GPS Solmeta N2

[f5fstop]

As promised to Photo John, here is a quick write-up on the Solmeta N2 GPS unit as used on a D200 and D300.
Just returned from a two-week trip to Utah, traveling some of the extreme off-roads inside Canyonlands (White Rim Trail) and Cathedral Valley and Pleasant Valley Trail inside Capital Reef National Parks. The unit worked flawlessly under all conditions. Many of the trail photos were taken from inside my Hummer and were of the other vehicles on the trip. At no time did the unit loose contact with satellites.
Most of the time, the unit was powered by the camera, since I forgot to bring the units AC charger with me. I did not notice any large drain on the camera batteries with the unit set to Auto Off (goes off with the camera when the camera goes to sleep). Also the unit latched onto satellites extremely quick when the camera's shutter was touched.
Bringing the photos into a program called Jet Photo, then hitting the Google earth icon, opens Google earth and displays the following track through the White Rim Trail.


The purple cameras are the track we took, and where there are multiple shots taken, if you zoom in you will see more purple cameras appear. If you put the cursor on a purple camera, it will spread out with multiple purple cameras, then you can double click on one of the purple cameras and the software will display that photo.

This is a zoom in of one of our campsittes:


Now a closer zoom with a photo displayed:

(Note, in this case I superimposed the photo myself, but clicking on camera 91 displayed the same photo, I just could not figure out how to get the actual Google earth view into PS.)

This is a track through Cathedral Valley:


Only problem I had was remembering to turn it on every morning, and switching between cameras. Next year, I plan on purchasing the N1 unit from Solmeta for the D200. The D200 can't display heading, and the N2 inputs the compass heading into the D300. So, I'll go with a less expensive unit for the D200.

In all, I am very satisfied with the unit and I DO NOT WORK FOR SOLMETA Photo John can confirm this. However, when you purchase an item that actually works as advertised, you like to say good things about it.

Photo John you should have been there with us. You would have loved it. We spent quite a few nights out in the middle of nowhere, met some really strange people (actually had my SIG in my hand at one point:mad2: , ) but it was some great scenery.

Now, I have to clean the Hummer and remove about five tons of red sand.

[TheMorchel]

The report describes the outdated Solmeta DP-GPS N2.

Since the beginning of 2009 there ist Solmeta Geotagger N2 Kompass with some detail improvements ...

• Exchange cables for Nikon D90, D5000 or Nikon D200, D300, D700, D2x, D3, D3x
• Good fix is shown by LED now
• Automatic switching to camera power if internal battery is empty
• Therefore less switches
• Easier compass adjustment

For all German speaking folks there is a German manual at www.gps-kamera.eu

[ricky123]

That is excellent work...

[Singletracklovr]

Excellent report. Thank you for the info and examples.

[gelliray]

I am using easytagger with my D300 now. I remember when I first used it; I find that I could not use hotshoe, because the GPS is in the way, which made me quite disappoint. I asked the after sell service of that company, and soon, I received a (stand) from easytagger company. The tiny bracket connects the Geotagger and camera conveniently, and of course, the problem of hotshoe solved. Now the hotshoe works very well. I appreciate the attitude and speed that easytagger solves problems