GPS Module

Ario · June 23, 2017, 07:05:06 PM

I have received yesterday my GPS Module, it is very nice but it does not work.
The module is recognised by the camera (GPS icon is flashing), after sometime the position is acquired (GPS icon is steady), immediately after the shot the GPS icon is flashing again for a few seconds and then become steady again. Examining the picture file recorded as above with Phocus, Lightroom and exiftool I cannot find any GPS data.
Is anybody having a similar or hopefully better experience?
TIA,
Ario

alkaabi · June 23, 2017, 10:12:57 PM

cool, I bought my camera in Dubai. I wish hasselblad will tell me how to get one for my X1D.

Greg · June 24, 2017, 02:53:45 AM

You get one with the purchase of your camera. You can complete your claim for one at the following link.
hasselbladbron.com/x1dgps

Hope this helps.

Greg

alkaabi · June 25, 2017, 04:37:48 AM

Unfortunately this link is only limited to the US and Canada. I bought mine in Dubai (UAE).

Greg · June 25, 2017, 04:48:45 AM

Bummer. Sorry!

hcubell · June 26, 2017, 12:12:22 AM

Quote from: Ario on June 23, 2017, 07:05:06 PM
I have received yesterday my GPS Module, it is very nice but it does not work.
The module is recognised by the camera (GPS icon is flashing), after sometime the position is acquired (GPS icon is steady), immediately after the shot the GPS icon is flashing again for a few seconds and then become steady again. Examining the picture file recorded as above with Phocus, Lightroom and exiftool I cannot find any GPS data.
Is anybody having a similar or hopefully better experience?
TIA,
Ario

I finally had a chance to test the GPS Module. My experience was also not positive. I first tried the GPS outdoors in the back of my house, where there is a clear sky overhead bit lots of trees. The GPS could not connect. The GPS symbol just kept flashing. I then drove over to an open field and tried again. After about 5 minutes, the GPS finally locked on. However, after taking several photos in succession, the connection was lost. I did check the files in Phocus and Lightroom. The photos that I took where the GPS symbol showed a connection (i.e., not flashing) did properly display the GPS coordinates. Looks like another firmware update is needed to deal with the GPS!

cementjungle · July 01, 2017, 08:46:49 AM

I just completed my rebate form yesterday, as my new X1D just arrived yesterday. Got a notice from UPS today saying something has shipped from Hasselbladbron... so I assume that's what's coming.

The documentation/literature is a bit fuzzy on the whole rebate thing... the insert in the box implied that the GPS has to come from the dealer and the email from the dealer says it comes from the vendor.

In any event, all's well that ends well I suppose. Will test it out and see if it works when it arrives.

Now... if I can figure out how to register the camera on the Hasselblad site... I registered, but when I try and log in it claims my credentials are invalid. Tried the forgot password bit, but that claims no such account. Try to re-register and it claims I'm already registered. Can't register Phocus for the same reason... something screwy going on with their site and/or registration process. Someone at their service dept was kind enough to send me the last firmware update so I could at least get that current (applied it and no issues that I can tell.... but this camera is still completely new to me).

cementjungle · July 08, 2017, 01:40:20 PM

Mine arrived the other day and today I gave it a try.

As expected, it took 10 minutes or so for it to figure out where on the planet it is and lock into the satellites, but did connect. I took some photos and the GPS info does appear in Phocus and Lightroom.

After the camera had been back in the house and off for a few hours, I again took it outside and this time it took about 1 minute to lock in. So, that suggests it may have remembered which satellites it had found the first time and didn't have to do the initial exhaustive search from scratch this time. This is pretty much how most GPS devices seem to work as far as I know.

I'm on firmware V1_17.

hugenoot · August 08, 2017, 07:41:10 AM

Same problem with the GPS Module, only a blinking icon but no info inside the meta data (on 1.17.0)...

mistercohen · August 08, 2017, 10:22:59 AM

This is how a geotag photos. I use my gps watch from Garmin but you can also use any smartphone and geotag the file into Lightroom. I'm not sure if Phocus can do it.
Instead of describing the process here is a video on YouTube from Mark Wallace in Adorama: https://youtu.be/0aVgBt3ztXM
Another great source of Lightroom tutorial is Laura Shoe.
So my advice is save your money and either buy a sport watch with GPS or use your smartphone. Do not buy a GPS for a camera. I wasted $700 buying a Hasselblad Gil for my H5D and it was not great, if it got loose a little I had to remove the battery and star again. On the H6D-100c it does not work yet. On my Nikon D750 I had a Matrix GPS and I had to replace the cable often. The fact is, that here is not a valid reason why any camera today does not have a GPS like a smartphone. With a sport watch it also fulfill other things, not only photography.

Ario · August 08, 2017, 05:43:45 PM

There is no money to save, the GPS module is a free issue to the X1D camera owner and even if at present it does not work properly for many of us I am pretty confident that a future FW will fix it.
Of course there are other options as those you have mentioned.

JoeC · August 17, 2017, 07:14:24 AM

Quote from: hugenoot on August 08, 2017, 07:41:10 AM
Same problem with the GPS Module, only a blinking icon but no info inside the meta data (on 1.17.0)...

I thought I was having the same problem, but it turned out to be my impatience. It takes a few minutes for the GPS module to lock and for the blinking symbol to stop blinking. Even then, it took several exposures for the GPS coordinates to show up in metadata. And even then only 14 of 20 exposures taken in close succession showed GPS tags. The GPS accessory as-is is usable but needs improvement. I'd love to see a battery-powered GPS accessory rather than one which relies on the camera battery. I've designed and built these things for Nikon cameras and there's not much circuitry involved.

Joe

docmoore · August 17, 2017, 09:10:02 AM

Not sure that it needs any major changes ... My Garmin 500 bike GPS takes forever to sync ... so I just start it and ride until it has locked in.

And with 6 batteries and now two chargers for the X1D I prefer just dropping a new battery in camera when needed ... no need to charge yet another device.

Bob