Memory Card Backup Device

[Mantulen]

I am looking for a portable external hard drive that I can use on the go to back up my SD, and SDHC cards. For example I have a 4 Gig card, when it fills up I put it in the drive and it copies everything, and I have free space again. I am not a professional photographer so this will mostly be for personal use. I shoot alot of videos with my Canon S5 IS, so the memory card fills up quick. What are my options? And what would you recommend?

Thanks,

[DocNo]

If you have an iPod, give the Apple iPod Camera Adaptor a whirl. It works (slowly) with my 40D - even pulls down the RAW files!

And the price is hard to beat, if you have an iPod already. I looked at the Epson based units but I felt they were too pricy for what they did. I understand it's much faster if you use a card reader instead of a camera - in the review section there is a $20 card reader from best buy referenced - I may just go pick one up and see if it works better. At least you wouldn't be draining the camera's battery too....

In the end, for the trip I was wanting to use it for I just picked up enough CF cards to last me for the day and downloaded to a laptop at the end of the day. I still keep the iPod camera adaptor in my bag - just in case. It's inexpensive and small - good insurance.

[Rense]

Take a look at Steve Digicam for other options

[GeeK]

I usually shoot raw+jpg - so cards do fill up fast. I normally use a Vosonic 40Gb portable multi-card reader. If you don't want to view the images while they're stored on the reader these are now very cheap indeed.

[cyclohexane]

I've used the Epson P5000 in the past. It works wonderfully, but it's rather expensive. There are lower-priced Epson options, however.

If you have an iPod, give the Apple iPod Camera Adaptor a whirl. It works (slowly) with my 40D - even pulls down the RAW files!

"Slowly" is probably an understatement. Also, I never got it to work with card readers, but you may have better luck than I did. If I recall there was a Belkin device that allowed the use of card readers with the iPod, but it required it's own battery.

[Mantulen]

Thanks everyone, I ended up going with a Hyperdrive COLORSPACE

[W.Smith]

Originally Posted by cyclohexane

I've used the Epson P5000 in the past. It works wonderfully, but it's rather expensive. There are lower-priced Epson options, however.

"Slowly" is probably an understatement. Also, I never got it to work with card readers, but you may have better luck than I did. If I recall there was a Belkin device that allowed the use of card readers with the iPod, but it required it's own battery.

I have that Belkin device. Got it 5 years ago. Works well. It is a card reader with its own batteries (2x AAA) that connects to your iPod. Yes, it's very slow. But that was bearable (barely) with the average image file sizes of 5 years ago. So it really isn't anymore.

The biggest advantage was that it can suck a full card dry, while you keep shooting on another card. It doesn't tie up your camera like Apple's adapter does! While you use Apple's adapter, you can't use the camera. Not good for events and weddings! Those don't wait for the photog to catch up!

So Mr Belkin please update your card reader to do FireWire800, halve the gizmo's size and weight, and quadruple battery life, and I will gladly take one off your hands.

But you better make it a very interesting pricepoint as the prices of flash memory are dropping very fast and storing data on solid state memory is much more secure that on a(n iPod's) mechanical, spinning harddisk....

[cyclohexane]

o Mr Belkin please update your card reader to do FireWire800, halve the gizmo's size and weight, and quadruple battery life, and I will gladly take one off your hands.

My dad has that Belkin tucked away somewhere too.

Unfortunately, the new iPods don't support firewire (I've tried to use the old firewire cables), so that'd potentially be an issue...

[Capn_Jack]

Just a thought,

I bought a new HP Laptop for a variety of reasons, and it actually came with an SD card reader built-in. It's small (14 inch) and light, and very portable, and when you plug in the SD card it acts just like any other external USB key or removable drive (window pops up asking what you want to do)

I'm always on the go, and always have my laptop with me for productivity reasons. So, if my card ever gets full, its a simple matter of poppin' open the laptop and within a few minutes (2 to 5, tops) all my photos are on my computer. Deleting the info on the Card is a snap, and you're ready to start shooting again.

I know this isn't for everyone, though, but certainly works for me--if you happen to be in the market for a laptop, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone and keep an eye peeled for one with a built in SD card slot, they work like a charm.

Cheers
Craig

[GeeK]

Originally Posted by Capn_Jack

I'm always on the go, and always have my laptop with me for productivity reasons. So, if my card ever gets full, its a simple matter of poppin' open the laptop and within a few minutes (2 to 5, tops) all my photos are on my computer. Deleting the info on the Card is a snap, and you're ready to start shooting again.

Mine's the same... but I haven't yet been so sad as to bring my laptop on holiday with me. Then you need something else!!

[Capn_Jack]

I hear ya geek, between the blackberry and the laptop it seems I'm never out of touch. All this technology has to be tempered with a solid know-how of how the "off" button works! (And I use that frequently).

I bring the laptop to get my Railroad Tycoon fix when I'm bored, so at least it's not all about work!

Cheers
Craig