runops

Supposedly the 60D (successor to the 50D) will have built-in GPS. If this turns out to be true, it will be an instant buy for me. All of the external solutions are too clunky. This camera could be released as early as this month or as late as photokina, which is in late September.

Source: http://www.canonrumors.com/2010/05/d...-60d-more-cr1/

Loren Pechtel

That sounds like an excellent idea if it doesn't draw too much power.

Scubatooth

would be nice, but i will believe it when i see it.

as for a successor considering the 50D was released on 26-aug-2008, and canon typically does new releases at 12-18 month intervals and the last camera to fall into that category was the 7D which some have had said was the replacement for the 50D.

If a replacement is coming i would say it would be annouced around photokina in september.

Middle_Seat

It seems to me that a camera needs three pieces of information for complete geotagging of photos: GPS for lat/lon, compass for direction it's pointed, and accelerometer for up-down angle its pointed. Are there any consumer-grade cameras with those features yet?

F-Stop Junkie

I'd never, ever base a future purchase on forum gossip, especially canonrumors which is the worst of the bunch. They grasp at any little bit of information, no matter how unsubstantiated, then present it as fact.

Awful, awful site.

Anyway, I'd love a camera with built in GPS, but have you considered some of the standalone options? You carry a datalogger with you, sync the time on the logger and camera, then snap away and it tags your images afterwards. yes, it's not exactly elegant, and there's another box to worry about, but it works on any camera you may be carrying! If there's a few of you, and you sync clocks, you could tag a whole group or family's photos!

As for knowing exactly which way you're shooting, why would that be important? I know the compass in my iPhone 3GS isn't terribly accurate, but once you know where you were standing, you can easily enough work out which way you were facing. Unless there's something extra you can derive that I haven't thought of?

magiciansampras

What is the biggest use of a GPS in a camera? I'm trying to get a sense of how I'd use such a thing.

gfunkdave

I think the idea is to automatically tag your photos with the location at which they were taken. For me, it would be a "nifty to have; marginally useful" feature but I wouldn't make any purchase decisions based on it.

magiciansampras

Yeah I mean don't most people usually know where they are when taking pictures?

F-Stop Junkie

There are uses in things like location scouting/realty/property development, or even mining/the oil industry.

I think the greater use (for me anyway) is purely as a "I wonder where that was taken?" Especially if you're taking detail shots, or you're away from well known landmarks, a little reminder of where a certain moment of your life was spent would be nice when the specific details have faded from memory....

Loren Pechtel

It's to keep track of where pictures are taken.

I do a simple version of this--I take a picture of the sign of any place I'm going to take pictures.

savedsol

Why waste your $$$ on a big upgrade when you can get one of Eye-Fi's cards now. http://www.eye.fi/products/geox2

You can get a CF to SD adapter if need be too. All can be yours for way under $100.

Loren Pechtel

Only if there's known WiFi spots nearby. It's not going to work outside the city.

savedsol

I suppose unless you can turn your phone or laptop (using Verizon/AT-T, etc card) into an adhoc network.

savedsol

See this for non-wifi necessary solution...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/25/p...ds-mac-and-ra/

finnsch

one of the big advantages is, if you are a MAC and iphoto user, you can follow your photoalbum on a worldmap.
this sounds silly, but if you want to show your friends some photos from your trip you don't have to switch between folders.
on the other hand you ar able to publish you photos to platforms like googlemaps, picasa, facebook,... for showing interesting places in the world which are now easier to find for other people because of your gps-data.