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GPS for Nikon?

Paul2660

Well-known member
I was able to get it running today, Nikon's Bluetooth is strange, and I did not find it very user friendly. On my iPhone it creates 2 entires, one is connected, the other is not. But if you delete the one not connected, the one connected goes away. Then you have to totally delete the snap bridge app and start over.

I shot about 100 or so images with the phone in my pocket, and all of them were tagged. You get a satellite icon on the 2nd review screen (at least my 2nd review screen) the first screen is the 100% view, 2nd screen shows a smaller image in the upper left, then on the right side of that screen you get the icon. There is also a double ended arrow that shows up on another screen, again which I assume means, you have a connection to your iPhone from the camera.

Still need to get out in an area where I don't have cell service to see if it will still write the coordinates.

It seems that once you turn on Bluetooth on the camera, it will be active so when you power off the camera and back on later, bluetooth is still active, you get a tiny bluetooth icon on the top camera LCD display right about the remaining image count.

Tried pulling a few images down, and the large jpgs take a bit too long to pull many files down to your phone, but you could easily get a few down.

Nice feature, thanks to Dave for leading the way.

Paul C
 

JohnBrew

Active member
The users on Nikongear are touting the Foolography Unleashed for GPS. Home » foolography
It certainly looks interesting.
Even more interesting is the Z7 manual reference in which Nikon says their GPS unit will work and then states "these units have been discontinued by Nikon" !!!! :banghead:
 

SrMphoto

Well-known member
I was able to get it running today, Nikon's Bluetooth is strange, and I did not find it very user friendly. On my iPhone it creates 2 entires, one is connected, the other is not. But if you delete the one not connected, the one connected goes away. Then you have to totally delete the snap bridge app and start over.

I shot about 100 or so images with the phone in my pocket, and all of them were tagged. You get a satellite icon on the 2nd review screen (at least my 2nd review screen) the first screen is the 100% view, 2nd screen shows a smaller image in the upper left, then on the right side of that screen you get the icon. There is also a double ended arrow that shows up on another screen, again which I assume means, you have a connection to your iPhone from the camera.

Still need to get out in an area where I don't have cell service to see if it will still write the coordinates.

It seems that once you turn on Bluetooth on the camera, it will be active so when you power off the camera and back on later, bluetooth is still active, you get a tiny bluetooth icon on the top camera LCD display right about the remaining image count.

Tried pulling a few images down, and the large jpgs take a bit too long to pull many files down to your phone, but you could easily get a few down.

Nice feature, thanks to Dave for leading the way.

Paul C
I see this double BT entry also with Beyerdynamics Amiron headphones. Tried to delete one and had to run the setup again. Learned my lesson :).

Note that SnapBridge has three location data accuracy settings: low, medium (update every 60 sec), and high (update every 15 sec).
I have mine set to medium.
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
From what I have read, the Nikon units were problematic. I suppose that partly answers why (along with high price) they were discontinued.:(

Photography should be seamless, fun and not a PITA. There is no way I want yet another remote unit to carry around, especially if all I am going to do is tag the files. The iPhone is enough to put up with...

The Hasselblad Phocus worked well for me on location with photo shoots last year. It was WFI and I had no real issues with it. Certainly it made the photo shoots easier especially when outdoors and images on the screen were washed out in the bright light.

The Nikon Bluetooth is a step in the right direction. I can live with that!:)
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Took the camera on a bit of a hike. The SnapBridge gps connection worked fine.

I switched back to pure raw and it still records the info as you still see the satellite icon. However you can’t download any files to phone. So I ended up using the medium setting for jpgs as I at times would want to use an image from camera to post online.

Connection seems pretty solid. Turning off camera has no negative effect.

Left mine at the medium level for accuracy.

Paul C
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Big test today. Changed battery in camera. I wondered if the Bluetooth would re enable or if I would need to set it up again.

On power up it took about 3 shots then it was syncing the coordinates again.

So far so good

Paul C
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Big test today. Changed battery in camera. I wondered if the Bluetooth would re enable or if I would need to set it up again.

On power up it took about 3 shots then it was syncing the coordinates again.

So far so good

Paul C
Hi, Paul,

How is the Bluetooth/SnapBridge working for you so far?

Surprisingly, I can't find anything to complain about.:cool:p
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
What are the advantages of using GPS in a camera?
Geotags more than anything. Nice to have the exact coordinates.

LR map module will also point right to spot where image was taken.

Nikon should have long ago included this in camera. Most other companies now have it. Cost of a gps module is pennies.

Paul C
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Yes it works where phone has no cell service, finally got out to try it.

However it's still buggy to me.

The snapbridge app seems to eventually time out and if you turn the camera on and off a lot (like when I work birds), the GPS connection will drop.

The trick to getting it back is going to the snapbridge app, and hit the bluetooth, and or going back to the camera menu and hitting the menu item where it selects Bluetooth. Sometimes it takes a bit of going back and forth but so far eventually the two start talking again. When they do the images are tagged correctly.

Paul C
 
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