GPS tagging

[o2mpx]

Is there a gps tagger or utility for gps files that can map gps data to 3f or 3fr files?

[JCM-Photos]

The 3FR files are in body GPS tagged for the X1D with GPS attachment and X1DII in camera (as well as H files with the GPS attachment).
These GPS data can be read in Phocus in fff imported files and are also exported from Phocus.
907X has no GPS function and X2D not (yet ?)
I did not find an import or modify function in Phocus for GPS coordinates

Attached image shows coordinates in Phocus

[o2mpx]

Thank you for the follow up. Unfortunately it confirms there's not a solution for the x2d setup.

Additionally, have noticed x2d files tend to have Capture Date set as date when file is transferred to 3f, and not the actual date shot.

Much file housekeeping needed for HB files...

[Bob Foster]

AT YOUR OWN RISK-

This sort of problem can usually be handled by Phil Harvey's exiftool. https://exiftool.org/ Reference https://exiftool.org/faq.html, See sections 14 & 15

If you have an older version of exiftool you will likely need to update it as the method I used requires at least version 12.44, version  12.64 is current as of 27th July 2023. Please note that I have run this on Windows and Free BSD. It should work on a Mac as MAC OS remains a UNIX derivative and the higher level API layers are not involved here. Nevertheless, I highly recommend making duplicate files for test purposes. I did!

I'm going to break this post into sections for clarity.

This appears to be safe when Phocus 3.7.4 is used in Windows. In the past this has caused preview problems that caused Phocus to fail to work correctly with modified files in Windows. I do not know if this was the case with Phocus running on a MAC.

Here is the easiest way I've found to get GPS data into one or more .fff files. First, I've navigated to the directory of my choice within cmd.exe run as administrator. Note that I've "glommed" the file name (used an asterisk to shorten typed input character requirements). The syntax *.fff will put the GPS data into all of the ,fff files in the directory. Note that the first attempt failed. This is due to exiftool protecting the file; it is aware that in the past Phocus has had issues with this data addition. Addition of the -m to the command line tells exiftool to ignore this.

Having written my own database/catalog program long, long ago I do not know if this might cause issues with files imported  into Adobe, Capture One or other catalogs. I've observed no problem in Capture One where I always run in sessions or Affinity where I do final touch ups that are inconvenient in or beyond the scope of C1.

The first image shown navigation to the selected directory, the failed command and the successful command. The second image shows part of the result within exiftool itself (the command is exifrool -a filename (exiftool -a *2380.fff)) in this case. The third image shows the result in Phocus 3.7.4, and the final image shows the result in ExifToolGUI. Click on the images to open them in a second window/tab where the type is too small to easily read.

Note also that the Windows version of the file date has changed but the information within the exif file as to when the photo was made is correct.
.
By the way, I placed the GPS location of the image (of a crepe myrtle in bloom) in the Great Salt Lake for security- I live in a peaceful area but even so, these days I'd rather not give the location of a shrub near my studio 

Bob

[JCM-Photos]

Sorry, but why not just adding GPS coordinates to the Phocus exported TIFF file, once out of Phocus ?

[Bob Foster]

JCM,

That should be safe enough. The only objection I have to adding GPS data after processing in Phocus is that here and there I have a file that I can complete in Phocus. The more I use Phocus the more I'm inclined to use it to a point where the image is as nearly finished as is practical (but not necessarily as nearly finished as possible- there are, of course, features in other software that make better use of time).

For dust spots and selective masking operations I usually use Affinity. I don't do a lot of portraiture but for dealing with skin blemishes or skin tone in general C1 is my tool of choice.

Bob

[Bob Foster]

There are a lot of third party applications/programs available that handle GPS data in various formats from various devices with varying degrees of ease of use and indeed, varying success. As most of these intended to work with .jpg and/or .tiff files it makes some sense to place GPS data in a .jpg or .tiff file that corresponds to the .fff as saved. Depending on your catalog and/or how your search function is set up searching .jpg files may result in a not inconsiderable time savings.

You may be a candidate to try third party software if
1. you want to add information the camera cannot record- stacked lenses, manual lenses (in this case other than Hasselblad) etc.
2. you have multiple copies of any given lens and want to easily see which was used (Lens serial number)
3, you want to semi automate inclusion of GPS data into your metadata.
4. create special purpose tags. Example- you have a job that will recur over time that is best taken with your HB  back/body mounted on a view camera. The SK HR Digitar in a Copal is easy to add but what anout the 13mm rise on the front and the 1° swing to the right on the back standard?   Example: perhaps your Arca Swiss plates are marked in mm and you'd like to make a note that may help to expedite a pano setup that the the entrance pupil of the lens is placed so that minimal fuss is needed to get the setup right. And so on and on...

