Handheld GPS

Bythesea

Bythesea

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I posted this in the Talk Landscapes forum but it doesn't seem like the busiest of places, and as I see this as part of my landscape photography setup I thought it might be appropriate here.

For the past couple of years my photography has been mainly seascapes and architectural, and it is fairly easy to know where you are in those situations. Recently however I have been doing more and more tree/woodland photography and I am thinking about getting a handheld GPS to help with this.

One of the reasons is that there are several reasonably large woodlands near me and while there are lots of paths running through them it is fairly easy (for me at least!) to be unsure exactly which is the way back to the car when you have been wandering in a random manner for a couple of hours. Additionally, I like the idea of being able to mark a location when I find somewhere that is worth returning to. It would also get some use in general walking/holidays apart from the photography.

I know that it is possible to get apps for my smartphone (I have tried a couple), but some of the areas I go do not have good network cover so would feel happier with a separate device - additionally it would not run down the phone battery.

My query is whether anyone else uses one in a similar fashion, and which of the various mapping bundles is worth getting. I have been looking, and at the moment the favourite is the Garmin Oregon 600 with the OS 1:50 mapping, though I am open to suggestions if you have found anything that you like better. Ideally I would have the 1:25 maps, but given the price I can see these being restricted to specific areas that I am going to use a lot.
 
If you are only going to use the GPS to find your way back to the car, something simpler could easily suffice - viz the Garmin Etrex20 or similar.................. and there are Free maps about, have a look here for example.
 
I'd be more concerned about battery usage with a phone, as it doesn't use your network. You can have airplane mode and still use GPS. If you're not getting good GPS signal on your phone, then you won't with a GPS device.

I would recommend getting MapsWithMe Pro and a decent portable battery bank.
 
Thanks for the replies. Maybe I didn't make it clear - yes I do know that GPS doesn't use the network, but the apps I have tried were downloading maps as they needed them, for which I did need network cover. The idea of a separate power pack is a possibility but it would still mean carrying something else, and I think the screen on a handheld GPS device would be easier to see in sunlight, plus it would be rainproof if necessary.
 
lostsoulal2 said:
If you are only going to use the GPS to find your way back to the car, something simpler could easily suffice - viz the Garmin Etrex20 or similar.................. and there are Free maps about, have a look here for example.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this, I will have a look at that site. Though it will be used for getting back to the car it will also be used at other times as well. I will look at the Etrex and see what features it has.
 
Bythesea said:
Thanks for the replies. Maybe I didn't make it clear - yes I do know that GPS doesn't use the network, but the apps I have tried were downloading maps as they needed them, for which I did need network cover. The idea of a separate power pack is a possibility but it would still mean carrying something else, and I think the screen on a handheld GPS device would be easier to see in sunlight, plus it would be rainproof if necessary.
Click to expand...

Ahh sorry I misunderstood. You need to use an offline map.

Mapswithme is offline (I'm a ninny, I should of said this when I mentioned it). You download the app, download the map for the country you are in/going to and then it is 100% offline afterwards. They also have offline navigation, but I am yet to try this out.
The only problem with it is that it uses quite a lot of space. I know a power bank means carrying something else but they're cheap, as you can get an Anker one off amazon for a tenner. But yeah, if you're phones not waterproof and the screen with sunlight will no be great.

But for an actual gps device, I'd go with a Garmin. The few other ones I have seen friends use are not that great, they're mostly the cheapo chinese branded ones and they all end up with a Garmin or back to using their phones within a few weeks.
 
Thank Alison, that all makes sense.Will check out the features on the different Garmins and decide which to get. Might also get an app for the phone in case I unexpectedly need one!
 
I have the Garmin GPSmap 62s which although I use it primarily for walking also gets used for photography. The main things photo wise are getting to a location (either create a track to where I want to go or just add a waypoint for the location) and being able to add the GPS co-ordinates to the EXIF in Lightroom when I get home - although so far I've not bothered to do this.

In answer to your question - I have the 1:50,000 OS maps on the 62 and find that these are perfectly adequate for navigation (although I follow the general common sense rule of having paper maps and a compass as backup if out in the wilds - these are 1:25,000). The Garmins also do "track back" to get you back to your car if needed!

