The shortest computer-less path between a camera and an external drive is...

June 16, 2009 7:17 AM

Looking for ideas for backing up photos while traveling in the middle of nowhere, with no guaranteed access to a computer.

I'm going to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan for a few weeks soon, going through cities and towns as well as travelling through more remote areas. I'd like to find a reliable way to back up my photos as I go, but I will not have a laptop with me, and I don't know how often I'll have access to a computer (nor what shape any computers might be in).

I've seen this question, but I won't be in any major cities, and I don't know what kind of infrastructure will be available. And it's always possible that things have changed in the past year.

I could buy extra memory cards, as suggested in the previous question, but that would give me only the additional storage without any supplemental backup. I have an external hard drive that I'm happy to bring, and I could get a card reader, but how do I push the photos from the camera to the drive without a computer interface? Or do I just count on finding a computer once in a while so I can plug in the card reader and the external drive? I have a Flickr Pro account, but that would require both computer access and a reasonably fast internet connection. Apple used to make a device for downloading photos to an iPod, but it's been discontinued, and anyway I only have an 8-gig Nano.

Ideally, I'd like to find something that will allow me to back up my memory cards on the external drive. But I'm open to all suggestions.

posted by bassjump to technology (12 comments total)

You need something like a hard drive with a card reader. B&H has a variety.
posted by caddis at 7:31 AM on June 16

Wolverine is what I use. I've taken it everywhere. The battery indicator might as well be taking random readings from the clouds, but other than that it's been flawless. I load it up with movies and music at the start of the trip, then delete that stuff as I watch it/need more picture space. It can also review your pictures, which is nice. When this one fails, I plan to buy another one, it's that reliable. I've probably run half a terabyte of pictures through the thing over the two years I've had it.

There is an add-on to supply it with juice from 4 aa batteries, but I built one out of radio shack parts. It can also be charged from a pair of USB ports.
posted by notsnot at 7:33 AM on June 16

Portable photo storage.
posted by fire&wings at 7:34 AM on June 16

How much are you willing to spend? Netbooks can be had for 200 bucks or so these days. Attach your portable hard drive, and you're all set.
posted by chrisamiller at 7:45 AM on June 16

Here's a fairly recent "Ask Engadget" thread on this subject.
posted by anthy at 7:51 AM on June 16

I used one of these once when on a long trip in a low-tech part of the world, sans laptop and without internet, and needed to take 1000's of specific pictures for a work project. I couldn't afford to lose a day's worth of shots so I was paranoid.

I took the device with me, along with a bunch of memory cards and some hardboard mailers. Every couple of days I would dump (backup) a memory card to the device, then mail the memory card (still full) back to my work address in the States.

The last few cards didn't arrive until I was already home, but they all worked, and the copies in my little iPod box were also all perfect.

Offsite backup while on the go, thanks to the Post Office.

(*Well, it was a different brand that I got in Hong Kong for $10, but it looks identical in this picture so I'll just guess they rebrand them)
posted by rokusan at 7:55 AM on June 16

I took the device with me, along with a bunch of memory cards and some hardboard mailers. Every couple of days I would dump (backup) a memory card to the device, then mail the memory card (still full) back to my work address in the States.

Mailing your stuff safely back home definitely makes sense. Doing a double backup and also keeping a copy with you (just in case the mail screws up) makes even more sense.
posted by philip-random at 7:59 AM on June 16

I used a portable hard drive with slots for memory cards. I bought mine in Korea at the time because there weren't many out in the US. I'm sure that's changed now. Mine just had a panel with text, but some more expensive models allow you to view the images as well. If you don't want to put the money out for a device like that bring enough memory cards to last you between major cities (where you can get CDs burned). I suggest bringing at least 2-3 memory cards instead of one huge one. I don't like putting all of my eggs in one basket and you might lose one, have your camera stolen etc.

I used it in both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan but also backed up my photos to CDs and mailed them home. However, I was traveling for 14 months so was a bit more paranoid about losing data than you would be on a shorter trip.

A few years ago internet access in Uzbekistan was really slow (okay for email but not good enough to upload photos) and it was just okay in Bishkek and pretty bad everywhere else. Hopefully this has changed but I wouldn't expect fast speeds or anything fast enough to upload to a server for backup.

In Bishkek there were tons of photo shops with card readers and I actually brought my cards into a shop, had photos printed in one hour and then distributed them to people who I'd photographed in the middle of nowhere when I passed through again. I'm sure these shops would also be capable of burning a CD for you. Just time it right so you get it done in bigger cities.
posted by Bunglegirl at 8:44 AM on June 16

I'd love not to have to spend any more money, though a hard drive with a card reader is looking like the best option. I don't know how much I'd trust the mail in small, remote towns. A netbook isn't an option. Bunglegirl, thanks for the location-specific info.

Keep the replies coming!
posted by bassjump at 8:47 AM on June 16

For the price of the various hard drive based alternatives mentioned so far, you can buy an awful lot of high capacity memory cards, which will probably take up less physical storage space as well.

I really believe the risk of a hard drive crash or malfunction is greater than the risk of having a problem with a memory card. I have not lost an image on a CF or SD card since around 2002, and I shoot around 15-20K photographs a year. Even the few I lost in 2002 were ultimately recoverable back at the computer.
posted by imjustsaying at 8:56 AM on June 16 [1 favorite has favorites]

Seconding imjustsaying's suggestion of surplus memory cards. If you can't find anything locally, or have time to order additional memory cards, Newegg and J&R are big, reliable online stores with pretty quick delivery times. Though I haven't used them yet, Sterling Tek is often recommended on DP Review Forums, and they might have cheaper products that are still reliable. Or if you want to poll more stores for potential prices, Pricewatch is a good starting point.

If you do go the route of extra memory cards, get a good carrying case that keeps everything neat and save. But if a memory card fails, that's only one of numerous cards you have, vs. relying on one back-up solution. And as imjustsaying mentioned, there are programs that help retrieve "lost" pictures from memory cards.

Memory from 9 years ago: I was going on a trip, and I wanted to back up my photos. Memory cards were expensive enough that it was cheaper to get a 3 gig "digital wallet", which was basically an enclosed laptop harddrive with a funky set-up to download photos.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:42 AM on June 16

A totally different non-tech answer. Really, really have an intense experience travelling, taking it in with all your eyes and your mind, meditatively--and your camera. At night, caption your pictures in a notebook/diary--not just names of places, but what you thought at that moment. Even if you don't have backups or lose the notebook, the recording process will engrave something on your memory that you can recall just by remembering.
posted by Elsie at 1:58 PM on June 16