GPS Pentax DSLR's

dankoBanana · 06-06-2011, 07:46 AM

http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg

first review

anyone able to translate?

Entropy · 06-06-2011, 08:34 AM

Originally posted by Ishpuini

Something is just dawning on me when reading through the discussion...

This unit interests me a lot since I was planning on doing some astrophotography (weather permitting) later this year when visiting Southern Argentina. And the location/heading data would be of great interest to me to locate the no doubt many landscapes I will be photographing along the roads.

Won't I be able to use it in the southern hemisphere at all? This would be a real disadvantage to me because I would expect to use this too on my next Safari(s), which is probably in Africa south of the equator too...

Tx in advance for clarifying this!!

Wim

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Key word:

GLOBAL.

The NAVSTAR (original name for GPS) system was designed with a requirement for complete global coverage - a system that only worked "at home" would be useless for the Air Force and Navy.

Global Positioning System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However, augmentation systems that broadcast GPS correction data (local ionospheric conditions being the primary localized error source, satellite clock error is another but that's not localized) are local in scope.

WAAS only covers North America, and the scope where WAAS actually provides useful corrections (e.g. where iono information is valid) is even more limited than the signal coverage.

However, WAAS is only the difference between having around 10 meter potential error, and 5 meter or so potential error.

Edit: The European equivalent of WAAS is EGNOS. There's a Japanese equivalent too I believe. I don't think any augmentation systems are in use in the southern hemisphere, except for the classic local DGPS approach which few modern receivers support.

Miserabile · 06-06-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by dankoBanana

http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg

first review

anyone able to translate?

it should be (as I found in the Telescope Reviews | Cloudy Nights forums)

Quote:

Nice example on the 3 min shot (Pentax SMC DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 ED lens) at 16mm f/3.5 on the Milky Way.

On the second page 3x3 pictures:

Top row: upper-right corner
Middle row: central region
Bottom row: lower-left corner

Left column: untracked 3 minutes
Middle column: EQ mount
Right Column: AstroTracer

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

v5planet · 06-06-2011, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by dankoBanana

http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg

first review

anyone able to translate?

If you can find a higher resolution image, I can give it a whirl, but right now the characters are too small for me to make out clearly.

Ishpuini · 06-06-2011, 11:57 PM

Originally posted by dankoBanana

http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg

first review

anyone able to translate?

This is what the content of the July 2011 issue summerizes (translated by google translate):

Quote:

Cameras follow the motion of the stars of the body can only tripod "Pentax O-GPS1 with K-5 & K-r"
From Pentax, the item appeared on the motion to overturn common sense. O-GPS1 for the SLR, but GPS units that are equipped with the ability to perform the motion by moving the camera's image sensor. Is that what Tsutomu Makoto any attempt to deliver urgent reports.

There's an image of the unit on a K-5 with subscript: Only the motion of the tripod.

That's all that can be found on the site next to the image... not much...

Wim

Nasus · 06-07-2011, 03:26 AM

Looks like someone in Japan should buy this magazine and repost the information. Or (better): Pentax should license this interesting review and repost it as well as full-resolution images.
Or (best) send me a K-5, some decent lenses, o-gps1 and let me take some pics (mag 6.5 sky, EQ-mount for reference...)

Arpe · 06-09-2011, 09:15 PM

Originally posted by Entropy

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Key word:

GLOBAL.

It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'.

**DAZ** · 06-09-2011, 09:26 PM

Originally posted by Arpe

It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'.

The US GPS (NAVSTAR) satellites are in polar orbits. There are just as many north of the equator as south. At the poles there are more at any one time then at the equator because they are in a polar orbit but north and south there has to be the same number. The only thing the controllers do is optimize the clocks so that the clock are the most accurate over some point on the globe but not one hemisphere over there other. At the moment it is rumored the clocks maybe being optimize for over Afghanistan.

DAZ

thibs · 06-10-2011, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by Arpe

It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'.

I doubt this has a lot of influence. Of course, 3 satellites will not be precise. But between 5 and 8, I doubt it.

What can have a lot of influence though, is the geodesic system used. Usually, GPS internally use GPS84. But is wgs84 accurate in the part of the world you're in is a totally different question.

falconeye · 06-10-2011, 02:50 AM

Originally posted by Arpe

It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there.

What DAZ said. But it doesn't matter which orbits they are in. Circular orbits never can cover more north than south. Consult the Kepler law to see why.

Entropy · 06-13-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by Arpe

It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'.

No, it isn't a fact. It is 100% wrong. https://gps.afspc.af.mil/gpsoc/PerformanceReports.aspx - Note that there isn't any significant north/south asymmetry.

GPS wasn't designed for North American civilian use - it has over time become so heavily used that it's operators are under a mandate to also support that role, but it was originally designed to improve the accuracy of weapons delivery (conventional and nuclear). Air Force bombers don't operate solely in the Northern hemisphere. Navy SLBMs don't either.

The only performance improvement Northern Hemisphere users may see over the South is that no one in the Southern hemisphere has started a system that is the equivalent of WAAS. Really, you're not seeing anything worse than I already do. (My hiking GPS is a Garmin Oregon, which has an STMicro Cartesio chipset - they STILL can't get WAAS working reliably...)

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06-06-2011, 07:46 AM	#76
dankoBanana Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Posts: 533	http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg first review anyone able to translate?

