Coordinate conversion app for WGS84, UTM, TUREF and ED50
Coordinate conversion is invisible in the field but expensive when wrong.
Field takeaways
- WGS84 is common for KML and latitude longitude.
- TUREF/TM matters in modern Türkiye workflows.
- ED50 still appears in old maps and archives.
- EPSG codes reduce ambiguity.
- MapLab Survey helps preserve CRS context.
Which conversion are we talking about?
Latitude and longitude to UTM, WGS84 to TUREF, ED50 to TUREF, or moving between TM zones — in the field it all gets called "coordinate conversion", but the jobs do not carry the same risk. Some only change how the point is written; others can move its position on the ground by metres. Naming the job correctly prevents half the mistakes.
Projection change, datum change, or both
A transformation can change the projection, the datum, or both. Converting latitude and longitude to UTM is a projection change: the point stays put, only its expression changes. Crossing between WGS84 and a national datum shifts the ground position by metres, and pressing convert without knowing which case you are in carries a correct measurement to the wrong place.
The ED50 warning
Treating ED50 to TUREF as one fixed shift is wrong; the transformation demands regional and methodological care. When old map-sheet data meets modern GNSS measurements, a known control point and a written transformation note are not optional.
EPSG on both sides
Name the source and the target by their EPSG codes; "UTM" alone is not a system, because the zone and the datum are part of it. MapLab Survey lets you find a system by searching its EPSG code, and writing that code in the filename and the report lets the file answer its own questions later.
The conversion workflow in the app
Choose the coordinate system when you open the project; convert a single typed coordinate on the spot, or transform selected points in bulk and export them as CSV. Before exporting, think of the recipient: KML expects WGS84 geographic coordinates, while CAD expects metre coordinates in a suitable projected system.
Verify on a known point, keep the original
Transform one point whose coordinates you know in both systems and compare; that single test catches almost every configuration mistake. Store the untransformed data next to the converted output, so a wrong parameter can be fixed without another trip to the field.
Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
Why is conversion important?
Wrong conversion moves good measurements.
Is ED50 to TUREF a simple shift?
No.
What CRS does KML use?
WGS84 geographic coordinates.
Why use EPSG?
To reduce ambiguity.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: TUREF, UTM, ITRF selection · ED50 to TUREF · Transformation report · MapLab Survey