Comments on: Gisteq PhotoTrackr

By: Leo

Leo — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:01:57 +0000

Hi publicenergy,

I’m looking into purchasing one of these devices for a trip to the United States. The trip is a three month roadtrip so obviously I wont be sorting my photos until I’m home - is it possible to just grab the ‘geotag data file’ or whatever from the GPS device, send it home on a CF card or whatever with the photos and then sort them later.

So each CF card has 2gb of photos and however many geotag files. I’m simply making sure that you don’t require the software to extract the geotag data from the device.

By: GeoPhoto

GeoPhoto — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:52:06 +0000

I bought the PhotoTrackr light, and installed the basic software that came with the device. It works, but does not handle raw images. So I bought the upgrade and installed the Pro version. I can see that the Pro version is running after starting the program. It shows it’s name. But raw images are still not handled. The camera used is listed as being supported. For now it seems that there is no advantage having the Pro version. It doesn’t do anything more than the basic version. The documentation is also poor, so maybe I am doing something wrong. If anyone has it working, can you tell how you do your workflow?

By: publicenergy

publicenergy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:01:29 +0000

Mark, I think you’re stuffed! I’ve not seen anything that will do everything you want it to do. A traditional GPS with removable memory cards would do the trick (like the new Garmin eTrex models), but they would also be pain to keep on all of the time.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:20:01 +0000

Thanks Dave. I’ll give that a go.

Hard as I’m not on my own computer so trying not to download and install too many apps! On that note, I read that the unit will store b/w 3-4 weeks of logging data before the memory fills up. Is there any way to save that data from the unit without installing the software? I am going to be backpacking for the next 4-5 months, so won’t have access to my own computer for quite a while…. and I’m not sure how keen they will be at Internet Cafes to let me install the program.

Any thoughts?

By: publicenergy

publicenergy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Mark,

One of my friends had the same problem when installing the program. From memory, when I installed the software, it walked me through a wizard which told me what to type in there.

If I were you, I’d download the latest version, uninstall your version and go through the setup again with the latest version. The instructions in the wizard should walk you through it fine.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:43:16 +0000

I just got hold of a Photo Trackr lite today and have only had limited success with the bundled software. The window that is supposed to display the maps comes up blank and I am presented with a message saying that the API code I have is for the wrong website? But what website am I supposed to put when applying for an API code - as I only want to use it through the application.

I’m sure this should be simple, but I just can’t get it working. Any ideas/help??

By: Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:56:51 +0000

Usually when I ask a question it snowballs into something that gets out-of-hand. I’ve boned up on the theory and used a couple of cameras on several outings with a variety of software to put it all to the test:

http://www.bioneural.net/2008/03/05/an-abc-of-geotagging-photos-on-the-mac/

By: Simon Leppard

Simon Leppard — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:00:26 +0000

I’ve taken delivery of the phototrackr.
Works very well.
Have not stumped up the extra cash for pro version.
I use RoboGeo and GeoSetter(free) to sync GPX to photos.

Work flow:
Copy .nef to H/D
Copy GPX to H/D
Sync photos to GPX in Robogeo/Geosetter
Import into Lightroom.

Found that this way I do not have to re read the xmp files.

Have done 26K other photos using GeoSetter to find place on map (pre GPS purchase)

Would love to find other software to interface with the Phototrackr.

Not too sure of the loss/re-acquiring signal at present. Does not seem to be happy inside coat pocket, but out in open is fine

By: publicenergy

publicenergy — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:31:40 +0000

I’m not 100% sure - but I think the only difference between normal and Pro is import file types - all of the exports for Google Maps, Google Earth and GPX and and so on remain unchanged as far as I know.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:27:37 +0000

Thanks Dave. This probably means I could buy PhotoTrackr Lite, import the track log and then export it to GPX under Windows (Boot Camp), then use the GPX file to geocode either raw or jpg using e.g. HoudaGeo under OS X. Sounds feasible—you’re sure the basic (non-Pro) software exports to GPX?

Good to know your GPS data survives editing; apparently editing in iPhoto is a bad idea (not that I would anyway) as it eats metadata for breakfast.

By: publicenergy

publicenergy — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:05:25 +0000

Bruce,

It looks like that chart has the same device listed twice - one normal and one pro. The only difference will be the version of the bundled software. My upgrade was a $20 upgrade of the software - which by default just opened JPG. The Pro version opens up DNG RAW files which is fine for me as it fits in with using Lightroom quite nicely.

I imagine that the Lite version just comes with the normal version of the software - at the end of the day, all of the devices just supply a tracklog and it’s the software on the computer that matches that up with the time of the photographs and updates them with the co-ordinates.

The default software should allow you to get the tracklog from the device and export that as a GPX file for use in any software you care to use. Prior to getting the PhotoTrackr, I had a licence for RoboGeo and that allows you to match a tracklog with DNG files too. For an easy life though, the Pro version of the PhotoTrackr software is probably going to make things easier.

My actual workflow goes like this:

1. Import photos in to Lightroom
2. Import tracklog from PhotoTrackr in to PhotoTrackr Pro Software
3. Open my imported Lightroom photo folder in PhotoTrackr Pro and write co-ordinates to DNG files
4. Get Lightroom to re-read metadata
5. Apply tags to photos in Lightroom

I find that after that, any editing I do (including in Photoshop), the metadata stays in tact, including the co-ordinates.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:49:41 +0000

Dave, are you saying that the hardware Trackr you bought didn’t support raw files, but now does so after a software upgrade to Pro? Reason I ask is that I’m interested in the PhotoTrackr Lite which, according to this chart, doesn’t support raw. I’m not clear whether this is a hardware or bundled software limitation.

Secondly, do you know if it makes more sense to geocode your raw files and then process them in Bridge/ Photoshop, or would it be preferable to leave the raw files untouched and attach the EXIF data to saved JPEGs?

By: Kinder Scout « publicenergy

Kinder Scout « publicenergy — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:14:56 +0000

[...] the Gisteq PhotoTrackr continues to work very well, meaning that all of my photos get geotagged when I’m out walking [...]

By: UK maps on Flickr « publicenergy

UK maps on Flickr « publicenergy — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:21:02 +0000

[...] data to photographs and it seems to have fallen by the wayside. I’m glad that I use the Gisteq PhotoTrackr for geotagging almost all of my photos these days, because trying to accurately position a [...]

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:01:12 +0000

Bought mine today. Looking forward to using it whilst on 4×4 trips greenlaning. I’m not far away from Clumber ( Gainsborough ) and may take a closer look at your walk. I seem to be a Gadget Freak. Bought a Wifi SD card last week to send pictures back to the on board laptop whilst out and about.

A good review. Looking forward to reading more.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:46:36 +0000

Nice article - I think I’ll be looking at getting one in the new year.