Other considerations - batteries/battery life - the GPSmap range are reported to have slightly better battery life than the Oregons (probably due to the slightly smaller screen) - battery life I've found is very dependant on temperature but have always found that 2 sets of 2,500mAh AA rechargeable batteries will last all day even in the winter, a single set of 2 batteries will be OK during the summer but I always carry a spare set - hardly a chore to carry a few extra! GPS sensitivity is pretty much the same between the two ranges i.e. very good (again this is from reviews I've read) - and way better than the old Etrex I used to have which didn't like trees......

One of the good things with the Garmins is their free Basecamp software which, while it takes some getting used to its quirks, is great for planning trips. You can also download stuff from the unit when you get home by way of records of where you've been and where the photos were taken if you mark the locations while you're out. These can be saved in a library of routes and locations for later reference.

Your best bet is to go to a decent outdoor shop and see for yourself - I'm lucky that there's a great place in Bolton not far from me and the chap there spent time with me going through the options - might have saved a few quid getting it online but was worth paying the extra to go through things first.

HTH.
 
Thanks Chris, that sounds like the sort of thing (and use) I am after. There used to be a very good store near us for outdoor gear but they succumbed to the recession a few years ago. Will have a look and see if there are any other stores around that might have them in stock.
 
I would argue you dint even need a map. Just use any geocaching application, heck even runkeeper will do it and record your starting point.

Leave it in your pocket and it records it all. Just wall back in the direction of the starting point.

On my iphone I did you an app which downloaded offline maps from the national ordnance. It had all the bridle routes and public rights of way on it.

A decent smartphone easily lasts two days. I cant see the argument for battery life either.
 
I've been using the Satmap Active 10 for a couple of years and been very happy with it. There is a version that comes with the OS 50k of the entire UK. I think the current version is the Active 12.

The screen resolution isn't up to the "retina" standard, but it' works well and is waterproof too.

Satmap's online map and planning facility is very good too.

Chris
 
Been using the Garmin Etrex 20 for a couple of years now for geocaching and been very pleased with it and excellent battery life.
Just use the open software maps. If you are thinking of purchasing I got mine from Go outdoors, not sure if they still have the same policy but if you tell them of cheaper price off Amazon they have to price match and knock another £10 or £20 off I can't remember which.
 
I use viewranger on my phone. Excellent app. You can download free maps to your phone, pay for os maps to download, record tracks, up load routes. As mentioned earlier, you don't even need to download a map just record your track and use that to head back. Worth giving it a go before spending some significant money.
 
Foxbat Flyer said:
I've been using the Satmap Active 10 for a couple of years and been very happy with it. There is a version that comes with the OS 50k of the entire UK. I think the current version is the Active 12.

The screen resolution isn't up to the "retina" standard, but it' works well and is waterproof too.

Satmap's online map and planning facility is very good too.

Chris
Click to expand...
I was going to mention that if no-one else had. Been using my Active 10 for years. It's a ruggedised PDA style device giving a better screen size than the GPSMap62 and I can vouch for the ruggedness. Mine's been dropped and banged over the year and still going strong. Also the screen has replaceable covers so if you end up scratching it then you've only lost £5.

Link to their site here.

When it comes to buying I sometimes use Cotswold outdoor - if you have a BMC membership it's a 15% discount, tie that in with one of their Quidco 8% offers and it can bring the price down quite considerably.
 
Thanks for all the replies, the Satmap is one I have been considering alongside the Garmin, and am off to Cotswold Outdoors this morning to have a look at a few. It will definitely be a specific device rather than a phone app for the reasons I have already stated.
 
Also consider getting another phone just for GPS.
For instance an old Galaxy Note 2 with a big screen load on a good mapping app with local maps for offline use.
get a spare battery for £10 off amazon and a good case and you have a good offline solution.
 
Jayst84 said:
You realise that GPS runs on, well, GPS, and not on your network?
Click to expand...

Actually, a phone GPS usually uses the data network to get the GPS Almanac and Ephemerides rather than waiting for it to be broadcast via satellite.

Some are very slow to lock without a data signal.
 
Whatever you choose, make sure you can get the data in a format like GPX which Lightworks, darktable etc. Can read. GPSbabel is excellent for converting.
 
Another ViewRanger fan here. I've been a user for over a dozen years. Having OS maps that cover the whole of the country in my pocket is wonderful.

However, for adding positional data to photos I prefer to use a standalone GPS data logger. My BGT-31 is, sadly, no longer available. It will record a position every 5 seconds for 72 hours on one battery charge.
 
