28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
Garmin Oregon is to GPS as Apple iPhone is to cellular.
I recently just bought 2 new Garmin GPS units to upgrade my aging Garmin Legend (Original Model). I was hesitant to purchase the Oregon due to the mediocre reviews on Amazon, but ultimately I decided to take a chance.
First I bought the Garmin Dakota 20, and I really liked it. Small, Battery Efficient, Easy to Use, and Paperless Geocaching using the...
26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
Sadly unimpressed....
I have had this for a couple days now and have to admit, I'm "underwhelmed" by it so far. I had very high expectations of the 550 and ordered it with the 24K Topo maps from Amazon. Here's my issues:
1. This is my first Oregon unit, but the screen seems small....I'm a big guy, it feels like my thumb covers half the screen when navigating.
2. Compass...
This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I recently just bought 2 new Garmin GPS units to upgrade my aging Garmin Legend (Original Model). I was hesitant to purchase the Oregon due to the mediocre reviews on Amazon, but ultimately I decided to take a chance.
First I bought the Garmin Dakota 20, and I really liked it. Small, Battery Efficient, Easy to Use, and Paperless Geocaching using the touchscreen. Good stuff. I called my friend who likes to have the latest and greatest, and he told me he had purchased the Oregon 400t when it first came out last year. I took a drive to his house to compare it to my new Dakota 20... Very similar in capabilities, only smaller and less resolution on the screen. After seeing his unit, and how well it ran I found myself craving the higher resolution screen, and 3D Terrain features, so I went up and bought another one, this one, the Garmin Oregon 550. I decided against buying the Oregon 550t because the 550 had a little deeper discount than the "t" version. Ultimately I chose to purchase the 550 since it was around $60 off retail, VS. only $1 less than retail on the 550t. I figured I could add the TOPO maps later. Plus I had also just purchased the Dakota 20, and the $160 difference in cost was sounding pretty good. I have completely busted my mad money for now.
Ultimately I find this unit to be right in line with all of the other Oregon models software wise... it works exactly the same way. So go and read some reviews on the other Oregon models sine this unit doesn't have many reviews yet. It is VERY similar in capabilities, but this one has a few added goodies.. 3 Axis Compass + 3.2MP GEOTagging Camera (Good stuff)...
Another observation between the new 550 and 550t models... Garmin's specs say the these models have equivalent storage, but in fact this is not the case, the 850MB seen in the specs relates to the free space after taking into account the included maps. In reality it is more like 550 = 1GB, 550t=4GB internal memory. Mostly a non-issue since both have a Micro-SD slot behind the battery, which happily accepted an inexpensive 4GB SDHC card, and since SDHC was supported I would expect you could add an even larger one.
Like the other reviewer stated I noticed that the roads on Garmin's 2008 TOPO maps are slightly off.. this is easily recognizable if you load a driving map, calculate a route, and then disable the driving map, you will see the driving route is not exactly on the road. To me this is all the more reason to just get the 550 model (at this point) without the TOPO maps. You can add them later once the road data is fixed. On second thought, the TOPO features themselves on the 2008 map seem fine, only the road data is a little off, so if you are using the maps as they are intended this is probably a non-issue. At the time I just felt like the 550 was a better bargain, only $90 more than the Dakota 20 I had just purchased, which also was still at the full $350 retail price since it is still a brand new model.
The only other glitch was with the Compass calibration, which went haywire for a moment, but resolved itself after a reset, and hasn't happened since. We'll see if it becomes an issue.. but I doubt it. The reset was very fast as this unit boots up very quickly.
I decided to make these purchases since my girlfriend has expressed an interest in "Re-Taking Up Geocaching", we really haven't done it in a while (Since '02), and its such a great outdoor activity. The original point in making these purchases was the ease at which you can add Geocaches into the unit directly from the website with a single mouse click. She was having trouble getting used to adding the co-ordinates into the old Garmin Legend with that tiny joystick, it was VERY TEDIOUS.
So now she has the Dakota 20, and I have the Oregon 550, and we can easily transfer geocaches back and forth wirelessly, and it is easy as pie to download them from [...].
To me, these new Garmins are a huge upgrade from my old "Legend", and they are waterproof and rugged as ever.
I would have given this product 5 stars had it not been for the couple of small glitches, which I expect will be fixed in the future via a firmware update / map update from Garmin.
Truely.. the new touchscreen Garmin units are to GPS's, as the iPhone is to mobile phones. In a class by itself.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
My wife and I have heavily used our Garmin 76CSx and loved it for the last 2 years. Long story short, we sold it and bought this one after a lot of research. Even after the research, I was very surprised by how great the improvements were over the 76CSx.
* The touch screen made navigation a night and day experience, especially typing in addresses or other POI.
* The calculation time for routing is very much improved. The boot time is longer than the 76CSx but it can lock in satellites much faster and in areas with more interference (ei. in a basement of a house).
* One of the biggest improvements that I didn't realize with my research is the resolution of the screen. Having twice the resolution made viewing maps much easier. You don't need to zoom out to see the detail you need. This is very clear with topo maps.
