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Author Topic: Card to card backup in the field  (Read 2273 times)

Michael Bailey

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Card to card backup in the field
« on: March 05, 2012, 10:31:16 pm »

Hi,
I've seen lots of devices which back up camera memory cards onto portable hard drives, but I've always wanted something that would simply duplicate one CF card, say, onto another one.

Does such a gizmo exist? Can you tell me what it's called?

Thanks,

MB
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LesPalenik

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2012, 10:39:31 pm »

On the hard drive, make a folder for each card, and then copy all images from a card into that folder (using a small notebook computer).
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Michael Bailey

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2012, 11:14:11 pm »

Thanks, Les, but I'm asking about something different. I want to duplicate my CF or SD card in the field, before I get back to my computer, and without having to bring along a laptop. In my ignorance, I imagine something no bigger than a USB card reader.

MB
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sbay

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2012, 11:47:43 pm »

Do the cameras like the new 5dIII with two card slots let you record RAWs to both slots at once? Given how cheap memory is now, I'd go this route if it works.

rolad

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2012, 01:07:49 am »

not quite a direct "to card copy" but close: the old nexto di 2700 with an adapter (as far as i recall)
and the current nexto di nvs1501 download cards and can then upload a copy to a different card.
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Josh-H

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2012, 01:32:49 am »

Do the cameras like the new 5dIII with two card slots let you record RAWs to both slots at once? Given how cheap memory is now, I'd go this route if it works.


Yes they do. And this is what I do with my 1DS MK3 and !D MKIV - I have them both set to write RAW simultaneously to both the CF and SD card as I shoot. Its built in RAID protection in case a card goes bad.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2012, 04:15:44 am »

in case a card goes bad.
Has that ever happened to you ?
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Josh-H

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2012, 04:31:40 am »

Has that ever happened to you ?

To me personally - no it hasn't. However, I saw it happen first hand to a wedding 'tog' at the end of the day on a full card. Whilst rescue software did save his bacon; he lost a year of his life stressing about it.

Since I shoot in remote locations and repeat visits are almost impossible I prefer to have the redundancy of shooting to both cards just in case. "Murphy.. he is out there.. "
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LesPalenik

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2012, 06:01:07 am »

Quote
Has that ever happened to you ?


To me personally - no it hasn't. However, I saw it happen first hand to a wedding 'tog' at the end of the day on a full card. Whilst rescue software did save his bacon; he lost a year of his life stressing about it.
I think the chance of losing the data on the card while shooting it's overrated.
I encountered only two bad cards that were unreadable and couldn't be reformatted, in both cases, the cards went bad after a successful download to the computer.
 
Besides, Image Rescue and similar programs are used mainly for accidentally "deleted" images. If the card goes bad, the chances of recovery or reformatting are quite poor. 
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theguywitha645d

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2012, 09:34:16 am »

Has that ever happened to you ?

Yes, once--and that was enough. The data could not be downloaded nor recovered. I really feel so much better that I have essentially a mini RAID 1 array built into my Pentax 645D with the two SD card slots.
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Michael Bailey

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Re: Card to card backup in the field
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2012, 10:16:46 am »

Original poster here. As for the questions and suggestions so far: No, I haven't had a card failure on location, touch wood. Probably I would simply misplace a card or drop it down a sewer grate first. That's why I want to duplicate cards while I have the opportunity.
Regarding dual-slot cameras: Yes, they would do the trick. I'm just not ready to replace two camera bodies for this one purpose.
As many people point out, flash memory is very cheap, so I figure somebody must make a simple device to copy files from one card to another. No?
MB
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