A temporary solution to GPS

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David Kilpatrick
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A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

It proved difficult to make it all work, but a £39 i-goTu GPS from Maplin has now been tested and I've downloaded an open source app igoTugpx for Max OSX which can see the device and read its files, and will (if the trial 30-day period goes OK) spend $29 on PhotoLinker. The igoTy device is about the size of a large hot shoe adaptor but just goes loose in your pocket, can be fixed to camera strap. It needs a PC to set its parameters, Mac can't do that, and for me changing the default update interval to 10 seconds except when exceeding 10kmph will ensure it lasts a couple of days per charge.

PhotoLinker turns out to be a very good bit of software, because it also contains a complete metadata management module with keywording, copyright field etc. In fact it's more powerful than EXIfer of EXIftool in some ways. It will allow me to keyword and caption files on the move during the session for embedding GPS. I can now switch to using A7R and NEX-6.

Although this GPS module is very simple and now 5 year old tech, it did what my A99/55/77 can not do and got a fix inside my house. I'll still hope for a Multi Function Accessory Shoe GPS and firmware updates to use it, but this it about to make my travel kit as small and light as you can imagine.

David
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UrsaMajor
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Re: A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by UrsaMajor »

David Kilpatrick wrote:Although this GPS module is very simple and now 5 year old tech, it did what my A99/55/77 can not do and got a fix inside my house. I'll still hope for a Multi Function Accessory Shoe GPS and firmware updates to use it, but this it about to make my travel kit as small and light as you can imagine.
FWIW, the GPS portion of my photographic travel kit is even lighter - zero additional weight. The GPS in my Samsung smartphone can obtain a fix within my house, and I found an Android app called MyTracks that will record my location when the app is running. If I hook up the phone to the computer when I am importing photos into Lightroom, I can embed the locations into the image files at the same time.

I suspect that you may have additional requirements that I do not have, but for me it meets my needs. Since I have my phone with me anyway, and the app is actually free, I have my needs met for zero cost and zero additional weight.

- Tom -
David Kilpatrick
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Re: A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

I believe my iPhone has the same ability but I don't always have it with me and often keep it switched off entirely when roaming - abroad - because of costs. If someone rings me, they get through, and it costs both them and me a fortune unless I just kill the call (both sides getting charged for the privilege). There are many small GPS modules and many better than the igoTu, including some rather neat watches which would also give me auto set world time and a compass and stuff... but this is a temporary fix until Sony bring their dedicated GPS out.

If Sony never do so, I'll maybe buy one of the watches.

David
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UrsaMajor
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Re: A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by UrsaMajor »

David Kilpatrick wrote:I believe my iPhone has the same ability but I don't always have it with me and often keep it switched off entirely when roaming - abroad - because of costs.
Good point! I have not traveled outside the US since I got a phone that contains a GPS, so I forgot about the potential issue of roaming charges if using the phone for location data.

Actually, if it were small enough, light enough, and reasonably priced, I would prefer a dedicated GPS that is on automatically when the camera is on and talks to it so the time signals are in sync. That would give me one less thing to keep track of when attempting to capture an image.

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Re: A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by Vidgamer »

When I visited the UK, there was a way to disable the data roaming but still leave the phone open for calls. I think the GPS may not work unless the phone part is allowed to work. Anyway, oddly, with my carrier, it shouldn't be a problem if I get a call and ignore it, so I was able to use my phone OK as long as I didn't use much data -- that would REALLY cost me! Something simple like Google Maps could chew up $$$ as it continuously downloads maps.

Anyway, what was the topic again? Oh yeah, GPS. I tried a couple of "lite" version iPhone apps, and eventually settled for Geotag Photos Pro. It seems to work pretty well walking around in the open, but today where it was overcast and I was inside a building much of the time, it didn't work well and only saved 9 waypoints for hours; it may also have turned it self off or unloaded as I did other things on my phone. I'll have to keep a closer eye on it next time.

It also can sap the battery, so if you do use an app, be sure to use one where the developer has worked hard to try to minimize that.

Once you get good results, it's fun to sync up the photos and see where you were. Even though you probably remember where you were, at least for now. But maybe in a few decades, you or someone else will look at your photos and not have to wonder where you were.
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Re: A temporary solution to GPS

Unread post by Vidgamer »

Well, I've had mixed results. The main problem is if you use other functions on the phone it can unload the app and it won't track. So, it requires a bit of attention. Plus, it can generate some false readings, but I think I can filter these out in software.
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