JOBO photoGPS - GPS tracking logger Review

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(More customer reviews)The GPS in this unit is fast and accurate, which is the primary reason you pay twice what other units cost. It typically takes only a second for the little green light to shine, indicating a lock when outdoors. It has a "hint" button that you can press before entering a building. This will be used if a satellite lock is impossible.
The software supplied with the unit works pretty well. It not only tags the long and lat, it does altitude also. And it will also insert points of interest into your file. It also supports RAW, which is one of the reasons I bought it, by creating XMP sidecar files that Adobe products can use. There are two problems with this, though. The first, and the worst, is that it creates new XMP files; it doesn't insert the geotag data into existing files. That means that after downloading with the Adobe downloader, you have to put off looking at your photos until running the JOBO PhotoGPS program. If you use Bridge or ACR first, your changes are wiped out. This is a major oversight. The next big problem is you MUST have an Internet connection to run the software. It does make sense, because the PhotoGPS program has to query an online database for POI info. However, you cannot disable this. This mean that if you are on safari, etc., you can neither download your GPS data or work with your images. The capacity of the unit is 1024 captures, which means about two days of heavy shooting. It is doubly annoying that the database doesn't include Chile, the place I bought the GPS to work in. And even so, I must be online to geotag. (The database does include the USA, and the database is quite thorough there.)
Lacks: (1) No online manuals. I had to wait to get the product to see how it actually worked. And once I installed the program, it gave me a link to the manual which is on the JOBO website. It should be freely available. (2) No list of areas covered by the data base. (3) The unit's flash drive isn't visible. Again, you must be online for the software to geotag.
Serious problem: As another reviewer said, though the unit will fit cameras with a hot shoe (I have a 5D Mark II), it is quite loose. Sling the camera over your shoulder and the unit goes flying. I've resorted to tape. JOBO should have put some rubber on the foot of the unit or come up with some other securing measure. My unit has already fallen about 5 times, gotten lost in the car twice, and broken open once. Happily, it snapped together.
Good point: When download completes, there will be a KLM file in your tagged directory. You can use this file, so I'm told, with GPS Babel and other programs to do geotagging outside of the supplied software.
Would I recommend it? Yes, with cavets.

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Samsung 12.2 Mp 5X Opt Zoom 3.5IN Ts LCD with Gps Bt Red Review

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(More customer reviews)With GPS and wireless, this is the future of cameras and many electronics. It is easy to use and takes very good quality photos for a compact. And of course it has GPS and Wifi/Bluetooth. The touchscreen is large and is very easy to use (the easiest I've ever used).
I'd like to give this a 4.5 stars rating since the issues I had with it are minor: 1) the GPS can be a bit slow getting the initial fix and 2) the touchscreen is a bit sensitive sometimes causing it to bring up menus when you don't want to, and 3) I have a preference for regular SD cards verses micro SD.
I've had mine for 2 weeks and overall I really enjoy it and the my larger digital SLR (without GPS) is collecting dust on the shelf.

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Qstarz BT-Q1000eX Professional BT Data Logger GPS (Lap Timing Analysis, Beeper, Vibration Sensor, 5Hz, 400,000 waypoints) Review

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(More customer reviews)This GPS data logger works great for the price as a motorcycle lap timer with the added bonus of GPS location info allowing analysis of any part of the track such as corner speed and location at 0.2 second intervals. However, it would be nice if it logged at 10Hz versus 5Hz. With GPS accuracy of 6-9 feet I don't know if it would really give you much better information as far as track location on the width of the track but would give you more information on speed through the corners as even at 60 mph you are traveling 88 feet per second and so at 5Hz you are only getting points every 17.6 feet. 10 Hz would bring the data points inline with the accuracy of current GPS systems with a recorded point approx. every 8.8 feet when traveling at 60 mph. You must download the data to a computer and use the companies Qsports software with lap analysis function enabled to view data since no local LCD screen controls etc..., but if Qstarz added these would definitely raise the costs which at the current price is a great deal and why I decided to purchase. A couple recommendations I have for using the gps data logger as a lap timer are to not select the check box to remove drift points when importing data from the device, I have not been able to determine from the literature what removing drift points actually does, but has messed up some data. The other recommendation I have is to download/import data from the device to the computer after each session on the track and delete the data stored on the device after successful import. The time for import is not as long and it ensures your sessions are kept as separate data files.

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BGT-31: Genie BGT-31 Waterproof Sport Bluetooth GPS Data Logger with SD Expansion Slot Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this for cycling and kayaking, and love it.
I've been pleasantly surprised how easy it has been to use multiple functions; the interface is surprisingly mature for such a gadget.
It easily and automatically logs tracks in internal memory and/or SD card at rates up to 1/sec, or after you've traveled a given distance. You can download tracks in google earth format and show grandma where you kayaked, then forgot to turn it off and drove home, and then had your son strap it on his bike for a ride: [...]
Trip odometer/speedometer functions are good. The "speed genie" shows your speeds automatically when you exceed a certain amount, so you don't even have to set it to the right mode before taking off -- just turn it on and it will both track and show your speed.
Battery life is excellent; using it an hour or so most days, I can go for weeks without worrying about charging.
I've even used it in the car by uploading routes from google maps using the supplied software and setting it to beep at me when I approach my turns. (Now, if only it had different beeps for right and left turns...)

