Problems with GPS tagging with new version of camera connect (R5)

Hi all.

I have never had problems with GPS tagging via camera connect app, but with the last update (the new UI) everything changed.

Tagging still works - there is no problem with connection between camera and smartphone but the location stopped to be updated frequently - so all photos seem to be taken in clusters in single locations.

Last few days I was walking Amsterdam with my camera and all photos seem to be taken in 4 or 5 places. That's very disappointing. Can You confirm if Your setup also has that problem since update?

Im using EOS R5 with FW 1.6.0 and camera connect (iPhone 13 Pro) version 3.0.1.21

Br, Pawel

You use this method because the R5 doesn't have any built in GPS, like the R3, right?

apersson850 wrote:

You use this method because the R5 doesn't have any built in GPS, like the R3, right?

Yes.

I've also have GP-E2 GPS module which works perfect, but I prefer smartphone solution as it is more compact (and I have my phone with me always when making photos)

Br, Pawel

I don't need it, as the cameras I use nowadays have GPS built in. Do you have any feeling for if the communication between phone and camera only happens rarely, or if it could be the positioning service in the phone that just updates now and then?

I'm trying to understand if the problem is that the phone doesn't know better, or if it does, but just doesn't tell the camera frequently enough?

SigZero wrote:

Hi all.

I have never had problems with GPS tagging via camera connect app, but with the last update (the new UI) everything changed.

Tagging still works - there is no problem with connection between camera and smartphone but the location stopped to be updated frequently - so all photos seem to be taken in clusters in single locations.

Last few days I was walking Amsterdam with my camera and all photos seem to be taken in 4 or 5 places. That's very disappointing. Can You confirm if Your setup also has that problem since update?

Im using EOS R5 with FW 1.6.0 and camera connect (iPhone 13 Pro) version 3.0.1.21

Br, Pawel

Not sure how it works with iOS, but with Android, you'd need to give the app the permission to use GPS while in the background.

But it could well be a bug in the updated app.

SigZero wrote:

Hi all.

I have never had problems with GPS tagging via camera connect app, but with the last update (the new UI) everything changed.

Tagging still works - there is no problem with connection between camera and smartphone but the location stopped to be updated frequently - so all photos seem to be taken in clusters in single locations.

Last few days I was walking Amsterdam with my camera and all photos seem to be taken in 4 or 5 places. That's very disappointing. Can You confirm if Your setup also has that problem since update?

I've had that problem for years with the Camera Connect app, using various cameras (M6II, RP, R5) and various iphones.

SigZero wrote:

Im using EOS R5 with FW 1.6.0 and camera connect (iPhone 13 Pro) version 3.0.1.21

The problem is more likely to be phone side rather than camera. The first thing to check would be that your location permissions fot the app are set to "Always"

Related thread -

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/66432856

Tom Bak wrote:

SigZero wrote:

Tagging still works - there is no problem with connection between camera and smartphone but the location stopped to be updated frequently - so all photos seem to be taken in clusters in single locations.

That problem has existed at least for some months now. Even when the app is set to "always" allow connections.

Sure, my app is set to have access to GPS data "always". That also makes it work in the background.

It show the BT connection all the time, so it's not problem o loosing connection between smartphone and camera. With the same firmware in camera (1.6.0) the previous version of Camera Connect worked correctly - all photos were tagged with exact position they were taken.

But still - I see that people had this kind of problem also with older version of Camera Connect, which I did not have.

Br, Paweł.

Hint:

You should be aware of the fact that when using only a Bluetooth connection, the camera time is not updated according to GPS time, even though then the camera will not allow you to set time manually.

The only way to sync mobile and camera time is when both bluetooth and Wifi are connected and you explicitly (one-time) push the time from the mobile to the camera.

I have seen this problem too with the old version and my R5, and don't have a definite solution. The one thing I have tried is using a GPS or Navigation app to keep the phone constantly updating the GPS position. I'm not sure if the problem is that the Canon app doesn't query the GPS too often to save battery, or if it doesn't communicate it frequently enough to the camera.

If turning your camera off and on between locations you have a workable solution IMO. The alternative is a clunky thing on your hot-shoe or a hassle to merge phone data in post.

I have the GP-E2 for your hot shoe. It is expensive and bulky. I got the EOS R cameras after Covid came out in 2020 so my traveling has been limited in the last few years.

The 5D mk IV, 7D mk 2 and 6D mk 2 are great old school dslr and they has GPS built in. It sure was nice. Now only the expensive R3 of the Canon mirrorless cameras has built-in GPS.

I gave up on real time geotagging with an app for the reasons commonly cited.

But I'm wondering if that's the still the only way to use the app to geocode. On an Olympus one keeps the Oly app on and tracking on the phone, but with NO connection to the camera. Then, later, one connects to the camera and syncs, which writes to the images IN the camera. Basically like one does on a computer and a synced GPX file as in Lr, but in the camera. I found it a great compromise, since real time is often unreliable for me.

Or has anybody developed a non Canon app that can do that?

You're describing the behavior I noticed with the previous version. I tried it and decided to fall back on my tried and true method for geotagging: Use the Viewranger app on my phone to log a gps trail. When I'm finished with my trip, I take a photo of the Clocks app. Then I use Houdageo to sync the log with the photos. Houdageo by default, uses the last image to sync the time. Since in my routine, it's a picture of a clock, I simply enter the time displayed on the clock. All the photos are tagged with coordinates interpolated from the gps log I recorded. It has worked perfectly every time I've tried it. The resolution is as good as I choose it to be in the Viewranger app.

I realize Houdageo is a Mac-only app. I'm sure something similar exists for other platforms. Anyway, this is far more reliable than Camera Connect and doesn't use Bluetooth.

and that's one of my biggest gripes with Canon not including built-in GPS on their new mirrorless cameras.. we travel a lot these days.. long cruises of 50+ days at a time.. just did the Med 64 days 50th anniversary cruise with my R7 and my 17-40L-- a nice lightweight travel combo for me personally.... just don't want to get involved syncing this--syncing that.. sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't with the Canon Connect app or a separate geotagger unit attaching it to the camera.. mind-boggling that Canon would stop including the built-in GPS in their high end overpriced mirrorless cameras like on my 6DMkII with its built-in GPS

I desperately tried to find reasons not to spend money on an R3 I didn't really need. Early reports that the rear buttons were not illuminated, like on the 1DX Mark III, saved me for a while, but they turned out to be false.

Then I tried to cling to the hope that reports of the R3 lacking GPS would save me, but alas, they were also false.

So here I am...

The GP-E2 works for compass on the R5 and R7 hotshoe. It does not support the compass heading like it does on some of the older models (I like the compass data). Maybe the R5 mk II will have GPS and a compass. You can buy the GP-E2 used for around $150. I like because it works and requires no cables.

There is a cheaper Solmeta for $129. https://www.solmeta.com/Product/show/id/19

However, the website says the Solmeta does not work with Canon Mirrorless (R,R5 etc) cameras.

I know some people on the forum has used the Solmeta in the past. I would rather have the GP-E2 that I trust as long as it is turned on the it shows a lock on the read LCD "GPS" icon on one of the info screens (the busiest one). It works on my older dslrs like the 70D.

The 7D2 and 5D mk IV both have the GPS built it like a professional camera should. My smartphone has GPS built into the EXIF data.