Spectra Geospatial Focus 50 Total Station: An In-Depth Buying Guide

Total stations are the foundation of modern surveying, offering an efficient and user-friendly way to deliver highly accurate positioning data. And after more than fifty years in the field, total stations are continuing to evolve, with robotic total stations incorporating advanced automation and pointing the way toward the future of surveying.

The Spectra Geospatial Focus 50 5” Robotic Total Station sits at the forefront of these ongoing developments. It combines cutting-edge technology with a sleek and streamlined design and an emphasis on user-friendliness, making it an excellent choice for surveyors looking to expand their kit and optimise their workflows.

In this post, we’ll take an in-depth look at the key features of the Spectra Geospatial Focus 50, discuss some of the surveying applications it can tackle, and compare it to some of its main competitors on the market.

Spectra Geospatial have long been an innovator when it comes to surveying technology – in fact, the company’s history dates all the way back to 1846. In recent decades, they’ve pioneered a range of game-changing instruments, including electronic levels and laser receivers.

The Focus 50 robotic total station continues this tradition of innovation by delivering a range of advanced capabilities. It comes in three models that offer different communication capabilities:

• Autolock. This model requires a cable to communicate with a data collector, which adds some limitations to its usage and means that a two-person crew is essential.

• Short-range robotic. This model incorporates Class 1 Bluetooth for effective remote communication at short- and mid-range.

• Long-rage robotic. This model uses radio communication to enable remote data collection across longer distances, ideal for working on larger sites. (This model also offers short-range Bluetooth.)

Whichever model you choose, the key features include:

• High levels of accuracy. The Focus 50 comes in a choice of models offering 1“, 2“, 3“, and 5“ angle accuracies, while all models provide 1 mm + 2 ppm distance accuracy. That means it’s more than capable of delivering survey-grade accuracy for even the most demanding projects.

• Extensive automation. The Focus 50 incorporates a range of advanced automation features. The MagLock function controls the vertical and horizontal movement of the total station, allowing for silent operation and endless fine adjustments. Meanwhile, the advanced SurePoint technology provides real-time correction for tripod movement.

• Control and compatibility. The Focus 50 is designed to integrate effectively with Spectra’s full suite of field software, including Origin and Layout Pro. And by pairing it with a Spectra data collector, such as the Ranger 5 or Ranger 7, you can control the Focus 50 remotely using a Bluetooth or radio connection (for the robotic models).

• Speed and efficiency. Thanks to its Autolock function, the Focus 50 can automatically track and lock onto prisms, eliminating the need for manual adjustments and reducing setup time. This allows for faster and more efficient data collection, especially in demanding field conditions.

• Durability. With an IP65 rating, the Focus 50 is highly resistant to dust and can withstand low-pressure water jets from any direction. This makes it the perfect choice for surveyors who work on demanding job sites and need to navigate challenging weather conditions.

As you can see, the Focus 50 is an extremely powerful piece of kit. But when deciding whether the Focus 50 is the best choice for you, it’s important to get a clear sense of just how versatile it is. Let’s look more closely at the surveying applications the Focus 50 can tackle.

The Spectra Geospatial Focus 50 is an extremely flexible instrument, designed to meet the complex needs of surveyors, engineers, and construction professionals in a range of industries. To this end, it delivers precise, efficient, and automated data collection across various applications, including:

• Topographic surveys. The Focus 50 enables fast and accurate mapping of land features and elevations. The robotic functionality helps support single-person teams and improves workflow efficiency.
• Construction site layout. This total station is ideal for marking foundations, roads, or utilities on-site. Its fast lock-on and Autolock technology ensure smooth, uninterrupted data capture, even in environments with high movement, making it suitable for large and busy construction projects.
• Infrastructure projects. Bridges, roads, and railways often require long-term and complex surveys. The Focus 50, with its real-time error correction and high accuracy, ensures consistency over time, even in harsh environments. Its long-range robotic capabilities make it excellent for large-scale, linear projects.
• Boundary surveys and land subdivisions. The Focus 50’s angular accuracy and ability to work with fewer crew members due to the robotic control make it perfect for boundary surveys, establishing property lines, and subdivisions.
• As-built surveys. Capturing accurate as-built data in real time helps ensure projects meet the design specifications. The quick reacquisition of the prism in dynamic environments ensures you’re capturing data without interruption.

