Pentax K3 III Geotagging

tjstimbo · 09-24-2021, 01:48 AM

Been using the manual to try and set up geotagging. The app on my iPhone set up OK and I can connect to the camera and on the info display I have the bluetooth and GPS icons.

So my first test this morning I turned on the camera and started the app on my iPhone (not sure if this is necessary) made sure date and time was synced and went for a wander. Now loading my photos into lightroom I see they all have the same GPS data, exactly the same although I did walk quite a long way.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong.

Thanks
Tim

AfterPentax Mark II · 09-24-2021, 03:02 AM

Did you calibrate the camera with the O-gps1 attached before setting off? Did you set recording of GPS on?

tjstimbo · 09-24-2021, 03:29 AM

I wasn't using the O-GPS1, just using my iPhone as the GPS tracker through Image Sync and using Bluetooth to transfer the GPS info to the camera.

Tim

**StigVidar** · 09-24-2021, 03:57 AM

The camera will use the last position received from the app so it looks like your phone sent the initial position and not any updates afterward.

Fogel70 · 09-24-2021, 04:10 AM

Are you sure the GPS position was updated on your iPhone?
I do not use iPhone but I'm sure that depending on the settings on the phone, the refresh rate on the GPS will change.

AfterPentax Mark II · 09-24-2021, 05:03 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by tjstimbo

Been using the manual to try and set up geotagging. The app on my iPhone set up OK and I can connect to the camera and on the info display I have the bluetooth and GPS icons.

So my first test this morning I turned on the camera and started the app on my iPhone (not sure if this is necessary) made sure date and time was synced and went for a wander. Now loading my photos into lightroom I see they all have the same GPS data, exactly the same although I did walk quite a long way.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong.

Thanks
Tim

It seems that you must specify in Background Location Information Transmission for how long the info must be send to your camera. In your description of how you handled this morning I do not read that you set the time for the length of the transmission.

Paul the Sunman · 09-24-2021, 04:34 PM

I have an Android phone rather than iPhone. Maybe things differ. I connect the phone to the camera with Bluetooth rather than WiFi, and set "Background location information transmission" to 6 hours, just to be safe.

**pichaser** · 09-24-2021, 05:54 PM - **2 Likes**

My K-3 II dutifully logs gps data for each frame when the gps button is engaged . No smart phone is required ! I would love to have the new camera's improved AF .

tjstimbo · 09-24-2021, 11:43 PM

OK thanks for the comments, I will have another go this weekend.
Tim

**pbernery** · 09-25-2021, 06:42 AM

Hey Tim,

I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone:

Make sure Battery saving mode is **not** enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location,
Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always".

The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly.

Hope this can help.

tjstimbo · 09-25-2021, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by pbernery

Hey Tim,

I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone:

Make sure Battery saving mode is **not** enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location,
Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always".

The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly.

Hope this can help.

Thanks, the latter could be where I have been going wrong.
Tim

fifescapes · 10-26-2021, 06:43 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by pichaser

My K-3 II dutifully logs gps data for each frame when the gps button is engaged . No smart phone is required ! I would love to have the new camera's improved AF .

But that's no help to those of us with a K3iii trying to use Image Sync.

fifescapes · 10-28-2021, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by pbernery

Hey Tim,

I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone:

Make sure Battery saving mode is **not** enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location,
Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always".

The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly.

Hope this can help.

I had problems, it was only tagging the first so many photos and they all got the same tag!

I seem to have fixed by:

Updating the camera's firmware
Deleting & reinstalling the app on my phone
Re-pairing phone & camera

I suspect the crucial point was deleting & reinstalling the app.

angerdan · 10-31-2021, 03:38 AM - **1 Like**

User tomcook did write an Image Sync Instruction and uploaded it as PDF here

K-3 III and Image Sync Instructions - PentaxForums.com

09-24-2021, 01:48 AM	#1
tjstimbo Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Daventry Posts: 84	Pentax K3 III Geotagging Been using the manual to try and set up geotagging. The app on my iPhone set up OK and I can connect to the camera and on the info display I have the bluetooth and GPS icons. So my first test this morning I turned on the camera and started the app on my iPhone (not sure if this is necessary) made sure date and time was synced and went for a wander. Now loading my photos into lightroom I see they all have the same GPS data, exactly the same although I did walk quite a long way. Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong. Thanks Tim

09-25-2021, 06:42 AM	#10
pbernery Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Bondy, France Posts: 8	Hey Tim, I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone: Make sure Battery saving mode is not enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location, Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always". The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly. Hope this can help.

