Geotagging with Nikon SLRs, Geotate

Hans Strang, Geotate's CEO gave a pretty interesting interview on LetsGoDigital, about SnapSpot, a geotagging firmware product (NXP spun-off Geotate to concentrate on its core chipset design business).

The trick behind Geotate's approach in its low-power consumption is that it only stores GPS data from a particular location without processing it, letting that happen by the time the customer uploads its pictures to a PC.

According to the interview, in order to do that the camera has to turn itself off (and not cause radio signal interference) for about 200ms while Geotate's software grabs the corresponding GPS data.

Nikon SLRs

If you want to spend some money before cameras with Geotate's software reach the market in the next semester, look for Nikon models with the MC-35 connector like the:

• D1H (~US$1,5K),
• D1x (~$2,5K),
  
• D2Hs (~$3,4K, but not the D2H which lacks GPS support),
  
• D200 (~$1,5K),
  
• D300 (~$1,7K),
  
• D2x, D2Xs, and
  
• D3 (~$5,5K).

Now get a GPS receiver that connects through the MC-35 to the camera's body. If you want to try making your own check:

• EpicBlog's version for the D200.
  
• There is a similar DIY project at DPreview.
• And a third and fourth project ideas here and here.
  
• Finally, this setup uses a GlobalSat BR-355.

But if you don't want to try your hand in none of the projects above, you can get a GPS receiver that connects to the MC-35 plug directly with the:

• GeoPic II from U.K.-based Custom Idea;
  
• DP-GPS N1 from Solmeta, or
  
• N2 diGPS from Dawn Technology in Hong Kong (review).

Plus

HoudahGeo announced, a geotagging software for MacOSX.

And a new site for geotagged panoramicas with Panoye (via AppScout).