Kodak DCS 420 GPS

Discuss older Nikon-based Kodak digital SLRs, including DCS 100, DCS 200, NC2000, DCS 400/600/700-series, etc. Ask questions, post general comments, anecdotes, reviews and user tips.
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Ashley_Pomeroy
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Kodak DCS 420 GPS

Post by Ashley_Pomeroy »

I noticed something odd about this eBay auction for a Kodak DCS 420:
http://tinyurl.com/r2y9k5

The back of the camera has a sticker that reads "IF with PLGR GPS". A shufty on Google reveals that the PLGR ("Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver") was a military model made by Rockwell. I assume this means that the camera is one of the DCS 420 GPS-C models mentioned in Jim McGarvey's guide, but the sticker looks home-made, and I wonder if the standard DCS 420 could be modified to talk to these GPS units; otherwise the camera might have some value to a collector. It has a "buy it now" price of about £160, and comes complete with memory cards and batteries.
Anssi Krooks
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Re: Kodak DCS 420 GPS

Post by Anssi Krooks »

A PLGR receiver (as a former user I can also tell that these are far from "lightweight" units by modern standards. ;)) uses normal RS-232 connection with standard NMEA-0183 as computer interface. With DCS420 you're going to use "Multipurpose connector" on the back of the camera (where you're also plugging the charger cable). At least there was a "Kodak remote shutter release accessory" to this port which I guess could be used with normal Nikon 10-pin shutter releases. So maybe the GPS-models had special adapter (Which can't be seen in the eBay-images) that had DB-9 connector at the other end and were also modified to listen NMEA stream from this port and record it to image meta data. Or it could be so that geotagging was possible also with standard models, and all you need is the cable between camera and GPS.

Edit: Starting from DCS500/600 series the GPS interface is handled with a 2,5/3,5mm stereo mini plug labelled as "test".
D1X, DCS PRO SLR/n, DCS 760, DCS 420c & Canon Pro70
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