This makes geo-tagging easier.I had a different GPS logger before which was Windows-only. It worked well but the software was a bit kludgy. It did things I didn't care about. All I want is the GPS coordinates in the photo's file. It was trying to be a photo-organizer. When I moved to a Mac I saw the Sony GPS logger and the fact that it doesn't require an OS and does everything on the fly and thought, "This is what I want it's just shy of actually having the camera do it but it's getting pretty close."
This GPS logger includes Windows software for organizing your photos and importing them and showing them on a map, etc. I haven't tried it.
Anyway, the basic deal is this: You synchronize your camera to the clock in the display of this device (which is better than my old one which didn't have a display you had to synchronize it at the computer or using a separate GPS or some other synchronized timepiece). You go out and take pictures and carry this logger with you. At the end of the day you slide your memory stick or SD card into this device and it will add the coordinates to each of the pictures. Nothing more you need to do. If you take those photos and load them onto Flickr then they'll show up on the map there.
Two annoying things:
You have to open/close the back cover when you insert your flash memory. The back-cover is more like a traditional batter cover but there is a little switch there that looks to see when the cover is open or not and the unit will not function if the cover is open. I suspect that this is to stop someone from pulling the flash memory when it's updating but it seems like a needless extra step.
It will only update photos in batches of 60. You leave the flash memory in the device (with the cover closed) and just cycle through multiple sets of 60 photos (it sees whether the photo already has the info and excludes it from the next batch). Still, kind of annoying that you can't just put the flash memory in and say, "do it!," and have it update the entire lot.
It uses a single AA battery which is nice as you can just take some rechargeable batteries with you and swap them out as needed and recharge them when you get home. My old GPS logger had a specialized internal battery, which worked fine, but I had to remember to bring something that would let me charge it each night (a USB mini-B cable and some kind of power source). With this I can just swap the batteries out when needed and, if I forget, I can just buy some AA batteries when I'm out.
Accuracy of position finding is very good
The bundled software is excellent
Battery life is very useful, 15 hours are easily reachable
Set-up and operation is very simple
Relatively short time to find satellites (usually around one minute after start up)
Small size
Display for set-up and operation data
Theoretical possibility to geo tag your photos without a computer
The bad:
Documentation is spartan you need to go on the internet to find additional information
Set-up of GMT is not intuitive you have to figure out the Daylight Savings Time settings first, which is not mentioned in the documentation
You have to absolutely set your camera time exactly in sync to the GPS time; the unit records a measurement every 15 seconds, so if you are off a few seconds and move your position quickly, like in a car or so, the tag will be a couple of hundred yards off; believe me, that happens more often than you think, and the only way to remedy this is to undertake a manual correction in the bundled PMB software which, thankfully, is very easy to do ...
The ugly:
You have to remove the cover to access the SD card slot ... what a boneheaded design decision ...
I use this unit extensively to geo tag my photos now bought it originally to have this functionality available for my blog ()
It took me a couple of (frustrating) days to figure out, why my photos were not tagged correctly at first: the device uses GMT as basic time and to set your local time, you have to figure in the effect of Daylight Savings Time ...
But after that hurdle was taken, the tagging worked great.
The in-device tagging functionality also works flawless but you have to remove the cover every time you want to insert a SD card. It also drains the battery more quickly.
Because the device will hold several hundred hours of geo logs, there really is no need to tag the files directly on the SD card. It is much more convenient to this via the bundled software, where you can correct single tags if you need to and believe me, the need will arise as soon as you are hooked, and you only will accept the most precise location data possible anymore ... :)
To sum it up:
The GPS functionality works great, battery life is great, the software is great, the position of the SD card slot is stupid. I am very happy with this little gadget.
Buy Sony GPS-CS3KA GPS Digital Imaging Accessory (White) Now
This is a simple GPS data logger that does not need a computer. Thus no Windows vs Mac stuff. Set the time and time zone, strap it to your camera strap, and go. When you're ready, take the SD card (or silly Sony memory stick) from the camera, put it in the CS3KA, select "Match" and you're good. Geotag info is written to your photos. Then import them into iPhoto, or Google Earth, or whatever. No software needed, no computer needed. Just like much acclaimed Photofinder, but the GPS lock takes only seconds. The LCD screen is even readable in bright sunlight without back-lighting. My only complaint -it should come in black to match most cameras.Read Best Reviews of Sony GPS-CS3KA GPS Digital Imaging Accessory (White) Here
This little GPS has solved a problem I've been working on for months: how to easily and quickly add geotag data to digital photos taken with my Nikon D60. There are lots of recommended solutions online, such as:take one photo at each spot using your GPS-enabled iPhone, then upload from iPhone and camera and use iPhoto (yes, I'm a Mac) to copy the location data to other pics taken at the same spot (tedious, approximate, needs a PC)
carry a small GPS while taking photos, download the GPS track file to your PC, convert it to a compatible format, and merge it with the photo files (extremely tedious, needs a PC and special software)
buy a Nikon GP-1 and attach it to the flash shoe on the camera (bulky appendage on the camera, chews up battery life, doesn't work with D60)
I've tried the first two methods and they work but they're tedious, require a PC, or have other problems. You can also buy one of the few cameras with internal GPS, but that's expensive and doesn't help me with my D60.
