One of the features that I was most excited about with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X mirrorless camera was the built-in field sensor system that has an integrated GPS module (GLONASS and QZSS) along with an electronic compass, manometer, temperature sensor, and acceleration sensor.

This is something that I absolutely love with my Olympus Tough TG-5, but having it in a sophisticated, interchangeable lens body elevates the game considerably. So I decided to take the E-M1X for a spin to see how the GPS worked.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X with 75mm f/1.8 lens.

You have to turn on the GPS via the menu. My recommendation is to program one of the function buttons to toggle this feature on and off. That way you won't unnecessarily drain the batteries (even though there are two in the camera) when you don't need geotagging.

Once the system is active, you will see a satellite icon at the top of the back LCD panel. When it has determined your location, that information will be included with the file data for your images.

Location data displayed for a file captured with the Olympus OM-D E-M1X.

I checked the files in Lightroom, Photos for macOS, and Preview, and each displayed the location where I captured the image. Once I went back inside, I turned off the GPS module to conserve power.

This feature lived up to my expectations. The joy of being able to geotag images with your "real camera" and not being limited to a smartphone or compact is wonderful. And with two batteries in the E-M1X, there's enough power to run it.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is shipping now for $2,999.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.