ExifToolGUI requires a bit of user setup if you wish to go beyond the defaults but is very reliable once you learn its' quirks. It is capable of displaying everything the camera records and almost anything else that might be germane. That said, it has not been updated since 2012 and I've seen complaints from a few folk that can't get it to run at all. It can display GPS information from a .fff .jpg and .tiff files. There is no preview when it is called upon to display information from a .fff file. I has a built in capability to assist in importing .xmp format GPS data. The map display may or may not function properly. https://exiftool.org/gui/

Exif pilot is stable and can display a wide number of options. Some setup is required if you wish to go beyond the defaults, choices for the items to be displayed are limited to a large though slightly incomplete menu. I don't believe that I've seen a way for it to display custom tags. It cannot display information from .fff files but can display information from both .jpg and .tiff files. It does have a function to import GPS data semi automatically. https://www.colorpilot.com/products.html#digital

GeoSetter is stable and appears to display all written metadata by default. It is capable of displaying data from .fff, .jpg, and .tiff files. It is capable of displaying everything the camera records and almost anything else that might be germane. It has a function to assist in importing GPS data.  There is a built in function to display GPS data on Google maps. Despite the website stating that Internet Explorer 10 or higher is required this does work on a system without any part of the IE package- Long ago I removed that browser with Power shell. https://geosetter.de/en/download-en/

jexiftool pilot is stable and appears to display all written metadata by default. It is capable of displaying data from .fff, .jpg, and .tiff files. It is capable of displaying everything the camera records and almost anything else that might be germane. It has a function to assist in importing GPS data. https://github.com/hvdwolf/jExifToolGUI/releases

[Bob Foster]

Consideration might well be given to intended use. I seldom geotag studio photos, the exceptions are usually that I have used a manual lens or I want to make note of something that wasn't routine. I do tag many, but not all shots taken on location. If you live in an area where cell phone service runs from marginal to non-existant you may prefer a dedicated gps device. Your cell phone may very well provide all the accuracy you need but if, as examples, you're a surveyor or a botanist marking the location of rare plants and making photos as a part of your work and do need higher accuracy and repeatability your gps device may use an uncommon file format that may not work with the free applications/programs that I've listed above.

Above all, please read the manuals. Sometimes once isn't enough (at least for me).

Bob

[JCM-Photos]

Sorry
but Phocus doesn't work with catalogues or any other form of asset management system or sidekick files.

[KuehnKvT]

You could tag your fff or jpg or tif files using Adobe Lightroom:

Record a gpx-track with a smartphone or other GPS device while you shoot your photos,
Import your photos into LR
Load the track into LR
tag your photos.

See here:

http://www.hasselbladdigitalforum.com/index.php?topic=8870.msg46910#msg46910

[Bob Foster]

JCM- I do not see where I implied that Phocus either has its' own catalog or asset management system or was able to work with that of any other software. I certainly did not intend for anyone to read that into my post.

I noted that caution might well be advisable (as in thoroughly testing before employing metadata changes routinely). 

In particular, part of the C1 catalog system appears to be compliant with at least one rather old metadata specification rather than having been kept fully current. It is possible though not probable that in reading an unexpected item attached to a file (or a sidecar) something that the programmers had not anticipated might happen, perhaps, for instance, due to a new option.

My sense if that Adobe has kept up (reasonably) with changing specs. Nevertheless, I can't guarantee that every external change to metadata possible is wholly compatible with the Lightroom catalog code.

Bob

[o2mpx]

@Bob Foster,

Many thanks for the thoughtful and detailed responses.

For someone like me who's been using Leica and a MacBook, it's been painless to use Geotag on iPhone to create the gps file, and once DNG photos are saved into a folder on the laptop, run program from Geotag and it automatically attaches coordinates to metadata.

Certainly there hasn't been a streamlined route when it comes to gps tagging of HB files, particularly since I don't subscribe to LR so the process KuehnKvT mentioned wouldn't apply.

I'm not leaning to opt into LR subscription so closest I can achieve is to tag the output files post edit, whether TIFF or jpeg, instead of the 3f's.