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05-28-2009, 08:55 AM   #1
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why no geotagging support in K-7?

I thought the built-in geotagging was going to be incorporated in K-7 !

What happened?

05-28-2009, 09:04 AM   #2
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I think they had much more important things to implement first.
05-28-2009, 09:24 AM   #3
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I have used a brand new camera that has "geotagging." IMO, it is a complete gimmick.
  • It only works outdoors
  • Even when you are outdoors, it takes time to initialize
  • It adds size and weight to the camera
  • It drains the batteries faster

I'm glad they didn't put it in the K-7. That is a feature only an electronics company dabbling in cameras would add.
05-28-2009, 11:32 AM   #4
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when I was looking into nikon and the d300 I saw the GPS attachment and thought "hey, thats cool, I can record where I saw various animals, maybe even help with some research"...thinking about it now? GPS is somewhat useful but I have a handheld GPS, if there is something THAT memorable I can just write down coordinates. GPS refresh is somewhat slow, it drains battery and really, are you gaining that much? I've geotagged some of my photos before by guestimation, is my life that much better if the picture is guaranteed tagged to within 3 meters of where I took it?

05-28-2009, 11:36 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jmbradd Quote
GPS is somewhat useful but I have a handheld GPS, if there is something THAT memorable I can just write down coordinates. GPS refresh is somewhat slow, it drains battery and really, are you gaining that much? I've geotagged some of my photos before by guestimation, is my life that much better if the picture is guaranteed tagged to within 3 meters of where I took it?
Or you can just save your gps-track from the handheld unit and use a program to automatically add geotagging information based on the time the picture was taken and the position from your track-log at that time. There are even plugins for lightroom for this. Much better than having a in-camera gps that needs time to initialize every time you turn it on.
05-28-2009, 12:54 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by PentaxPoke Quote
I have used a brand new camera that has "geotagging." IMO, it is a complete gimmick.
  • It only works outdoors
  • Even when you are outdoors, it takes time to initialize
  • It adds size and weight to the camera
  • It drains the batteries faster

I'm glad they didn't put it in the K-7. That is a feature only an electronics company dabbling in cameras would add.
Well duh.... of course it only works outdoors.

I agree, Geotagging is great add-on feature. The problem is, unless Pentax makes it, no one else will. Only some Nikon owners are lucky enough to have a geotagging add-on.
05-28-2009, 01:07 PM   #7
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I was a bit disappointed there was no support for geotagging either. It's the one feature I really would have like to see in the K-7. Note to other posters -- just because a camera has geotagging support doesn't mean it has an in-camera GPS. An add-on solution like Nikon's GP-1 unit would have been perfect: something that sits on the hot shoe, powers up on camera power-up, has quick re-acquisition, and embeds the info into the image EXIF data.

Yes, you can carry your own datalogger and geotag in Lightroom, or in Flickr (as I do currently), but it's a PITA vs an integrated experience and much more error-prone. Too bad there's no data-in port on the k-7 for such a thing. Oh well, you can't have everything.

What I find odd about the whole deal is that the K-7 is really touted as an all-season outdoor camera, so I figured GPS support would have been a shoo-in.


Last edited by dhalbrook; 05-28-2009 at 01:15 PM.
05-28-2009, 01:47 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by dhalbrook Quote
What I find odd about the whole deal is that the K-7 is really touted as an all-season outdoor camera, so I figured GPS support would have been a shoo-in.
The problem is that this type of accessories are expensive to implement. It will not be a big seller, so they probably have to do a production run and sit on a pile of inventory. They have other more pressing accessories such as SDM teleconverter that is in more demand but have to be delayed due to the economy.
05-28-2009, 02:39 PM   #9
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Sorry to be blunt, but if you want support for geotagging, get a P&S.

As for the rumours about this feature...wishful thinking I guess...remember the one's about the hybrid electronic viewfinder?

Steve
05-28-2009, 04:41 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by PentaxPoke Quote
I have used a brand new camera that has "geotagging." IMO, it is a complete gimmick.
+1
QuoteOriginally posted by PiratStian Quote
Much better than having a in-camera gps that needs time to initialize every time you turn it on.
+1
QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxmz Quote
Well duh.... of course it only works outdoors.
My external geologger solution works indoor, too. Because it remembers the position where it lost track and updates position when 3m near a window. In a museum, I see which part of the museum my photos are from.
QuoteOriginally posted by dhalbrook Quote
something that sits on hot shoe, powers up on camera power-up
Exactly what PentaxPoke called a complete gimmick.

A working geotagging solution has a fix all time and keeps its own battery power for the day, better yet, for multiple days (mine does so by switching off when not moved and switching on when detecting mechanical vibration: sweet).

Sitting in the photo bag and just doing its job, hazzle-free, no ugly hot shoe whatever, no problems of being unable to initialize during the short wake-ups.

The best of all: Knowing the track, I can easily retag my photos after processing like panoramas, hdr, etc. Because some of those tools destroy geotags. And giving the geo positions real names (like a town name) is automatic, too.
05-28-2009, 07:35 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by PentaxPoke Quote
I have used a brand new camera that has "geotagging." IMO, it is a complete gimmick.
I can't agree more. I love every single feature they put into the K-7 and won't ever miss geotagging even though travel photography is important for me.
05-29-2009, 10:53 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
Exactly what PentaxPoke called a complete gimmick.
So you mean to tell me that you'd find a data-in port with a known specification on the side of the K-7 gimmicky? Even if it could take data from your external logger? Wow, tough crowd.

As crude as current GPS solutions are right now, they're getting better, and they're getting better quickly. I think Nikon is definitely on the right track by adding the capability to log inline GPS info to the D300 and D90, and I think it's a missed opportunity for Pentax. I do agree it's not all that high-ranking of a feature, and I think many wouldn't use it (so admittedly it would have to compete with limited R&D yen), but my guess is that within 5 years it will be pretty much standard on all mid to upper range DSLRs, where the K-7 falls exactly. Too bad in this case Pentax will not be at the forefront of the trend.

Ultimately what we may end up seeing is a local "tethered" signal that is fairly universal like Bluetooth used for this kind of functionality. That would truly be the best of all worlds. Your geologger goes wherever you want it, and if the camera finds a signal, it uses it, otherwise not. Everyone's happy (or not).
05-29-2009, 11:01 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
My external geologger solution works indoor, too. Because it remembers the position where it lost track and updates position when 3m near a window. In a museum, I see which part of the museum my photos are from.
So what is your external geologger solution?
05-29-2009, 11:05 AM   #14
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No dslr has that feature built in yet does it. Nikon D300 and up can connect an accessory via expansion connector but thats about it.

I guess if canon started putting it in their next version of their rebels and d60 etc then we would start getting it.

maybe they are concerned with how to activate or deactivate it and that it would eat too mcuh power from the battery if left on.
05-29-2009, 01:38 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by and Quote
No dslr has that feature built in yet does it. Nikon D300 and up can connect an accessory via expansion connector but thats about it.
Yes, that expansion connector is what i'd love to see. Or better yet, the ability to listen to a bluetooth signal and use that for embedding it. Then you could keep the geocoder in your pocket and let that eat batteries (though bluetooth does add to battery drain).
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