I apologize if this has been answered. I looked in the archives and couldn't find.
I'm trying to figure out a way to offload my photos from my digital cam (without bringing my laptop with me), and store them so as to free up my card(s) and also protect my pics in the event of a flood or whatever else could occur. It seems so simple, yet I can't figure out the right combination to do this. I bought a external mini hard drive, only the end of the USB cable is obviously the large square end that fits into your computers USB port; and the end of the camera USB cable is the same - so they don't jive. Anyone know if there is an adapter/connector made where I can connect the two like ends to make this work?
Readers won't do it - as they don't seem to "store", only "transfer to a computer. I'm trying not to spend a fortune, and I gotta imagine there must be an easy way to simply store photos on an external hard drive? I'm sure there are many of you out there with this issue and I'm anxious to hear how you all handle it.
Thanks, can't wait to go to Bonaire for the first time May 12th!!!
-Craig Capossela

FYI...I have a 1GB and a 2GB card. I could get another, but I still would like to take the photos off the card(s) after each dive trip or at least each day.

Just bring the laptop, that's the easiest and as a bonus you can view your pictures every night. There are gadgets that you can buy to do the same thing but they are not that cheap and it seem wasteful to me to buy something you will only use once a year.

Another option many people never thing about is to borrow extra cards from your friends. And another option is to visit Michael at Chat and Browse and have him cut you a CD.

Craig there is something called a Roadstor that you can pick up it is about the size of a paperback book OR how about one of those memory storage sticks???? try this link Roadstor

Craig: unless the mini hard drive came with another connector cord, then you might not be able to use it to download your photos. I have an Archos portable hard drive similar to this one: http://www.archos.com/products/video/archos_404/index.html?country=global&lang=en (it's also an MP3 player and a PVR), but mine comes with an extra cable to plug between the USB cable and the camera or card reader. I downloaded all my photos every evening onto the viewer (I can't be bothered to edit photos until I get home). I only do this because my camera uses SmartMedia cards which have a maximum capacity of 128 Mb, and I only have 2 of those cards! It works well for me.

What model of portable hard drive do you have? Your may or may not have the capability to directly transfer photos, or you just may need to purchase an extra cable. Otherwise, you can have one of the photo shops burn your photos to CD every day (or buy extra memory cards).

This is what I read on a website:


"I would use the iPOd photo to backup and review my photos on a trip when I dont take my computer with me. All I would take is a Media Reader (Belkin), the iPOD and my Camera. Photo's are safe and I can view them anytime I want. I go home, I copy the photos to my Mac and I'm done.
This is a god send for digital photographers who like a bit of music too"

Thanks Cecil. I'm just a bit concerned about security & Schlepping it - not to bring up an off topic issue. We're staying at Buddy's, can I assume the laptop will be able to fit in a room safe?
What about just bringing my card to a place to have burned onto cd every couple days?

Craig
Just go to Chat n Browse and have Michael put them on a disc. Cheapest, easiest and you don't have to bring anything at all with you.
Mick

Thanks folks!
Natalie - I spoke to a guy at Ritz Camera and he pointed out that without a computer to "drive" the upload, how would the external harddrive know what to do? (in other words, with a computer you have the keyboard to select things, which folder, upload, etc...).
The only thing I can think of here is if the camera has some sort of function where it acts as the computer and allows you to select "upload to x drive...". I don't think mine does (SeaLife DC500- yes I'm an amateur ). I'll check out your link, thanks!
Bob, sound like a good idea only believe it or not, i don't have an ipod.
Freddie - Thanks for the site, i'll check it out. Don't think a memory stick will work, no way to get the camera plugged into the stick as far as I know. A stick-reader - yes, but I think all it does is let you plug your card into the stick only to transfer to a computer, but not store on independent of a computer.
- Again, thanks all, much appreciated. Great ideas.

It probably would not fit in the safe, they are generally small and only good for money and passports. I have an older laptop that would not be a big deal to lose.

Do not discount the idea of just borrowing some cards, generally people have more cards than they need for day to day use. I have done it that way in the past.

The Roadstor has ports for a number of different types of storage cards. It also comes with vidio out cables so you can plug it into a TV and see what's on the card.

Finally, it is a CD RW (the new ones may be DVD RW, I don't know) so you can copy all the files (or just some of them) from the card to the CD. You don't have to finalize the disc until you want to, so you can keep adding to the CD as you go along, though I would probably do one per day (if anything happens when writing to the CD, you don't lose all the previous days worth).

It's a cool little item, and it's less of a headache to lose than a laptop, should anything happen.

I have the Roadstor and I find it very easy to travel with. It is light and small so I Just wrap it in a t-shirt and it fits in my napsack! It is also very easy to use. It has to be for me!

The Archos is great. It's a nice little item (literally palm-sized). Mine came with all the cables to record from TV (PVR feature) and playback on TV, transfer photos and videos directly from camera or card reader (no computer necessary), connect to computer to tranfer any type of files back & forth, and cables for viewing photos on TV as well. Plus headphones to listen to the MP3s or to watch videos, though it has speakers built in. The screen on it lets you view your photos too. Rechargeable battery is good though the charge doesn't last too long, but you can use it while it's plugged in and recharging. It easily fit into the small safe in our room along with 2 cameras, extra lenses, other electronics, wallets and tickets. The only thing about it that's a PITA is creating and naming folders for each day's photos. I think next time I'll create them before I leave.

