Review of Amod AGL3080 GPS Data Logger - Geotagging Photos

Review of Amod AGL3080 GPS Data Logger - Geotagging Photos
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Geotagging

What is geotagging? To put it simply, geotagging marks the location at which a particular photo was taken within the image. Now anybody with a suitable viewer can go ahead and not only enjoy your photo but also get location information as to where it was taken. EXIF data and geotagging has become one of the most helpful facets of digital photography. So, how exactly do you do this “geotagging” thing? Of course, if you’ve got your photos on photo sharing sites that have any kind of map support then you can locate the photo on the map which then embeds that location data into your photograph. Sounds too laborious when you’re dealing with hundreds of photographs! That’s where external GPS taggers come in handy.

Amod AGL3080 GPS Data Logger

Unlike camera based GPS loggers, the Amod AGL3080 is an external unit that is not connected to the camera as such, but involves a manual step of synchronising your GPS coordinates with your respective photographs. The device is the size of a clamshell mobile phone and is easy to carry around. The Amod AGL3080 comes with a small carabiner to connected to your bag or belt. The device runs on 3 AAA batteries and, depending on the kind you choose, it will last you for a couple of days to a week of constant use.

Amod GPS: A brief look

Amod GPS Unit

Box info

Flag waypoint button

Battery compartment

mini USB port

Features (3 out of 5)

As mentioned above, the Amod AGL3080 is powered by three AAA batteries and is a decent unit for geotagging purposes. Feature wise the unit is pretty basic, the unit constantly records your GPS coordinates into its 128MB memory which should last about a month, depending on the frequency of logging. The frequency of logging the coordinates can be set with the help of the accompanying software which is Windows only! Although the unit can be used with Macintosh machines, where it is detected as an external USB drive and shows all the GPS logs, there is no way to configure the device.

Usability & Build quality (4 out of 5)

The accompanying software CD contains the utility to configure the GPS logging interval times and a program to tag the coordinates with the photographs shot at the same time. The application worked without any problems and does the job it is designed for. On Macintosh machines you would be able to see the GPS log files but will have make use of external software that stitches together the GPS coordinates and the photos shot. I use Houdahgeo which effortless detects the GPS log files and tags the photographs. The device has a mini USB port to allow connecting it to a PC/Mac and is placed at a slightly awkward position. The GPS signals are detected about 14 seconds after the unit has been switched on, though some have reported shorter seek times. The device makes use of a SIRF star 3 GPS chip which is decent enough for geotagging requirements.

Verdict (4 out of 5)

The Amod AGL3080 is a no frills basic device that will allow you geotag photographs with ease. The unit is constructed of plastic and looks like a clamshell mobile phone. Although the upper surface is made of a matte plastic finish it could slip easily from your hands, though the provided carabiner should prevent exactly such an event. On the whole, the Amod AGL3080 is a wholesome device that I can recommend whole heartedly to any photography enthusiast looking for a decent device at a decent enough price! Oh yes, the unit costs around $70 on Amazon (found it for $56 here) and is one of the cheapest available units with the above feature set for the purpose of geotagging. Though there are several other geotagging units available for a similar price, the Amod AGL3080 provides a trouble-free user experience and rival some of the pricey units from manufacturers like Sony and Nikon.