NOTE: As of August 20, 2023, the WebKit version provided by MacOS 10.14 Mojave is no longer capable of displaying the Google Maps views required for this feature. Users who rely on this feature should update to MacOS 10.15 Catalina or later. Photo Mechanic 5 users will need to upgrade to Photo Mechanic 6 or Photo Mechanic Plus.
The Import GPS Coordinates dialog (File>Import GPS Coordinates...) can import GPS logs in the GPX and NMEA formats. In order to add coordinates, you will also need to install the free app, GPS Babel.
In order to load your GPS logs, you need to copy your GPS log from your GPS data logging device to your computer’s hard drive, or if your GPS data logging device acts as a USB storage device, such as the AMOD AGL3080 device, then you can access your logs directly.
Use the Add... button to choose and load your logs. Use the Remove button to remove any added logs you no longer want to work with. Once all of your logs are loaded, use the Plot GPS Logs button to plot the path you traveled on the Google map.
Next, you’ll need to synchronize the time your photos were taken with the GMT-based times that are recorded in each GPS coordinate. The simplest way to do this is to use the Auto button in the GMT Offset of Photos section. This automatic offset calculation uses the difference in time between the earliest coordinate in the GPS logs and the capture time of the first selected photo. This is usually a good time offset, but if you find that the GPS coordinate matches are not very accurate, use the remaining time/day offset fields to adjust. You can always use the Reset button to start over. The buttons in the Move through log coordinates by second box also allow you to fine-tune your offsets. You’ll see the map markers change as you move through the log coordinates. To see different photos in your selection and where they match up, use the arrow buttons to navigate through your selected photos. Use the Dismiss button to remove a photo from your selection. Once you’re satisfied with the matches, use the Import button to bulk apply the coordinates from the logs to your selected photos.
- Allow matches within gaps in log: allows Photo Mechanic to ‘interpolate’ locations between two GPS coordinates. If this checkbox is turned off then only GPS coordinates with time matches within the time range specified will be used and some photos will not receive GPS coordinates.
- Don’t match photos if closest log time is off by more than __ minutes: specifies the time range for matching GPS coordinates with photos.
- Overwrite existing GPS coordinates in photos: allows GPS coordinates that may already exist in selected photos to be overwritten by the GPS coordinates being imported. If you don’t want photos that already contain GPS coordinates to be replaced by the imported GPS coordinates, then uncheck this checkbox. Only photos that do not have GPS coordinates will have GPS coordinates imported.
- Reverse Geocode: When checked, this feature will attempt to translate your GPS coordinates into location names by using the Camera Bits reverse geocoding server. Use the ellipsis (...) button to specify the metadata fields for this location data.