[jeremy_c]

I don't need GPS for orienteering. In fact, I'd advise strongly against that as a practise. One needs to be able to read a manual map and preferably to be able to cope without a compass.

I can see in the old, old days when maps were first being created... "I don't need a map, in fact I'd advise strongly against that as a practice. One just needs to be able to read the stars for navigation." :-D BTW... what happens if you loose your map?

I use a GPS all the time for navigation when flying in my ultralight. If it were to ever quit or cease to work, I would be in no danger as I can always navigate with out it, however, it sure makes trips from point A to point B much faster because I keep a course. With a compass you cannot just fly a heading as you have winds to deal with. You can of course, correct for wind but an ultralight is affected much greater than general aviation due to it's slow speeds and light weight.

Anyway, yes. You should be able to navigate without a GPS, but you could say that you should be able to survive w/o packed food, prepared shelter, or even the clothes on your back (what if you fell into freezing water?)

Most of us are not in life and death situations when we venture into the wild. Areas the majority of people go are still pretty well populated.

Now, on to more on topic things... I am sure that if the new K20D had a GPS it would have an option for turning it on and off. I wouldn't worry about weight or power consumption. I am pretty sure you would not notice the difference in weight (sure it might be able to be measured) and if you are worried about power consumption, just turn it off.

Jeremy

[Cambo]

I'll vote for one of those:

* Pentax joins micro 4:3
* new Pentax mount
* 645D
* aperture coupler back

Pentax DSLRs Check for yourself and let me know what u think.

or they would have shown it with the grip to make it look impressive. Since 1995, with every new camera announcement, I have been wishing it was...we have ALL been wishing it was...



They are NEVER going to do one - too chicken - afraid - especially in these 'tight' financial times, we might as well come to grips with the fact. And just like the 2000-2001 full-frame fiasco, I am once again thinking of bailing.

It's probably another disappointing minor upgrade to the K200 - they've made the mirror shinier - K200S. It's quieter - the K200Q. The buttons have fake chrome rings on them - the K200FCR.

Woopee ding.

BTW - tight financial times...yeah, right. Where does all the money go? Does it evaporate? The Martians have taken it? Somebody's dog ate it? Everything was wonderful 2 years ago. Are we really suddenly THAT broke, or is it just the ultra-rich investors of the world getting even cheaper and hording/hiding their money en masse so they can squeeze us all a little harder? There's still a few unions left they can bust up...the auto deal...to heck with Nissan workers in the states, let's really put the boots to them and give them parity with Asian autoworkers in Asia - go for parity with Vietnam; let's truly make North America a third world continent. You know how well the weathy do in third world countries - the rich are REALLY REALLY rich over there.

Record breaking profits for the last 15 years, untold BUCKETS of money being made in all sectors of the economy, the rich have gotten PHENOMENALLY richer, EXPONENTIALLY richer, then suddenly it's all gone. "Free enterprise, the American way, let the markets decide!" Then suddenly, just as the right looses power in North America finally, it's "Oh, help, we're broke! We need more or we'll have to fire all our workers! We don't really believe in the market, that's just when times are good and we're making lots of money and we can hide all our profits in overseas tax evasion schemes, er, ah, I mean, 'shelters!' And no, honest, there's no insider trading going on; really! We'd NEVER do that..." Meanwhile, the markets going up and down 30% a week; you think SOME people aren't making a TON of money right now?

Hmmm...

Calm down, folks, it's total BS...smoke and mirrors. And I don't think we should bale out anything; it's ALL broke, and it ain't worth saving. Save GM so they can make 7,000 lb SUV's for the 200 lb humans to ride around in - a Chrysler Pacifica, a 4 passenger family wagon, weighs 400 lbs MORE than a 1967 Rolls Royce, one of the largest, longest, most opulent and most luxurious cars EVER BUILT; no wonder there's no gas left. It's got a 300+ horsepower engine - I drove one, and it's totally gutless because the damn car weighs more than a 1967 Rolls Royce!!!!

It's totally nuts and out of control. We need to get rid of it, not fix it. Let it ALL go; car industry, financial industry, the whole rotten, evil, totally corrupt lot of it. Don't bail out ANYTHING! Then maybe we can build a society that's fair and equitable for the majority, not just the rich. And one that isn't going to destroy the earth as this one's destined to.

This is one last bunch of BS by Bush and his cronies so they can make a whole bunch of money before they go - DON'T FALL FOR IT. THE MONEY HASN'T GONE ANYWHERE BUT SOMEBODY'S GREEDY, SWEATY LITTLE HANDS.