09-25-2021, 08:04 AM	#11
tjstimbo Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Daventry Posts: 84 Original Poster	Originally posted by pbernery Hey Tim, I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone: Make sure Battery saving mode is not enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location, Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always". The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly. Hope this can help. Thanks, the latter could be where I have been going wrong. Tim

10-28-2021, 03:29 AM	#13
fifescapes Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 27	Originally posted by pbernery Hey Tim, I've been using the app with the K3 III for some months now and have encountered few issues. Not exactly yours though but here are some things to check on your iPhone: Make sure Battery saving mode is not enabled. iOS takes strong actions for saving the battery, and this may lead to non-precise location, Check in Settings > Image Sync > Location that authorization is set to "always". The app needs to be launched but it may launch automatically in the background if you use the feature regularly. Hope this can help. I had problems, it was only tagging the first so many photos and they all got the same tag! I seem to have fixed by: Updating the camera's firmware Deleting & reinstalling the app on my phone Re-pairing phone & camera I suspect the crucial point was deleting & reinstalling the app.

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09-24-2021, 03:02 AM	#2
AfterPentax Mark II Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 1,462	Did you calibrate the camera with the O-gps1 attached before setting off? Did you set recording of GPS on?

09-24-2021, 03:29 AM	#3
tjstimbo Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Daventry Posts: 84 Original Poster	I wasn't using the O-GPS1, just using my iPhone as the GPS tracker through Image Sync and using Bluetooth to transfer the GPS info to the camera. Tim

09-24-2021, 03:57 AM	#4
StigVidar Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 705	The camera will use the last position received from the app so it looks like your phone sent the initial position and not any updates afterward.

09-24-2021, 04:10 AM	#5
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	Are you sure the GPS position was updated on your iPhone? I do not use iPhone but I'm sure that depending on the settings on the phone, the refresh rate on the GPS will change.

09-24-2021, 05:03 AM - 2 Likes	#6
AfterPentax Mark II Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 1,462	Originally posted by tjstimbo Been using the manual to try and set up geotagging. The app on my iPhone set up OK and I can connect to the camera and on the info display I have the bluetooth and GPS icons. So my first test this morning I turned on the camera and started the app on my iPhone (not sure if this is necessary) made sure date and time was synced and went for a wander. Now loading my photos into lightroom I see they all have the same GPS data, exactly the same although I did walk quite a long way. Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong. Thanks Tim It seems that you must specify in Background Location Information Transmission for how long the info must be send to your camera. In your description of how you handled this morning I do not read that you set the time for the length of the transmission.

09-24-2021, 04:34 PM	#7
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,843	I have an Android phone rather than iPhone. Maybe things differ. I connect the phone to the camera with Bluetooth rather than WiFi, and set "Background location information transmission" to 6 hours, just to be safe.

09-24-2021, 05:54 PM - 2 Likes	#8
pichaser Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,776	My K-3 II dutifully logs gps data for each frame when the gps button is engaged . No smart phone is required ! I would love to have the new camera's improved AF .

09-24-2021, 11:43 PM	#9
tjstimbo Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Daventry Posts: 84 Original Poster	OK thanks for the comments, I will have another go this weekend. Tim

10-26-2021, 06:43 AM - 2 Likes	#12
fifescapes Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 27	Originally posted by pichaser My K-3 II dutifully logs gps data for each frame when the gps button is engaged . No smart phone is required ! I would love to have the new camera's improved AF . But that's no help to those of us with a K3iii trying to use Image Sync.

10-31-2021, 03:38 AM - 1 Like	#14
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	User tomcook did write an Image Sync Instruction and uploaded it as PDF here K-3 III and Image Sync Instructions - PentaxForums.com