[Larrymc]

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An antenna in the vicinity of an electronically modulated optical device and its electrodes?

Yeah.....sort of close like cell phone close.

[Mistral75]

The back shell of a cellphone is not made of magnesium. The GPS signal doesn't need to go through the screen.

[Prohibitiory]

it looks nice!

[Larrymc]

The back shell of a cellphone is not made of magnesium. The GPS signal doesn't need to go through the screen.

The antenna on some cell phones are in close proximity to an electronically modulated optical device and its electrodes. Are they not??

[dbs]

Hurry up February

[Not a Number]

Some photos of the GPS antenna in iPhone 8. Gives some idea of size and placement.:



Source:
GPS antenna iPhone 8 repair - Free guide - SOSav

[deus ursus]

That thing is small enough to be crammed into a really small space, like, in a knob on top of a camera ...

[H. Sapiens]

That thing is small enough to be crammed into a really small space, like, in a knob on top of a camera ...

Shape the knob like a parabolic antenna! That should work :-)

[MMVIII]

Well, there might be small antennae, but there is a limit of how small can still receive a usable signal, especially if it can not be placed ideally. But looking at the size of modern integrated GNSS receivers there is no doubt they can easily be placed anywhere on a new board. See here the Broadcom chip https://www.myfixguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Huawei-Honor-9-Teardown-25.jpg

As far as I'm aware there are now combined antennae for WIFI and GNSS, maybe also BT. I would not exclude that therefore a breakthrough at the prism housing might just not be necessary anymore. Still, for GPS and Beidou, Glonass, Galileo... this antenna should be in an upwards facing place. On the other hand the right side grip (with the obvious breakthrough in the metal shell) would be a part that would (for traditionally trained photographers) be placed on the upper side also in portrait orientation.
See here the combined BT and GPS flex antenna for iPhone 10 X https://www.ebay.de/itm/iPhone-X-10-Bluetooth-GPS-Signal-Antenne-Flex-Antenn...-/293300332598

Someone posted the spec sheet from a german page. They probably have their information also only from the official Ricoh bits we are aware here too. They do list "GPS", and, what I find interesting is that in the accessories they don't list an external GPS/GNSS module. But both could just come from copying missing fields in their spec sheet with data from e.g. the K-1.

[Not a Number]

Wait and see is my advice.

[Mistral75]

The antenna on some cell phones are in close proximity to an electronically modulated optical device and its electrodes. Are they not??

They are, with some kind of magnetic shielding in-between.

Put the GPS antenna behind the top LCD screen of the camera with a magnetic shielding between the two and a magnesium shell all around: how will the antenna work?

[Mistral75]

Well, there might be small antennae, but there is a limit of how small can still receive a usable signal, especially if it can not be placed ideally. But looking at the size of modern integrated GNSS receivers there is no doubt they can easily be placed anywhere on a new board. See here the Broadcom chip https://www.myfixguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Huawei-Honor-9-Teardown-25.jpg

As far as I'm aware there are now combined antennae for WIFI and GNSS, maybe also BT. I would not exclude that therefore a breakthrough at the prism housing might just not be necessary anymore. Still, for GPS and Beidou, Glonass, Galileo... this antenna should be in an upwards facing place. On the other hand the right side grip (with the obvious breakthrough in the metal shell) would be a part that would (for traditionally trained photographers) be placed on the upper side also in portrait orientation.
See here the combined BT and GPS flex antenna for iPhone 10 X iPhone X 10 Bluetooth GPS Signal Antenne Flex Antenna Cable Original | eBay

(...)

Under one of the three top dials, for instance the S.Fn dial?

[MMVIII]

Under one of the three top dials, for instance the S.Fn dial?

I really don't know. Theoretically, yes, but the dial probably has some kind of axis which might place it quite deep inside tha metal cage with a quite small hole there... The upper part of the grip might still be possible, despite the potential coverage by fingers etc...
We also don't know what the LCD is going to be like, or did I miss here something? This would be the largest area. I don't know how a (speculative) e-paper display could be used, here a nice one https://www.reichelt.at/at/de/entwicklerboards-display-epaper-1-54-schwarz-w...MaAjXhEALw_wcB
but the board could be seperate https://www.amazon.de/HAT-Resolution-Electronic-Controller-Communicating/dp/B075R4QY3L and the display would probably offer enough permeability for the signals without too much disturbance. But to be clear, there is no indication for anything here, just speculating about possibilities.

[someasiancameraguy]

Some photos of the GPS antenna in iPhone 8. Gives some idea of size and placement.:

Source:
GPS antenna iPhone 8 repair - Free guide - SOSav

If they really wanted to, it would be possible to create a small plastic mold to house the GPS without affecting the main body. It's just a matter of production cost.

[RobA_Oz]

Given all the identified difficulties of placing a GPS antenna in the K-3iii body, I should think it would make a whole Product Story on its own. That’s if it has one, of course.