40D - extend your camera's capabilities - GPS & WFT

Hi all,

Admittedly, the following link is a couple of years old, but it is a revelation to know about.

I stumbled across this website beacuse I wanted to know how to attach a GPS unit to my 40D camera when I return to Brazil in a couple of weeks.

[I shoot landscape photos there - mainly to photograph Land Plots that are being marketed For Sale by local Realtors. By using the GPS co-ordinates, means that the Realtor is certain of what is being sold and the buyer is assured of what is being purchased. Hence eliminating the fear of fraudulent/deceptive property sales.]

http://www.cameralabs.​com …FT_E3A/video_re​view.shtml

However, the condition for the GPS connectivity to work - requires the purchase of the WFT. At USD $1,000 for the WFT, this is not a cheap option - plus I have to factor-in the cost of the GPS unit too! But as a unified and practical solution - this will provide me with a way forward.

Better still, my 40D has a new lease of life for perhaps another 2 years before I will seriously need to think about replacing it.

(Indeed, on my return to Brazil I will be re-united with my 5D and L-series lenses - so an emotional and joyous reunion awaits - What gift should I buy my 5D baby ?)

Let me know if you guys/gals know of other ways - Cheaper preferably, to successfully connect GPS devices so that geographical co-ordinates can be accurately recorded.

There are several software solution that are much cheaper than the WFT. It only requires a GPS with logging functions and to have the GPS time synchronized with the camera. When you download the picture files, the software compares the log from the GPS. It then enters the coordinates that the GPS was at the exact time the photo was taken into the exif data. I have a Garmin GPS 60csx that I am going to use for this purpose, but there are alot of choices for the GPS that cost from less than $100 to $500.

Do a search in google and you will get a lot of possible choices.

Hope this helps.

I use any of a number of Garmin GPS receivers just hanging off my camera bag and Breeze Systems Downloader Pro as my solution. Downloader Pro tags all the photos from whichever camera I may be using with all relevant information, including the GPS position data, job code and user-input IPTC data so you've got your photos all downloaded and identified in one easy operation. It'll even rename the files and set a storage path depending on your choice of EXIF data (date, camera, folder, to name a few).

SGiSF: a huge thanks for this rapid reply... I am happy to go with the suggested Garmin 60csx as this will be completely compatible with the WFT-E3(a) should I decide to purchase this at a later date. I have come across the Wal-Mart site where it is being sold for USD $281.54 - so this is 'do-able'
My concern is that I will have to marry-up the co-ordinates with the downloaded images.... In the NE Brazilian heat I want as much automation as possible. Additionally, I will be visiting perhaps 10-sites in a single day - just for 1 client.
So, your recommendation to purchase this make/model is gratefully accepted - Thanks!

Jon: so the Garmin range is again re-assuringly endorsed - phew!. I know nothing about the recommended software, I will have to research alot more before committing the bigger bucks for perhaps a 'not-needed' WFT. I just thought that the ease-of-use and automation would be ideal considering my shooting requirements. But if your way is the best way - then 'hell' I am more than happy to save on hard-earned cash.
Sorry, but I will have to ask a question within the original question.... how does the 'unattached' GPS unit know what I have shot, when and where?
(what have I missed ? - I am keen to fully understand this solution suggested)

If you go the WFT route, you'll need to get the WFT for whatever camera you're using. If you do it in post-processing via Downloader Pro or other similar solution, the program reads the time for the photo and the time for the GPS track and finds the closest waypoint, then merges the GPS data into the photo's EXIF. So all the GPS unit needs to know is where you've been. The program figures when the picture was taken and matches that up with where you've been to find out where you were when you took the photo. If you head to my SmugMug site, you can see (Alaska and Galapagos galleries) how well it works with up to 4 cameras at one time. All I did was download normally (labeling photos with content and entering tags).

Jon - thanks for pointing me to your wonderful gallery of photos - (an aside - I love the Galapagos pics).
I just coudn't see any details regarding the geographical co-ordinates for the pictures that I chose to look at in 'more-detail'. Clearly, I have missed something.... please advise....!

Click on "Map This" for the photos and see the locations on Google Maps/Google Earth.

Aha - got there in the end! - thanks again Jon.

OK - what I want is a little different - perhaps alot simpler.
Notoriously, Brazil has had its fair share of bad publicity regarding Land and Property sales up until the mid-1990's. Where vendors have been selling land that clearly does not belong to them and have consequently conned hundreds upon hundreds of unsuspecting tourist investors. The situation now, is thankfully, very different!

However, because of the known past - new investors are treading very very carefully, which is stalling honest and honorable Property/Land sales - because there still exists doubt in their the Investors mind.

The geographical co-ordinates to be displayed in the the familiar numeric 'X' & 'Y' values
These actual co-ordinates can then be:
a.) Included in Draft/Final Purchase Contracts for Land/Property
b.) Appended to Local Authority area Maps during the 'Buy/Sell' process
c.) Provided to the Client and the prospective Buyer so that they can find the destinations themselves via their own Sat/Nav GPS devices.
d.) The ability to 'punch' these co-ordinates into perhaps websites such as GoogleEarth that then brings up the location.