It was a lot cheaper than the Video iPod that did similar stuff.

Check out vosonics product line. They make hard drives with built in card readers, the hard disk is upgradeable/replaceable by the user. You can hook the drives up to your computer when you get home or borrow someone elses computer for viewing when you are on location. The drives have a rechargeable battery which can be usefull for liveaboard diving. The unit I use has an lcd screen that won't display your pictures but does confirm a successful transfer. They also have a unit that has a built in display and lots of other bells and whistles. I have no relationship with the company. Personally I use my unit as an additional backup to my laptap. I get a backup hard drive and a backup card reader in one small unit. I also can swap out the hard drive once a year or so as it fills up and put it in a $15 enclosure and keep a backup copy of a lot of photos for a relatively low cost/megabyte. Do a google search on vosonic and you will get a better description of the capabilities of these drives.

Take a look at this type of device
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=3248955

transfer files between USB devices without computer. You need an external hard drive (Which you already have) and you camera with USB cable.

I think I'm going to go to chat n' browse and put on cd...I don't think I want to spend $200-$300 on another device I'll use a once/twice per year as previously pointed out.
Great devices though, thanks again, now I can make an educated decision thanks to you all.
Gord - by the way - I was almost going to get the device from the link you provided for $40, but when I read the review - the one thing it doesn't work with is a USB external drive that does not have it's own power source (doesn't need one as it uses the computer or device it's loading to/from). Of course this is my portable external hard drive...go figure!

actually, i was faced with this same issue last trip...i decided on a portable media solution - 80GB and Nikon Raw (NEF) preview and zoom. this sort of solution worked out well with the following exceptions:

1. some pics i really needed to look at full screen

2. the portable device could be connected to a PC but the PC would require a Nikon RAW converter software piece

those problems could have answered by just saving a JPG in addition to the RAW. take the device over to Chat-n-Browse to view the pictures and possibly try photoshop "auto-levels" on some of them - at that point you don't need a laptop and you get a pretty good idea how your shots are coming out...and you can take them other to Gibi's on tues evening and show them to everyone;)

i doing it this way again next trip - no laptop!



as far as other uses for the 80GB portable device - nice portable hard drive, picture, video, music player...pretty useful actually...

oh, those devices come with 7-1 card readers...you could offload every camera on the boat too;)

I had been struggling with this myself but as the cost of memory cards has come down, I just bought a few more cards. I have found hi speed 1GB CF's for less than $15. To me,it does not make since to buy a $200-300 download device when cards are cheap and I am not going to lose a lot of photos because some external device dies or is stolen.

just an additional note...Microsoft does have a RAW converter app that one can download for free and this app will support thumbnails and image viewing similar to the Microsoft Fax and Image Viewer...

so if you do decide on some portable device and want to shoot RAW and if you might want to take a look at a few pics full screen or even check editing - bring the download with you and sneak it on a local PC...

of course, the customer savvy locals may have already done this???

HINT HINT

Don't bother bringing a device, go to a dive photo shop, (i know Capture photo at the Divi Flamingo resort does this) and ask them to download your pictures, they'll keep them stored on their (huge) hard drives and at the end of your holiday they can burn them all to a cd or Dvd, it cost's like 10 bucks for a cd.
simple, and you can preview them all in the shop.

Hi Rummy welcome to Bonaire Talk. I happen to check your Ip address and it says you are transmitting from the Caribbean yet your email address is UK.. I do hope that you are not self-promoting.. please read our posting policies that can be found HERE
You have so little information in your profile and you seemed more than knowledgeable about the topic ,,that is why I wondered and then looked....

First, I would probably buy another couple cards -- just in case. And a 2 GB card is still pretty cheap...

Second, the safest approach is to always have two copies of your files. This can be one on a card and on a DVD. One on a card and one on a laptop. One on a laptop and one on a DVD (but none kept on the card).

Depending on the size of your photos, CDs may not be ideal. They hold only 650mb meaning your 2gb card will take at least 3 CDs to copy.

I have done digital photos for some time and here are your options:
a) Buy more CF (or SD) cards. (Pro: Fairly cheap; Con: No redundant storage if the card goes bad or is lost; limited storage capacity -- large storage is cost prohibitive)
b) Bring a laptop. (Pro: If you already own on, no extra cost; can view and sort pictures; can keep the originals on the card or copy them to the hard drive AND a CD/dvd or second HDD thus having redundant; Con: Heavy. Exepensive if you don't own one already)
c) Use a digital wallet / image tank /etc. These are many out there -- the favorites seem to be the Epsons (like the P-2000) and the Wolverines. (Pros: light and efficient; Cons: Cost, provides only one copy of the photos)
d) Use a shop on Bonaire to offload the photos onto a CD or DVD. (Pros: Easy. Cons: Could become costly if it is copied onto CDs that hold only 650mb...)
e) Try other portable digital storage solutions. This could be an ipod, and archos, etc. They all work but with varying limitations.