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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
10-02-2016, 09:33 AM
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The device will work as a GPS anywhere, with our without maps. You can create and get Garmin format maps in various ways - some of mine were generated from other sources using free software (from OpenStreeMap maybe? can't remember exactly now:-() - but, frankly, though the maps are nice to have if you've got them, I wouldn't oversell them - the screen is tiny for one thing - I'd have to be pretty desperate for it to be my only map:-). I used to use a Bluetooth logger with no screen which was fine too - I just got a bit fed up with flaky connections to my phone and laptop - as always, your mileage may vary
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
09-24-2016, 12:27 PM
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I know you want a solution with no extra steps, but O-GPS' reliability depends it seems on your camera - with a K5 (or at least mine) it takes a while to 'wake up' so I miss tagging unless I wait a bit (20-30sec?). Also, if you use a bag, something sticking out the top can be less than helpful (again, at least with the ones I have). I use a Garmin eTrex 20 (in bag, or pocket) and sync the camera clock (I'm not obsessive about it - every few months?) which works very reliably (in cars, in buildings surprisingly often). Then sync in Lightroom - it will do it natively these days but I think Jeffrey Friedl's plugin in is better (you'll have to pay at least $0.01 for each new major version of Lightroom - it's worth it:-). It's easily the fastest part of post processing (time not dependent on number of images) and all I lose is direction the camera is pointing, which I can live with. I can download maps to it (OK they're not great), and you get a GPX track. The O-GPS is mainly for occasional astrophotography now.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
04-07-2016, 10:03 AM
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Calibration, I believe, is for the electronic compass and should only really affect the meta data showing which direction the camera was pointed - not the location (and of course it's needed for Astrotracer). I've found though that it takes a while to 'wake up' - if I turn the camera off, or let it go to sleep, I need to leave it for a few seconds before it'll record the location - so this might be worth checking. Incidentally, this is a right pain in practice and for me it's easier to use a separate GPS (Garmin eTrex 20) and post-sync the data from the GPX track (you lose the direction information). I do use Astrotracer from time to time, but even then it's often easier (and you get better results) to use shorter exposures and stacking software (you can use the interval timer then too) - it depends what you're doing. I understand, though am not sure, that the GPS in the K-3ii fixes these problems and you can use the interval timer (? am seriously considering getting one if true).
(Also, we shouldn't expect too much from Astrotracer - given that serious, obsessive, astro-photographers with lots of expensive and very heavy gear have a lot of trouble and a not-brilliant hit rate either, we need patience:-)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-09-2016, 03:02 AM
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Early failures (sometimes gruesomely called 'infant mortality') is a common feature of a small % of all normal products - the expectation is that after some (fairly high) number of these, failure rates will be low until wear-and-tear failures start and the numbers begin to sharply rise (the 'bathtub curve'). So I don't think you can pin very early failures on some specific flaw - it's the earlier than expected start of the right-hand end of the curve that's the issue. I don't know if anything is fixed (and I don't know if anything was wrong in the first place) but for me at least the 16-50 is indefinably much 'better' than the Tamron 17-50 it replaced - I use it much more. Going to 16mm is part of it but not all and I can't specifically say exactly why I like it. Opinions will differ.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-25-2015, 03:46 AM
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OK, new here (have been reading for a while and I guess I should post in the newcomers forum but hey ho..) - a GPS unit in a camera or phone is a receiver only - you cannot be tracked unless you install software on your phone that actually sends your location somewhere. You can be tracked (within limits) by the cell signal - if you're in range of a cell tower, though this is nowhere near as accurate as GPS, and this works with phones with or without a GPS (so not just smartphones).
On topic:-)- I've been tagging with a separate GPS and Lightroom for years. It's pretty easy, you don't get the direction and you do have to be disciplined about the time set on the camera if you want it to be as quick as possible. But it's not a major pain. Having said, that I don't object to not having to do it (and getting a bit more information).
- You can use your phone but on some platforms the apps are limited (and the battery will not last long) - a dedicated GPS or GPS logger is better for this, especially if you're doing it for long periods.
- I've also got an O-GPS1 which in principle simplifies things, but in practice I find it often doesn't tag locations of all pictures if your usual practice is to turn the camera off. It takes longer to re-aquire location than the time taken between turning the camera on and taking a picture (not long, a couple of seconds or so). So it tends to miss the first one/few and I'd be interested to know, when it's out, if the K3-II does this too.
- I got the O-GPS1 for Astrotracer, and it works but is touchy/unreliable (though probably no more so than getting a proper tracking mount working well and, within it's limits, it's much smaller/cheaper/convenient.
- I do use the onboard flash every now and again, for fill and 'record' shots, but probably wouldn't miss it. My wife and older children, who often use my K5 as a big point and shoot ,would though (I suppose, if I decide to get one, this is an excuse to keep the K5...)
- I used to think that I knew where I took every picture too, until I went back though early scanned slides - most yes, all roughly, but there are still some that annoy me because I haven't worked it out yet.
- Of course you can edit RAW files - you can edit any files (you might break digital signatures etc., but you can still do it). It's just that the philosophy of modern PP software is 'non-destructive editing' which you can always undo, so leaving the actual image data untouched makes sense.
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