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AK-N90: Bluetooth GPS Adapter for Nikon DSLR D90, D5000, D3100 Review

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(More customer reviews)The Idea:
The combination of a this with a bluetooth GPS receiver is perfect. The two biggest benefits are that the GPS remains on with this (unlike the Nikon GP1) and that you can record your track through out the day. The first point is the most important. When you turn off the camera with the GP1 you lose your signal with satellites. GPS takes a minute or two to get an accurate fix on your position, otherwise the position could vary by a few hundred feet.
The AK-N90 with the Nikon D7000:
It works perfectly with a few minor drawbacks.
1. Unlike the pictures for the D90, the dongle will be upside down, preventing you from having it flush with the ground.
2. It makes a very tight fit. So tight I thought it might damage the camera. You have to take extreme care taking it in and out of its port.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking to add GPS data to your photos.

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Qstarz BT-Q1000XT Bluetooth Data Logger GPS Receiver (66 ch, AGPS, Vibration sensor, 400K waypoints) Review

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(More customer reviews)Used this on a Beijing trip few weeks back. Couldn't log any track on aircraft. Lots of drift. Good battery life and storage capacity. Accompanied software not polish. Cannot write gps data into raw photos.

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Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB HDD High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)1. Still capture at 12 megapixels is probably a waste of disk space (and the extra processing time that it takes to deal with the larger pictures). Unless there is something revolutionary about the way that the camcorder would interpolate the native 6.2-megapixel still capture up to 12 megapixels, I would use the interpolation capabilities of, say, Photoshop back at home and set the camcorder to grab stills at 6.2 megapixels (native). The trailing question is whether that 6.2-megapixel mode at 4:3 is actually native, without any scaling or interpolation; there is a 9-megapixel mode at 16:9 that is probably not native, but Sony does not clarify anywhere.
2. I cannot perceive any degradation in AVCHD image quality between (a) Steadymove ON; and (b) Steadymove Active ON. Is there any good reason to turn off Active mode (or Steadymove altogether)?
3. SonyStyle.com is notorious for sloppily recommending accessories. They do not associate the correct case with this camcorder. You will be very happy with the LCS-DAB model, which has a slot for the hand grip which allows for easy and safe removal. Unlike the almost-identical other versions, the LCS-DAB's slot is offset from center in a way that works with the location of the hand grip on the HDR-XR500V/520V.
4. Another ridiculous error on the SonyStyle.com site is the retail price on its newest compatible 37mm wide-angle lens. The VCL-HGE07A retails for $99 rather than $229, and is inferior to the VCL-HGA07 at $199. The newer model also doesn't come with a lens cap, which is ridiculous.
5. The NAVTEC maps are largely disappointing. Most consumer GPS devices only reserve 1gb or so for map data, thus Sony really cheaped out with the NAVTEC maps. Don't expect any more detail than city names and the very occasional major route number, even when zoomed in to the max.
6. Low-light sensitivity is extraordinarily good. I am anxious to read professional testing on this, but it is poised to beat professional cameras. This backlit CMOS invention might really be a no-brainer for all future camcorders. It is a simple re-shuffling of the layers in the CMOS sensor.
7. The flash works surprisingly well. I know that this comment could elicit grumbles, but I am quite seriously prepared to say that this device is a full-blown replacement for my non-SLR digital camera -- and, with geotagging to boot.
8. I cannot find any time-lapse feature. Not sure if manufacturers generally don't bother anymore, but this is a big disappointment. As for the slow-motion feature, which is locked into 3 seconds of footage slowed down to 12, it works okay but Sony is not forthcoming about the extent to which the signal degrades. It is certainly not equivalent to 1080/60i, though. What actually is it?
9. The camcorder comes with a "demonstration" video. It is stunningly corny -- and if it doesn't make you laugh, God help you! At least by the looks of the video, Sony created this camera for clean-cut, pudgy boomers who want to shoot videos of their children with "Hollywood production values." My favorite moment is when the daddy in the peach-colored cashmere sweater jumps up and down like a schoolgirl. He is one cheesecake slice away from some serious gut-bobbage.
10. As if the camera weren't already overpriced, it has inspired pricey new wish-list items for me: (a) that new Bluetooth microphone set which plugs into the proprietary Active Interface Shoe; (b) a wide-angle lens, maybe not the VCL-HGA07 if there is a better one for 37mm that's easy to use; (c) a Sony tripod with a remote-controlling handle which plugs into the A/V Control port; and (d) a Steadicam Merlin, of course!
11. It's confirmed: The only difference between this model and the HDR-XR520V is $200 less cost and half the hard disk space. However, with 120gb giving you many hours and the additional option of using removable flash memory, I don't see much reason to step up.

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