Just my $.02.

Cheers,
Cameron

[Jasvox]

My theory is the "blacked out" camera in the original photo is just an icon used, not necessarily anything to lead or mislead.

Jason

[noblepa]

Perhaps the nikon claims are buffered by the fact that the govt. can alter the accuracy of all GPS in order to avert perceived threats. If you read your GPS manual, it will discuss this innaccuracy issue--I've had the displeasure of reading nearly a dozen different GPS manuals (three different manufacturers) as well as the earlier Loran C manuals with similar disclaimers regarding accuracy. Without looking it up, I believe it is called differential GPS when the govt. plays with the signals. Govt. testing with the differential was relatively common during the Loran C days...I've had my location change while boating many times. Sometimes it switches right back to the original tracking, sometimes not. Now that so many people use GPS for auto navigating, there is less "testing" with the signal. But no company claims reliable 10 meter accuracy due to the differential GPS tinkering that can happen at any time.

Not sure why anyone would need closer accuracy for photo tags. If you can't recognize the location from 100 meters away, it probably wasn't that impressive to start with?

Selective Availability, the feature that is built into the GPS system has been turned off since 1999, at the order of President Clinton. This was the feature that allowed the DOD to insert a deliberate error into the positioning abilities of civilian GPS units. Military units had/have the ability to factor this error out and achieve a true position.

Furthermore, it has been announced that the next couple of GPS satellites to be launched will completely lack the SA function, meaning that it will be essentially dead. Of course, the DOD would never lie about something like this.

Seriously, I doubt that they would ever implement SA again. Too many civilian airlines and others depend on it. An airplane, trying to land at a fogged-in airport could easily miss the runway, if their GPS unit showed them to be 100 meters away from their actual location.

Since SA has been turned off since 1999, I doubt that Nikon is simply covering their butts by issuing this caveat, although its possible.

Paul Noble

[gnaztee]

Cheers,
Cameron

Ironical

[time-snaps]

...so where is this new DSLR?! - in the meantime have ordered the Solmeta N2 for the Nikon D300.... having GPS is one thing, having the firmware allowing that data to be written to the EXIF is a totally different kettle of fish

[konraDarnok]

BTW - tight financial times...yeah, right. Where does all the money go?

A better question to ask 5 years ago is "where is all this money coming from?"

It didn't go anywhere, because it never existed. That's the quintessential crux.

If you're really interested: http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/365.mp3

Now back to your regularly scheduled rumor mill. . . .

---

Last edited by konraDarnok; 12-15-2008 at 01:15 PM.

[nixcamic]

its Tuesday...
...so where is this new DSLR?! - in the meantime have ordered the Solmeta N2 for the Nikon D300.... having GPS is one thing, having the firmware allowing that data to be written to the EXIF is a totally different kettle of fish

You forget most of us (on the forum anyhow) are still on monday. It's not ever tuesday in London (your supposed location) yet is it? Unless I'm even worse at time zone conversion than I thought.

[Shashinki]

move along.. nothing to see here

[kthung]

I believe the blog said 2PM Pacific Time (GMT - 8:00) thats still about 24 hours away

[Ratmagiclady]

I think it'll be a camera with the capability to *make* the shooter more interesting, by supplying witty anecdotes and thought-provoking literary quotations. Also by attracting exotic fauna and offering artsy wardrobe advice.

[davebris33]

I think it'll be a camera with the capability to *make* the shooter more interesting, by supplying witty anecdotes and thought-provoking literary quotations. Also by attracting exotic fauna and offering artsy wardrobe advice.

I think it will remove the part of the brain that discusses GPS endlessly, thus rendering the user more interesting

[Das Boot]

I think it should have a viewfinder like the scope on Rodney Dangerfeild's putter in Caddyshack. The camera will tell you how to position it, what to put in the foreground, automatically adjust Av, Tv, & Sv and won't let the shutter fire until the timing is right - even if it's two hours! As far as the economy, I think there are a lot of people reading too much into it - This is just a long overdue correction... nothing more, nothing less.

-Brian

[Blue]

I believe the blog said 2PM Pacific Time (GMT - 8:00) thats still about 24 hours away

It is to be announced California time. Ah-nuld will announce the new Pentax dSLR and Proclaim Canon for girlie-men.

[*isteve]

As far as the economy, I think there are a lot of people reading too much into it - This is just a long overdue correction... nothing more, nothing less.

-Brian

So was the cultural revolution

Sorry I think this is more than a correction. If it was a correction there would not be so much taxpayers money being used to buy out banks and car companies....