MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Please note that this device has been the subject of previous threads on the UHH, but I just wanted to give you my opinion on it.

I have been looking for a method to backup my memory cards without having to travel with a laptop. Purchased the WD passport wireless a few days ago. I have been testing it and have very pleased with it. Software installation on my IPAD and PC was easy. The control software is also easy to use. Transferring files from the memory card to the unit is really simple. Transfer rate has been around 17 Mbs. I know this may be slower compared to other methods, but to have something that can backup my memory cards, compact in size and ease of operation, this will do fine. Perhaps WD can speedup the transfer rate.

I did note that the battery life is only about 4-5 hours. However, I plan to back up mainly while connected to AC power, so this is not an issue for me. It could be for others. The case appears quite durable.

I know there are other units of this type out there which are much more expensive. The WD was $129 at B& H for the 1TB unit.

IMO, if you are looking for backup storage while on the road, this unit should do the job.

gemlenz Loc: Gilbert Arizona

:thumbup:

Snecko Loc: Perth Australia

Sorry for being a bit dense but are you saying that there is a slot on this portable HD for an SD card?

I went to UK in May with my 64gb iPad and left my MacBook Pro behind. I simply loaded my SD Card onto the iPad via lightning cable and that's my photos stored until I got home. Works brilliantly.

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Yes, there is a slot. There is lots of info on the net. Just Google it.

Due to the number of images we take (I now shoot RAW + Jpeg) and the duration of our trips, an iPad is not practical for us and we just do not want to take a laptop. The WD My Passport (1 TB) is a practical solution for us as a back up until we arrive home. No worries about enough memory or lugging around a laptop. It simply boils down to what works for the individual's needs. This will work brilliantly for us.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I almost bought one for my last trip. For me, it would be better if it limited the features to simple backups from SD cards. Instead WD put features in for things like watching movies wirelessly on your tablet when you get bored.

There seems to be three choices for travel without a computer when you shoot a lot of RAW and video clips.

1. Get a big enough SD card for the whole trip, test it before you depart, leave it alone after you depart. Put it in the camera, trust it and don't fiddle with it. Quality, brand name SD cards rarely fail. It seems most failures have more to do with inserting and removing the cards than internal failures.

2. Follow the guideline of having at least two copies of every photo as soon as you can. You need a computer, a device like this or some way for your camera to send them to "the cloud". In other words, you carry extra gear.

3. SD cards are getting cheaper on a steady basis. You can get a quality 16GB card for $10 or less. Get enough to use a new card every day and it is still cheaper than film was. A ten day vacation needs $100 in cards. If one does fail, you loose only fraction of your shots.

Instead of spending the $130 on a My Passport Wireless for my last trip, I bought a few extra 32 GB cards when B&H had a "special" price. I already had a few so I didn't spend much money. Having never had a SD card failure, I trusted them for two days at a time.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Hey MadMike,
It begs the question:
How fast is the card(s) you are plugging into your new drive?

I found that when I went "full race" with my SD Card in my camera, I got big speed at the computers slot, too.
It gave me a big smile... :-D

(I got the biggest, baddest, fastest Nikon recommended for my camera. Happy, happy, joy, joy.)

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Sonny, I always us a "fast" card. Currently, I have 32gb SanDisk Extreme Plus cards in my cameras. They are rated at 80 MB/s. As a gift, I just received 3 SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB cards. Rated at 95 MB/s. Can't wait to try one out.

JOY!!!!

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Some good ideas! I usually get really useful info from your posts. Thank you.

Would that your first and third suggestions combined would be a practical solution for us. I never feel comfortable without backing up from my memory cards to an appropriate device during our travels. We tend to take extended trips to some remote areas. The shortest trip we have taken, other than a long weekend away, was the 19 days we were away in Quito and the Galapagos. Our trips are usually 5-9 weeks. For the Galapagos trip, we took one of our old laptops stripped of all but essential software to use to back up the photos from the memory cards. It seemed like a good idea at the time; but it took forever to get our images (stills and videos) on that sucker. It was also just plain clunky! My husband was ready to throw me and my gear overboard. The rest of the group told me not to worry - they would collectively ensure that my memory cards survived. LOL!

As soon as possible after returning home from our travels, we put the photos onto our computer. We also back-up from the computer to an external hard drive. Every once in a while, I keep the memory cards intact, too. I did that for our once in a lifetime Galapagos trip. Belt and suspenders!

One of the things that attracted me to the WD My Passport Wireless was its size. It isn't much larger than my Sony P&S.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Alrighty then!
Yes the San Disk Extreme 64G 95MB/S is what I use.
It was a throw of the dice ($80 at the time) to see if my camera would rapid fire faster. (Shrimpy camera buffer in my opinion)
The fast card really made a difference for me in the camera,
and surprise, surprise it really dropped the files to my computer faster.
I think once you go fast, you'll never look back.

(But the "slow" cards are still good for other stuff. I use mine for my astro work transfers and stuff, for example.)

Have Fun! :)

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

After reading this, I was trying to backup files from a NAS drive to my USB HD, and found that the case was dead. Needed a new drive case, so off to Fry's where they were having a no tax sale.
Deadly, to be sure. Got a 2 Tb Passport wireless.

After configuring I have a 2 Tb wireless HD (needs WiFi connection to configure), When I insert an SD card and tap a button, files are automatically backed up to the drive unattended and without a WiFi device to manage. You can set-up to copy or move files from the SD. I also have a 6400 mA battery to charge peripherals.

Cool.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

They break - when you least expect it. So you really should have 2 drives for redundancy.

I've had too many students that thought this was a good idea, and ended losing data. That's why I use the RavPower FileHub Plus WD03 ($40 on Amazon) and a pair of 256 gb thumb drives (total $100) for redundant backup. And the 6000ma battery will last for 12 hours or more. It can charge your cellphone 3x from a full charge. It will also write to any USB device, including a spinning drive or a SSD. This solution is very secure and fail-proof. At $50 a pop, thumb drives are very easy to deal with, and don't need a battery or external power.