storage of digital files

[Letcher]

 I just returned from four days of shooting the Grand Prix of Canada. I use 4 GB compact flash cards in my cameras and download the cards every evening onto the EZ-Digimagic 40 GB portable hard drive. When I tried to transfer the files onto my PC after returning home, the hard drive crashed. I sent the drive to Data Recovery and it's going to cost about $1,000.00 to retrieve my files.

The people who sell the EZ-Digimagic also sell a device that will make a DVD in the field. They suggest that I use both systems to avert this kind of disaster in the future. I could also buy 8 or 10 of the 4 GB compact flash cards and just wait and download them when I get home. The problem with this is there is no redundancy and CF cards sometimes fail, too.

What is the best sytem for storing files during a journey? Do all three methods and use a hard drive, make a DVD, and have enough CF cards that you never format them until you get home?  

[francois]

I just returned from four days of shooting the Grand Prix of Canada. I use 4 GB compact flash cards in my cameras and download the cards every evening onto the EZ-Digimagic 40 GB portable hard drive. When I tried to transfer the files onto my PC after returning home, the hard drive crashed. I sent the drive to Data Recovery and it's going to cost about $1,000.00 to retrieve my files.

The people who sell the EZ-Digimagic also sell a device that will make a DVD in the field. They suggest that I use both systems to avert this kind of disaster in the future. I could also buy 8 or 10 of the 4 GB compact flash cards and just wait and download them when I get home. The problem with this is there is no redundancy and CF cards sometimes fail, too.

What is the best sytem for storing files during a journey? Do all three methods and use a hard drive, make a DVD, and have enough CF cards that you never format them until you get home?  
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69511\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm using two portable HDs (different brands) and sometimes I take a laptop with me. Having enough memory cards can become pretty expensive if you stay out for a week or two  
If I had a portable DVD burner, I'd like to have a way to verify if the burning sessions went OK.

[spidermike]

I agree with Francois -  but by the time you had bought 8-10 4Gb crds you could buy 2 or 3 storage devices.
Thought - if you bought different makes, would this be safer than buying 2 of the same make?

Is your current storage device still covered by warranty? I believe that such a consequential loss in the UK this would be covered by the warranty.

[Geoff Wittig]

I've used two methods. Initially I transfered images from CF cards to a laptop every evening back at the hotel, then burned the RAW files to CD's as a backup. This year I've gotten lazier, and instead transfer the images to my laptop, then to a portable hard drive. In each case I make sure the images are safe in two places before reformatting the compact flash cards.
Two physically separate copies at all times is the key to avoiding heartache. Last year my son managed to download a malicious virus to my main photo desktop computer and it nuked over 100 gig of image files, some scanned from slides dating back 20 years. I had all backed up to an external hard drive, leaving me with only one copy of decades of work, and I was sweating bullets until the files were successfully copied back to the rebuilt desktop disc. Needless to say I now keep two offboard copies.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I also now download to two different portable hard drives (different makes) before erasing the CF card. And if I think the images are especially important, I won't erase the card, but switch to a different one (I have about 10 gigs of cards, but I mainly use one 2GB card).

 I never bother with a laptop while travelling. I don't really want to get confused by seeing the images on anything less than the carefully profiled monitor on my home PC.

To me this seems a reasonable balance of paranoia with safety.

Eric

[D White]

I go with downloading to a lap top and burn two DVD copies while traveling. The DVD's are stored in two different areas. One can even mail copies of DVD's back home on a long trip.

At home, I keep two copies on DVD of all RAW files, Two copies on DVD of all processed files, and a copy of the processed files on a portable drives. One set of DVD's are stored off premises.

[francois]

...
 I never bother with a laptop while travelling. I don't really want to get confused by seeing the images on anything less than the carefully profiled monitor on my home PC....
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69591\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Right, actually I don't use a laptop to review my photos but either to burn DVDs so I can send them home or to upload my files to a server. And all this only if I'm away from home for more than a couple of weeks... Lugging a laptop along with all the gear is a royal pain in the lower back  

[Letcher]

I agree with Francois -  but by the time you had bought 8-10 4Gb crds you could buy 2 or 3 storage devices.
Thought - if you bought different makes, would this be safer than buying 2 of the same make?

