Travel backup solutions

I'll be going to Asia for 3 weeks in November and would like to have suggestions for something to backup my pictures with.

At the moment, I don't have a laptop and my concern with one would be the weight and the inconvenience to have to carry it for 3 weeks.

iPad… only 64G memory unless there is a way to connect it to a portable drive.

Many memory cards? I'm OK with this, but wouldn't be able to back them up...

Ideas anyone?

Look for something like this:

Portable Storage Unit Photo Bank/MP3 Player/Card Reader Music XDrive KX-707

Happy voyage!

Portable harddrive? If there's a way to load pics directly onto the unit, without a computer. I'm not sure if there is. I have a portable, but I load pics to it via my laptop.

D5100Shooter said:

Look for something like this:

Portable Storage Unit Photo Bank/MP3 Player/Card Reader Music XDrive KX-707

Happy voyage!

Click to expand...

Thanks, but it doesn't seem available. Not sure about why but maybe it's outdated. Plus, it didn't include the portable 2.5 inch drive.

Marcel said:

Thanks, but it doesn't seem available. Not sure about why but maybe it's outdated. Plus, it didn't include the portable 2.5 inch drive.

Click to expand...

That is why i said to look for something similar 2.5" drives are not that expensive. This is why i hate Apple. If you had a simple, low tech, USB 2.0 connection, you could have just very simply attached any external drive and Bob's your uncle! Damn you Steve Jobs!

This is actually a very complicated issue. Let's try to frame the variables:

1. How many images do you expect to capture?
2. What format will you be shooting (RAW, RAW+JPEG, JPEG) and how big are the files on average?
3. Do you need or want to edit or preview on the trip?
4. How concerned are you about the possibility of losing some or all of the images?
5. Do you have a weight concern or restriction?
6. What is your budget?

The basic options are to:

1. Use multiple memory cards and download when you return
2. Use a storage device to download images along the way
3. Use a laptop with or without an external drive

Multiple memory cards have some risk in case they get lost or stolen. Plus the cost of multiple memory cards may be prohibitive based on some of the variables above. Also, the hardest part for me, is that you really can't do much with the images until you return.

The external storage devices that don't require a computer are pricey IMHO! You might as well buy a laptop.

I purposely purchased a small (3.5 lb) full powered laptop for travel. It is not much bigger than the dimensions of two stacked iPads. I download my images every evening to both my laptop and an external drive. I keep the external drive in a different bag during transit too. I purchased a refurbed model and it cost less than many of the external storage devices! Obviously, unless space and/or weight is an issue, that is the best solution IMHO. This approach also allows you to do some image selection or processing if you have time on the plane or train.

Hope this helps!

Marcel said:

I'll be going to Asia for 3 weeks in November and would like to have suggestions for something to backup my pictures with.

At the moment, I don't have a laptop and my concern with one would be the weight and the inconvenience to have to carry it for 3 weeks.

iPad… only 64G memory unless there is a way to connect it to a portable drive.

Many memory cards? I'm OK with this, but wouldn't be able to back them up...

Ideas anyone?

Click to expand...

Look at these:

Portable Data Storage | B&H Photo Video

D5100Shooter said:

Look at these:

Portable Data Storage | B&H Photo Video

Click to expand...

They really are expensive. . .

D5100Shooter said:

That is why i said to look for something similar 2.5" drives are not that expensive. This is why i hate Apple. If you had a simple, low tech, USB 2.0 connection, you could have just very simply attached any external drive and Bob's your uncle! Damn you Steve Jobs!

Click to expand...

But there isn't enough storage on an iPad for images. I have no problem with Apple's approach because the great majority of iPad users don't have our specialized requirements. Sort of a KISS principle at work!

Eduard said:

But there isn't enough storage on an iPad for images. I have no problem with Apple's approach because the great majority of iPad users don't have our specialized requirements. Sort of a KISS principle at work!

Click to expand...

Why you worried about the storage capacity on the the crApple iPad? If Apple would play nice with the rest of the universe and not be so propietary, they would have an SD card slot and a USB connection. From there, dump the images from the SD card to the external. Very simple

D5100Shooter said:

Why you worried about the storage capacity on the the crApple iPad? If Apple would play nice with the rest of the universe and not be so propietary, they would have an SD card slot and a USB connection. From there, dump the images from the SD card to the external. Very simple

Click to expand...

I'm not saying that I wouldn't love that capability but to be fair, the majority of the competition doesn't provide it either. For instance the new Google Nexus, Kindle Fire and HP Touchpad tablets don't, the Lenovo IdeaPad only reads micro SD, etc. The market hasn't demanded this functionality - yet.

