Does anyone know how to connect a Garmin GPS to the EOS 7D? The camera does not see it.

[hikeray2]

When I plug my Garmin GPS into my EOS 7D and go to GPS settings in the menu. The camera does not see it; all I get is a " GPS not plugged in indication." The GPS is turned on and working. Does anyone have any ideas?

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

Once upon a time I had an application that had you photograph the display of a GPS (the type that a runner might use because they keep "bread crumb" trails of your route) on frame #1 (they just wanted to make sure you have a photo of the time display on the GPS.

You then go about your day taking photos with the GPS running indepdently.  

At the end of the day, you import the images and it asks you to enter the time displayed on that first photo.  It uses the time display of the GPS and calculates the offset of the time the camera recorded in the EXIF data (just in case the clocks were not perfectly in-sync).  It then uses the bread-crumbs track on the GPS and applies the GPS position data to every photo on your camera roll.

It was a bit of a hassle and the app tried to take over as your "photo management " app (which I did not want... I just wanted the position data added to existing images), but it did work.

The point is... I was able to add position fix information to each photo and this did not actually require integrating the GPS into the camera (it was all done after-the-fact).  

Today I own the Canon GPS module (MUCH more convenient) so I don't deal with that anymore.

---

@hikeray2 wrote:

When I plug my Garmin GPS into my EOS 7D and go to GPS settings in the menu. The camera does not see it; all I get is a " GPS not plugged in indication." The GPS is turned on and working. Does anyone have any ideas?

---

[Waddizzle]

The only GPS units that I am aware of to work with EOS cameras are the GPS units made by Canon. 

[kvbarkley]

Do you have the WFT-E5A? That seems to be required for non-Canon GPS if you look at the system map

[hikeray2]

No; I don't  have one. I am plugging my GPS in with a mini USB cord to the USB on the camera. From what I understand this is also how Canon's GPG (GP-E2 is to be plugged into the EOS7D. It is just not working.

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

"No; I don't  have one. I am plugging my GPS in with a mini USB cord to the USB on the camera. From what I understand this is also how Canon's GPG (GP-E2 is to be plugged into the EOS7D. It is just not working."

That connection method only works with the Canon GPS unit. If you want to geotag you either need a Canon WFT or a method like Tim discussed.

[hikeray2]

Thank you, I guess I'll just go with the Canon GPS when I can.

[hikeray2]

Thank you, I will probably just take the same route  as you have

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

Once upon a time I had an application that had you photograph the display of a GPS (the type that a runner might use because they keep "bread crumb" trails of your route) on frame #1 (they just wanted to make sure you have a photo of the time display on the GPS.

You then go about your day taking photos with the GPS running indepdently.  

At the end of the day, you import the images and it asks you to enter the time displayed on that first photo.  It uses the time display of the GPS and calculates the offset of the time the camera recorded in the EXIF data (just in case the clocks were not perfectly in-sync).  It then uses the bread-crumbs track on the GPS and applies the GPS position data to every photo on your camera roll.

It was a bit of a hassle and the app tried to take over as your "photo management " app (which I did not want... I just wanted the position data added to existing images), but it did work.

The point is... I was able to add position fix information to each photo and this did not actually require integrating the GPS into the camera (it was all done after-the-fact).  

Today I own the Canon GPS module (MUCH more convenient) so I don't deal with that anymore.

---

@hikeray2 wrote:

When I plug my Garmin GPS into my EOS 7D and go to GPS settings in the menu. The camera does not see it; all I get is a " GPS not plugged in indication." The GPS is turned on and working. Does anyone have any ideas?

---