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Backing up photos when abroad (1 Viewer)

Steve Babbs

Well-known member
Hi all

When I used a Canon 7d mark ii I used both card slots to give me a back up copy of my photos. I have now swapped to a Sony RX10 iv. A great camera but frustratingly it only has one card slot.

Before that I used a netbook to backup to usb pendrive. Unfortunately my netbook - never powerful - seems to have gone even more arthritic it its old age and basically can't cope. I have no other reason to have one so I am very reluctant to buy another. I have looked into other ways to back up, without buying an expensive specialised device, without much luck. I should be able to use my phone but I'm not having much luck. The Sony has bluetooth but I can only transfer photos to the internal drive of the phone - totally useless - not the micro sd card. In theory my Motorola G4 can connect to a card using a OTG lead. In practise, trying two different leads, although it is recognise ES explorer says it can't read the file.

Anyone got any great suggestions to back up photos relatively cheaply?

Steve
 
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Nope, I just take extra cards and keep em safe!! ;)
Just from from Trinidad & Tobago, 17000 photos heavier but only across 4 cards so not too bad
 
I take lots of cards. It's about if one go wrong, gets lost or gets stolen. It's never happened but not willing to risk it.
 
Hi all

When I used a Canon 7d mark ii I used both card slots to give me a back up copy of my photos. I have not swapped to a Sony RX10 iv. A great camera but frustratingly it only has one card slot.

Before that I used a netbook to backup to usb pendrive. Unfortunately my netbook - never powerful - seems to have gone even more arthritic it its old age and basically can't cope. I have no other reason to have one so I am very reluctant to buy another. I have looked into other ways to back up, without buying an expensive specialised device, without much luck. I should be able to use my phone but I'm not having much luck. The Sony has bluetooth but I can only transfer photos to the internal drive of the phone - totally useless - not the micro sd card. In theory my Motorola G4 can connect to a card using a OTG lead. In practise, trying two different leads, although it is recognise ES explorer says it can't read the file.

Anyone got any great suggestions to back up photos relatively cheaply?

Steve

Any online user forum for users of that phone that can help on how to do it?

There is a number of bluetooth and/or wifi enabled memory cards and USB sticks around, would the camera be able to write onto such a device?

Niels
 
A bit tortuous, but couldn't you transfer the photos onto the phone, and then onto the sdcard once they're on the phone? That would also allow you to take additional sdcards (I would worry about running out of memory). Personally I use a what is essentially a hard drive with a card reader and just enough sofware that it can back up the cards, but you didn't want gadgets. My device is getting on a bit but still doing its job (even if it's slow by modern standards).

Alternatively, once you have the photos on the phone, if it really is OTG ready, couldn't you connect it to an external hard drive and put the photos there?

Andrea
 
I had thought of that but I have more or less no space on the phone's drive. Plus even if it were close to empty it'd be a few hours worth of photos on some days.
 
I take lots of cards. It's about if one go wrong, gets lost or gets stolen. It's never happened but not willing to risk it.

Amen to that!
Cards are so inexpensive, especially in context of any longer trip, that it makes no sense to reuse them. That also avoids wasting time waiting for several gigs to slowly trickle over a USB link to the storage unit.
Much better to change out the cards regularly, possibly daily, even if that results in bringing back a bunch of mostly empty cards. They are then a great secondary backup.
 
Amen to that!
Cards are so inexpensive, especially in context of any longer trip, that it makes no sense to reuse them. That also avoids wasting time waiting for several gigs to slowly trickle over a USB link to the storage unit.
Much better to change out the cards regularly, possibly daily, even if that results in bringing back a bunch of mostly empty cards. They are then a great secondary backup.
Taking lots of cards doesn't solve the back-up problem. As regards changing them I feel I am more likely to lose them if they're not in the camera but there is still the theft of camera risk. I suspect I'll have to splash the cash on a netbook replacement.
 
Steve

Hassle but I download to laptop each night into folders (version 1, leave in hotel) then copy to LaCie hard disk (no power requirement, version 2, take in day pack).

A mate of mine uses a hard disk with SD (and CF?) slots in, then views through his phone via Bluethooth - not sure of the system there but looks quite good. No laptop required.

cheers, alan
 
Bloody Sony should have put in two card slots. I seem to be failing with my phone so may go for a new Windows tablet with two usb ports. More money on camera related gear.
 
Taking lots of cards doesn't solve the back-up problem. As regards changing them I feel I am more likely to lose them if they're not in the camera but there is still the theft of camera risk. I suspect I'll have to splash the cash on a netbook replacement.

There are portable hard drive backups that have built in SD card readers, available for much less than a complete notebook:
https://gizmodo.com/this-portable-hard-drive-belongs-in-your-bag-1782349861
More robust all solid state versions are also available, albeit with less storage/$.

In my limited experience, a bunch of cards has always worked fine. I do daily in camera review, just to verify that the card is working properly, but otherwise the card of the day is the single data storage till I get back. It seems less bother to me than transferring all the data nightly to some single device which is even more likely imho to fail or get stolen.
 
I used to use an Epson P5000 the past 7-8 years until I acquired my most recent camera which has a dual card slot that use for backup purpose mainly.

I have lost a memory card and had a memory card fail, both holding quite precious memories. The loss was pre P5000 and that was painful. The failure was post P5000 and the backup was such a relief.

The P5000 storage capacity (80GB) means ability to store around 2000-20000 files depending on your camera and the format and resolution used when saving. It supports USB version 1 only so it takes a while to copy a card, you'll have time for a cup of coffee... It's not featherlight but lighter and more compact than a laptop. Battery stamina is OK. More recent models (P-7000) would have much higher performance. Very reliable, an used P-NNNN should not have a high price tag.
 
In the end I bought a £80 tablet which combined with an OTG adapter, card reader and usb drive does the job very well and has other uses.
 
I have two card slots on my Nikon D500, one of which is set to back up. I then copy them nightly to my Macbook and onto a separate 2TB drive. 4 copies in all but even so when I have good wifi I transfer them onto Amazon Prime Photos which includes unlimited storage space.
Not that I'm paranoid;)
 
I have two card slots on my Nikon D500, one of which is set to back up. I then copy them nightly to my Macbook and onto a separate 2TB drive. 4 copies in all but even so when I have good wifi I transfer them onto Amazon Prime Photos which includes unlimited storage space.
Not that I'm paranoid;)

Certainly not paranoid, just more prudent than most. :clap:
 
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