We are about to purchase a Trimble S6 and we have the option of getting a refurbished one for $19500 or a Demo that has Vision installed for $24,800. Has anyone used this Vision technology and do they think it is worth an extra 5K?
From Trimble's website: The Trimble S6 Total Station with Trimble VISION™ technology enables surveyors to remotely see and measure through a live video feed from the instrument on their data controller. By integrating survey data with the live video surveyors can verify their work and ensure that they have captured everything before leaving the job. The calibrated camera allows users to easily integrate images into their survey workflows. Photo documentation also allows surveyors to complement the data they provide to clients with images of the job conditions and point attributes, making the data easier to understand.
Congratulation on your S-6 purchase. You will love it. We have had one for several years and have no complaints. We don't have "Vision". I have looked at the ads and it looks like a pretty neat idea. I'd ask for a demo and then judge if you think it's worth the extra money.
Depends a bit of the type of work you do ...
I have used an S8 with vision for a week a year ago, once you get used to the camera it's one of the options I do miss now on our S6.
I was an indoor job with a lot of equipment and steel beams to locate, the video was very helpful in turning the instrument to the target, you actually see what the instrument sees.
Here I was working with the small prism, looking at the video screen to find a free line of sight.
For locating points in reflector less mode you leave the gun, walk around to the points to shoot and click the locations to be measured on your video screen, the instruments then turns to that point, if needed you can fine tune with the joystick on the controller.
When you also have the latest and full TBC you can calculate points with the photogrammetric functions.
Chr.
The S6 I used didn't have that.
I can see where it would really handy when solo to be sure it's not looking at taillights or street signs when taking a shot.
I suppose you could take reflectorless shots without going back to the gun.
I bet that feature eats up batteries big-time though.
Thanks for the responses all. As suggested we are going to ask for a demo of the one with Vision. Also, part of the price difference might be due to one being "refurbished" and the other being a "demo".
Nifty.
How often would you say that you wish you had Vision?
The refurbished one may have been dropped, and or is an older version. Vision hasn't been out that long so you can count on getting a newer instrument. I think the $5,000 is more than just Vision vs non-Vision. A big part is going to be demo vs refurbished.
Liz,
One thing you need to be concerned with with the way Trimble does things with the vision is concerning reflectorless measurements using the video screen and cross-hair. The camera is offset... in is not coaxial and their is a parallax issue. The cross-hair on the screen is not adjusted for the offset relationship. So if you aim the instrument using the cross hair on the video screen only you are not actually aiming at the spot where you want to take the measurement. This is a large error when taking reflectorless shots at close range and up to say about 250 feet. You cannot correct for this parallax unless you first measure a distance to your target with the EDM and then correct the cross-hair displayed on the video screen for the camera's realtionship to the actually line of sight.
Trimble does not do this and it could cause you to have large errors in reflectorless measurements using the video screen cross-hair positioning. This does not apply to shots taken on a prism using their autopositioning because the instrument will center on the prism.
This can be proven by taken a reflectorless measurement using only the vidoe screen aiming interface and then staking the point. I am not sure why Trimble does not correct for this relationship.
Just be aware of this issue.
> Liz,
>
> One thing you need to be concerned with with the way Trimble does things with the vision is concerning reflectorless measurements using the video screen and cross-hair. The camera is offset... in is not coaxial and their is a parallax issue. The cross-hair on the screen is not adjusted for the offset relationship. So if you aim the instrument using the cross hair on the video screen only you are not actually aiming at the spot where you want to take the measurement. This is a large error when taking reflectorless shots at close range and up to say about 250 feet. You cannot correct for this parallax unless you first measure a distance to your target with the EDM and then correct the cross-hair displayed on the video screen for the camera's realtionship to the actually line of sight.
>
> Trimble does not do this and it could cause you to have large errors in reflectorless measurements using the video screen cross-hair positioning. This does not apply to shots taken on a prism using their autopositioning because the instrument will center on the prism.
>
> This can be proven by taken a reflectorless measurement using only the vidoe screen aiming interface and then staking the point. I am not sure why Trimble does not correct for this relationship.
>
> Just be aware of this issue.
I don't want to hijack Liz's thread, so I'll start a new one. I have a question about this.
Last fall,we purchased five Trimble S6's with Vision.
I use Vision everyday. To lock onto the prism,you find and see yourself on the TSC3
screen,tap the screen where the prism is,and the S6 will lock right on.
I like it.The $5,000 is alot of money,but over the years, I think the cost would be worth it.
John
Liz: we have an S6, love it. But, I am going to buy an S8 with Vision this year. The Vision feature can be used for not only documenting what you shot, but can also be used to get coordinates after the fact back in the office. Since I am often not the person who took the shot, but rather just trying to do all the comps back in the office, I find a photo very helpful. We had to get some dam axis shots this past year, Todd used his cell phone to take a picture of exactly what he was shooting, as he was supposed to buck in to the line across the pier faces, and then turn that angle. Here is an example:
Would have been easier of course with a built in camera.