Geotagging
Geotagging – adding latitude / longitude details to your photographs so that you can look at them on a map, on Google Earth, Maps, Flickr, etc. With some units and software you can even create Google Earth track files, so you can share you photographs and the path you walked while taking them. Brilliant.
Most cameras don’t come with GPS receivers built in, so you’ll need an extra piece of hardware (that you carry around), and usually some associated software to “merge” the GPS data with your photos.
I’ve tested and used a few different units, so I thought I’d gather them together onto one easily accessible page, so here they are!
Navin Minihomer GPS Position Finder Review.
A great little device that’s small enough to clip to your key-chain, will point you in the right direction home, and with extra software act as a Geotagger.
Columbus V-900 GPS Photo Geotagger Video Review.
Mac and PC compatible, with a huge storage capacity, Bluetooth and a built in voice-recorder – what a device!
Comparison of the Amod AGL3080, The ATP Picture Tracker, and the Qstarz Platinum.
These three units are great examples of the different types of GPS Taggers / Trackers you can get – the Amod is a driver-less device, working on both Windows and Macs (Linux too with the right software), the ATP doesn’t need a PC at all, and the Qstarz that has the most features, but you have to use the dedicated Windows software.
Review of the Amod AGL3080 GPS Tracker and Photo Tagger. The Amod acts as a USB mass storage device, so it works on Windows and Mac.
You do need to use the supplied software to combine the captured GPS data and your photographs, but it’s easy and fast.
Review of the Qstarz BT-Q1000P Platinum Photo Tagger. This little gadget can track your pictures, but it also can act as a GPS reciever for a Smart Phone / Pocket PC, turning it into a GPS Sat Nav with the right software.
The Qstarz can do the most things with your photos – not only does it tag your images, you can create Google Earth .kmz files – which are a record of your photos and the path you walked to take them. These .kmz files are then viewed in 3d, you can zoom around Google Earth and your pictures are there too!
ATP GPS Photofinder Review (On one of my other sites, will open in new Window).
The ATP offers a unique approach – it includes a GPS receiver, but also a SD card slot. Once you’ve taken your shots, put your memory card into the slot, and the unit automatically tags them, without the need for a PC!
4 Comments so far...
Marat Says:
2 February 2010 at 1:49 am.
Hey Rob,
Just wondering if you could recommend a geotagger… which one do you think is the best?
If you were to pick one which one would it be and why?
Thanks
Rob_Nunn Says:
2 February 2010 at 9:45 pm.
Hi Marat!
Tricky question, but I really like Qstarz (but I thinks it’s PC only), and after that probably the Amod.
Some new smart-phones have gps logging capabilities, so you can then sync that file with your photos to geotag them, so that might be worth checking out too.
The best solution is if it’s built into the camera, or available as a bolt on, so you can tag your images as you take them. A few compacts offer that, and newer dSLRS can take an accessory that usually snaps onto the flash hot-shoe.
Hope that helps, cheers, Rob.
Marat Says:
2 February 2010 at 11:12 pm.
Hmmm interesting. After looking them up for a while I’ve actually come to like the Columbus. I think what gets me about that is the micro-SD slot. 2GB micro-SD and you’ve got 25 million waypoints… taking it on a holiday you don’t have to worry about extracting the data off it (which was my main concern since you need programs for all of them except the Amod).
I like the rechargeable batteries plus the 24 hour battery life (I know some Qstarz have more but they lack the waypoint memory).
As far as I know only the Nikon have hot-shoe accessories? Maybe I’m wrong… do you know of any accessories for the Canon dSLR’s?
Thanks for the quick reply Rob
Rob_Nunn Says:
3 February 2010 at 10:33 pm.
Hi Marat,
The Columbus is a good choice – plus it has a voice recorder too.
I don’t know too much about hot-shoe GPS accessories, I guess you’re right about the Nikon one.
Whichever one you go for you’ll have great fun tagging your photo’s, creating Google Earth .kmz files, and uploading them to panaramio.com.
Cheers, Rob.
