Global Positioning System Unit

I've been looking to buy a GPS unit for my Nikon D300s for awhile now, and after reading a lot of reviews and checking out various forums, I've finally decided on the Solmeta Geotagger N2. There are a lot of options and devices available when it comes to geotagging photos. There’s the inconvenient, time consuming and inexpensive route, and there’s the convenient and slightly more expensive route. Before I made my decision, it was down to two products: either the Nikon GP-1 or the Someta Geotagger.

I chose the Solmeta Geotagger N2 for a few reasons. First, it has its own internal battery, so no worries on draining the camera’s battery. However, if the internal battery in the N2 runs low, it will automatically switch to the camera’s battery as the power source. Second, it has a 2-axis electronic compass that captures heading.  Lastly, it has an auto indoor GPS signal fixing ability. This means that if you lose your GPS signal (e.g. inside a building), the N2 will use the last location fix for each photo taken until a GPS signal is reacquired from the satellites.

	GP-1	N2
Acquired Data:
Latitude	YES	YES
Longitude	YES	YES
Altitude	YES	YES
Heading	NO	YES
Time Information	YES	YES
Acquisition Time:
Cold Start	45 Secs.	42 Secs.
Hot Start	5 Secs.	1 Sec.
Power Source	Camera Body	Internal Battery
Dimensions:	2x1.8x1 In.	2.2x1.4x0.7 In.
Price:	$195	$145

What I like:

-       The longitude and latitude is more accurate than expected.

-       I’ve been able to acquire a satellite signal indoors.

-       Acquisition is fairly quick.

-       The quality and build is good.

-       Acquired data is automatically embedded into the exif.

What I don’t like:

-       The position of the cable when attached to the camera.

-       When mounted on the hotshoe, the N2 doesn’t allow clearance for the popup flash.

-       Needs to be on the hotshoe for the heading info to be acquired (accurately).

-       It comes with a clip to allow the GPS to be attached to your camera strap, but I find it awkward to use.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with the Somleta Geotagger N2. Previously, I used a data logger, Qstarz BT-Q1000, to tag my photos. I liked the fact that with a data logger, I can put it in my pocket and it wouldn’t be in my way, and also that if there were more than one camera body, tagging could be done to all pictures. However, it also has its negatives. You have to download the data from the data logger, and then embed it the photos. It’s not overly complicated, but it can be time consuming, inconvenient, and a hassle, especially on a Mac (Qstarz’s software isn’t compatible with Mac). But with the N2, all the GPS information is written straight to the exif once the shutter button is pressed.

Also included, but not pictured, is a CD with instructions and software 

Since I couldn’t find any Solmeta dealers in the US, I ordered directly through their website. For $145, you get a nice little package that includes: the Geotagger N2, a connector (N2 to camera), a USB cable, a remote shutter control, pouch to store the device, a software CD, and a “gift” box that holds all the item    s. With ordinary shipping (from Hong Kong), it took exactly 10 business days (website said 15-20) to arrive at my door step here in Southern California.  With fast shipping (an extra $20), it should only take 3-4 working days. If you don’t need data on heading, you could save $45 and go with the Geotagger N1. 

A picture from Places in Aperture 3