The Canon GP-E2 Now Shipping

[samkatz]

I have to say that as a landscape photographer who spends days driving around rural areas looking for the right scene, I would love to have a GPS info tagged into my files. Currently I log locations into my auto GPS or Android with a description and try to piece things together when I get home.  Google maps w/satellite view helps.

Aside from the price, I'm not crazy about using the flash shoe because I either keep a flash mounted or carry one in my vest for a quick fill light if need be.  I agree the GPS tagging is not an essential function, but I would pay a bit more to get a model that had it built in.   I'm sure they could find a way to have it work in the camera body...it could be in any plastic bubble on the surface...

[kdsand]

However if you think $269 is expensive, try living in the UK. This Unit is costing £299 ($464) at Warehouse Express, one of the largest photographic online retailers in the UK, at $269 that works out at £175 at $1.55/£.

This really is an outrageous markup, even allowing for the VAT and everything.

I really want this thing, but it's a scandalous price in the UK. May give importing a whirl - even with the VAT and duty and shipping, it cannot be that much...

So please, my American friends: I love you dearly, but please stop bitching about $3500 and $269. It's starting to get annoying ! 

Well any time I feel I am forced to bend over and just - take it I will bitch loudly. 
Of course if you're being violated even worse then by all means you go ahead & squeal louder.
Grab your ankles - take it like a man...... 
Say what?
No there's some games pokey don't play.

[UrbanVoyeur]

Why can't Canon learn from Apple and just make something that "Just Works".  If my iPhone can have a GPS receiver built in, and there are pocket cameras with GPS built in, why isn't it built in to all of their DSLRs?  If the photographer is worried about battery life, they could switch it off.

It is ridiculous what you have to do in order to get real time GPS values into the metadata on the 5Dm2...

I agree. High quality GPS takes up very little space and costs just a few dollars - almost nothing. 

If a rinkey-dink Canon point and shoot can include GPS  and still be under $250 for the whole camera, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/753784-REG/Canon_CAPSSX230BL_Powershot_SX230_HS_Digital.html, there is no reason Canon couldn't include on it $3500 near top-of-the-line model.  To have to buy a cumbersome accessory that takes up the shoe is silly at this point.  Stick it in the battery grip if you must. But $269? Insane.

[Sam]

Why can't Canon learn from Apple and just make something that "Just Works".  If my iPhone can have a GPS receiver built in, and there are pocket cameras with GPS built in, why isn't it built in to all of their DSLRs?  If the photographer is worried about battery life, they could switch it off.

It is ridiculous what you have to do in order to get real time GPS values into the metadata on the 5Dm2...

I agree. High quality GPS takes up very little space and costs just a few dollars - almost nothing. 

If a rinkey-dink Canon point and shoot can include GPS  and still be under $250 for the whole camera, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/753784-REG/Canon_CAPSSX230BL_Powershot_SX230_HS_Digital.html, there is no reason Canon couldn't include on it $3500 near top-of-the-line model.  To have to buy a cumbersome accessory that takes up the shoe is silly at this point.  Stick it in the battery grip if you must. But $269? Insane.

There is a very simple explanation for this. Mark III, 1DX etc are constructed in/around magnesium alloy. A GPS tracker that could fit into an DSLR body would NOT be powerful enough to penetrate the body accurately and consistently.

The point-and-shoot cameras often feature GPS because they usually contain a higher percentage of plastic than metal.

If Canon put one in their pro bodies we'd all be complaining about how inaccurate it was and how our smartphones tagged photos better than our 6k cameras.

[UrbanVoyeur]

There is a very simple explanation for this. Mark III, 1DX etc are constructed in/around magnesium alloy. A GPS tracker that could fit into an DSLR body would NOT be powerful enough to penetrate the body accurately and consistently.

The point-and-shoot cameras often feature GPS because they usually contain a higher percentage of plastic than metal.

I don't buy that. You can put a GPS antenna anywhere, even on the surface of a magnesium body, underneath the plastic skin. You can even use the alloy body as an one antenna. What about the other DSLR's that include GPS but have alloy bodies - like the Sony A77
Or they could stick in the hand grip which is hollow plastic. The receiver chips with built-in logging and serial output are very small.

