Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the Sony GPS-CS1, sorta., May 4, 2008
(See update at bottom, too, added on 6/6/2008)
Last year, I decided I wanted to start geotagging my photos. I did some research and ended up buying a Sony GPS-CS1 device, which worked well on several vacations I made to Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The Sony would last almost all day on one AA battery, but it was slow at regaining a signal. Still, it worked well enough. But, it did not use a standard log format and required special conversion software to use it with standard Geo apps (thanks, Sony). It also wasn't a true memory stick type device -- a Mac OS X machine can't use it (though earlier versions of 10.4 could). So, rendered useless on a Mac (even in PC emulation), I looked elsewhere.
A coworker told me about the ATP, and after months it was finally available to order in the US. The advantage is that you can just stick the memory card in to the device and it will geotag for you! All you do is sync the camera date to match the display on the Photo Finder. Very easy! It ran on two AAA batteries, so I loaded up the AAA rechargeable (same brand as the AAs I used with the Sony) and gave it a shot.
Unfortunately, it takes a long time to geotag -- maybe 5 seconds or more per photo. Not bad if you are just doing a few dozen, but load up a multi-gig stick with hundreds (thousands) of photos and you might as well just import the log files and do it on a computer much faster.
Also, my unit turns itself off randomly. Maybe it is defective, but I'm always looking down to find that it has shut off, requiring me to manually tag those photos later. VERY annoying. And, worse, there is NO support contact on the ATP web site! I have written their PR address, so maybe I'll get some response eventually.
Another issue is battery life. It seems I could get by a whole day with one AA on the Sony, but two sets of AAAs are needed for this thing. Again, for a casual photographer, this is not a big deal, but if you plan to use it while spending all day at a renaissance festival or theme park, bring spares. And you'll go broke if you aren't using rechargeables.
On the plus: It mounts like a normal memory stick on the Mac, so I can drag off the STANDARD log files and geotag quickly on my computer using software like HudoaGeo. So, other than the shutting off issue, it's great.
Downside to design: the display is a backlight LED type display, and it's impossible to read in sunlight. THey designed a display that looks great when it's dark and you can't be taking photos, but can't be read when outside in daylight. Brilliant move, ATP. I'd settle for a normal LCD display (and add a backlight if you must). It's a nice display, but useless if you can't read it.
The interface is a bit klunky -- when you insert a memory card, you answer YES to geotag, then set your GMT offset (-5 or -6 where I am depending on DST) and then away it goes. It even asks to create KML files for you - - and when you insert the memory card in your PC, it shows some URL links to their website, KML files, and your photos -- very slick!
So, much promise. If the power off issues is just a defect, than great. If it's some kind of battery saving mode, then that's a dealbreaker for me. We shall see...
UPDATE on 6/6/2008:
UPDATES: I've now been through two of these units. The first kept shutting off, so ATP replaced it for me (took a few weeks, though). The new unit did the same thing. It turns out to be a design defect in their battery compartment, and apparently they are in the process of coming out with a new version.
Other issues (beyond not being able to read the display in sunlight, and taking ages to Geocode images) include the strap being fragile. Both of my units have just fallen off the little strap -- the first just came lose at the string (the string just pulled out!) and the second had a clip that was so weak it wouldn't even stay clipped in. Beware of this first model.
The upcoming "ATP Photo Finder mini" looks to be a completely different design that may address these issues. ATP said they had a redesign coming out in the next few weeks, so maybe that is what they are talking about (currently you can only find info on it from some pages in Japan from a tradeshow over there, but it looks much better). We shall see.
I'd change my rating to a ONE STAR rating now if I could.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Buyer beware!, May 15, 2008
Beware! This device will NOT work with Canon SLR cameras (probably other SLR brands as well)! It simply will not modify your EXIF data to include the GPS coordinates. Also, the software I've downloaded from the website has not helped, either. There is also no technical support that I can find. This is besides the fact that, for over $100, this device is cheaply built (the clasp broke the first day), and has a LCD screen which is all but impossible to read. Trust me...you don't want to spend your $$ on this thing.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Can't even get it to work, June 10, 2008
I got tired of waiting for the Jobo Photo GPS to ever come on the market (announced at PMA in March 07), so when I saw the ATP Photo Finder, I decided to give it a try. To date (I've had it about 3 weeks), I can't even get it to work.
Same problems as everybody else. Weak strap, can't see the screen in daylight (don't they do some sort of usability testing?). It shuts itself off after a bit. Virtually no technical support on their website. I'm still trying to geotag my first picture geotagged. When I put a card in, it just freezes up. Pretty much a complete waste of $100.
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