Comments on: JOBO photoGPS, A review.

By: Chris Happel

Chris Happel — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:30:43 +0000

I love geotagging for aerial photography, and have (so far) been using the track log from my aircraft gps and RoboGeo software. Tomorrow I’m upgrading to a Nikon D700 (with plug-in GPS support), and am considering getting a Garmin eTrex HCx and the appropriate wiring (MC-35 – http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-MC-35-Adapter-Digital-Cameras/dp/B0009GYNZ8 plus some magic cable from Garmin).

I’ve heard consistently great things about the HCx – particularly that the receiver works even under heavy tree canopies, inside cars (and planes), between buildings, canyons, bags, etc – I fear the dedicated hotshoe-mount GPSs may have weaker receivers.

I like the idea of using the direct GPS hook-up to the camera, but I don’t like having to spend $110 or so on just CABLES, not to mention what kind of a tangled cludge you end up having hanging off your camera.

Anyone have experience with camera-to-MC-35-to-adapter-cable-to-GPS? A comparison of receiver sensitivity between the dedicated camera GPSs vs a regular handheld?

By: KNBD

KNBD — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:56:05 +0000

I tried out my new JOBO photoGPS. It works well and is very very fast at picking up your location. Typically, I switched on the camera, took a quick shot using automatic settings and it still got the location. It seems to do this even when you are in trees.

OVERALL: I like it. It is expensive but does the job effectively. The software does work ’straight out of the box’ but needs improvement.

So, Pros are:
1) Fast to pick up location.
2) Light, small.
3) Actually identifies the true position at which you took the photo because of the use of the flash shoe to identify the moment of shutter press. This avoids problems associated with time synchronisation.
4) More than enough memory and a long battery life that is suitable for the requirements.
5) Uses USB power which is near universally available and charges fast (10 mins approx from empty).
6) Tags intermediate photos with the same location as ones which were shot with the PhotoGPS installed.

Cons:
1) Falls out of flash shoe far too easily (and has a double adaptor as well, which makes it even more easy to lose).
2) Software won’t work tag photos without an internet connection.
3) Can only tag all photos imported. There is no easy way to avoid tagging specific shots. You might want to ensure security by not tagging your home, so this is a problem.
4) Software does not update the modify date of the picture file.
5) Software’s location mapping details are not as good as those of Google Earth.
6) When software encounters a bad file it won’t let you tag any of the shots in that folder. It does not tell you which file is the problem which is tedious.
7) The Google.KML files created by the software won’t work in Google Earth if your picture names have special characters in them (e.g. &).
8) Why does the software insist on an immediate download when you use the CD? It should be able to install direct from the CD as well.
9) Can’t use the camera’s built in flash while using phtooGPS.

By: Fredshome

Fredshome — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:12:07 +0000

I actually prefer the Wintec WBT-201. It Cost me $94 and with its super small size, it can fit in my bag or pocket. It’s even bluetooth enabled.

This type of device seems to be much more versatile. It leaves your hotshoe free, with a bit of gaffer tape you can just stick it to your strap or something.

After that the question is, how easy is it to talk to that thing… For users of exotic systems (as in “not Windows”, or even “not Mac OS), the ideal system would be to see it as a mass storage unit and to see the log as a text file (in whatever format) that could be imported in processing software. In other words if no specific software was required, it would be perfect (some such units are designed that way).

By: David

David — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:27:34 +0000

I think the Jobo is great device but the software is terrible. If you take one photo using the GPS but take 20 photos during the shoot. It tags all the photos with the GPS location. clearly this is a fault.

The GPS data is not stored in a file that is easily used by other Geotagging software. so you can’t just swap software to solve the problem.

I have asked support but they do not reply. If they upgrade the software then it will be a wonderful device.

Also as a brand new Jobo it is not as tight on the hotshow as it could be. Not sure why they did not put a locking device like they do on flashes.

Execept for the software I am quite happy even though customer non-support will not respond to the software issue.

By: Michael Hummel

Michael Hummel — Wed, 20 May 2009 02:07:12 +0000

I actually prefer the Wintec WBT-201. It Cost me $94 and with its super small size, it can fit in my bag or pocket. It’s even bluetooth enabled.

http://www.wintec.com.tw/en/product_detail.php?pro_id=65

By: Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:03:44 +0000

I have the GP-1 for my Nikon D90. It’s just under $200US and needs no software. Embeds cordinates in EXIF of each photo automatically. So when I upload pics into flickr, it is already there in my EXIF. The only con I have had with it is not being able to get the GPS to work in some areas. Like in the woods, etc. You need to be in an open area. Other than that I enjoy it a lot. Fits nice and snug in my hotshoe also.
When @ home I simply don’t attach it to my camera. No worries there.

By: hannu

hannu — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:48:26 +0000

Pros:
Very fast to acquire position.
Light weight – so will be taken with you when you move.
Only uses battery power when taking a picture -> certainly enough for the 1000 pictures it stores

Cons:
Big minus (and the only thing that really harms this): On Mac the GPS data information cannot be read with any normal GPS data reader. Raw pictures have to be downloaded to disk, then tagged (.xmp files) then converted to DNG and then imported to Aperture. Would be wonderful if one could just read the GPS information directly from the unit in any standard GPS format.

Small minuses:
Only 1000 picture locations stored.
Has to be charged with USB.
Slips easily out of socket – use something to tighten it a bit
If timezone on camera not right, pics will be matched incorrectly.
Cannot be used with a flash currently as occupies the flash socket.

By: losingcontrol

losingcontrol — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:23:39 +0000

I usually don’t comment on these reviews, but…
I really don’t see how this is a great product, except maybe that it works. There is a ton of freeware out there, that will allow you to sync a fully functional gps, with the clock on your camera to achieve the same result. Maybe it’s in the software, but for $156, you can get one heck of a gps that will not only geotag your photos, but get you in and out of the woods or city, and find you a place to eat dinner. I looked at their website for their comparisons between the JOBO and a normal GPS. They stated it “takes 5-30 minutes for a normal gps to aquire a fix?” I would respectfully suggest that they need a new gps.. “Device attached on hot shoe (ideal positioning of antenna)” — I guess for their antenna… I usually just drop mine in my photo bag. Works fine. I think a great article would be a comparison of the different gps devices, as well as a comparison of the software solutions.

By: Sime

Sime — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:22:07 +0000

Thanks for your comments… I’m not all that fussed by Scott’s review – as this was my review, not his. I wasn’t out shooting Tiger Woods, I was headed home after a day at work with the JOBO, I do have an internet connection and plugged the device into my laptop to upload the data, thus charging the device… Anyway – thanks for your comments. Each to their own

Simon

By: Sime

Sime — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:50:31 +0000

Ned, with respect – you popped up, first comment picking apart my overview of the product, inserting information of your own with details that were just not correct, then clearly above I asked that we not discuss the whole NT and not ten minutes later you had started a discussion on just that… I’m sorry I came across as rude, but please – pay a little attention to what others are saying around you and to the information you’re posting on the internet – people actually rely on some of it.

As for allowing your post – I’m not sure which post you mean, I’ve not been in to the moderated comments, but will check now.