Geotagging (GPS) Pictures

[ttonnis]

Hello,

I was hoping I could get some comments or suggestions. All too often I have taken pictures and look back 6 months later only to wonder where there were taken. Sure you could keep a paper log and then record them after the shoot. However, that can become tedious.

I was considering the purchase of a a Geotagger that would work with my camera (Canon T1I). This would automatically record my location each time a photo is taken. It's my understanding you then import into a software package and it identifies the photo location based on the GPS location recorded by the tracker.

Does anyone have any experience with these units good or bad? Also, if you have used them is there one you would recommend? I have heard of a unit by Jobo and one by another by Gisteq (Photo Tracker) that didn't get very positive feedback.

Any comments or opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[mtngal]

If you are going to be using software to put the geocoordinates into the picture file, you can use any tracking GPS to get your track, then use software to associate the track to the time the picture was taken. The only thing you have make sure of is that the GPS and the camera are syncronized. My GPS device is a hand-held Garmin that has maps, tracks etc. so I use it for more than just geotagging.

Of course, the limitation of any GPS device is that they have to be able to receive signals from the satellites, so aren't always accurate/useful indoors.

It would be more useful to have a unit that writes the data directly to the file in-camera. I believe Nikon makes such a unit and Pentax has just announced a unit for their latest dSLR cameras (which also has some unique astrophotography tricks to it).

The units you get that sit on the hot-shoe are small, but do limit your use of the flash. A solution like mine is bigger and heavier, but is carried off of the camera (mine is on my belt). Since I'm likely to be carrying it anyway, it doesn't add more weight.

[TCav]

For cameras that have their own GPS unit built-in, or as an accessory add-on, the camera puts the GPS data directly into the EXIF file header for each photo. Only seperate GPS devices need to have a computer synchronize the date and time of the track log of the GPS device with the date and time of when each photo was taken. And, yes, you need to make sure that the camera has the correct date and time, because the GPS will, and if the camera's clock is off, you'll need to adjust for that when you sync them.

[joelw135]

I use a Solmeta GPS hot shoe mount on my Nikon D90 and love the ease of use.