This way there is a categoric, conclusive and importantly - an 'unambigous' definition as to where the Land/Property lies - thus eliminating all doubt as to what is being bought/sold.

Downloader Pro will embed the Lat & Long into the photo's EXIF.

EXIF from a 1D3 photo:

JOBO PhotoGPS , Geo-Imaging , at the Peddler Store , www.jobo.com I have just got this unit ,took about 12 shots , seems to work very well easy to download data . About $ 150.00

Jon ---> you got me 'there' in the end.
OK I fully understand where you're coming from now.... this is therefore precisely what I need.
I am completely 'green' to these GPS devices, the only info' I have is that shown on the videolink I posted earlier Gartmin tethered to 40D via USB port in use with the WFT.

Does the Garmin device need to be attached to the 40d for it to 'marry' the info between the 2 systems?
If there is no physical attachment to the 40D, is there like an On/Off start-recording switch that captures all the travelling co-ordinates during a 'recorded-session'. So that these date/time stamps are then 'synched' to the Camera date/time settings?
Sorry to be a total dumb-ass on this one - I just can't picture how the 2 devices synch (40D & Garmin GPS) without some form of tethered/wireless connection!

Hey 'Coker', thanks for the heads-up on this device, I am quite keen to pursue with the Garmin GPS Csx.
1.> it is the one that seems to be most recommended thus far
2.> it fully integrates with the WFT - should I wish to buy this later (doubtful now though!)
3.> considering the published features and functions - it seems to double-up as a reliable SatNav too!
I will of course check online about this Jobo gadget too - I do apologise for the delayed response to your suggestion. Thanks again!

Cham_001 wrote in post #10164824
Does the Garmin device need to be attached to the 40d for it to 'marry' the info between the 2 systems?
If there is no physical attachment to the 40D, is there like an On/Off start-recording switch that captures all the travelling co-ordinates during a 'recorded-session'. So that these date/time stamps are then 'synched' to the Camera date/time settings?
Sorry to be a total dumb-ass on this one - I just can't picture how the 2 devices synch (40D & Garmin GPS) without some form of tethered/wireless connection!

No but you must have their clocks exactly in synch. Then when you upload from both devices to your computer whatever program you use will synch the GPS info with the photo data simply by looking at the times on both devices. Does that make sense?

Lara: Doh! ---> "...it's simple when you know how..."Thank you again Lara - it now makes perfect sense.

Jon: thank you for the explanations, guidance and patience - you are a real gentleman!

Coker: I have looked (briefly) at the Jobo - I will read up some more before decisively committing to the actual make/model to purchase.

SouthGalinSF: looking back you nailed it for me in your initial post !

Well thats That then!
1.> I save lots of USD $$$
2.> I have learnt a lot
3.> technology IS the answer to everything in the world of photography
4.> the learning curve grows ever steeper
5.> and the gadget-collection will continue to grow!

<----- now a happy-bunny

Cham_001 wrote in post #10164824
Jon ---> you got me 'there' in the end.
OK I fully understand where you're coming from now.... this is therefore precisely what I need.
I am completely 'green' to these GPS devices, the only info' I have is that shown on the videolink I posted earlier Gartmin tethered to 40D via USB port in use with the WFT.

Does the Garmin device need to be attached to the 40d for it to 'marry' the info between the 2 systems?
If there is no physical attachment to the 40D, is there like an On/Off start-recording switch that captures all the travelling co-ordinates during a 'recorded-session'. So that these date/time stamps are then 'synched' to the Camera date/time settings?
Sorry to be a total dumb-ass on this one - I just can't picture how the 2 devices synch (40D & Garmin GPS) without some form of tethered/wireless connection!

I use an Oregon 400 or an eTrex Vista HCx. All I do is turn whichever one on at the start of the day and stash it in my bag (or a pocket of my photo vest) so it's with me as I walk around. The track is recorded in the GPS (if you use the eTrex line, you need to get a Micro SD card and set the eTrex up to record tracks to the card; a one-time procedure; it'll then create a new track file every day).

When you're finished shooting and ready to download the photos, you transfer the .GPX (track) file from the Garmin (Downloader Pro can read it directly from the GPS, but I prefer to keep all my track data on my computer, so I can re-attach it if I process with non-GPS-aware applications, like Digital Photo Pro).

Then (again, a one-time setup) tell Downloader Pro where the GPS track (.GPX) files live and to always look for GPS track data. Once you've done that, just download your photos as you normally would with Downloader Pro (you'll probably want to use the IPTC "Caption", "Keyword" and "Location" fields to attach words to the photos; say the street address, client, and the like) and it will append the GPS data along with the IPTC data.

Downloader Pro has provisions for you to enter a time offset if you know your camera clock is out of sync with the GPS clock, and to allow a specified window of tolerance in case loss of signal occurred during your session (or you forgot to turn the receiver on right away). It'll tell you if it can't find the GPS track data for the time interval your photos (or any of them) were taken in.

Garmin's MapSource software (comes with some receivers and with most of the map packages if you get the CD-ROM version) will let you sync the GPS time with your computer's time; there's a City Navigator package for Brazil, which may not cover everything, but should give decent coverage of the major cities and most of the major roads outside them.