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First Impresssions… Solmeta Geotagger Pro on a Nikon D90

Solmeta GPS Pro Mounted on a Nikon D90I finally got a GPS for my D90, so I thought I would write down a few first impressions, before I do a big review later once I am more settled into using the device.

I have been wanting a GPS for my Nikon D90 since the day I got my camera.  Why, I liked to geotag things.  My work flow has been go out take photos, remember to turn on GPS software on phone, make a track file on phone, remember to turn track file off, hope track file isn’t corrupted, export GPX file, open GeoSetter, plug phone into compimport GPX File, save files……. all rather tedious. Also with a number of fail points built in.

Now, work flow is, turn on camera, turn on my Solmeta Geotagger Pro, take photos, done.  Yes, it worked.  I do like when first impressions are, good.  No manual reading was required ( good for me, being male and all ), and away I went. A couple of quick tests for accuracy seem to be close, altitude seems to wander a bit up and down by a few meters, and took a while to get the first fix in Australia. Also the digital compass seems to wander a few degrees when taking shots.

As for the GPS itself. Wow, is it fast.  Almost aGPS fast actually. First time I fired it up, the display showed the lat and long for China, where the GPS was tested, less than a minute later after putting it on the window ledge at work, it had a fix for the new location.

I am glad I went to the extra expense and brought the Pro version as well, the display and extra functions are really coming in handy.

I love the extended GPS info I now get in my metadata as well.  The number of Satellites is great for giving a level of accuracy to the GPS data as well. And the compass headings, whilst take me a while to get used to working in digital format, will give me directions.

GPSVersion ID 2.2.0.0
GPS Latitude 37 deg 55′ 33.87″ S
GPS Longitude 144 deg 59′ 8.77″ E
GPSAltitude Ref Above Sea Level
GPSAltitude 17 m
GPSDate Time 2010:12:01 08:46:36Z
GPSSatellites 06
GPSImg Direction Ref Magnetic North
GPSImg Direction 85.5

So far so good…

I was considering buying the N2 version, but am after less than a day, glad I went with the Pro version. The LCD, whilst small is still good enough to read, and I know I will use the data logging feature.  That way I still have a backup track as well.

Geotagger Pro Geotagger N2
GPS information

acquired

lat/long, alt, and UTC time lat/long, alt, and UTC time
Orientation Yes. (3 axis electronic

compass, output heading)

Yes. (2 axis electronic

compass, output heading)

Battery Yes. 20-Hours. Yes. 20-Hours.
LCD display Yes No
Gradienter Yes No
Speed Yes No
Internal memory Yes(8M) No
Record GPS position

as tracking walk.

( Data logger)

Yes No
Working indoors Yes Yes
Compatible

models

Nikon D3x, D3, D700,D300S,

D300D2XS,D2X,D2HS&D200,

D90,D5000,Fujifilm S5 Pro

Nikon D3x, D3, D700,D300S,

D300,D2XS,D2X,D2HS&D200,

D90,D5000,Fujifilm S5 Pro

Dimensions

(L X W X H )

62X42X23mm 54X35X20mm
Weight 50g 35g

So for first impressions, I am very happy, and already am using a feature set that goes way beyond what the Nikon GP1 model could ever do, and unlike the GP1 model, this thing works as well.  Still lots more testing to do, so that will be my excuse for heading to the beach to get some photos at least for while…

Late Change ( showing new GPS Exif data )