Trying to Maintain Accurate GPS tags on my Theta Z photos

There’s supposed to be an update to the mobile app for Android today, but I can’t find it on Google Play.

RICOH THETA App Version Update Information | RICOH THETA

the most recent version I can find is 2.1.0, updated June 10, 2021.

I’m going to go forward with a test with

  • Z1,
  • firmware 2.00.1
  • Android app 2.1.0 on Pixel 2
  • bluetooth and mobile data disabled on mobile phone
  • 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
  • auto connection disabled to force checking if camera loses connection to Z1
  • location enabled
  • postview disabled (no transfer for images from camera to mobile phone)

Results

GPS data for 151 pictures looks accurate for most of the shots. There are zero pictures that show GPS off by several kilometers. break in the picture coordinates are due to a tunnel under the highway.

Scenes have good access to sky in California.

Other Test Conditions

  • air temperature is 93F
  • I have the Z1 mounted on a monopod. I used it like a selfie stick and kept walking at the entire time without stopping
  • In my other hand, I held the Pixel 2 and pressed the shutter button on the mobile app
  • I did not transfer the pictures to the mobile phone
  • I did not lose Wi-Fi connection during the test

Shadow in the test gives you an idea of how the pictures were taken.

accuracy looks quite good for all pictures. The works on the map and the rocks in my shot match.

image

Hypothesis on Problems

I could not replicate the problem. However, each person is probably experiencing different conditions for their shots.

  • mobile app was just updated within the last week. Maybe that fixes the problem?
2 Likes