As you can see, the Focus 50 can tackle a broad range of surveying tasks across varied contexts. As such, it can be an extremely worthwhile investment, helping you to deliver precise and effective location data in even the most challenging circumstances.

However, before you make your final decision, it’s important to make sure that the Focus 50 is the right fit for your needs. Let’s look at some key factors you’ll need to take into account before you make a purchase.

Finding the right total station for your business isn’t just about assessing the features and capabilities of the available models – you need to make sure it’s the right fit for your particular needs.

After all, investing in the most advanced and capable total station on the market won’t deliver real benefits for your business if it’s not a good fit for your surveying workflows or isn’t tailored for your specific projects.

Before you make a final decision, you’ll want to consider:

• Accuracy requirements. As mentioned above, the Spectra Focus 50 offers a range of angular accuracies, so you’ll want to choose the model that meets your needs. For more specialised applications, higher degrees of distance accuracy might also be necessary.

• The size of your team. The Focus 50, and other robotic total stations, are a great investment if you regularly work as a single-person team. However, some of the time-saving automation features may not be relevant if you usually work in larger teams.

• Compatibility. The Focus 50 is designed to integrate effectively with Spectra and Trimble software, including Spectra Survey Pro and Trimble Access, as well as the Ranger series of data collectors. If your current equipment is not compatible, this may lead to workflow inefficiencies.

• Common field conditions. Do you regularly work on sites with harsh conditions and limited access to a power supply? If so, it’s important to consider the level of durability you’ll need from your total station, as well as the battery life required to get you through a day on-site.

• Your budget. It’s not just a question of whether you can afford a particular instrument – as important as that is, of course – but whether you’re making an investment that delivers long-term value. Opting for a cheaper model that doesn’t deliver what you need is a false economy.

Having considered these factors, you should be well-placed to identify whether the Focus 50 is a good fit for your business. But are there other options on the market that could meet your needs more effectively? Let’s look at some of the Focus 50’s top competitors.

The Focus 35 is Spectra’s more affordable and streamlined alternative to the Focus 50. Much like the Focus 50, it offers a motorised drive system and automated prism tracking, and comes in a range of angular accuracies. While it lacks some of the Focus 50’s more advanced capabilities, such as its patented MagLock technology, it is a great choice for those whose priority is on affordability and ease-of-use but who still want the automated functionality of a robotic total station.

The Trimble S5 total station offers a similar choice of angular accuracies to the Focus 50 and incorporates Trimble’s advanced MagDrive servo technology to offer high-speed accuracy and turning speeds. It also integrates seamlessly with Trimble GNSS receivers, making it a great choice for surveyors already using Trimble products and looking to perform integrated surveys.

Trimble’s SPS620 is a great choice for a simple-to-use, reliable and effective total station. It’s perfectly designed for single-person operation on smaller sites or more enclosed spaces, so if you’re working regularly on construction projects it’s worth considering. It also offers a long-life battery to keep you running through long days on-site.

Moving away from the Trimble and Spectra family of products, Leica’s TS16 offers a unique “self-learning” capability that enables it to stand out in a crowded marketplace. The TS16 automatically adjusts to site conditions in real-time – including adverse weather or surface reflections – to ensure high levels of accuracy and fast target acquisition. If you’re looking for a cutting-edge way to work quickly and efficiently in challenging environments, the TS16 is worth considering.

Finally, it’s worth reflecting on whether the automated capabilities of a robotic total station offer a major benefit for your surveying activities. Trimble’s M3 mechanical total station is a reliable, user-friendly option if a lightweight and compact design is your key priority. It’s likely to be a better fit for businesses with tighter budgets, or for those who work in teams and are less reliant on remote control options.

Total stations are an essential part of your surveying arsenal – and that means finding the right total station for your needs can have a major impact on your business. By choosing the perfect model, you can secure significant benefits, including improved efficiency, streamlined workflows, and great accuracy in data collection.

If you’re still unsure whether the Spectra Geospatial Focus 50 is the right choice for you, or would like to discuss your needs with a member of our expert team, get in touch today. With over 35 years of experience supporting surveyors and other location professionals, we’re happy to help you find the best equipment for your business.