Buy Garmin Oregon 550 GPS SystemGarmin Oregon 550 GPS System Product Description:
- Garmin Oregon 550 handheld GPS
- 3.2 megapixel digital camera
- Geotagging of pictures
- Worldwide shaded basemap
- 3" touchscreen LCD
Product Description
Oregon 550 combines rugged outdoor touchscreen navigation with a digital camera. It is perfect for all activities, in any climate, on any terrain, yet simple enough for beginners to master.
Take Pictures and Save Locations
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 55 people found the following review helpful.
By S. Gale
First things first, this GPS receiver is really targetted at the outdoor enthusiast and is not really intended for in car use. If you are looking for an in car navigation device, then I suggest you look elsewhere. If you are a Garmin fan, the NUVI series are pretty good. These in car devices are both cheaper and more appropriate than this device. If you are looking for a device for walking, geocaching, cycling etc, then read on.I have the 550 model - the one without the maps. I find the software based maps of limited use (prefering to use the real paper based ones in the mountains) and find the free maps from the OpenStreetMap initiative more than adequate for my needs. They have contours and paths as well as routable roads and Points of Interest (POIs). The whole of the UK comes in at around 250MB, so it will easily fit on the SD card in the device. A quick internet search will take you to the appropriate download page.The device boots up quickly and seems pretty accurate. I bought this device specifically for geocaching (more on this later) and currently use a GPSMAP60csx. The Oregon seems as accurate as the 60csx and works well under tree cover. The device is easy to set up and configure - everyone seems to set theirs up in a slightly different way.For geocaching, it is a really great device. You can run a pocket query on geocaching.com (you need to be a premium member to do this) and can then load the subsequent GPX file onto the device (this involves copying it into a directory on the device). The GPX file contains all the information you need for each cache - description, location, previous logs and even the hint. Using this approach, I have loaded up all of the caches within a 20 mile radius of home. It means no more printed out pages and enbles me to look for caches on an adhoc basis. It is even possible to log your attempts on the device and then upload the file to geocaching.com. These attempts can even contain field notes. This comes into it's own when you are logging a number of caches per day or logging caches over a number of days before you can log them on the internet.So, now the not so good features. More niggles than anything, but here there are! The user interface is a bit cumbersome. The use of a touchscreen has led to a very convulted UI. For example, when geocaching I often flip between the map page, the compass page and the cache description page. Each time you move between pages, you need to go back upto the main menu. On the 60csx, you can just flip between the screens. Another thing to bear in mind for geocachers is that if you put the answers to clues into your field notes on the device, these cannot be read on the device. You have to load them up to the internet to be able to access them. So if you are looking for a bonus cache and want to do the calculation in the field, then take a paper and pen with you.Battery life on AA alkalines is pretty poor, but much more respectable on the rechargable NiMHs supplied with the unit. You can use battery saving mode to extend the life of the batteries, but this just turns the screen off after every few seconds and gets annoying. I can spare alkaline AAs as backups for the rechargables.The unit will run off power supplied to it via the mini USB cable, but it will not charge the batteries via this cable. Shame.The touchscreen can be difficult to see in bright sunlight and can be scratched. I already have a scratch on my unit, but then I tend to leave it loose in a rucsac pocket.The 550 does have a 3.2MB pixel camera, but it is pretty limited in terms of camera controls. My advice is don't leave your camera at home. However, if you do, you could use the 550 at a push. The good news is that it does store location data with each of the picture that you take. Thus, when you browse through the images in the album, you can navigate back to that location. I haven't had any reason to use this feature, but I can imagine that there are other users out there who might have a need for this.All in all a great device. I am hoping that Garmin will improve the UI and this will be available through software updates.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
By Davicker
I have owned this GPS for just over a month now. I use it while out walking and for Geocaching.It's packed full of features, half of which I have yet to use/master.The plus points...This unit is superb while out walking! The ability to accurately track where I have been is extremely useful, I can just set off into the hills without having to worry about finding my way back to the car. The camera is also useful in this way, the 550 automatically logs the co-ords of every photograph taken. So, take a pic of where you parked the car, head off exploring while mindful that the 550 will get you back.The GPS receiver seems very sensitive and remains relatively accurate, even under tree cover. (when compared to my old TomTom)The screen is as bright as a button and visible in all conditions. Much better than expected having read previous reviews.The case and battery hatch are both well engineered.The electronic compass is very accurate, having tested it against my standard 'Silva' compass.The camera is ok... but not a replacement for a stand alone digital camera.The altimeter works really well but have yet to find a use for it!?I have found the battery life to be far better than expected, especially having read a few bad reports previous to purchase. I think it essential to use Ni-Mh rechargeable as these last much longer than standard alkaline batteries.The 550 has made geocaching much easier... First of all the accuracy of the unit usually gets me within a few feet of the destination (If not right on it). And it's 'Paperless Geocaching' ability is going to be fun to explore... Can't wait to get rid of the crib sheets. The electronic compass and heading line are really good for geocaching.Great web support and software updates!The negative points...The main moan must be about the manual, of which is only supplied in disc format (With paper quick start manual). It doesn't go into enough detail about some (if not most) of the functions, and is also quite cumbersome if I need to look for a specific topic. Hope Garmin tend to this issue in future!Disappointed there's no charging jack (like on a mobile phone)... This could have easily been placed under the rubber bung along side the USB port. Once depleted, the batteries have to be physically removed from the unit and placed into a separate charger.Would have been nice to have had a micro-sd card included in the package.Occasionally the software will freeze, but re-boot soon sorts that!Summary......I purchased this item mainly to use while geocaching, as I was having limited success with a tomtom go700. For geocaching and walking it's an excellent upgrade. However, if you can live without the built in camera there is the Oregon 400 which is cheaper and has most of the same features.I have given a 5 star rating purely due to it's features and accuracy... These by far outweigh any of the negatives listed above.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
By Mr. R. Baillon
I bought This unit to replace my Colrado 300, mainly for 3 Axis compass which I found a real pain not having on the Colorado.Operation is nice and easy once you get used to it. Camera works well and the geotagging of photos is really neat.Lots of free, yes free, detailed mapping around if you search it out.Birdseye and custom maps also very useful.owned for around a year now and would not hesitate to recomend
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