digital backup "in the field"

[adrian tyler]

what are the best methods for backing up digital files when you are out working, preferably without lugging a portable computer?

thanks

[Ben Syverson]

I've never had a CF card fail (knock on wood). Is there a specific reason why you need to back up in the field?

[darr]

When I went to the Galapagos Islands in 2007, I took a JOBO Giga One. It worked flawlessly.

Best, Darr

[adrian tyler]

I've never had a CF card fail (knock on wood). Is there a specific reason why you need to back up in the field?

well, on long trips i'd feel safer not having all my eggs in one basket, for example.

[windpointphoto]

well, on long trips i'd feel safer not having all my eggs in one basket, for example.

Always a good idea. Better to have and not need than to need and not have. Esp in my case cause if there's a way to muck things up I find it.

[Frank Petronio]

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/index.asp and the Strobist websites have a lot of info related to this, I don't know what brand of storage device is best these days but they make a lot of sense. With a Smart Phone and a back up drive you might be able to travel without a laptop....

[phaedrus]

A large iPod and an adapter cable. Don't forget chargers for both the iPod and the camera. Or use film ;-).

[D. Bryant]

what are the best methods for backing up digital files when you are out working, preferably without lugging a portable computer?

thanks

You might want to consider an Acer Aspire Netbook computer. Very compact, small enough to fit in a small camera bag and it can be used as a computer for travel. About $359 US.

Don Bryant

[Aender Brepsom]

I used to have an Epson P-5000 (80GB) that was perfect for the job, but since prices of memory cards have come down a lot, I have stopped using an extrenal hard disk and only carry about 40GB in cards. I only use SanDisk Extreme III cards and never had any form of failure until now. If you have a Canon 1D series DSLR, you could make a safety copy in-camera onto the second card.
I did take a Toshiba N10 netbook on my last trip, but didn't even bother to back up my cards.

[Frank Petronio]

I've had some older cards get unreliable, a few images being unreadable. And I've had newer, faster cards not read reliably in older cameras.

What would be nice is if you could safely and surely transfer images from your expensive newer fast cards to cheap slow cards as a back-up. The $2-300 price of a back up drive would buy a lot of cards....