[Sam]

There is a very simple explanation for this. Mark III, 1DX etc are constructed in/around magnesium alloy. A GPS tracker that could fit into an DSLR body would NOT be powerful enough to penetrate the body accurately and consistently.

The point-and-shoot cameras often feature GPS because they usually contain a higher percentage of plastic than metal.

I don't buy that. You can put a GPS antenna anywhere, even on the surface of a magnesium body, underneath the plastic skin. You can even use the alloy body as an one antenna. What about the other DSLR's that include GPS but have alloy bodies - like the Sony A77
Or they could stick in the hand grip which is hollow plastic. The receiver chips with built-in logging and serial output are very small.

If everything was as logical as you pointed out they wouldn't be able to charge you $269

[UrbanVoyeur]

If everything was as logical as you pointed out they wouldn't be able to charge you $269

LOL. I think Canon failed to recognize the popularity and ubiquity of GPS in today's digital cameras. The GP-E2 is them playing catch-up, marking time until they build it into the next generation.

[BillyBean]

Well any time I feel I am forced to bend over and just - take it I will bitch loudly. 
Of course if you're being violated even worse then by all means you go ahead & squeal louder.
Grab your ankles - take it like a man...... 

Fair point. Assume I am now squealing... and ordering from B&H ! I worked out even with shipping and tax, I still save around $100 (£60).

 

[Adderal]

I purchased the GP-E2 from B&H at the beginning of April and it's still on backorder.

I don't mind having the extra accessory or even paying $280 but I do have one big gripe.

It's so huge! If the GPS must be an external accessory, they really should have slimmed it down to easily fit in a camera bag.

[kdsand]

Built in GPS is certainly doable why its m.I.a. whatever the reason its not an engineering problem.  It could be as simple as Canon & Nikon waiting for the other to show their hand. Now Nikon should release something, possibly built in & then there will be a good chance GPS will become the standard fair.

Its big & expensive but I'm glad Canon has released it because the alternatives are not great.

If I remember correctly you can leave it in your pocket (just remember to turn it on) and sync with your p.c. later.

Duh... I just realized they must have developed the new radio flash tech, Wi-Fi & GPS in conjunction with each other. Hardware wise its much the same so.....
 
Its all good.

[UrbanVoyeur]

Duh... I just realized they must have developed the new radio flash tech, Wi-Fi & GPS in conjunction with each other

I wonder why they don't use the same chip or similar chipset as the EyeFi. If it can fit in a SD card, it can fit in the camera somewhere. You can even get wifi, GPS and bluetooth on the same chip these day for a few pennies more.

[ronm88]

I wonder why they don't use the same chip or similar chipset as the EyeFi. If it can fit in a SD card, it can fit in the camera somewhere. You can even get wifi, GPS and bluetooth on the same chip these day for a few pennies more.

This is a bit off topic, but I don't think that the EyeFi cards have GPS on them. I believe they just log the IDs of nearby WiFi networks, and use a Google service to convert the WiFi network to a location. This works very well in cities, but not so well in rural areas, and it is also a lot less accurate than GPS.

[neuroanatomist]

I agree that it should be built in, at least the basic geotagging feature. My S100 can do it.  Will get one?  Possibly, but it's low on my list of priorities right now.

[UrbanVoyeur]

This is a bit off topic, but I don't think that the EyeFi cards have GPS on them. I believe they just log the IDs of nearby WiFi networks, and use a Google service to convert the WiFi network to a location. This works very well in cities, but not so well in rural areas, and it is also a lot less accurate than GPS.

Thanks for pointing that out. Oh well. I guess they will have to use a standard GPS chipset. I've seen the chips available for hobbyists at $29-$50 with a serial interface and logging, so I would imagine it must be dirt cheap for a manufacturer like Canon.

[cellcrusher]

Whoo hoo mine has shipped. But now I have another problem. The expected 7D firmware update that would allow me to use the GPS is nowhere to be found. Drat.