Card backup on safari

Bigvin

Bigvin

Suspended / Banned
Messages
616
Edit My Images
No
I'm away on safari in a few weeks and I'm starting to get nervous about backing up my pictures.

I'm using a Nikon D800 which is obviously data heavy and have 3 64gb compact flash cards and 5 64gb SD cards.
I'll be on safari for 7 days and I'm now wondering if I'll need a backup device for my cards.
Taking my laptop is not an option due to the weight restrictions while travelling.
I have several hard drives and was wondering if there was an interface I could plug in to automatically backup the cards.
I know there's dedicated units, but didn't really want to pay £100 plus for something that is only going to get used once.

Any ideas or info?

Cheers Lee
 
You currently have 192GB of CF and SD cards that you could use to write to both cards in camera and have instant backup of data. The d800 also has a function where you can write the data from one card to another in the other card slot so potentially you have another 64GB of dual SD card backup that you could potential use by writing to both CF and SD in camera before transferring the data on the CF card to the spare SD card. They would then leave you with 3 SD and 3 CF cards to use together. That would be 256GB of data spread across 4 sets of dual backed up cards...... how many images are you likely to be taking in 7 days?
 
I forgot to say just make sure the CF and SD cards are kept seperately in different card cases and in different places (not in the same backpack).

There is a WD hard drive that can backup SD cards but that's not very helpful for your CF cards and its around £135 too so not what you are looking for. Other than that there is the colorspace hyperdrive but that's even more.

If you are really worried that 256GB isn't enough then picking up 1 or 2 more 64GB SD (maybe CF cards depending on price/brand) to transfer data to may put your mind at rest. It's probably the easiest and cheapest option, plus you can probably easily sell them afterwards if you decide you don't need as many.

@Bigvin what do you normally do? Do you set the cards to backup or overflow?
 
BTW, regarding the original question... no, there is no way to directly interface a card with a bare HD.
I once hacked together a way using an external battery (to power the HD), a card reader, and a device called smart x-copy... but I wouldn't really recommend it (400kb/sec transfer)
 
Android tablet (if you can expand memory with micro SD card) Need an OTG lead, card reader and app (nexus media importer, works on Galaxy tablets)

Mine expands up to 128gb, just plug the lead into the tablet's micro USB port then I have a simple SD usb card reader that plugs into the leads female USB socket, transfer away

Loads of storage space with no great weight penalty, any good?
 
I've got a verbatim media share, it has a built in SD card reader and can be attached to an external hard drive via usb3, all you need is a mobile device to connect and use the app to do the initiate the transfer.

Cheaper set up than getting the Western Digital Passport external HDD
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I think I should be ok with what I've got, but it's still that lingering doubt about 'what if?'
I've got a Galaxy tablet so I think maybe using that as an emergency backup would be feasible and light.
 
Bigvin said:
Thanks for all the replies.

I think I should be ok with what I've got, but it's still that lingering doubt about 'what if?'
I've got a Galaxy tablet so I think maybe using that as an emergency backup would be feasible and light.
Click to expand...

I have a Galaxy tablet too, i got a sd card reader for it that plugs into the charging/multi pin port and i use it as a backup device when away on holidays each year and it also is good for looking through your shots over a beer at night.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Ga...&sr=8-5&keywords=galaxy+tablet+sd+card+reader
 
Are you taking in iphone or iPad? If so get the lightning camera connection kit and from your SD card at least you'll be able to back it up the cloud. Would that work?
 
I have a 5d mk3 which takes both sad and cf cards. I write raw to the cf and jpg to the sd card. I use sandisk and haven't had an issue yet. Rotate cards frequently, depending on usage and keep them in a safe place.
Also try being selective on shots, you'll be amazed on how many elephant shots you'll have...
 
Steelfish said:
Are you taking in iphone or iPad? If so get the lightning camera connection kit and from your SD card at least you'll be able to back it up the cloud. Would that work?
Click to expand...

Tablet backup depends on size of image, memory on the device etc. I've used this method shooting small jpg to the sd card but generally for displaying immediately/ later. They do take a significant time to load.

I'm not sure iPads can handle raw files yet?
 
Byker28i said:
Tablet backup depends on size of image, memory on the device etc. I've used this method shooting small jpg to the sd card but generally for displaying immediately/ later. They do take a significant time to load.

I'm not sure iPads can handle raw files yet?
Click to expand...

Good poiont, I think the iPad will just display a jpeg from the iPad rather than the raw itself, sadly. The 12" Macbook can, but then you've got to carry yet another adapter to go to USB and have a card reader as well. Aargh what were Apple thinking when they went fully USB C!!!
 
Go 12bit compressed. There is no difference unless you have a very special needs.

8 * 64GB is about 11k RAW images to go through and post-process. At least for me this is more scary than losing a few images as result of card failure :)

I would just more enjoy the trip and be less heavy on shutter.
 
Byker28i said:
I have a 5d mk3 which takes both sad and cf cards. I write raw to the cf and jpg to the sd card. I use sandisk and haven't had an issue yet. Rotate cards frequently, depending on usage and keep them in a safe place.
Also try being selective on shots, you'll be amazed on how many elephant shots you'll have...
Click to expand...

I'm going to be in the same situation in a few weeks am going on safari too
I'm planning to do exactly what you suggest and save raw files to the compact flash card and large jpegs to the sd card on my 7d mk 2
I think that having large jpegs as a backup is a good compromise in the unlikely event of the compact flash card going wrong
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top