Jelbert GeoTagger adds GPS tracking to cameras

For those of you who need that oh-so-critical GPS meta-data while shooting in the field -- and you're one to change cameras more frequently than clothing -- Ricoh's GPS-integrated digicam doesn't do you a whole lot of good, and while Sony's GPS-CS1 was a start, Jelbert's GeoTagger ups the ante by providing real-time location / date data via the strapped on Garmin Geko 301. The less-than-sleek contraption most conveniently attaches to the hot shoe of any SLR / DSLR, but can supposedly be used with any manual focus cam in some form or another; depressing the shutter button triggers the stamping action, which saves the GPS information (including your current direction) to a dedicated SD card that can be merged with your photos using third-party software (such as RoboGEO). So if you're looking for some precision tagging to go along with your pointing and shooting -- and don't mind the, um, unpolished look -- the GeoTagger can be picked up now for £149 ($284).

[Via The Raw Feed]

[ryan @ Sep 27th 2006 10:08AM]

well already there is software on the market that will compare a gps track log with the timestamp on your photos and tag them with the gps coordinates. I'm not really sure what advantage this piece of hardware provides outside of just buying a standard gps (the gecko 301 they talk about will keep a track log and work fine for geotagging w/o the extra 'black box')... garmin makes several gps recievers that will store the track log on microsd cards... so its not the sd functionality that this is gaining you. I don't know however, if the electronic compass direction is stored in a gps track log (none of my gps units have an electronic compass) so i suppose that might be the one thing that the extra hardware is capable of recording.

[Chris @ Sep 27th 2006 2:49PM]

I'm actually working on a simple mashup that does that very thing. Although it would be much nicer if more digital cameras had integrated GPS.

http://ixplor.us/index.php?/entry/introducing_gps_photo_map_alpha_version/

[Mojo_Yugen @ Sep 27th 2006 10:29AM]

Could they make that box any bigger? Isn't that going to rip my hot shoe off if I want to shoot portrait?
It seems that the only benifit the box gives is adding direction to the information saved, the rest I can do with just the GPS and software. For the price - I'll pass.

[Rand @ Sep 27th 2006 11:02AM]

And to be noted, the Garmin Gecko GPS is NOT included in the price. Lame way overpriced product.

[Cody @ Sep 27th 2006 12:24PM]

Ricoh has been doing this for years, guys. All built it, interfaces via bluetooth to field units, etc.

[Steve @ Sep 27th 2006 12:24PM]

I love the position of that toggle switch. Since I shoot using my left eye, that thing should leave a nice hole in my forehead! :)

Steve

[Jamie @ Sep 27th 2006 1:58PM]

This is fantastic! It looks like the sort of thing I used to make in Physics classes at school. On the other hand, maybe it's the beginning of a new retro-look for camera add-ons.

[jens @ Sep 27th 2006 3:41PM]

who needs this ugly peace of hardware? there are already some software solutions for free on the market...

http://www.grazer.de

for example..

[Jeff @ Sep 27th 2006 7:01PM]

"software solutions" and anything that needs to be synched is just retarded.

Bluetooth interface, and EXIF data is the only way to go (other than built-in GPS of course)

[mathew @ Sep 28th 2006 10:30AM]

Yeah, I just went on vacation to Hamburg, and I used a regular GPS and some free software to do this. All I had to do was set the camera clock to match the GPS time and date.

Seems to me this is basically a very expensive box for people who can't work out how to set the camera's clock to the correct time.

[samshade @ Nov 16th 2006 7:28AM]

WHY THE HELL DO WE NEED GPS ON A CAMERA ?????????????

[ira @ Jan 3rd 2007 11:35PM]

Fantastic concept, not only that you've to buy the homemade box, you'll also have to buy a third party software and a GPS receiver before you can use it.

[Christopher Powers @ Apr 25th 2007 9:14AM]

I too was wondering why we need a GPS on our photography equipment?? It reminds me of the dryer that supposedly text messages you when the load is done.. Its nice, kind of useless, but I could live without it.

[Mark @ May 3rd 2007 12:43PM]

I think you are all missing the point about this thing. Sure it's ugly, but it captures direction as well as GPS location and the only other product I know of that does this is a Nikon camera that costs thousands.

Now is direction important? Don't know. If you're only interested in GPS, then this isn't the device for you. But I don't know of anything else that does what this thing does (someone please correct me).