Don't get me wrong, the 600 is ...wow... But geotagging photos from your gps is so very handy.
So, I got to thinking - is it worth the $80 extra to get the 650 vs. the 600?
Assume that you've answered the question "Will I use it". For me the newer is Yes, absolutely. But is there a better, cheaper way?
To start off, I looked into a geotagging unit for my Cannon camera. WAY better pictures and my choice of lenses. They DO have them but they cost about $250 - plus I'd have to lug my big honking camera around everywhere. Not going to happen.
Next I considered a separate compact camera. Drastically improved picture quality but once again, I'd be spending a whole lot more money.
iPhone? Yea, that would work however it's not ideal. It's got the same photo quality as the Oregon 650 and they are geotagged but it is not waterproof, not rugged, and has a short battery life. Generally when I'm out in the wilderness I like to keep my phone charged (and protected) as much as I can - just in case.
It was about that time when I stumbled upon some obscure reference related to geotagging the photos from your camera using your track log. What? Really? What, have you got to remember about where you were when you snapped the picture so you can get your apx location from the tracklog?
Not at all!!! (Mad Genius time)
Your tracklog is your precise lat/long coordinates as saved by your gps - but it is also the exact time when you are at those coordinates.
Your digital camera also time/date stamps all of your photos!
There is now software out there that will take your tracklog and automatically match it up to the time stamp stored in the metadata of your pictures and add in the geotag for your precise location at that time!
How awesome is that???
To start off, I looked into a geotagging unit for my Cannon camera. WAY better pictures and my choice of lenses. They DO have them but they cost about $250 - plus I'd have to lug my big honking camera around everywhere. Not going to happen.
Next I considered a separate compact camera. Drastically improved picture quality but once again, I'd be spending a whole lot more money.
iPhone? Yea, that would work however it's not ideal. It's got the same photo quality as the Oregon 650 and they are geotagged but it is not waterproof, not rugged, and has a short battery life. Generally when I'm out in the wilderness I like to keep my phone charged (and protected) as much as I can - just in case.
It was about that time when I stumbled upon some obscure reference related to geotagging the photos from your camera using your track log. What? Really? What, have you got to remember about where you were when you snapped the picture so you can get your apx location from the tracklog?
Not at all!!! (Mad Genius time)
Your tracklog is your precise lat/long coordinates as saved by your gps - but it is also the exact time when you are at those coordinates.
Your digital camera also time/date stamps all of your photos!
There is now software out there that will take your tracklog and automatically match it up to the time stamp stored in the metadata of your pictures and add in the geotag for your precise location at that time!
How awesome is that???
 |
| Garmin Oregon 650 |
