Portable photo drive? I'm going to Europe for 3 wks in June and just had an idea to get a deck-of-card-size storage device instead of bringing my laptop. Any thoughts on convenience or...

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

I'm going to Europe for 3 wks in June and just had an idea to get a deck-of-card-size storage device instead of bringing my laptop. Any thoughts on convenience or headaches (need to buy a card reader or can I download from my camera, etc.) or is it better (safer) to just pack extra SD cards?

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

You could use an iPad to move them from and SD card to the iPad and then export them to an SSD Hard Drive. San Disk makes a great one in sizes up to 4 TB. Just make sure the iPad has enough storage to temporarily store the files. I, personally, would not store all my images on an iPad. Just don't let the images go to Photos app. The storage container should be user selectable. Mr. Google will be your friend here.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BobHartung wrote:

You could use an iPad to move them from and SD card to the iPad and then export them to an SSD Hard Drive. San Disk makes a great one in sizes up to 4 TB. Just make sure the iPad has enough storage to temporarily store the files. I, personally, would not store all my images on an iPad. Just don't let the images go to Photos app. The storage container should be user selectable. Mr. Google will be your friend here.

What if he doesn't have an iPad?
(Not everyone does.)

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

There are not many to pick from. Every time I've considered this, I've opted for several cards. Depending on the length of the trip, I might try to change cards every second or third day.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

Longshadow wrote:

What if he doesn't have an iPad?
(Not everyone does.)

Me neither. I don't have an i-anything. I do, however have a years-old Samsung tablet I bought some time ago open-box from Worst Buy to replace my laptop on vacay, but since I could never get it to sync with my cellphone, I just kind of put it aside and let it gather dust...just plugged it in to a charger about 5 min ago and it's up to 2%. I guess that means the battery is still OK. I just checked and I had put a 128MB mini card in it. I'd probably have to get one or two more cards to make sure I have enough memory if I go the tablet route.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Longshadow wrote:

What if he doesn't have an iPad?
(Not everyone does.)

Then he can ignore my post.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

This "Gnarbox" is the only self contained system I can find. WD (Western Digital) may have had one for awhile but I can't find it now.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1437308-REG/gnarbox_gnar512v2_2_0_ssd_512gb_external.html

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

bsprague wrote:

This "Gnarbox" is the only self contained system I can find. WD (Western Digital) may have had one for awhile but I can't find it now.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1437308-REG/gnarbox_gnar512v2_2_0_ssd_512gb_external.html

$600? Sheesh. That's almost 1/2 of my airfare! The photo drive I saw was like $50 or $70. I've seen one with a screen on it before, but I don't remember where....surprise. Now I'm seeing ads on UHH for portable drives.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

planepics wrote:

$600? Sheesh. That's almost 1/2 of my airfare! The photo drive I saw was like $50 or $70. I've seen one with a screen on it before, but I don't remember where.

Yes, the $600 is why I've never bought one and continue to travel with multiple cards. SD cards don't fail very often. I've never had one fail myself. My photography is never 'critical'. By that I mean that the consequences of losing the photos on an SD card would not cause me to be fired. So, if I travel with a half dozen (or more) cards, the loss of one would only be disappointing.

32GB cards are only about $10 now!

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1275608-REG/sandisk_sdsdxve_032g_gncin_extreme_sdhc_32gb.html

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

You can achieve this using a smart phone with a usb port. I did it for a 3 week trip to europe. Bring phone, ssd,appropriate card reader and connecting cables. Use a file manager utility in 2 steps to move to phone"s memory and then ssd. Makes life much easier if you start a new memory file on the camera each day.
Extra bonus is looking at images using phone screen.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BobHartung wrote:

Then he can ignore my post.

pmorin Loc: Huntington Beach, Palm Springs

planepics wrote:

I'm going to Europe for 3 wks in June and just had an idea to get a deck-of-card-size storage device instead of bringing my laptop. Any thoughts on convenience or headaches (need to buy a card reader or can I download from my camera, etc.) or is it better (safer) to just pack extra SD cards?

I have a 3 week trip to the Galápagos Islands coming up so I bought this WD SSD to back up all my raw files to while I’m there. It only needs a card reader to plug into the device for my CF cards and it has an integrated slot for SD cards. With just a push of the button it will transfer the files automatically.
P

Edit: just saw your reaction to spending that much. Never mind.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

pmorin wrote:

I have a 3 week trip to the Galápagos Islands coming up so I bought this WD SSD to back up all my raw files to while I’m there. It only needs a card reader to plug into the device for my CF cards and it has an integrated slot for SD cards. With just a push of the button it will transfer the files automatically.
P

Edit: just saw your reaction to spending that much. Never mind.

I would SOOO LOOOVE to go to the Galopolos! I tentatively decided that if my France/Switzerland tour gets cancelled within the next 2 1/2 months that I would do either New Zealand or an African safari...but I'd really like to spend my birthday in Paris :)

Bill_de Loc: US

bsprague wrote:

This "Gnarbox" is the only self contained system I can find. WD (Western Digital) may have had one for awhile but I can't find it now.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1437308-REG/gnarbox_gnar512v2_2_0_ssd_512gb_external.html

There must be something around like this from early 2000. I got one for an Alaska trip in 2004. I just took it out after years sitting in a draw, installed the proprietary battery without charging it, stuck in a "CF" "MicroDrive" and the Alaska Brown Bears popped up on the 3" screen. It has internal storage so a card's images can be saved or shown from the card. It could also plays music. It was cutting edge 20 years ago, so there must be something simpler and better today!

I just remembered, it could also be connected to a monitor and came with a remote.

ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA

planepics wrote:

I'm going to Europe for 3 wks in June and just had an idea to get a deck-of-card-size storage device instead of bringing my laptop. Any thoughts on convenience or headaches (need to buy a card reader or can I download from my camera, etc.) or is it better (safer) to just pack extra SD cards?

Try the RavPower site. They have a hub that allows transfer from your sd cards to a portable ssd. It is about the size of a deck of cards and self powered, only about $50 or so as I recall. I have one (actually two as I wanted one for backup in case the first ever failed). Great little device and really like RavPower products.