GPS Data Unit Error - Canon 5D Mark IV to Lightrooom

[srlee]

The GPS unit in the Canon 5D Mark IV records elevation information in meters, and geotags photos with this information as well as location data. When this is picked up by Lightroom on import, it reports the elevation in feet. For example, my current elevation is 6,421 feet. The camera records this (correctly) as 1,957 meters. However, in the metadata reported by Lightroom this is shown as 1, 957 ft. I can't seem to figure out how to change this in either direction (on the camera or in Lightroom).

Has anyone else encountered this and solved this issue?

Thanks.

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum. In MacOS Sierra, you probably have set the Language&Region/General/Measurement Settings to "US". The value in the Canon EXIF is simply a number. LR uses the OS default units to display that value. If you can't get the Canon settings to express in feet, then you will either need to change the Language&Region/General/Measurement Settings to "UK" or file a bug report with Adobe and Canon

 

[srlee]

Thanks.

I thought about that possibility, but I've never seen metric units pop up before (for example, temperatures are in Fahrenheit). I looked and region is set correctly to the US. I don't see a way to change any other individual units other than temperature in the dialog box on the Mac. I thought perhaps I was missing a preference or something in LR.

I guess the bug report is the way to go. Not sure what else to try.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I don't have this camera, but it seems odd that it would not be possible to set the elevation to feet in the camera...

 

[clee01l]

Thanks.

I thought about that possibility, but I've never seen metric units pop up before (for example, temperatures are in Fahrenheit). I looked and region is set correctly to the US. I don't see a way to change any other individual units other than temperature in the dialog box on the Mac. I thought perhaps I was missing a preference or something in LR.

I guess the bug report is the way to go. Not sure what else to try.

Click the Advanced button. There you will find the setting that I referenced.
Change the setting to UK, then restart LR. The Altitude will show meters. Is it the right value or did it just convert the former value from feet to meters
My Nikon does not have a built in GPS. I have a 3rd party GPS and this writes the GPS values into the EXIF I have setting on the GPS to set feet or meters. I use feet and have my computer settings set to US units. LR then displays the value correctly. I think your Canon need to be able to record the Altitude in the same units as the country that your computer resides in. If it can't then I don't think there is a problem with LR or your OS.

 

[srlee]

The more I think about this, I realized that the problem cannot be how my Mac is configured. It is correctly configured for the US region using imperial units. Lightroom is, aparently, correctly interpreting the number reported by the camera as imperial feet even though the number itself is in meters. I tested this by forcing the Sierra OS to use the metric system. Lightroom reports (the same number) in meters. When I revert back to imperial units on the Mac, Lightroom is reporting the number in those units. So the unit label is changing correctly. The number is not. I still don't know where the problem lies. Somewhere a translation of units needs to occur. I can't seem to change the units on the camera (or at least I've not figured out how yet) so perhaps my bug report to Canon will help there. Otherwise, I guess I have to leave my Mac using the metric system, which I really don't want to do.

 

[srlee]

Click the Advanced button. There you will find the setting that I referenced.
Change the setting to UK, then restart LR. The Altitude will show meters. Is it the right value or did it just convert the former value from feet to meters
My Nikon does not have a built in GPS. I have a 3rd party GPS and this writes the GPS values into the EXIF I have setting on the GPS to set feet or meters. I use feet and have my computer settings set to US units. LR then displays the value correctly. I think your Canon need to be able to record the Altitude in the same units as the country that your computer resides in. If it can't then I don't think there is a problem with LR or your OS.

Yes, our replies crossed one another. I tried what you suggested above. I think the issue is with camera settings that may or may not be alterable...

 

[clee01l]

I took a look at the EXIF Standard

0x0006    6    GPSInfo    Exif.GPSInfo.GPSAltitude    Rational    Indicates the altitude based on the reference in GPSAltitudeRef. Altitude is expressed as one RATIONAL value. The reference unit is meters.

The reference unit is in meters. I do not understand why my GPS gives me the option Except to convert if necessary and display in my chosen units. I am trying to determine what value gets written to the Image file header.

UPDATE: I just went outside with my GPS Mounted on the camera I took photos with the GPS Settings set to feet and then to meters. The settings affect only the GPS display. The GPS view on the camera back displays always in Meters. I import the images into LR, and the values are always expressed correctly in the units of my OS doing conversions of the altitude value to feet if necessary. I do not see a problem with my GPS or the EXIF of my Nikon.

 

[clee01l]

You said initially, "So the unit label is changing correctly. The number is not. I still don't know where the problem lies" While I experience the value always converting to the equivalent in feet when the OS settings are changed to US(Imperial). I can not explain the difference between your computer/LR and mine. Both are LRCC2015.10.1 and MacOS. I believe that your Canon is writing the correct metric altitude value in the EXIF field. And this is the case too with my Nikon.

 

[srlee]

You said initially, "So the unit label is changing correctly. The number is not. I still don't know where the problem lies" While I experience the value always converting to the equivalent in feet when the OS settings are changed to US(Imperial). I can not explain the difference between your computer/LR and mine. Both are LRCC2015.10.1 and MacOS. I believe that your Canon is writing the correct metric altitude value in the EXIF field. And this is the case too with my Nikon.

Very strange. So your system, which is quite similar to mine (at least in software), is behaving differently.

I can find no way of changing the output on the camera. It reads meters on the back and that is what it is dropping in the EXIF. LR is not converting this to ft when it reads the data. It just takes the number and calls it ft. I know the camera is reading the altitude (and location) correctly.

 

[srlee]

So now here is even stranger behavior. The conversion is suddenly being done correctly. LR now has the correct elevation in feet in the EXIF data. Most peculiar. The only thing I can figure is that my toggling metric on and off in the OS somehow cleared the issue. When I go back to the previous images that displayed the erroneous data, they are still erroneous. The altitude, in meters, is correct but LR has the same number in ft without conversion.

This is a real head scratcher. But at least it seems to be working (for now).

Thanks for helping me sleuth this.