Is your current storage device still covered by warranty? I believe that such a consequential loss in the UK this would be covered by the warranty.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=69586\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Nope. The device was out of warranty.

[Mike Boden]

If you really want to be paranoid when you're out shooting, then you need two independent systems for backup. The problem with only a laptop and 2nd hard drive is that if the laptop fails, then you're unable to backup anymore files to the hard drive. In essence, you're now dead in the water until you get home.

So along with a laptop, it's recommended to additionally use an Epson P-2000 or P-4000, a Jobo Giga-Vu Pro, or some other sort of indepentdent device to transfer your files to. That way, if wither the laptop or the other device fails, then you still have one available to use.

Of course this means bringing more gear, but if you're on an extended trip to some remote location, it's better to be safe than sorry.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi!

My present strategy is two independent storage devices, an Epson P-2000 and an inexpensive 100 GByte drive with built in reader for cards.

I would agree that burning DVD-s on the road would be preferablem but I feel comfortable with my two-drive solution.

When shooting on car-trips I have a laptop, but while flying I want to save the weigth.

Erik

If you really want to be paranoid when you're out shooting, then you need two independent systems for backup. The problem with only a laptop and 2nd hard drive is that if the laptop fails, then you're unable to backup anymore files to the hard drive. In essence, you're now dead in the water until you get home.

So along with a laptop, it's recommended to additionally use an Epson P-2000 or P-4000, a Jobo Giga-Vu Pro, or some other sort of indepentdent device to transfer your files to. That way, if wither the laptop or the other device fails, then you still have one available to use.

Of course this means bringing more gear, but if you're on an extended trip to some remote location, it's better to be safe than sorry.
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[svaughan]

Try putting your portable drive in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Right after you take it out, hook it up immediately and see if you can retrieve your files.
I know this may sound a little crazy, but I work beside an IT geek that swears by this method.  

Heat can warp your heads, and in today's techology it does take much. I'd try this method before I spent a $1000. It isn't always successful, but the cold won't hurt your drive.

Good luck.  slv.

[BernardLanguillier]

I handle back up the same way I handle insurances.

I get an insurance for those things whose loss would be very impacting, and I similarly only double back up for those images that I might never be able to take again.

For those easy hikes a few hours away from home I mostly even don't bother back uping at all.

For the important stuff, when weight isn't critical, I take a lot of CF, an Epson P2000 and a laptop (IBM X41).

Cheers,
Bernard

[mcbroomf]

I travel with a very small laptop, a 10" widescreen Averatec that slips into my camera backpack, a 100gb 2.5" USB drive and an Epson P4000.  The laptop gives me the opportunity to review images that evening and see if I missed or messed anything that could be repeated the following day.  I use RSP to take a quick look, no real editing until I get home.

Mike Broomfield

[Fred Ragland]

My travel workflow is designed around 1Ds2 RAW files.  My bag includes 5 SanDisk Extreme III 2.0 GB cards, 2 Smartdisk FireLite 80 GB portable drives and a MAC 15" laptop.

I get about 100 shots per card.  This gives me 500 images before I have to erase cards.  All shots are quickly viewed on the laptop each night to be sure I have the images.  If not, and its possible, I go back.  This has happened, but not with one of my SanDisk cards.  

All the day's shots are backed up each night off the laptop onto both of the two hard drives.  This gives me a copy in the laptop and two copies on hard drives before erasing the next card(s) in my camera the following day.

Of course, I'm still open to computer failure and inability to load the portable drives.  This hasn't happened YET, but certainly could.  My emergency plan is to then look at the cf cards in the camera and delete anything that isn't up to the mark.  This gives me room to add a limited number of shots in an emergency - even though I know its a very poor practice.  

So far I haven't been so impressed with the Epson 4000 or Giga-Vu Pro that I'm willing to give up my laptop.