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Does anyone use a GPS with the D2X?

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Sven Hedlund

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If anyone does, please describe how. While I think GPS data added to EXIF would be nice in many cases, it seems a bit cumbersome to use the camera when connected to a GPS receiver.

Do you carry it connected all the time or do you just connect it for the first shot at a new location and then disconnect it or...?

--
Sven Hedlund

http://www.svenhedlund.com
 
If I choose to use it, I keep it connected all the time. However, I'm reluctant to use it most of the time simply because there are simply too many wires to worry about.

If only Nikon thought to create a Bluetooth GPS connection instead.
Sven Hedlund said:
If anyone does, please describe how. While I think GPS data added
to EXIF would be nice in many cases, it seems a bit cumbersome to
use the camera when connected to a GPS receiver.

Do you carry it connected all the time or do you just connect it
for the first shot at a new location and then disconnect it or...?

--
Sven Hedlund

http://www.svenhedlund.com
Click to expand...
--
http://photos.leesoft.com
 
The D1X also had GPS read out.
Now the D2X has it added.

If you want to know where you were standing when you shot the picture.

Cumbersome, well not more so than a lens hood, strap, tripod, or backpack.

Yes I have had and used since the D1X came out.

I do have a question. Can the Astronaughts get a reading in space??

Birger
 
I think not. The GPS system uses at least 3 satelites to determine your location on the surface of the earth. Data from three satelites, when used on the ground, gives two possible solutions of which one is in space and one on closer to the ground. The 'space location' is discarded by the system automaticaly, so if theoritacaly an astronaut would use a GPS he would probably receive constant error messages. I doubt any commercial GPS system would be 'clever' enough to include the posibility of it's user being in space.... :)

--
I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.
 
There are certain conditions that must be met for the D2X to work with a GPS. The special ($100 apprx Nikon dollars) cable from the 10 pin connector comes out to a standard DB-9 serial I/O connector. One of those pins in RS232 communication tells the attached device that it's connected.

I can only assume that if the D2X sees that a GPS is active it interrogates it for the latest coordinates , or perhaps just awaits the next valid string, and sticks that in the EXIF string in the image.

I can see that having such info would be good for applications such as legal exhibits or sorting a series of images by location.

For example If I take a series of shots at locations 1, 2 and 3 and then at some time come back to a location that's between location 1 and 2 and shoot a forth image I cannot rely on image file number or time and date stamp to find the correct geographical sequence.

Mike Flood
 
Hi there,

Rather than tethering the GPS receiver to the D2x, another approach is to use software like http://www.robogeo.com/home/ which allows you to download the GPS data from your receiver and write them to the image EXIFs after a shoot. It relies on syncing the camera's clock with that of the GPS device.

Unfortunately, this particular software only writes to JPEGs I believe. There are probably other software products out there, but I haven't as yet found one that will write to NEFs. (Exifutils will indeed allow you to write GPS data to NEF Exifs, but you have to do it manually, one image at a time, unlike RoboGeo which can write data from an entire tracklog to the associated images.)

Best wishes,

David

--
http://www.pbase.com/df9999
 
Yes. Many satellites use GPS for determining their positions/orbits/etc.

Granted, the standard "consumer" unit would probably not work in space... the batteries would freeze. Ha! (

jas (ex-"rocket scientist")
B Petterson said:
I do have a question. Can the Astronaughts get a reading in space??

Birger
Click to expand...
 
not possible, do a little research on what data is steaming from the satelites and how it all works and yourll soon realise its not possible

a hint-- some of the data is information relating where the satelite is in earths orbit.
 
--
Lewis Shumway

I use a GPS with my D2X. I shoot mainly wild flowers and scenery. My latest method uses industrial strength "velcro" (these have adhesive on one side) I have patches on the tripod legs and patches on the GPS unit. The wires are folded into a bag that hangs from the tripod.
 
Albert C. Lee said:
If I choose to use it, I keep it connected all the time. However,
I'm reluctant to use it most of the time simply because there are
simply too many wires to worry about.

If only Nikon thought to create a Bluetooth GPS connection instead.
Click to expand...
Do any of the GPS receivers support bluetooth? My Garmin eTrex Vista C is a pretty recent model and does not. When I was researching GPS receivers I don't recall that feature being mentioned for any of them.

Syncing the track log to file timestamps like RoboGeo does is a great idea (one less $100 cable to screw around with), it's just a shame it only works with JPEG's (and even then it recompresses the JPEG's).

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn
 
Jeff Kohn said:
Do any of the GPS receivers support bluetooth? My Garmin eTrex
Vista C is a pretty recent model and does not. When I was
researching GPS receivers I don't recall that feature being
mentioned for any of them.
Click to expand...
The Bluetooth GPS receiver market is actually fairly robust. It has been largely targeted at PDAs and laptops; however, clearly it's not a huge leap of faith to see how it could be used with a Bluetooth equipped camera.

http://www.socketcom.com/product/GP0820-521.asp
http://www.emtac.com/products/receiver/index.html
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/semsons-inc/bluetgpsrec.html

--
http://photos.leesoft.com
 
Albert C. Lee said:
The Bluetooth GPS receiver market is actually fairly robust. It
has been largely targeted at PDAs and laptops; however, clearly
it's not a huge leap of faith to see how it could be used with a
Bluetooth equipped camera.

http://www.socketcom.com/product/GP0820-521.asp
http://www.emtac.com/products/receiver/index.html
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/semsons-inc/bluetgpsrec.html
Click to expand...
Interesting, although it looks like these aren't really designed to be used standalone, as you say. I'd hate to have to carry one reciever for navigation and another for the camera. Shame the Garmin units don't support blue tooth.

--
Jeff Kohn
Houston, TX
http://www.pbase.com/jkohn
 
Hi Sven,

It just occured to me that someone could probably write a Bridge script that would pick up the GPS data from the table that RoboGeo produces, and write those data to the associated NEFs.

Wish someone with expertise would become interested in looking into this.

Best wishes,

David
Sven Hedlund said:
Thank you for your replies!

Interesting idea to using synced clocks in the camera and the GPS
device! That must be the most convenient. Too bad it can not be
done on NEFs yet.

Best regards,

--
Sven Hedlund

http://www.svenhedlund.com
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/df9999
 
You mean all those satellite controllers we designed aren't working in orbit? Funny, the customers never mentioned it.

Do a little research? Don't have to, I used to design satellite electronics for a living.

A simple (non-military even) example:
http://einstein.stanford.edu/

" Global Positioning System (GPS) lock Greater than 98.1%"

If your research turns up reasons why it shouldn't work, NASA, DoD and everyone else who's using it in orbit are gonna be in for a shock.
D100D2X said:
not possible, do a little research on what data is steaming from
the satelites and how it all works and yourll soon realise its not
possible

a hint-- some of the data is information relating where the
satelite is in earths orbit.
Click to expand...
 
better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt, a wise man once said...
 
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