GLCobarr
Active member
When I first noticed this problem with the geotagger Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 and my Canon EOS R5 was after I downloaded the images from the camera, opened them in one of my various Mac applications that read EXIF.
The direction the camera was pointing when the shot was taken, also known as the EXIF tag GPSImgDirection, was missing from my image files downloaded from the Canon EOS R5 while using the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2. The longitude, latitude and altitude were present but no camera direction, no GPSImgDirection EXIF data.
The site I used to test this is at the EXIF viewing site, Jimple.
Loading camera images from the R5 when using the GMAX-EOS2, into Jimpl show no GPSImgDirection EXIF data but when I uploaded the jpegs attached to this post, taken with my iPhone, the GPSImgDirection EXIF data shows as 97.2633152, also the GPSDestBearing tag is shown, in this case the same number as the GPSImgDirection, 97.2633152.
The GMAX-EOS2 geotagged images from R5 were also missing the GPSDestBearing data.
Why? I don't know. At this point, I am still new to the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 and it's possible that I have set something incorrectly.
I've down some testing with the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 and found some concerning interaction behavior with the Canon EOS R5.
You get to the Custom settings by paging to "Set" and then pressing the key that looks like a sideways arrow to select. Then page thru each setting until you find the "diR" and select it, by default it is off.
Solmeta custom setting, camera direction set to default, off.
When you select this custom setting you can then page to "On" and select / enable.
After returning to the main display on the GMAX-EOS2 you'll see in the compass page / screen, you'll see the compass direction, plus pitch and roll. 26º NE true north. You have the option in a custom setting for magnetic north or true north. I use True North because most of the other software and devices I use also utilize True North, plus, magnetic north is prone to disruptions from magnetic fields from other devices.
Solmeta compass display: camera direction, pitch and roll.
Everything looks fine but when I depress the Shutter button on the Canon EOS R5, the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 compass display blanks out the data.
Solmeta compass display: data blank.
And sure enough when I go back into the custom setting for camera direction, it has been disabled.
Solmeta custom setting, camera direction set to default, off.
I've repeated this operation many times but all I know for sure is that it happens and that it is some kind of interaction between the GMAX-EOS2 and the Canon R5 or not. Which device is driving this problem is unclear.
Both devices' manuals are sub para and one is translated from Chinese so I've gleaned as little as I am going to get from those sources.
There might be a bug in the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2, I cannot be sure and I am not going to get anything out of them, they're unreponsive.
If no one can tell me that I'm the source of the problem then I am likely going to need to return the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2.
If anyone has any insights, please let me know.
The direction the camera was pointing when the shot was taken, also known as the EXIF tag GPSImgDirection, was missing from my image files downloaded from the Canon EOS R5 while using the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2. The longitude, latitude and altitude were present but no camera direction, no GPSImgDirection EXIF data.
The site I used to test this is at the EXIF viewing site, Jimple.
Loading camera images from the R5 when using the GMAX-EOS2, into Jimpl show no GPSImgDirection EXIF data but when I uploaded the jpegs attached to this post, taken with my iPhone, the GPSImgDirection EXIF data shows as 97.2633152, also the GPSDestBearing tag is shown, in this case the same number as the GPSImgDirection, 97.2633152.
The GMAX-EOS2 geotagged images from R5 were also missing the GPSDestBearing data.
Why? I don't know. At this point, I am still new to the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 and it's possible that I have set something incorrectly.
I've down some testing with the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 and found some concerning interaction behavior with the Canon EOS R5.
You get to the Custom settings by paging to "Set" and then pressing the key that looks like a sideways arrow to select. Then page thru each setting until you find the "diR" and select it, by default it is off.
Solmeta custom setting, camera direction set to default, off.
When you select this custom setting you can then page to "On" and select / enable.
After returning to the main display on the GMAX-EOS2 you'll see in the compass page / screen, you'll see the compass direction, plus pitch and roll. 26º NE true north. You have the option in a custom setting for magnetic north or true north. I use True North because most of the other software and devices I use also utilize True North, plus, magnetic north is prone to disruptions from magnetic fields from other devices.
Solmeta compass display: camera direction, pitch and roll.
Everything looks fine but when I depress the Shutter button on the Canon EOS R5, the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2 compass display blanks out the data.
Solmeta compass display: data blank.
And sure enough when I go back into the custom setting for camera direction, it has been disabled.
Solmeta custom setting, camera direction set to default, off.
I've repeated this operation many times but all I know for sure is that it happens and that it is some kind of interaction between the GMAX-EOS2 and the Canon R5 or not. Which device is driving this problem is unclear.
Both devices' manuals are sub para and one is translated from Chinese so I've gleaned as little as I am going to get from those sources.
There might be a bug in the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2, I cannot be sure and I am not going to get anything out of them, they're unreponsive.
If no one can tell me that I'm the source of the problem then I am likely going to need to return the Solmeta GMAX-EOS2.
If anyone has any insights, please let me know.
