Digital info for serious
shooters: specializing in Nikon & Canon
GPS Input Set Up for the Nikon D1H and D1X
August 30, 2001--Moose Peterson
This feature works in concert with a GPS unit when a GPS unit is
connected to the D1x, recording the GPS info in the EXIF file. You can
preview the info on the Monitor when viewing an image. Once the GPS Input
menu is accessed, you have the option of OFF or ON. This feature takes a
lot of determination on your part to actually use. Neither Nikon or the
GPS unit manufacturers make a connecting cable to hook up the D1x to a GPS
unit. It's up to you to make the cable. Next, not all GPS units are
"certified" by Nikon to work with the D1x. There are only two certified
units at the time this was written, the Magellan ColorTrack and Garmin
III. I honestly don't know what certified means but I do know other GPS
units work with the D1x. The Garmin eTrek and III+ both work as well. I
can provide some help in getting Garmin III+ to work with the D1x as that's
the unit I use.
First, head to the Garmin website
www.garmin.com
and look up the accessories for your particular unit (probably can do this
for other brands, I've just not tested others). Once on the accessories
page head to cables. You need to order the Power Data Cable for your unit.
It has the connector for your GPS on one end and bare wires on the other.
There are four bare wire, the brown wire is the data out and the black is
the common ground. These are the two leads required to make this thing
work. Lastly, you need to have the 2.5mm jack, I used Radio Shack's
sub-mini Plug #274-244. With that in hand, you solder the black wire to the
"ring" and the brown wire to the "sleeve." See the
Illustration below for how this works.
With the GPS Input activated on the Set Up Menu, you're almost there.
You must set your GPS unit so the transfer is NMEA (4800bps) and the units
are hddd mm ss.s. You do anything else and it will not work! With this all
accomplished, a small D appears above the shutter speed on the Top LCD
Panel. The D does not appear instantly, only appears once the GPS and the
D1x are talking to each other which takes a few moments.
I personally think this is a really cool feature and for my work, makes
life a whole lot easier!
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