DSLR & GPS

I do not have a GPS device for my DSLRs, & if I did, I would not want it continuously attached. However I would like to have that info. in my metadata. If I had one attached @ the beginning of a session, disconnected it during the shoot, & reconnected it @ the end, is there a way to transfer the GPS data to the interm exposures? Or a slight change to this situation,. Say it was attached during the entire shoot from entering a GPS signal 'proof' structure to exit, would this data be transferable to the interm shots?

There are a couple of ways to record GPS data without an attachment (or internally).

 

The simplest way is to snap an establishment shot with your cell phone at the same location. You can copy and paste GPS data from any source in Lightroom. Slighly more complicated is to log a GPX file with a hand-held GPS, which can be automatically matched to images in Lightroom, based on the time of capture. GPS time is always in UTC time zone, so you have to add or subtract hours from the time zone recorded in you EXIF data.

 

Sony does not put a GPS in the camera or a dongle. However you can pair your cell phone with the camera using Imaging Edge Mobile software, and the camera will log GPS data to each image. Geotagging only occurs when the software is running (even in the background). Once paired, the connection is automatically restored the moment both the program and camera are turned on.

Edited August 26, 2019 by Ed_Ingold

A smartphone app is probably the way to go, as long as phone and camera are kept in close proximity.

 

The UTC time data from GPS satellites is microsecond exact. So linking the camera shots to a particular location shouldn't be an issue, even with a simple tracking app running on your phone.

 

There used to be hardware and software on sale for doing this exact job. Well before most cameras (or phones) had GPS capability. So it's not a difficult task these days.

 

FWIW, I have a DIY Bluetooth modem dongle that attaches to my Nikons. This in turn can 'talk' to a Bluetooth enabled GPS module and transfer that GPS data automatically to the camera. The advantage of this is that the Bluetooth modem uses less battery power from the camera, and can couple to a whole range of GPS devices that have Bluetooth. I've got 3 or 4 little pocketable GPS modules that each have their own battery, and are paired with the camera dongle. So I nearly always have a charged GPS backup device, even in the wilds of 'nowhere'. OK. It's old technology, but if it ain't bust.....