New Ricoh GPS Ready Camera � The Ricoh Pro G3 | GPS Lodge.com

Ricoh Corporation and GlobalSat Inc., today announced a strategic relationship to provide unprecedented GPS accuracy of geo-coded digital images. GlobalSat's BC-337 is a highly portable CompactFlash GPS Receiver, which utilizes SiRF's Star III low-power chipset. When combined with Ricoh's GPS-Ready Pro G3 Digital Camera, high-resolution images are embedded with precise GPS coordinates. So, not exactly your average point and shoot for the family vacation photos, but an interesting refinement in this area. As we continue to get smaller and more efficient GPS chips, I can see this taking off in the consumer segment. Vacation photos, when taken outdoors, would be great to show along with the fly through capability of Google Maps. No more explanation of “Well, this one was taken over here, and then we walked three blocks, and that’s taken form over there…”

Prior to this agreement, the Ricoh Pro G3 camera supported a variety of GPS cards that were based on older and more cumbersome GPS technology. As position accuracy is critical to most enterprise customers, many opted to utilize the camera with expensive and bulky survey-grade GPS equipment to achieve their accuracy requirements. The integration of the Star III technology into the GlobalSat BC-337 CompactFlash GPS Receiver card provides these accuracy requirements in a more compact, portable, and cost-effective manner.

"Accuracy, price, and portability were the primary barriers to adoption," says Jeff Lengyel, product manager for Ricoh's Pro G3 Camera. "We have a large market segment that is reluctant to invest in expensive GPS equipment to get the accuracy they needed into their images. With the availability of the GlobalSat BC-337, they are getting optimal performance at a fraction of the cost. The BC-337 is the only GPS card we recommend for use with our camera, which has modified firmware to allow a seamless interface with the BC-337 GPS CF card."

In addition to significant cost and time-savings, the GlobalSat BC-337 provides extremely fast start-up times and WAAS support, positioning the Ricoh/GlobalSat package as the definitive geo-imaging solution.
"Providing state-of-the-art technology to the marketplace is GlobalSat's primary mission," said Alex Kotoff, managing director of USGlobalSat, Inc. "By working with leading hardware manufactures, we enable new in-the-field capabilities as well as enhance current GPS-based workflow. In conjunction with Ricoh, geo-imaging professionals will have a more robust and precise toolkit without having to carry additional, more expensive equipment."

Hundreds of organizations have adopted the camera including FEMA who uses the Pro G3 to photograph storm damage in the southeast United States and the U.S. military that uses it in Iraq to record places of interest. Inspection companies, utility and gas companies, insurance agents, realtors, government agencies, engineers, National Park personnel, farmers and museums. In every application, users are optimizing their GIS workflows.

Read More in: GPS News

Related Articles:

HUGE Sale over at Amazon on GPS Units - Feb 24, 2006
In-Car Navigation Systems; Dangerous? - Feb 20, 2006
Garmin Forerunner 205 and Forerunner 305 NOW Shipping at Amazon - Feb 14, 2006
Came straight to this page? Visit GPS Lodge.com for all the latest news.

Posted by Scott Martin at February 28, 2006 09:42 PM

location based services