The best cameras with GPS don't just record the time and date on which your photos and videos were captured, but also the exact location – enabling you to keep track of the where as well as the when.
This makes the best cameras with GPS extremely useful for numerous reasons. If you're traveling, you have a record of precisely where you shot that magic photo baked into the EXIF data. If you're documenting wild flora or fauna, you can submit photo evidence of that rare find with the co-ordinates right there in the metadata.
And with the right kind of GPS camera, you can also record the temperature and elevation corresponding to sea level – perfect for climbing, hiking and even extreme sports like parachuting. And all this data can be used in photo cataloguing software so that you can look on a map and see where all your photos were taken, or even create a photo route of your trip or vacation.
• See also Best handheld GPS
So how do these cameras work? They have built-in technology to communicate with global positioning satellites in order to locate where you are to precise map co-ordinates. So long as you have a clear view of the sky, these satellites can tell your camera exactly where it is – and this information is then recorded in your files.
A number of modern cameras that don't gave built-in GPS can still acquire this data – such as the Canon EOS R and Canon EOS M50 – if you pair them with specific apps on your phone. However, it's a faff to pair your devices on the spot when you're trying to focus on taking that split-second shot or video – so having a camera with in-body GPS technology is definitely the best way to go.
Here are the best cameras with GPS across a number of categories. So whether you're looking for a professional camera, a travel camera, an action camera or even a waterproof camera, you'll be covered…
The best cameras with GPS
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With an impressive suite of GPS tracking and logging, combined with its titular all-weather toughness, the Olympus Tough TG-6 is arguably the best GPS camera for all-purpose practical shooting. It packs a compass, temperature sensor and a manometer to record altitude and depth data – and combines it with a formidable feature set of photography and video features. The equivalent 25-100mm optical zoom covers you for most shooting situations, with RAW imaging, 20fps burst shooting, brilliant macro and microscope modes, along with 4K 30p video (plus 1080p at 120fps, 720p at 240fps and 360p at 480fps for super slow-mo). It's capable of shooting pretty much anything, anywhere – and recording where you were, too!
This camera has been trusted by enthusiasts and pros alike for years, and is still one of the most popular cameras on the market. Its 30.4MP sensor delivers crisp image quality with good noise and dynamic range performance. The build, handling and ergonomics are great, bolstered by the weather sealing that makes this a camera that's instinctive to use even in challenging conditions. The 4K video is subject to a 1.64x crop, however, which can make it tough to get suitably wide-angle shots. Overall, though, the 5D Mark IV packs all the power of the much newer Canon EOS R but with the benefit of dual memory card slots – and, of course, a built-in GPS.
Want the most portable and wearable GPS camera? Despite the Hero11 Black looking like every other GoPro this side of 2019, with upgraded hardware and software, it's a triumph on all fronts. The new, almost square sensor is supremely versatile, the camera's software has been simplified successfully, and GoPro's companion app, Quik has also been improved. With best-in-class stabilization, great-looking video in all but dimly-lit and dark scenes, and some fun new modes like light painting, the Hero 11 Black is an excellent addition to the line.
The Hero 11 Black's 8:7 aspect ratio is also a standout highlight for content creators. Able to shoot in 5.3K resolution, 8:7 video at up to 30fps, its footage can be losslessly cropped to create new 4K portrait, landscape, and square clips from a single video.
On top of 8:7 video, the Hero 11 Black captures 5.3K resolution video at 60 fps, 4K resolution video at 120 fps, or 2.7K resolution at 240 fps. You can also grab 27MP stills from 5.3K video.
The Hero 11 Black might not have wildly improved the line's lowlight performance. Still, with its new 8:7 sensor, a simplified interface, and enhanced horizon leveling, it's upgraded GoPro's offering in a meaningful way. Particularly appealing to folks who use multiple social platforms, nothing else can do quite what the 11 Black can.
Read our full GoPro Hero 11 Black review
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A popular go-to for photographers seeking their first full-frame camera, the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is a great all-round performer – and has a big benefit over rivals, as it has GPS built-in. In some ways you can look at this as a full-frame alternative to the Nikon D5300 above, since the specs are quite similar, and both cameras provide fantastic stills-first performance. The 6D Mark II delivers more resolution and horsepower, but it's a more advanced camera that may not be so friendly to newcomers – though pros will be able to squeeze serious mileage out of it.
Where the original Hasselblad X1D 50C required a GPS module to be mounted to the hotshoe, the X1D II now has the technology integrated into the body – which, for the price, you would expect! It employs dual GPS and GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System, the widely adopted GPS alternative) satellite systems for improved accuracy befitting the medium format standard of this camera. Sadly some of the other tech here isn't so impressive, such as the glacial autofocus and 2.7K video, but the image quality is simply stellar – particularly the dynamic range. For precision, tripod-based shooting and fingertip focus, though, this is an extraordinary machine.
The beauty of the Leica SL isn't just skin deep. As lustworthy as its exterior may be, the SL remains a serious imaging tool thanks to its 14-bit DNG (RAW) files and impressive sensitivity that ranges from ISO50-50,000. The quality extends to video, too, with the ability to capture 4K UHD at up to 30p, 4K DCI up to 24p (in Super 35mm mode) and 1080p at up to 120p, with the option of 4:2:2 10-bit when output over HDMI. The only real downside here is the autofocus system, which is the slower contrast-detect variety, but otherwise this is everything you would expect of a camera with the covetable red dot.
Read more:
Best professional cameras
Best travel cameras
Best action cameras
Best waterproof cameras
