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Author Topic: Storing Digital Media  (Read 5198 times)

Jonathan Wienke

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Storing Digital Media
« on: June 18, 2003, 01:48:19 pm »

I carry 4 1GB microdrives, and download to a laptop at the end of the day (or lunchtime if i'm doing a lot of shooting). I also have a 60 GB notebook drive in a USB 2.0 enclosure I can use to back up files from the laptop. So if a microdrive fails, I have 3 more, and can continue shooting. When I transfer the files to the laptop, I make backups on the external drive, so both drives would have to dump before I would lose my pictures. But so far I haven't lost any data.
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Jonathan Wienke

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« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2003, 02:09:44 pm »

I bought a 60 GB notebook drive and put in an IO Magic 2.5" slimline USB 2.0 enclosure, a nice brushed aluminum unit small enough (barely) to put in a pocket. Data transfer rate is about 5 MB/s write, 15 MB/s read when connected to a USB 2.0 port. The drive was about $300 and the enclosure was $50 at CompUSA. The enclosure comes with an external power supply, which I recommend using--the power supplied by the USB port is not sufficient to reliably power such a large drive.
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Ray

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« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2003, 08:30:37 pm »

If you're concerned about hard drive failures and system crashes, probably the safest way to travel is with a basic laptop that includes a CD-RW drive. Download the day's shooting to the laptop and write the RAW images to a blank CD. You're probably going to store the RAW images on CD or DVD anyway. Why not do it in the field?
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sergio

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« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2003, 10:34:36 am »

A Fujitsu P series small computer is a very good option. That was what I was considering to use as storage + cd burning for backup, but finally decided for a bigger 15" SXGA screen with an ATI card on a Dell. I store on the hard drive and burn on cds on the field. I process the images on my desktop upon arrival. Then I delete the HD version and the archive cd is already made. If I was to hike for several days I would only take CF cards or microdrives, enough to last for the whole trip. They are the smallest and lightest way of storing images. There is somewhere in Dpreview.com the review of a card reader that dirctly burns cds. That could also be an option.
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scott

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Storing Digital Media
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2003, 11:02:53 pm »

oops! forgot if anyone is interested in the 6 GIG wallet contact me at rfaphoenix@aol.com
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d2frette

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« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2003, 12:03:26 pm »

I've been meaning to ask this for a while. I finally saw a new post on the microdrives and figured others may want to hear everyone else's thoughts.

So, does anyone use a digital wallet?  
If so, how do you like it verses carrying a laptop?

My Background:  
I'm just a novice, a wanna-bee pro.  I take my D30 almost everywhere - "always be prepared".  I have a single 1Gb microdrive.  I often serve with Habitat For Humanity (Costa Rica 4 times, JCWP in AL once) and take tons of photos.  In addition to that, I've taken vacations to New Zealand, Costa Rica, Colorado, Utah, .... whenever/whereever possible.  

Carrying a computer:
-----------------------------------
Disadvantages:
* It's qiute a chore to haul around a laptop when you've got gear and clothes to pack.  
Advantages:
* It's a great luxury to see the photos at the end of the day (especially since my wife loves to see them - when she sees good photos she doesn't mind my inconviencing her to stop and take some more).  
* It's also a great luxury to off load the m/d onto the laptop.

There is also a disadvantage to using the m/d's - they are hard drives and prone to failure, much more so than flash cards.  I've never used compact flash cards - went straight to the m/d.  I've never lost any info from the m/d, but I've heard of others who've heard of others who have.  I don't know what the failure rate is, but I've had computer h/d's crash, so in my future of photography, I could forsee a loss of data on an m/d.  Anyone have this happen?

I see many choices in storing data.
1 - Carry multiple 512Mb CF cards
2 - Carry multiple m/d's
3 - Carry a single m/d and use a laptop
4 - Carry a single m/d and use a digital wallet

So, what do you guys and gals use? ? ?
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David M. Frette.  
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sergio

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« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2003, 10:44:06 pm »

What external HD are you using? I am looking for a solution for the risk of having all you images in only 1 HD.
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Bobtrips

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Storing Digital Media
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2003, 12:14:22 am »

I've been using "digital wallets" for three years.  The first one was actually a Digital Wallet (6 gigs, company now defunct).  Now I'm using a 20 gig Image Bank.

