Video Review: Columbus V-900 Photo Geotagger, Voice Recorder and Bluetooth GPS Track Logger

You know me, I like to geotag my photo's, so I was delighted when Joe from BuyGpsNow.com sent me a review sample of the Columbus V-900 GPS Photo Geotagger.

This great little gadget is PC and Mac compatible, stores data on micro-SD cards, runs off it's rechargeable battery for about 24 hours, can store up to 250,000 waypoints (!), and includes Bluetooth and a voice recorder... so take a look at the short video I've put together.

I didn't mention in the video how it works. Well, the Columbus V-900 listens out for the signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and then works out where you are on the surface of the Earth. It stores this data, along with a time stamp, in a "Track Log".

When you get home and upload the Track Log, and your photo's to your PC, you then use the supplied software to match the time-points in the GPS Track Log, with the time code embedded in your photos. Then the software adds the latitude and longitude data to your images. Simple!

What I really like about the V-900 is it's build quality, (it looks cool!), the added bonus of the voice recorder, and way that it saves your geotagged images as copies in a separate folder - safe and simple.

Remember that it can't tag RAW files, only .jpgs, but I'm sure you'd be able to find other software on the web that could use the GPS Track File to do that if you really wanted to.

Overall, a great piece of kit, essential for every photographers bag when they're out on a photowalk, on holiday, or just want a permanent record of where they were when they took that great picture.

Thanks again to Joe from BuyGpsNow.com for sending me the unit.

Cheers, Rob.

Comments

[The Laddie]

Hey,

Nice little device!

The question about Geotagging Raw... Your right if you use something like Lightroom you can join the geo tag data to the RAW files.

[Rob_Nunn]

Yo Laddie!

Good point! (Note to self, must download demo of lightroom 2....)

Cheers, Rob.

[Wanichry]

I am planing to get a geotagger with my D300. Can it work with hotshoe together? Can I use my Nikon shutter release with this GPS device? Thanks.

[Rob_Nunn]

Hi,

You can't use the Nikon GP-1 Hots-shoe Geotagger on the D300 unfortunately, but it does have the connector for other devices:

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/nikon-d300-gps-camera-a1035.php

Alternatively simply use one of the stand-alone devices like the ones I've tested.

Thanks, Rob.

[Nephan]

Generally speaking, GPS would take up the port of 10pin shutter, so you could not use 10pin shutter synchronously. While, Easytagger solved the problem by adding a shutter port on the GPS main body and also supply a free shutter release. Now, I am using my easytagger GPS and shutter syn. Moreover, easytagger supply a bracket that connects camera and GPS, so the hotshoe and GPS can work syn. You can browse the web http://www.e-geotag.com for more info.

[linon]

I am just looking for a GPS with Bluetooth for my D5000. what is V-900 cost?