* The coloring schemes are also much better for City navigation maps.
* When you take a pictures it marks it location on the map and comes with GPS coordinates which my dad would love for his snowmobile trips.
* Enabling and disabling maps is so much easier. On the 76SCx, when you loaded topo maps and CN maps, in menu under map setup it would list every image map that you loaded, which with topo maps there could be hundreds listed. To see the topo maps you need to disable/enable the CN maps, to do this you would have to scroll through a very small window to find the CN map image then disable it. This was a huge pain and time consuming. On the Oregon 550 it lists the maps in map packs, not images. This is a improvement.
Another point of information, the sdhc memory uses fat32 memory type which is the type of memory this GPS uses can hold can only have files sizes of 4 gigs. This is a requirement/limitation of the fat32. Also, Garmin has a restriction of only 4,000 (it might be just over 4,000) map images per map transfer. In topo maps, it is common to reach the 4,000 map images than the 4 gigs limitation. However, the Oregon 550 can handle at least 2 map packs images. I haven't tested for more. You just load on map pack to the GPS or memory card. After it is done, rename it from gmapsupp.img to gmapsup1.img. Then transfer the other map image pack. It will read both map packs as one. So, you can have 8 gigs of maps on your GPS. You just need to do it the right way. You might be able to add more map packs, but I haven't tested it.
The only down side is the battery consumption is noticeably higher than the 76CSx. But with a car charger it makes it much easier on the batteries. I also love how they include rechargeable batteries with the GPS.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I have had this for a couple days now and have to admit, I'm "underwhelmed" by it so far. I had very high expectations of the 550 and ordered it with the 24K Topo maps from Amazon. Here's my issues:
1. This is my first Oregon unit, but the screen seems small....I'm a big guy, it feels like my thumb covers half the screen when navigating.
2. Compass accuracy is questionable, or at least it seems very "jumpy". If I move an inch, it rotates way more than I did.
3. Not sure why, but it's hard to see in the shade. Outside on bright sunny days and it's easier to see in direct sunlight than in the shade.
4. Having map problems....can't display a 3-D view of my map (open case with Garmin support).
5. All the manuals are on CD and the CD had issues loading in my computer. Had to find a PC that would read the CD and copy to my hard drive.
What's good about it...
1. The camera. While 3.2MP is not "hi-def" by any means, it is nice to only carry one device and have my pictures geotagged. The resolution and quality is respectable.
2. Unit feels very durable....I fish a lot so it's nice that it's somewhat weather / waterproof.
3. Comes with some nice accessories....I was surprised that Garmin included NiMH batteries and a charger.
4. Battery life is good. Although I'm using 2700mA batteries (not the included batteries) I get almost 20 hours from a set of AA.
Maybe I'm being a little too hard on Garmin and I generally like their products. However, for $600 (Oregon 550 and the Topo Map) I was expecting an iPhone like experience....an oohhh ahhhh kind of moment......hasn't happened so far. Not sure if I'll keep it...it's not a "bad" device, just don't know if it's worth $600. I was on the fence about giving it two or three stars....I gave it two because of the price and some of the frustrations I've had getting the maps to work right.
** Update (8/16/09): I did get the map issue resolved....turned out to be a software glitch with the Topo maps, but I did get it corrected. Took this unit on a 3 day trip to the Pike National Forest in Colorado. I would upgrade my rating from two stars to three stars as the GPS was extremely accurate when geocaching....but I didn't even get a full day from one set of batteries and the pictures I took with the 550 were hardly usable. It was cool that they were geotaged, but pretty poor in quality. Because of the price, picture quality and low battery life, it's going back. There are better options for less money.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
Other reviewers have done a good job of elaborating on the feature set so I won't go there. Garmin has again put out a fantastically featured, if not pricey, GPSr.
When I actually used the unit outside, I thought that the back light or something was not working.
Comparing the 550 screen to the 60csx screen (side by side at same viewing angle and same light) confirms that the 550 screen is harder to read regardless of the level of the back lights of each. I am preparing photos to illustrate this.
Further, the 550 readability is greatly affected by the viewing angle, where the 60csx appears to be less affected by angle.
The camera images and functionality are just "ok". Sat lock is good and accuracy seems in line with the 60csx.
Other thoughts: I saved 100 bucks by stepping down from the 550t, which essentially only varies by the included maps. I loaded the gpsfiledepot free maps and have been very happy. Also note that neither unit includes the urban and driving details that the 100 dollar City Navigator maps provide.
To avoid buyer's remorse, I strongly suggest you see the 550 in person, and take it outside, before purchase.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I have owned it for one week.
gpsfiledepot has some nice maps and tutorials.
Using MapSource and BaseCamp from Garmin (to install maps) crashes my Windows 7 computers, they suck up all the memory (RAM and virtual). I am able to use MapInstall from Garmin to install maps. Also EasyGPS (free) can be used.