This little Sony GPS-CS3KA sweeps away nearly all those drawbacks. I've only used it for a couple of days and have found it does exactly what it claims, quickly and easily. I shoot hi-res JPG, thus avoiding the non-Sony RAW problem mentioned elsewhere. (Somewhat understandable on Sony's part, since the various brands' RAW formats are so different.) Here's how it works:
You turn on the Sony GPS (insert one AA, press On button) and let it "triangulate", in the arcane terminology of the instruction booklet, meaning acquire the satellite signals.
Select the time zone you're in and set Daylight Savings if needed.
Sync your camera to the GPS' time. I found it easy to set my Nikon's time to within a couple of seconds of the GPS' time, which gave me excellent location accuracy.
Take photos all day, while keeping the little Sony in an outside pocket.
Slip the camera's SD card into the back of the GPS, select Match on the menu and wait a couple of minutes for the GPS data to be added to the photo files on the SD card. (It will only do 60 at a time, so you may need to repeat this step.)
That's all.
I drove around with the GPS lying on the dashboard, stopping to take pics of landmarks. After processing as above, I uploaded the pics to iPhoto and checked their locations in Places on iPhoto. All of the locations were strikingly accurate: within a few yards of where I took the photo. Keep in mind, of course, that the object or landmark in the photo may not be anywhere near that photo-taking spot; e.g., a photo of Mt Rainier taken from downtown Seattle.
Yes, the back cover is a little flimsy, but that didn't bother me, and I don't find it inconvenient to remove and replace it when inserting the memory card. I used the little wire loop inside the cover to add a camera-type wrist loop (not included) for safety.
All in all, I'm very pleased to have found this little item just before a trip to Asia, where those geotags will come in really handy. I'll update this review after the trip, and report how it held up under heavy daily use, tropical humidity, etc. Also whether it's a problem (time, battery life) to match the files in batches of 60, after a full day of shooting a few hundred pics.
Want Sony GPS-CS3KA GPS Digital Imaging Accessory (White) Discount?
When I first heard of this device I was super excited to get it. I take a lot of pictures and often go scouting looking for interesting areas. In the past I carried a GPS and took a picture of its screen to recall where I found interesting places I might want to see again.Alas, as soon as I opened the manual (which is not written by someone whose first language is English, but it is usable) I realized it was only going to work on JPG files, not RAW files (except for some Sony cameras). Of course I only shoot in RAW. NUTS! I should have realized this before I bought it. It only makes sense it isn't going to be able to handle a bunch of proprietary RAW files.
If you don't know what I mean by RAW, this device will work nicely for you. For 95%+ of the people, this won't be an issue for you, but for those of you with a DSLR who are really serious about your pics and use RAW images, this GPS won't work.
Well, OK it won't work as sold.
I DID NOT want to give this device up because it would really make my life a lot easier when on a scouting expedition. So I did some looking around.
You can use the Sony GPS's software to upload its log file to your computer. You can then use free software called GEOSETTER to look at the GPS log and the dates on your RAW files and have it update the EXIF information in the RAW file. GEOSETTER probably doesn't support EVERY raw file, but it supports many and it supports DNG so you can always convert your camera's RAW file into DNG and then GEOCODE the DNG.
I suspect (but haven't had time to experiment), you could actually use GEOSETTER with any hiking GPS that allows you to grab tracks (the GPS log) and save to your computer.
Outside of that I probably don't have much to add others haven't said. It seems to be pretty well built, has a decent carrying case, and is intuitive. You really don't have to read the manual. The USB plug was VERY tight though. But I used my own mini USB cable that is always dangling free for all my various devices.
I'm giving this 3 stars because it doesn't work for my application. Had I used JPG files, it would get at least 4.
Postscript: since writing this review, I have learned to use Geosetter to extract GPS logs from this device, my hiking GPS, and my auto GPS. Most of the time I actually use the hiking or auto GPS to geocode pics because I'm already using them. However, on the occasion where I don't have either with me, this GPS is in my camera bag and I can turn it on and use it for geocoding the pics I take.
I'm looking forward to trying this out on this weekends' expedition.
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