Cameras built into GPS receivers

[toponym]

I recently posted the following on Waymarking.com -

 

"I would like to start a discussion regarding cameras with built in GPS receivers. There are a handfull on the market as well as some third party attachments for digital cameras. Most of these are promoted as being ideal for geotagging (placing photos on Google Earth) however, gps cameras are not really needed for that. All you need to be able to do for geotagging is spin the globe and find out where you were when you took the photo. The other promoted applications are commercial.

 

But what I really feel they are best for is Waymarking.

 

The one which looks the most interesting to me right now is the Nikon Coolpix P600, followed by the Ricoh 500 SE.

 

I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to quality cameras. I would like to know anyone else's opinions on these new products."

 

I am also interested in GPS receivers with built in cameras. I have heard there might be one or two on the market recently.

 

Any thoughts??

[+g-o-cashers]

I haven't played around with cameras that have built in tagging capability but I frequently tag when I geocache and waymark using ExpertGPS. There's plenty of software around that does a similar function, nothing magic about EGPS. You just need to sync the clock on your camera with the clock on your GPS and the software does the time correlation to tag the photos relative to your tracklog. It might save you from sacrificing picture quality by having to select from the handful of cameras that offer built in GPS.

 

GO$Rs

[+julianh]

I concur 100% with g-o-cashers.

 

I use OziPhotoTool, but there are many other software options available. Sure, an integrated camera / GPSr will do it all, but you will be limited to the features and capability of the unit, and it will be an expensive option when it comes time to upgrade.

 

Using the independent software option, you can use ANY digital photo source and just about ANY GPSr. Depending on your photo needs, you might be happy with the image quality of a "happy-snappy" digi-cam or mobile phone with integrated GPS, but if you are a serious photographer, you will have a hard time finding a quality DSLR with integrated GPS.) You aren't even limited to geo-tagging image files - you can geo-reference videos, sound files, even Word documents if you want - anything that has a time stamp can be geo-referenced.

 

I have had excellent results geo-tagging images from my Canon pocket digi-cam, my Motorola mobile phone, an older Sanyo digital camera, and even videos from my Canon DV camera. In all cases, I just make sure I have my Summit HC active whenever I am out in the field, and then I can geo-reference anything and everything when I get back to the office or to the hotel. It only takes a couple of minutes to geo-reference a whole day's digital photography, automatically create an OziExplorer waypoints file with hyper-linked photos (with latitude and longitude "watermarked" into the photos), and even create a Google Earth kmz file which i can e-mail to other people.

 

Hope this helps!

[+Indotguy]

This reminds me, doesn't some of the Magellan Triton models have built in cameras?

[+trainlove]

This reminds me, doesn't some of the Magellan Triton models have built in cameras?

Yes they do.

But I think it's just another 'feature' to shorten battery life, LOL.

[+geognerd]

I just stumbled across an advertisement for the ikeGPS. It combines a GPS receiver, compass, laser rangefinder, inclinometer, camera, and iPAQ Windows Mobile device. Pricing is steep though, at $6000-8000. Here's a review.

[+trainlove]

Bushnell and other binocular manufacturers make laser rangefinder binoculars. Many have a fluxgate compass built in. Much more reasonably priced too, under 200-300 bucks.

 

Those are much more useful than what I see in that ikeGPS.

But having coordinates display inside a binocular field would be way cool too. Luke Skywalker like.