Product Description

Organize, manage and enjoy your pictures in a whole new way. The GPS-CS1KA GPS image tracker calculates and records the time, date and location of each picture you snap with satellite precision. And when used with the supplied Picture Motion Browser software, you'll be able to match the time and location data in your camera with your photos. In addition, when the Picture Motion Browser software is used in conjunction with Google® Maps, you can view a map on a webpage and your photos will pop up next to push pins by the actual location where you shot the picture. The GPS-CS1KA GPS image tracker and supplied Picture Motion Browser software are compatible with virtually all digital still cameras.

Product Details

• Brand: Sony
• Model: GPSCS1KA
• Released on: 2007-01-03
• Dimensions: 6.88" h x 1.27" w x 4.22" l, .41 pounds

Features

• Keep track of your digital photos with satellite precision
• Holds approximately 360 hours (31MB) of data
• Records a location log every 15 seconds
• Simple operation; no need for complex set up or connection
• Compatible with most digital still cameras; compliance with Exif 2.1 or later

Manufacturer Description
Organize, manage and enjoy your pictures in a whole new way. The GPS-CS1KA GPS image tracker calculates and records the time, date and location of each picture you snap with satellite precision. And when used with the supplied Picture Motion Browser software, you'll be able to match the time and location data in your camera with your photos. In addition, when the Picture Motion Browser software is used in conjunction with Google® Maps, you can view a map on a webpage and your photos will pop up next to push pins by the actual location where you shot the picture. The GPS-CS1KA GPS image tracker and supplied Picture Motion Browser software are compatible with virtually all digital still cameras.

Sony GPSCS1KA Highlights

Simple Operation With the Sony GPS unit kit, there's no need for complex set-up or connection. Simply turn on the GPS unit and check its positioning status, match the data and enjoy the new photographic experience.

Handy Compact and lightweight, the GPS-CS1KA weighs only 55 grams (less than 2 ounces) not including batteries.

Store data for up to one month Holds approximately 360 hours (31MB) of data, equivalent to one month of tracking recorded at 15-second intervals. The number of log entries may differ depending on satellite coverage and signal strength.

Low power consumption Efficient design allows up to 10 hours of use with alkaline batteries, or 14 hours with Ni-MH batteries.

Records location every 15 seconds The GPS Unit records a location log every 15 seconds. When a photo is taken between two log points, the supplied GPS Image Tracker software estimates the locations by extrapolating from logs recorded before and after (before or later) photos are taken. The software creates an estimated location between the two recorded locations. Also if the user takes a photo when there is no satellite signal available, such as when going underground or indoors, the software makes its estimation in the same way. Based on the two nearest location logs.

Supplied Accessories

• Picture Motion Browser software
• GPS Unit
• Carabiner
• USB cable
• CD-ROM (GPS Image Tracker)
• Cleaning Cartridge

Customer Reviews

Much better choices available
I bought this unit when I knew nothing about geotagging photos. It was Sony, after all, so how far wrong could you go?

Well... pretty far wrong as it turns out. Nicely styled, the Sony GPSCS1KA is simply not up to the task. It needs absolutely unobstructed access to the open sky, which is simply not practical. Right from the start I was disappointed with how insensitive it was. Like all such units, it has a light that glows when you have successfully locked on to a satellite, or more specifically, a series of satellites so that the position can be determined. I seldom had the pleasure of seeing that light glow. All too familiar was the frustrating blinking light that indicated that the unit was seeking a signal and not finding one.

Since then I have learned that the secret sauce in these devices is the GPS chipset. The leaders in this field are the latest MTK chipsets and the SiRFIII. I have since bought units from GiSTEQ and Royaltek that have these chips and have no such problems. The Royaltek uses the SiRFIII and is also compatible with some free Web software (included) called locr. this software makes it easy to tag your photos and then immediately see your photo locations on Google Maps within a locr window.

The GiSTEQ uses the MTK chipset and provides good performance and its own proprietary software for tagging and displaying on Google Maps. There is also an optional ($20 dlownload) "Pro" version of the included Phototrackr software for tagging RAW images, which is of particular interest to me.

All in all, the Sony is to be avoided until and unless a new model appears with a decent GPS chipset.

Great in rural areas, not metropolitan
This product is a great theory, and is very easy to use. Turn it on, let it find satellites, and you're off. Unfortunately, it does a very poor job of maintaining links to the satellite.

If you intend to use this in an area where you do not consistently have a clear sightline to the southern sky, you'll be disappointed. It worked wonderfully traversing the countryside shooting pictures in parks and fields. However, enter a city with buildings of 2 or more stories high, and it spends a lot of time searching for satellites, and before you know it the battery is dead. We spent a long weekend in Boston, and another in Chicago. My Garmin GPS knew exactly where we were all the time, but this could only find us once every few blocks while walking the cities.

If your fine with mapping your pictures in clumps every few blocks, this is for you. Until then, I'm waiting for someone else to execute this theory better.

Compact and extends the capability of your digital camera
I found the unit to be reliable and as accurate as most other GPS locators I own (within the GPS accuracy of 10-22 feet depending on the number of satellites available. Some lat/lon were right on, and others, several yards off (my Garmin car nav often can't lock on a major highway either). Granted, it does need a good view of the sky, but it does keep trying. Battery usage doesn't seem extreme, but since it takes normal AA batteries, it is easy to replace. The Sony software is interesting, and if you would like to have it arrange your photos in a calendar view, it is a nice feature - I don't like the map function. As far as for processing and geolocating pictures, I use RedHen - it's a free download that synchronizes the Sony GPS logfiles with just about any digital camera's standard EXIF datafile. RedHen can drop icons onto a Google Earth map (also a free download). Make sure you save the new "Spatial Media" folder in the "My Places" folder so your images are available next time you open Google Earth. All in all, the Sony GPS recorder does everything I expected for a small footprint with a no-fuss USB interface.