Photo dump when on a trip

SteveL · Nov 19, 2016

I have a couple a trips planned and I am looking for a solution for dumping the images from the cameras each day without having to carry a laptop. Also I would like something that doesn't cost $200 (or more). I have found devices for sale but I do not want to spend a bunch of money. I'm sure there are people out there that are doing this for cheap or next to nothing.

Any ideas?

Thanks

The_Traveler · Nov 19, 2016

Depends on where you are going.
If I know that there are Internet cafes available I take all the cards I have and a portable hard drive.
I use the cards until they're full, backing up a copy whenever I can and so far I've not run out of cards.
I have >128 gb of cards and that's a lot of pictures.

480sparky · Nov 19, 2016

You don't need to download every 5 minutes. Once every evening when you wind things down for the night is enough. I just copy everything I shot that day onto a 2tb portable hard drive.

I tote along scores of 16g cards, shooting with cameras that have 2 slots. Once any card in slot 2 is full, it gets changed out. Cards in slot 1 are rotated out of the camera when full but still may get re-used before the trip is over.

This gives me 2 copies to work with when I get home. I don't do anything with any of the cards until all the images on the portable drive are ingested into my desktop system and have been backed-up from there.

Desert Rose · Nov 19, 2016

Cloud storage. Amazon, Google, Dropbox, etc. You can use your smartphone as the go between and not need a computer.

480sparky · Nov 19, 2016

Desert Rose said:
Cloud storage. Amazon, Google, Dropbox, etc. You can use your smartphone as the go between and not need a computer.

1. Not every camera has wi-fi.
2. Let us know how long it takes to upload 500-600 .NEFs.

Desert Rose · Nov 19, 2016

Hint: Less time than you spend sleeping.

480sparky · Nov 19, 2016

Desert Rose said:
Hint: Less time than you spend sleeping.

Hint: 4g ain't available everywhere. Heck, some places just don't have cell service at all.

Desert Rose · Nov 19, 2016

Just suggesting what has always worked for me and no chance of losing a drive in lost luggage or damaged drives.

The_Traveler · Nov 19, 2016

I don't depend on fast cell, I keep full cards on my person and backup drive in my hand luggage.
My last 4 longish trips were Myanmar, Laos, Iceland (2x) and upcoming to Cuba.
In the states or Europe, 4g is fine but I like to cuddle up safe with my pictures.

dennybeall · Nov 19, 2016

If you are going to spend $150 on a device to store files temporarily? I'd consider how many memory cards I could get for $150 and just fill em and put them away until I get home??

Frank F. · Nov 20, 2016

SteveL said:
I have a couple a trips planned and I am looking for a solution for dumping the images from the cameras each day without having to carry a laptop. Also I would like something that doesn't cost $200 (or more). I have found devices for sale but I do not want to spend a bunch of money. I'm sure there are people out there that are doing this for cheap or next to nothing. Any ideas? Thanks

Earlier in life memory cards were expensive and hard drives were relatively inexpensive.

At that time I got myself a hard drive for backup that has an automatic builtin card reader.

A WARNING: Do not try to read or write new cards in old card readers. You will very probaly lose or corrupt data! If the card is UDMA7, do not ry to read her in an UDMA6 or lower device. Not even think about it.

I do not even know if they offer these still and I do not care.

Why?

Because cards became dirt cheap, even fast cards.

And cards became very fast, even the cheap ones.

My first card was 512 Megabyte for 128 Euros and it was really really slow (Sandisk Ultra)

When I was in America I went out of memory and I got a 128GB XQD for 150 Euros. This card delivers 440MB/s.

128 GB Sandisk Ultra, specifies at 80MB/s only costs 40 Euros today.

Each 128GB card will roughly save 3000 RAW files lossless compressed 24 Megapixels.

You can back them up in camera, just set the second card slot to "backup" and the camera to RAW losseless compressed.

With a camera like the Nikon D7xxx series you put in two Sandisk ultra for 40 Euros a pop and get two independent physical media for storage and backup.

You need more that 3000 RAW for your trip?

get another serving of 128GB cards. Easy.

With 6000 RAW plus identical backups on four 128 GB Sandisk cards you are still within your 200 Euro limit.

If you want or need faster cards, like in sports, action ... you might consider the Samsung Pro or Samsung Pro Plus series, which will double the speed and (!) the price.

480sparky · Nov 20, 2016

dennybeall said:
If you are going to spend $150 on a device to store files temporarily? I'd consider how many memory cards I could get for $150 and just fill em and put them away until I get home??

If you've got several thousand clams wrapped up in gear, and maybe one more on a computer,....... plus can afford to go on a long enough vacation that you need to worry about backing up your images while out galavanting around, then you certainly can afford both a portable hard drive plus several memory cards.

OGsPhotography · Nov 20, 2016

When I put photos theough my phone it turns it into basically a Lr preview or snapshot and is a relatively small file. How do you upload RAW through wi-fi on a phone?

tirediron · Nov 20, 2016

OGsPhotography said:
When I put photos theough my phone it turns it into basically a Lr preview or snapshot and is a relatively small file. How do you upload RAW through wi-fi on a phone?

FTP?

astroNikon · Nov 20, 2016

OGsPhotography said:
When I put photos theough my phone it turns it into basically a Lr preview or snapshot and is a relatively small file. How do you upload RAW through wi-fi on a phone?

I can't
My D750 only allows me to transfer a VGA sized image to my cell phone.
Otherwise I'll need a SD port (or connect to my phone) on my cell phone.