sd/CF Express card back-up: Easiest/Best way to back up my cards on a trip. I'm expecting to shoot a lot of photos and need a way to backup my cards without a computer. WD used to make...

steinr98

Easiest/Best way to back up my cards on a trip. I'm expecting to shoot a lot of photos and need a way to backup my cards without a computer. WD used to make a sd backup hard drive but quit making it, however they do have a $900 dollar unit- yep-$900 BUCKS!! I have the Canon R5 which is WiFi capable and can use a hub that makes a connection using an app on my iPhone ... bunch of $%#*^% work arounds- any suggestions that make an easy way to download the card? I can take my CF reader crd reader along, but almost need computer for this.I could shoot all SD card and leave the CF Express as a card backup- The problem with this is I cannot shoot super fast high speed photos if needed. Video would have to be 1080 instead 4K. There is a new SD card out that will shoot 4K video and it is not real expensive and I could go that route- Ideas ??
Thanks!

ricardo00

steinr98 wrote:

Easiest/Best way to back up my cards on a trip. I... (show quote)

Maybe someone more sophisticated than me will have other ideas, but as someone who once tried a Wolverine hard drive to back up stuff, the simplest in my opinion is to get a very small and lightweight computer (mine is a about as light as an iPad) and an external hard drive (I use the Rugged LaCie Mini) and just drag my disk contents to that external hard drive directly. The computer allows me to polish up a few of my top pictures and, if there is internet service available, will upload these pictures to my Smugmug account. That way if all my gear is stolen (including the hard drive, etc), I still will have my "best" pics in the cloud.
The only other way I can think of is to have enough cards that you don't have to download at all, just store the cards in a safe place. But will look forward to hearing better alternatives.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Just purchase more cards. It would probably cost less than $900.
--Bob

steinr98 wrote:

Easiest/Best way to back up my cards on a trip. I... (show quote)

Quixdraw Loc: x

More cards, ship them home best way. The latest Kindles will also take a large micro card and let you upload photos. Even the best of those are inexpensive by comparison.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

rmalarz wrote:

Just purchase more cards. It would probably cost less than $900.
--Bob

I use a card a day. I've never backed up cards when traveling, even when I went to Iceland.
I haven't lost anything in over 20 years.
And yes, I DO realize that there could always be a first time,
and maybe a second...

I usually take my laptop if I'm driving to our destination, but never on day outings.

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

Yes, the Fire HD10 tablet with all the bells and whistles is around $250 US which comes with 64g storage, 4g RAM, and a mini-SD slot to add up to a terabyte of storage (basically unlimited by changing cards). MicroSD cards can be pretty cheap, but the faster they are, the more they cost. If you're happy with less onboard storage and startup ads, it's even cheaper.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

niteman3d wrote:

Yes, the Fire HD10 tablet with all the bells and whistles is around $250 US which comes with 64g storage, 4g RAM, and a mini-SD slot to add up to a terabyte of storage (basically unlimited by changing cards). MicroSD cards can be pretty cheap, but the faster they are, the more they cost. If you're happy with less onboard storage and startup ads, it's even cheaper.

Hmmm.. Does it accept CF cards?

Quixdraw Loc: x

AFAIK, no. Just micros.

steinr98

Thanks to all- I think more cards are the easiest way to go- I can get a 128 SD super fast cards for about 100 bucks or a couple of 64 Gg for like $69 each- These are a new card that is almost as fast as the CF express cards. I dislike the thought of taking along a computer to Europe-
Thanks again!!
Ron

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

Longshadow wrote:

Hmmm.. Does it accept CF cards?

I was kind of following another suggestion regarding the Fire idea. It may require a USB-C adapter and card reader if it will work at all with a CF card? The OP kind of indicated he would just use the CF card as backup and stick with SDs for slot one cards? The OP further stated in a later post that a computer was not a great option, but were I doing it, it would be with a WinTel laptop with several USB ports for loading (up or down) to put pics into online storage (like Flickr or Prime Photos) and transfer to external drives of all kinds... or even do some minor post-processing? But hey, a deck of cards will work just fine, and take a card wallet so you don't lose the little buggers. A magic marker for ID will help too. Enjoy the trip!

tcthome Loc: NJ

steinr98 wrote:

Thanks to all- I think more cards are the easiest way to go- I can get a 128 SD super fast cards for about 100 bucks or a couple of 64 Gg for like $69 each- These are a new card that is almost as fast as the CF express cards. I dislike the thought of taking along a computer to Europe-
Thanks again!!
Ron

True. Or a cheap labtop. Doesn't have to be powerful enough to edit photos, just temporarily store them. If the C: drive is to small, just add an external hd.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

rmalarz wrote:

Just purchase more cards. It would probably cost less than $900.
--Bob

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

niteman3d wrote:

I was kind of following another suggestion regardi... (show quote)

Yup, I have a hard case (wallet) that holds 8 full size SD cards/adapters, and one in the chamber.
On each card is a PDF file in the root directory with my name and cell phone number, which is readable by any computer. Cards are numbered with my initials and sequence number, ie. III#.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

tcthome wrote:

True. Or a cheap labtop. Doesn't have to be powerful enough to edit photos, just temporarily store them. If the C: drive is to small, just add an external hd.

I won't take a laptop on plane travel. I can live without it for a week or two.
Just extra baggage.

uhaas2009

The SD card reader from Apple with the lightning connection are nice to use. But I would buy just more memory cards. Enjoy your trip