I've traveled extensively with both units, including around six months in South East Asia, trekking in the Himalayas, etc.

No problems.  A good, inexpensive way to bring home lots of images.  The Image Bank (version one) may be too slow for high volume shooters.  There is a new USB 2.0 version out now, I believe.

Lots of info on the Storage and Media forum at DPReview.  

I would like to have a super-small computer such as the Fuji P2010 (I think that's the model) but haven't yet justified the expense.
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budjames

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« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2003, 04:37:55 am »

External HD.

I upgraded the internal HD in my Dell Inspiron laptop to 60GB. I purchased an external HD enclosure kit from New Motion and installed my 20GB drive into the enclosure.

The kit cost about $60 and is really nice. It includes a zippered carrying case, compact AC Adapter and both USB and Firewire cables. The enclosure itself is very compact and has rubberized endcaps to protect the drive. It also has power and read/write LED indicators on the outside.

My laptop is a few years old, therefore, it only has a USB 1.1 port which I find is too slow although it does allow me to use the drive without the AC adapter. I use an OrangeMicro firewire PCMIIA card to connect to the external drive with excellent results. Unfortunately, the PCMIIA card does not provide power to the drive so I must use the AC adapter.

If you get an external drive, make sure that you can connect with either USB 2.0 or Firewire for maximum speed.

Bud
Lansdale, PA
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Bud James
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n e i l

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Storing Digital Media
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2003, 03:54:17 pm »

i'm with jonathan on this.

i recently upped the hard drive in my inspiron laptop to 40GB, and dished out for a 120 GB LaCie USB 2.0 external hardrive. not as small as using a notebook-sized drive for the external, but all that space on a beefy maxtor drive within a solid alloy housing is reassuring. i keep a complete mirror of all image files on the external drive, and once a month or so i burn all the new directories onto CD-R's for storage off-site. So, if either hard drive fails I have all the same files on the other drive, and if my house burns down i have the offsite CD-Rs. Still, mustn't be complacent -- read Michael's chilling discussion of CDR integrity elsewhere on this site.

n
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scott

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Storing Digital Media
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2003, 10:59:11 pm »

i've used a digital wallet for about 1 1/2 years now and have never lost an image yet. my first digital wallet was a 6 GIG and i never maxed it out, i recently upgraded to a delkin e-film digital wallet with a 20 GIG capacity not necessarly for the larger space but the delkin has an LCD screen to view your images my other one does'nt. they are both very easy to use and are about the size of a PDA (palm pilot) they accept all types of media cards and link to a computer via usb , and have rechargable internal batteries. if anyone is interested i am selling the 6 GIG
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dnone

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« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2003, 06:50:13 pm »

jonathan w. summarized it quite well:

1. using a laptop gives you the advantage to go through the pictures and to store them.

2. take at least two 1GB cards with you, since you might shoot more then the 160 odd pictures during the day which fit on one card. I use LEXARs CF cards, have no experience with the icrodrives, but personally think that any mechanical equipment with moving parts is prone to be damaged earlier then a CFcard.

3. you might also want to use an external harddisk, 2.5" is way smaller and lighter then the bulkier 3.5" drives, the bigger the better, especially since the price of roughly 3US$ per GB is the same for 30, 40, 60 or 80GB drives.
the only thing to be aware of is that eventhough the case is quite robust you can end up crashing the disk if you drop it. happened to me once but I was lucky enough to get it replaced. anyways since then I end up wrapping the case in rubber bands... YES go ahead and laugh   :D

4. if your laptop doesn't have a USB 2.0 or a Firewire, make sure you get a PCMCIA adapter since it really makes a huge difference in writing/reading speed.
you really do not need an exta AC/DCadapter for the drive since most of the cases come with the possibility of charging through a second USB plug.

5. don't forget to have fun!!

cheers
dn
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