Bug 511342 - Photo with invalid GPS data (0,0) located at Equator
Summary: Photo with invalid GPS data (0,0) located at Equator
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: digikam
Classification: Applications
Component: Metadata-Gps (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 8.8.0
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Digikam Developers
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-10-29 22:06 UTC by Nicofo
Modified: 2025-11-01 21:52 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

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Description Nicofo 2025-10-29 22:06:25 UTC
SUMMARY
I have pictures with invalid GPS data. Digikam displays them as located at Equator.

The GPS are invalid because all fields are 0 (except the date). ExifTool says:
GPS Altitude                    : 0 m Above Sea Level
GPS Latitude                    : 0 deg 0' 0.00" N
GPS Longitude                   : 0 deg 0' 0.00" E
GPS Position                    : 0 deg 0' 0.00" N, 0 deg 0' 0.00" E

OBSERVED RESULT
Digikam displays them at Equator (as though lat=0, long=0), but clearly this is wrong (values of lat, long, at altitute are exactly 0)

EXPECTED RESULT
Digikam should consider that there is no valid GPS data

ADDITIONAL INFO
1) See example of such picture: https://nicofo.tuxfamily.org/tmp/Example_with_Lat=Lon=Alt=0.jpg
2) Note: I don't know if this can be related to https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=326406#c26
Comment 1 caulier.gilles 2025-10-30 03:14:06 UTC
Some camera provides indications about the quality of signal (as DLSR), other no (as cellulars). For example:

* From my Iphone 15 pro:

>>> Global Positioning System <<<

GPS Altitude : 165.4 m
GPS Altitude Reference : Above sea level
GPS Date Stamp : 2025:10:26
GPS Destination Bearing : 105.403
GPS Destination Bearing Reference : Magnetic direction
GPS Horizontal positioning error : 6.47503
GPS Image Direction : 105.403 deg
GPS Image Direction Reference : Magnetic direction
GPS Latitude : 43 deg 38' 52.18"
GPS Latitude Reference : North
GPS Longitude : 3 deg 20' 26.30"
GPS Longitude Reference : East
GPS Speed : 0.66727
GPS Speed Reference : km/h
GPS Time Stamp : 12:13:33

* From my Sony A77 i can see more details :

>>> Global Positioning System <<<

GPS Altitude : 156.6 m
GPS Altitude Reference : Above sea level
GPS Data Degree of Precision : 1.4247
GPS Date Stamp : 2015:07:23
GPS Differential : Without correction
GPS Latitude : 43 deg 39' 7.64"
GPS Latitude Reference : North
GPS Longitude : 3 deg 21' 49.53"
GPS Longitude Reference : East
GPS Map Datum : WGS-84
GPS Measure Mode : 3-dimensional measurement
GPS Speed : 0.292
GPS Speed Reference : km/h
GPS Status : Measurement in progress
GPS Time Stamp : 11:57:17
GPS Track : 60.53 deg
GPS Track Ref : True direction
GPS Version ID : 2.3.0.0

So the limited information about the GPS quality of signal cannot be used everywhere to judge if the Geolocation are valid or not.

Gilles Caulier
Comment 2 Maik Qualmann 2025-10-30 07:28:20 UTC
Just because the latitude, longitude, and altitude are 0 doesn't invalidate the coordinates. While it's unlikely the image was taken at exactly that location, it's possible. We also have a valid GPS date and time stamp. The metadata contains no other information, such as the number of satellites, that could be used to verify the coordinates' accuracy.

For me, this is not a bug in digiKam, but rather a bug in the camera/smartphone; it should not make a GPS entry in the metadata if no coordinates are available.

Maik
Comment 3 Nicofo 2025-11-01 20:56:33 UTC
(In reply to Maik Qualmann from comment #2)
> Just because the latitude, longitude, and altitude are 0 doesn't invalidate
> the coordinates. While it's unlikely the image was taken at exactly that
> location, it's possible. We also have a valid GPS date and time stamp. The
> metadata contains no other information, such as the number of satellites,
> that could be used to verify the coordinates' accuracy.
> 
> For me, this is not a bug in digiKam, but rather a bug in the
> camera/smartphone; it should not make a GPS entry in the metadata if no
> coordinates are available.
> 
> Maik

I expected that answer, and I understand it - indeed I have not found exif field in my picture that would allow us to invalidate the GPS data.

The (0,0) coordinates is valid even if totally unlikely. This is even called the "Null Island" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_Island), known because a lot of software associate the GPS location of invalid pictures there. This shows that a lot of camera/smartphone use these coordinates when they don't have a valid GPS information.

Because 99.9999...% of pictures with (0,0) have invalid data, I would consider (0,0) as invalid. What do you think ?
Comment 4 Maik Qualmann 2025-11-01 21:52:35 UTC
Okay, you've convinced me ((:-))

Maik