06-06-2011, 08:34 AM	#77
Entropy Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 976	Originally posted by Ishpuini Something is just dawning on me when reading through the discussion... This unit interests me a lot since I was planning on doing some astrophotography (weather permitting) later this year when visiting Southern Argentina. And the location/heading data would be of great interest to me to locate the no doubt many landscapes I will be photographing along the roads. Won't I be able to use it in the southern hemisphere at all? This would be a real disadvantage to me because I would expect to use this too on my next Safari(s), which is probably in Africa south of the equator too... Tx in advance for clarifying this!! Wim GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Key word: GLOBAL. The NAVSTAR (original name for GPS) system was designed with a requirement for complete global coverage - a system that only worked "at home" would be useless for the Air Force and Navy. Global Positioning System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia However, augmentation systems that broadcast GPS correction data (local ionospheric conditions being the primary localized error source, satellite clock error is another but that's not localized) are local in scope. WAAS only covers North America, and the scope where WAAS actually provides useful corrections (e.g. where iono information is valid) is even more limited than the signal coverage. However, WAAS is only the difference between having around 10 meter potential error, and 5 meter or so potential error. Edit: The European equivalent of WAAS is EGNOS. There's a Japanese equivalent too I believe. I don't think any augmentation systems are in use in the southern hemisphere, except for the classic local DGPS approach which few modern receivers support.

06-06-2011, 09:12 AM	#78
Miserabile New Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 3	Originally posted by dankoBanana http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg first review anyone able to translate? it should be (as I found in the Telescope Reviews \| Cloudy Nights forums) Quote: Nice example on the 3 min shot (Pentax SMC DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 ED lens) at 16mm f/3.5 on the Milky Way. On the second page 3x3 pictures: Top row: upper-right corner Middle row: central region Bottom row: lower-left corner Left column: untracked 3 minutes Middle column: EQ mount Right Column: AstroTracer Clear Skies! ccs_hello

06-06-2011, 10:19 AM	#79
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by dankoBanana http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg first review anyone able to translate? If you can find a higher resolution image, I can give it a whirl, but right now the characters are too small for me to make out clearly.

06-06-2011, 11:57 PM	#80
Ishpuini Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,727	Originally posted by dankoBanana http://www.astroarts.jp/news/2011/06/03hoshinavi/pentaxgps.jpg first review anyone able to translate? This is what the content of the July 2011 issue summerizes (translated by google translate): Quote: Cameras follow the motion of the stars of the body can only tripod "Pentax O-GPS1 with K-5 & K-r" From Pentax, the item appeared on the motion to overturn common sense. O-GPS1 for the SLR, but GPS units that are equipped with the ability to perform the motion by moving the camera's image sensor. Is that what Tsutomu Makoto any attempt to deliver urgent reports. There's an image of the unit on a K-5 with subscript: Only the motion of the tripod. That's all that can be found on the site next to the image... not much... Wim

06-07-2011, 03:26 AM	#81
Nasus Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 33	Looks like someone in Japan should buy this magazine and repost the information. Or (better): Pentax should license this interesting review and repost it as well as full-resolution images. Or (best) send me a K-5, some decent lenses, o-gps1 and let me take some pics (mag 6.5 sky, EQ-mount for reference...)

06-09-2011, 09:15 PM	#82
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Originally posted by Entropy GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Key word: GLOBAL. It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'.

06-09-2011, 09:26 PM	#83
DAZ Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Everett, WA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 744	Originally posted by Arpe It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'. The US GPS (NAVSTAR) satellites are in polar orbits. There are just as many north of the equator as south. At the poles there are more at any one time then at the equator because they are in a polar orbit but north and south there has to be the same number. The only thing the controllers do is optimize the clocks so that the clock are the most accurate over some point on the globe but not one hemisphere over there other. At the moment it is rumored the clocks maybe being optimize for over Afghanistan. DAZ

06-10-2011, 01:21 AM	#84
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Originally posted by Arpe It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'. I doubt this has a lot of influence. Of course, 3 satellites will not be precise. But between 5 and 8, I doubt it. What can have a lot of influence though, is the geodesic system used. Usually, GPS internally use GPS84. But is wgs84 accurate in the part of the world you're in is a totally different question.

06-10-2011, 02:50 AM	#85
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Arpe It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. What DAZ said. But it doesn't matter which orbits they are in. Circular orbits never can cover more north than south. Consult the Kepler law to see why.

06-13-2011, 10:51 AM	#86
Entropy Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 976	Originally posted by Arpe It is still a fact that GPS works better in the North than the South as there are more satellites there. Some country's definition of "Global" doesn't equate to others'. No, it isn't a fact. It is 100% wrong. https://gps.afspc.af.mil/gpsoc/PerformanceReports.aspx - Note that there isn't any significant north/south asymmetry. GPS wasn't designed for North American civilian use - it has over time become so heavily used that it's operators are under a mandate to also support that role, but it was originally designed to improve the accuracy of weapons delivery (conventional and nuclear). Air Force bombers don't operate solely in the Northern hemisphere. Navy SLBMs don't either. The only performance improvement Northern Hemisphere users may see over the South is that no one in the Southern hemisphere has started a system that is the equivalent of WAAS. Really, you're not seeing anything worse than I already do. (My hiking GPS is a Garmin Oregon, which has an STMicro Cartesio chipset - they STILL can't get WAAS working reliably...)