Overview#
These days GPS is good method to mark where images / videos where taken or to keep track of a journey. Furthermore there are additional tools which let you sort & group your content based on GPS position data or create overlays to use in videos showing the track, speed or turns taken to make that video.
Unfortunately Insta360 consumer cameras have no build-in GPS module. But Insta360 provides ways to gather that GPS data by an external ways in which external devices capable of receiving GPS data are utilized to provide that data to the camera.
Possible GPS data sources#
With the OneX/R/X2 you have up to three possible choices to get GPS data encoded to your images & videos.
| Source | One X | One R/RS | One X2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| App | ✔ | ✔/✔ | ✔ |
| GPS smart Remote | ✔ | ✔/✔ | ✔ |
| Apple Watch App | ✖ | ✔/✔ | ✔ |
| Coros Vertix21 | ✖ | ✔/✔ | ✔ |
| Garmin Watch App2 (3rd party app) | ✖ | ✔/✔ | ✔ |
| WatchOS App3(3rd party app) | (not tested) | (not tested) | ✔ |
Where and how is GPS data stored?#
For images the GPS based location data is stored in the related EXIF tags. Those can be read with Tools like ExifTool, ExifPilot, GeoSetter or equal. Some of those tools, like ExifPilot or the exif-swiss-army-knife ExifTool, can also read them on the source insp files.
For video the GPS data is encoded into a stream at a special address of the exif area. Some GPS overlay tools can read that part directly. Some other tools need them in an additional gpx file and therefor the data has to be extracted, for example with ExifTool.
Is GPS data saved in all videos / images?#
No, unfortunately not. At the current state (October 2021) GPS data is only stored in insp and insv files, not in DNG files. Speaking about video, GPS data is also saved in SteadyCam mode or single lens module videos as long as you have set the mode to "Pro" at the camera display settings. In "Basic" or "Quick" (stabilization) mode videos GPS is not saved.
Currently the Insta360app has no option to switch between "Basic/Quick" and "Pro".