"Portable Storage" - 1st things 1st

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/01/2005 11:16:36 AM · #1

There have been other discussions about portable storage, but I'd like to collect some opinions on what "type" of portable storage makes the most sense as I leave for Europe on Tuesday and don't have nearly enough CF cards!

1. Portable hard drive

2. Portable CD writer (ca. $350 CAD)

3. Portable DVD writer (ca. $500 CAD)

4. Multimedia Storage/Viewer (Ipod photo, Flashtrax, etc) (ca. $500+ CAD)

5. Buy more CF cards

Sure, option 4 is the sexiest but option 3 seems to be the wisest/safest choice. Of course, I can't really spend $500 right now so should I just buy a few more CF cards?

I don't want to talk specifics in this thread (unless you have a good, cheap alternative)...just wanted to talk about the general method of storing "on the road"...

justine

Canon EOS-50D

05/01/2005 11:22:37 AM · #2

Have a great trip! Wish I was going. Can't wait to see your photos.
Are you taking a laptop?

I would advise not trusting all your shots to any one medium. Some on CF/down load to laptop if you can or a portable HD.
Have a safe trip and take lots of photos.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

05/01/2005 11:28:59 AM · #3

I bought a portable hard drive (X-drive less than $200US) before my trip to the Southwest US last September. Worked wonderfully! Used it again on my trip to the Caribbean 2 weeks ago. USB interface with computer makes it very easy to upload to computer.

Insert card into portable drive, turn drive on, press copy, turn off when done--and trust to heaven. I find it very reliable, but on trip #1 I reviewed the pics in my camera just in case I would never see them again.

One consideration on a trip to Europe, though: Will you have a proper power connection for their voltage? I think this might be a consideration for the battery recharger for your camera as well.

How long will you be gone?

RedOak

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

05/01/2005 11:30:39 AM · #4

Hey Mike,

I've been asking myself the same question, but all in all, i've come to the conclusion that the Ipod Photo is the best idea.

My reasoning towards a 'mobile' storage system is that it allows me to carry much less for more storage. SO a Cd or DvD burner doesn't help really much because you have to drag around a couple of CDs or DvDs (which take up space-especially since you gotta protect them), and it gets to cost more because you gotta guy more DvDs. The Portable HD idea was the best, until my SOny MD player started to die on me, which got me interested in the IPod.

Basically, the Ipod is great because with an adaptor, you can put even 'RAW' files on it, although you can't view them on the Ipod, you can put all sorts of other files on it as well, and you get to listen to music at the same time. All that for the same price as a DvD burner which you'll have to drag around (no power source...).

What really got me into the Ipod is that i can be far out in the woods, listen to music and do a photoshoot of some kind, without worrying about quality or quantity.
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Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

05/01/2005 11:32:48 AM · #5

Originally posted by KaDi:

One consideration on a trip to Europe, though: Will you have a proper power connection for their voltage? I think this might be a consideration for the battery recharger for your camera as well.

How long will you be gone?

Good point...I'll be gone for 12 days. 5 in Germany and 7 days in Italy.

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/01/2005 11:37:34 AM · #6

I travelled around the USA last summer for about three and half months and all factors considered, taking a laptop is the best idea. Not only can you store oodles of photos, you can keep in contact with your DPC friends and show off the great sights you will see.

Just a thought.

Ray :O)

RedOak

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

05/01/2005 11:42:54 AM · #7

Don't know about Germany, but i was in Italy about 3 months ago (Florence) and the power source is the Europeen kind (2 round pins) and the power output is 220. So you'll need to make sure your system (whatever it is) is compatible with the power source there. I'd suggest buying a power converter/adaptor.

I went with my Nikon D70 and the battery charger takes all kind of power output, all i needed as the little adaptor from flat to round pins. Don't know about Canon tho.
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05/01/2005 11:43:22 AM · #8

Originally posted by RayEthier:

In this case we are staying with family in Europe so computers will be available...just not every day.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

05/01/2005 11:51:04 AM · #9

Originally posted by RedOak:

I went with my Nikon D70 and the battery charger takes all kind of power output, all i needed as the little adaptor from flat to round pins. Don't know about Canon tho.
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Yeah, Germany is 220v and I checked the charger...it does 120v to 240v so I'm covered if I can find an adaptor.

holdingtime

Canon EOS-5D

05/01/2005 11:52:06 AM · #10

i JUST CAME BACK FROM gERMANY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO they use the two round pin conectors.........I use a flashTracks and a canon battery chargher both are are automatic voltage selection, and will adapt to the 220 vac

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/01/2005 12:04:22 PM · #11

Any more opinions on the original post?

zerocusa

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

05/01/2005 12:15:35 PM · #12

why ipod photo?/ i tot the batt suck for d/ling photos??

and u need a seperate card reader as well...