If you didn't want the bulk you could look at a Garmin fenix watch, i recently got the 2 (3 has just been released) has gps and countless other features i havent delved into yet, but you can also install maps on to it
 
I have the Memory-map TX4 with full UK mapping at 1:25,000 and it is brilliant - maybe overkill for what you want, but you won't outgrow it.

The TX4 is also an android phone, and totally waterproof, and much quicker in use than the 3500, which was windows mobile based.

When you get the memory map software and maps, you can also download it on to 5 other devices, so I have it on my iphone, ipad and pc, and you can transfer routes and tracks between them, and also download other people's routes to follow yourself.

Hope that helps.
 
I use a bicycle computer with GPS function as a data logger; the Holux GPSport 245. It's only slightly bigger than a box of matches and can log your route & export a GPX or KML file with the supplied software & overlay on google maps when you get home. No built in map though.

As long as the time is synced with your camera you can use the track to geotag your photos.

It doesn't have full route track back but you can log a marker at your start point and it will tell you direction and straight-line distance to that marker from current location. They were around £50 in Maplin but that was a little while ago.
 
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I have used the Garmin etrex handhelds for a few years now
I bought a secondhand venture hc from here a couple of years ago its excellent and is even better at picking up satellite signal than my older extrex
that's what really matters being able to get a satellite signal
I did try using my mobile phone with a app but I couldn't get a signal maybe these things are better now
 
offline maps and a Sony Xperia Z3 compact which is water proof.
 
One thing to mention I put 2 AA batteries in my Etrex and it will last for several days geochaching but when I use my phone the battery life just drips away. Just something to consider.
 
In that case you've got the wrong phone ;)
 
GPS on my old iphone used to eat the battery, about 2 hours battery life at best, with at times poor satellite pickup. Haven't tried it on my android. I have an old garmin 12 that I've used for about 15 years. No maps but works for at least 12 hours on aa batteries, but with the app it's easy to put in waypoints or routes, or just use the follow back option on it.

Most gps units can pick up multiple satellites for better resolution, coverage, not sure the phones can deal with many? Remember than in dense woods, or around tall buildings ( bits of Central London spring to mind) gps coverage is poor.
 
Thanks for the replies, I ended up getting the Garmin Oregon 600. Tested a few including the Satmap 12, and while that did have good resolution the Garmin was good enough. Additionally, having the GLONASS satellites as well as GPS makes it very quick to locate, especially in woods. I also got 10% off as it was the display one, but had not previously been demoed. Very happy with it do far.
 
Byker28i said:
GPS on my old iphone used to eat the battery, about 2 hours battery life at best, with at times poor satellite pickup. Haven't tried it on my android. I have an old garmin 12 that I've used for about 15 years. No maps but works for at least 12 hours on aa batteries, but with the app it's easy to put in waypoints or routes, or just use the follow back option on it.

Most gps units can pick up multiple satellites for better resolution, coverage, not sure the phones can deal with many? Remember than in dense woods, or around tall buildings ( bits of Central London spring to mind) gps coverage is poor.
Click to expand...

Yes that's what I was trying to say something like a dedicated handheld GPS is much better for the job
I wouldn't want to rely on my phone to get me out of trouble if I got lost in the middle of nowhere
 
Byker28i said:
GPS on my old iphone used to eat the battery, about 2 hours battery life at best, with at times poor satellite pickup. Haven't tried it on my android. I have an old garmin 12 that I've used for about 15 years. No maps but works for at least 12 hours on aa batteries, but with the app it's easy to put in waypoints or routes, or just use the follow back option on it.

Most gps units can pick up multiple satellites for better resolution, coverage, not sure the phones can deal with many? Remember than in dense woods, or around tall buildings ( bits of Central London spring to mind) gps coverage is poor.
Click to expand...

My old phone is showing a lock on 12 (out of 19 visible) satellites two seconds after turning on it's GPS function. Screen is nice and clear, uses offline maps (in my case I pay for full country OS 1K25 mapping but easy enough to use other mapping if required), it's smaller and lighter than my handheld GPS unit and battery life is sufficient for a day out in the wilds (it's not being used as a phone but does have a valid simcard on a different network to my normal cellphone in case of emergency). In the time it's taken me to type this my Garmin has just managed to lock on 2 sats (maximum it can lock on is 12, the same as the phone, after the first three are locked it's usually quite quick to get more).
 
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