

 

[lohthx1r]

26 minutes ago, acapella said:

Dear all,

I am using the Leica Foto's app (2.1) with 'Geotagging' set to always and in the iPhone I also have set the switch 'Location data permission' to always. 

While shooting pictures (with the Q2 but also with the SL2) I can see the bluetooth and satelliet symbols projecten in the EVF. Still I do not see GPS data appear in the metadata (using Lightroom Classic). 

I must be missing something very simple here, has anybody any idea?

 

Thanks & regards. 

 

I have the same experience as well, it is very erratic, some photos has GPS data carried over and some does not. Even the Bluetooth and satellite icons are visible.

[LBJ2]

On 5/15/2020 at 8:20 PM, Jared said:

For those who are interested, Geo Tagging for the SL2 has been enabled via the latest release of Fotos.  Here is how it works:

1) Make sure Bluetooth is enabled in your SL2

2) Turn on Fotos in your iPhone 

3) Connect to your SL2 in Fotos

4) Press the “Remote” button in Fotos.  The satellite icon should appear on your top plate and in your EVF.  Pictures you take will now be tagged with GPS info, regardless of whether the picture is taken through Fotos or with the shutter release on the camera.

Note that the connection between Fotos and the camera over WiFi must remain active for the geo tagging to work.  The satellite data remains active for some seconds after you disconnect, but not minutes.

Not the most elegant solution Inhave seen, but it does appear to work, and at least you can use the camera to release the shutter, not just Fotos.  Wish it just required a low power Bluetooth connection and active Fotos connection.

 

Thank you! I'm just trying geotagging with SL2 and iPhone Fotos app and couldn't figure out how to enable after some googling until I found your post. Very helpful. The only difference from your post is I see the satellite symbol at the right bottom of the view on the back LCD or when looking through the EVF.