Matthew

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye MC In M42 Mount

05/01/2005 12:22:27 PM · #13

I have recommended it before, but the Archos AV420 does everything the ipod does, plus has a 3.5" screen, can be plugged directly into a video source to act as a video recorder (which you can watch on the screen or playback to your tv at dvd-like quality), and has sound recording (plus can play and record radio with the radio upgrade). It is fractionally larger than an ipod, but only a small fraction of an inch in each direction. Oh - and it has a CF card reader slot built in which copies files across about 5x faster than the ipod (including RAW, though it can only display jpeg and bmp), and uses its own power. And it costs about the same.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Nikon

05/01/2005 12:23:24 PM · #14

Well...I'm getting very little response in regard to my original question (just more rehashing of earlier threads) which is disappointing, but I think I'll just get another 1GB card (to go with my 512 and 2x 256's) and try and download my photos every few days.

Message edited by author 2005-05-01 12:23:53.

Apple iPhone

05/01/2005 12:25:07 PM · #15

I have a 60gig external hard drive that I take with me. It's a 2.5" hard drive that plugs into any PC and fits nicely into my Camera bag or laptop bag. Message me if you're in the Toronto area and I'll tell you where we got it.

mikasi

Canon EOS-20D

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

05/01/2005 12:29:09 PM · #16

I've been following the thread as it is of interest to me too. Frankly, KaDi's suggestion sounds like the most doable from my point of view. I find it possible to fill a 512 card during a single play, so your idea of getting a 1Gig CFcard and expecting it to last a couple days may be underestimating your photgraphic enthusiam.

Check KaDi's sugestion. It seems sound.

Originally posted by KaDi:

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

05/01/2005 12:37:13 PM · #17

I can assure you that they is no ways in (you know the place) that a 1 gig card will last you a few days, particularly when travelling throughout Europe. Lord, I go through a card just tinkering around where I live.

I for one would opt for some other mechanism, and since I have a laptop, I would go with that.

PS: Don't forget to keep your receipts for anything you might purchase to keep your photos on,,,, you wouldn't want the Customs people in Canada to seize it from you upon your return because you couldn't prove you bought it here.

Ray :O)

05/01/2005 12:44:06 PM · #18

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Really? Does that go for my camera, lenses and tripod as well?

You're right...2GB might not be enough to transfer every few days.

I do have a laptop, but that doesn't seem like a great solution for "in the field"...carrying that thing around with me and dumping files during the day...and if I can wait until I get home each day then I might as well dump onto a relative's computer and burn from there.

I'll look more into the X-drive option.

Message edited by author 2005-05-01 12:44:52.

moodville

Nikon D100

05/01/2005 12:45:11 PM · #19

I have two 1 gig and a 512 and 256 CF cards. The gig CF cards are reasonable cheap these days and even the 2 gig CF cards are becoming quite affordable. I use a laptop with a portable 80gig hard drive. Most I have been on the road so far is about 10 days and havent encountered any problems. The CF cards last the day and then I upload to the hard drive at the end, review them on screen, and delete the CF cards. Of course I only shoot in RAW so that takes up quite a lot of space at 9mb a file.

You want something very portable, that's adaptable to the conditions you'll be in, very reliable, but something that you can check to make sure everything worked ok before deleting CF.

12 days of images on CF cards is going to mean skimping on opportunities and working with a 'only have X amount of pics left' mentality. Personally I cant see taking that few amount of pictures.

CD/DVD means hoping the burn is good and that the media doesnt get corrupt on the journey there and back and in between. Could make two copies of each to be sure but then you're lugging a lot of CD/DVD media around with you.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

05/01/2005 12:47:13 PM · #20

Originally posted by moodville:

12 days of images on CF cards is going to mean skimping on opportunities and working with a 'only have X amount of pics left' mentality. Personally I cant see taking that few amount of pictures.

Well, I will be able to dump every day or at least every few days to my family's computer in Germany and Italy...

Does anyone know if I can use the ipod photo without the stupid adaptor? That is, can I plug a card reader into it and dump my photos that way?

Message edited by author 2005-05-01 12:47:34.

wewillexplore

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

05/01/2005 12:51:36 PM · #21

Flashtrax is the best answer to the question of what you should bring. I don't know the answer to your original question. Flashtrax-type, I guess.