Pentax GPS Unit Review
I like the idea of GPS tagging but not sure it's worth the cost

My current logger has to be downloaded to a Windows computer regularly so the buffer doesn't get full. I then have to tag the photos when I get home using a tagging program.
I'm still not convinced by the Pentax logger though. I can get it for €199 here but it's still a lot of money.
Battery life is a good question too.
Pint o' rough & a game o' darts anyone

Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass
My page on Photocrowd - link
GPS comes as standard on the K3ii but it doesn't appear to include the compass feature. When it is on you can almost watch the battery draining. To be perfectly honest I haven't found the slightest use for it yet.
It shows on the display; if you select the info button and you are presented with several options like the shutter/ aperture/ iso screeen; compass is one of them IIRC
Andy
K3ii, K-5, K-x, DA150-450mm, DA16-85WR, DA16-45, DA18-55WR, DA18-135WR, DA35 F2.4, M100mm F4 Macro, DA55-300mm, FA50mm 1.4, AF360 Flash, AF540 Flash
On the K70 one of the 3 User Dial setting came pre-programmed for Astrotracing with the GPS unit directly from the factory which is nice. I did however change the program to save the files in Raw over the default Jpg. The internal navigation option has been dropped but the compass remains.
The night vision option on the adjustable LCD screen is helpful when it comes to not affecting you night vision when setting and aiming the camera.
I also checked the GPS Exif Data on a couple of the shots that I used the GPS on and the GPS Heading Angle References and I assume the Compass is relative to True North not Magnetic North. This may be unique to the K70 but it could be, from what I've been told, something to do with the fact the Magnetic North is constantly moving and over the last couple of years the movement is quite erratic
Practitioner of the art of capturing and preserving for all to see "brief moments in time"
Gear: Cameras - K1ii, K100D, MZ60, K1000. Lenses - Pentax HD DFA 3.5-5.6 28-105 ED DC WR, DA 16-45 f:4, DA 18-55 f:3.5-5.6, DFA f:3.5-5.6 28-105 ED WR, FA 28-90 f:3.5-5.6, FAJ 75-300 f:4.5-5.8, DA 50 f:1.8, DA 35 f:2.4, A-50 1:2, M-50 1:2. Lenses - Sigma, Super Wide II 24mm f:2.8, 10-20mm f:4-5.6 EXDC, 50-500 Bigma f:4-6.3 EX. Tamon SP Di AF 90mm F2.8 Macro, LensBaby Composer Pro Sweet 35 f:2.5, Vivitar 80-200 Macro Zoom f:4, Accessories AF-360FGZ, AF-360FGZII Flash, Ketnor Digital Super Wide 0.42X AF Lens

Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
My website
GPS comes as standard on the K3ii but it doesn't appear to include the compass feature. When it is on you can almost watch the battery draining. To be perfectly honest I haven't found the slightest use for it yet.
Hi David, As Tigershoot pointed out, the K-3ii does have a compass, and it has many obvious uses. Press the info button twice and there are four rear screen display options, the fourth of which is the compass display. Geotagging a photo, as well as location (latitude, longitude and altitude, country etc) includes data for the direction in which the camera was pointing for the photo. I can see all this in the map menu of Lightroom as well as a Google earth terrain map illustrating the photograph's location (as well as other photos I have in that vicinity). For me GPS tagging is an excellent feature because I do frequently need to see exactly where I took a particular photo. This is really helpful not least because I find it difficult to remember the location of my very many photographs, but for example if I am running a slideshow in LR and someone asks where a photo was taken, I simply go to Map in LR and say "there"! I am confident that if you do not have LR you will be able to find other programs which support this feature.
The battery consumption is negligible unless you switch on 'Logging' on the in camera GPS menu. For me this feature is unnecessary unless you want to see an illustration of the trail of your journey to be displayed on the map. The location of photos is all that I need. GPS photo location is always on by default and you can see the lat. long. and alt. in a Jpeg's Properties - Details.
Hope you find this info useful.
K3ii, K-5, K-x, DA150-450mm, DA16-85WR, DA16-45, DA18-55WR, DA18-135WR, DA35 F2.4, M100mm F4 Macro, DA55-300mm, FA50mm 1.4, AF360 Flash, AF540 Flash
I leave all behind when on a trip, for no interruptions, even if I might break my leg in the process

"Wheres me tinfoil"

I have a little analogue phone in case of emergency

We are all in the Matrix whether we like it or not


joshwa
Plus Member
Sheffield
https://www.pentaxuser.com/review/pentax-o-gps1-gps-unit-review-645