I have loaded both the Georgia topo and SE USA topo from gpsfiledepot to the 550's microSD card. They work very well. I am in the process of making some more detailed topo maps for my area. To have more than one map on the SD card just add a number after each img file once you have them on the SD card.
Using the 550, I can read the screen if I'm not wearing sunglasses and I can use shade to adjust the amount of light hitting the screen. The software on the unit works well. The device works well with geocache sites and makes it easy to download cache info.
I use Sanyo Eneloop rechargable batteries, they seem to last a 8-12 hour day of frequent usage. Just be sure the device is turned off and not in standby when you are not going to use it for a while.
When I got the 550 at home, I did not read the manual. The SD card holder opens up, you lay the microSD card down in it, lower the holder cover and then slide it down. Then I quickly inserted the batteries. The + symbols are both on the same end of the battery holder. One is more toward the center then the other. The "lower' + is supposed to be at the other end. I had to flip one battery.
The set up screen comes on first. In my excitement, I accidentally hit the Polish language selection. I had to learn the Polish word for reset in order to get the English language back.
I suggest going to the Garmin website and registering the device first thing. This will let you set up a Dashboard and GarminConnect so you can update the firmware. The new firmware made the whole device faster.
Then go to gpsfiledepot and download a nice small map. Also read the tutorials on loading the map into your 550. If Mapsource (see the gpsfiledepot site on how to get Mapsource for free and legally from Garmin) keeps crashing on Win7, try Basecamp (free from Garmin). If it crashes see if you can get MapInstall or another free program. I did find that if I right click on MapSource in the start menu and change the compatability mode to "Vista SP2", it runs better on Win 7.
It may take 30 minutes to load a single state topo map to the microSD card, then you can try it out in the neighborhood. Also go to Geocaching and download the details on a couple nearby caches. See if you can find them using the 550.
Happy Trails!
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I ordered the Garmin 550 for a deployment to Iraq. This GPS does everything I want a GPS to do. It even tracks satellites indoors if you are under a thin roof, and I forsee it having NO trouble maintaining at least 20m accuracy in the woods. The compass is very accurate as well, and I have checked it against my military compass. I have seen GPS systems that have trouble with compass accuracy while standing still, but the Oregon 550 is dead on the money even sitting still inside a vehicle.
The camera is incredible. The pictures are clear and crisp, and the system allows you to take the picture (it geotags the location you were standing at), and then assign it to a waypoint if you wanted to tag something with a picture taken in the distance. The only downside is sometimes the camera is sort of slow to start up. This is only an issue if you're on the move.
The unit itself is rubberized and very durable. I have put it through quite the beating. Its screen has also held up surprisingly well. I was expecting a number of times to look to see my GPS screen spiderwebbed, but it just absorbs punishment. I have heard people say it is hard to read in sunlight, but I've found that tilting the screen sideways allows the user to view it clearly even in the brightest desert sun. The touch screen is HIGHLY customizable, and very easy to use.
The onyl complaint i would have about my Oregon 550 is that i did not get the 550t with the US topo maps. I downloaded them and they were very easy to install, but I could have saved a step by getting the 550t.
All in all, the only reason i would not recommend this GPS is to someone who cannot afford it. It is absolutely rock solid and possibly the best GPS I've used. Well done Garmin!
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I bought this unit to replace my original Garmin Etrex (the old yellow one) which I've had for 10 years. I've always been very happy with the Etrex and other Garmin products and this GPS meets my expectations as far as quality and performance are concerned. The interface is quite simple to use and very easy to master. I used the Oregon to navigate in southern Iraq and have had no problems at all. I've added Iraq maps and had a little bit of trouble getting the appropriate level of detail at various zoom levels. Tracks and waypoints are easy to use and manage. I do some geocaching and I've found that feature particularly handy (yes the have caches here on various bases!). The camera is a novel feature but not all that useful as I always have a regular digital camera with me and my cell phone and my Ipod which both take pictures too. I'm looking forward to the 3D and driving modes when I get back home to the States and put the unit in my car (or motorcycle). The routing feature doesn't work in Iraq. Overall I'm very happy with the unit. However, I do think it's a bit over priced and that's why I only gave it four stars. At about $350 I think this would be a great value but at nearly $500 it's a bit over priced.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I owned a Colorado 400 until it was stolen, so I was familar with this product already. after trying the touch screen on the oregon, I was totally sold. I wish my expensive touch phone worked anywhere close to this touch screen. I would recommend this product to anyone that is looking at a top of the line handheld
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
This is the Rolls Royce of the GPS. I use it with Garmin GB Discoverer which display Ordnance Survey 1/50,000 maps on England. Perfect for long distance walks.
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This review is from: Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera (Sports)
I was very pleased with the ease of use in loading geocache cords into the unit. I also loaded street maps and in the automobile mode works as well as my garmin 765t. I have not had much use for the camera yet but it seems sufficient. The 550 is a very rugged unit, but it would be nice if it had an auto timed off after a preset number of minutes and the screen back-light timer was more versatile, over all i would give it a 4.25 stars out of 5. Great Unit.
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