Eduard said:

I'm not saying that I wouldn't love that capability but to be fair, the majority of the competition doesn't provide it either. For instance the new Google Nexus, Kindle Fire and HP Touchpad tablets don't, the Lenovo IdeaPad only reads micro SD, etc. The market hasn't demanded this functionality - yet.

Click to expand...

Yeah, i hear you. Obviously not laptop replacements. It just leaves me scratching my head on why these simple, low tech features can not be included. Well Marcel, I guess you are going to have to by a bunch of new SD cards. You can also dial down on the image size, giving you even more room on the memory cards, but not losing that much iq. With your D7k and 3 16gb SD cards, you will get 4800 pictures.... is that not enough for you?? lol

When I look at prices, maybe a little mid-line netbook with an external usb drive would probably be cheaper than the iPad. And I'd be able to do some photo post processing (thinking of getting Elements just for the road).
What do you think Edouard?

Marcel said:

When I look at prices, maybe a little mid-line netbook with an external usb drive would probably be cheaper than the iPad. And I'd be able to do some photo post processing (thinking of getting Elements just for the road).

Click to expand...

Honestly, I think you'd be disappointed with a netbook for post processing. They tend to be terribly slow. But to archive and copy your images, not bad. Personally I use a refurbed ThinkPad x201 that I bought when I was using it for work too. If you check out the U260’s at Lenovo's outlet, they might fit the bill at a pretty decent price. Other companies have similar offerings, but I tend to stay with Apple and Lenovo's ThinkPad line because they last so well.

What software do you use now? If you use Lightroom, remember that the license allows you to install it on two systems. Adobe assumes that photographers use a combination of a laptop and desktop.

<What software do you use now?>

I use aperture. But it wouldn't be for post processing a lot. There just won't be time. I'm going with my girlfriend and there is no way I can spend all my time on the computer. There will be so much to see and do. Maybe I'll just buy more SD cards and, since I'll be taking the D7000, just make a double copy of all pics on the second slot… Still cheaper than iPad of Netbook computer.

Fortunately, I still have plenty of time to decide and/or change my mind.

Marcel, if you are going to be post-processing while travelling around the most beautiful part of the world, we want to see the pictures fresh out of the post-process process...lol. I have been to Philippines, Japan and HK and i seriously could not see myself take time out of my day to sit in front of a pc and process photos!! There is way to much stuff to do out there...... oh, and you realize that - i just saw your latest post come in, lol. But we still want to see some pics come in while you are out there

Marcel said:

But it wouldn't be for post processing a lot. There just won't be time. I'm going with my girlfriend and there is no way I can spend all my time on the computer. There will be so much to see and do. Maybe I'll just buy more SD cards and, since I'll be taking the D7000, just make a double copy of all pics on the second slot…

Click to expand...

My now wife enjoys looking at the images in the evening or next morning over breakfast. Of course then some have to go to her friends via email or Facebook. :topsy_turvy:

I honestly didn't think of writing to two cards since I'm using my 'old' D300 which only has a single memory card. That is a pretty decent solution.

Thanks guys, I'll keep an open eye and wallet . Maybe in the meantime someone will come out with something that just could be perfect, who knows.

I like to travel and have tried a few different options. What I currently own is a macbook pro, an ipad, portable hard drives and a bunch of memory cards.

I tried the iPad first but like you say not a lot of storage and limited editing abilities. But it can be workable.

I then brought the macbook next trip good - good solution except for extra weight and bulk but gives me my total system.

Next trip I bumped it up and brought the macbook and a small hard drive. I am super careful of back ups and back up in multiple drives so this basically just meant I was bring my home system with (except the 27 inch monitor) and had double backups. I felt most secure with this but it does add extra weight and I do like to travel with carry on only no matter where I go or how long I stay. But in the end I will probably do the same next trip. Travel pictures are irreplaceable.

I know you stated that the ipads might be a little too expensive but thought I would still offer an idea. Though ipads do not have an SD card slot, they have recently made an "Ipad connector kit." Basically it is like a portable SD card reader. You connect it to the ipad in the same place you put the charger. You can either upload images from an SD card or straight from your camera through a USB. It costs only 30.00. I recently purchased it and love it. It works really well. Maybe what you can do is purchase a 16-32 gig ipad 2 (cheaper than the ipad 3) plus the connector kit. From there you can upload the pictures to an online backup site to store your pictures until you get back or you can leave them on your ipad. I added the link to the ipad connector kit below.

Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit - Apple Store (U.S.)