In field backup without a computer (Page 2): I have used the Western Digital Wireless My Passport drive in the past; they did make an SSD version before discontinuing them. But you can...

jcboy3

61jhawk wrote:

I’m looking for a way to back up my photos when on a long, extended trip that doesn’t require a computer. I’m old and trying to lighten the load. Does anyone know of a portable SSD device that has a slot for an SD card and internal power? I searched B&H and couldn’t find anything. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.

I have used the Western Digital Wireless My Passport drive in the past; they did make an SSD version before discontinuing them. But you can still find them, especially if you look on eBay. The backup can be automatic, or can be managed with a smartphone. Mine is not SSD, and uses USB 2.0 to transfer, so it is slow, but works as an overnight backup solution.

I have used the RavPower Filehub, and still have one of those (the older version). Mine was also USB 2.0, so transfer was slow.

Finally, I can use the internal file copy in my camera. I can copy all of the files from one card to a second card. So, after a days shooting, I copy all files to each of two large SD cards, and reformat the shooting card. Dual backup, and ready to go again.

If you have a camera with two card slots, check to see if you can copy or backup your cards in camera. It's fast, reliable, and less hassle. This has been an option for some brands for a long time.

61jhawk Loc: Tarrant County, Texas

Thanks for all the suggestions. The locations where I want use something are without power sources, no wifi and I may take several hundred shots of wildlife and landscapes per day for 3 or 4 days.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

I use a sandisk 1TB external ssd driving it with android smart phone. Treat phone like a tiny computer using a file manager utility. Copy files to phone internal memory then to ssd. Everything powered by phone and use phone to view images. Requires phone, ssd, card reader and appropriate cables. Easiest incremental backup if you start a new file directory in camera each day of trip.

Red6

61jhawk wrote:

I’m looking for a way to back up my photos when on a long, extended trip that doesn’t require a computer. I’m old and trying to lighten the load. Does anyone know of a portable SSD device that has a slot for an SD card and internal power? I searched B&H and couldn’t find anything. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.

With the cost of SD cards so reasonable, I cannot imagine any method any cheaper, easier or simpler than just carrying extra SD cards. Number each one and log what it contains. Swap one out each day or even twice a day if you are really worried about losing anything. This is not only the cheapest method but it will also be the lightest and easiest ti implement.

I have done this on numerous trips including cruises of several weeks or more. Carrying a dozen or more SD cards is way easier than lugging some hard drive or computer around all the time. If you did carry a small tablet or computer and transfer all your photos to it, that is a single point of failure. If the tablet or computer gets lost, stolen or has some type of catastrophic failure you could lose everything. With multiple SD cards, you may lose only a day or so, depending on how you organize them.

jcboy3

61jhawk wrote:

Thanks for all the suggestions. The locations where I want use something are without power sources, no wifi and I may take several hundred shots of wildlife and landscapes per day for 3 or 4 days.

The wifi on the WD disks is used to allow control by a smartphone. You don't need internet access to use them.

What camera are you using? Copying to a second card slot works very well on my cameras, but if you can do the copy you should test to see that you can copy all images from one card to another without affecting the images already on the second card.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bsprague wrote:

As much as it seems like there should be a lot of choices for this type of device, there is not.

That's exactly what I was thinking. How about that RavPower device? That's been mentioned here a few times. It looks like it's no longer being made.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ravpower+rp-wd01&oq=ravpower+rp-wd01&aqs=edge..69i57j0i512l3j0i22i30l4j69i65.18215j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

61jhawk Loc: Tarrant County, Texas

Yes, this is what I am doing. Just checking to see if there is any way to easily add one more backup layer. Thanks for the comeback.

61jhawk Loc: Tarrant County, Texas

Yes, on my D500 I do this. On my Sony RX10m4 I use a different card each day. There are places in Texas that I shoot that have no wifi and nor cell phone service so just exploring to see if there is an easy way to add another layer of backup.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

Keep it simple. If your camera has two card slots you can use it to copy from one card to another. Pick up a couple of giant SD cards as your back ups and copy your working cards to them each day right in the camera. Did this with my 7200 on a few pre-Covid trips. New camera only has one card slot but I don’t worry about mid vacation back ups anymore. I just fill a card and swap it out. Maybe not the safest thing but I’ve moved beyond worrying about everything.
…Cam

wcmoorejr Loc: Birmingham Alabama

61jhawk wrote:

I’m looking for a way to back up my photos when on a long, extended trip that doesn’t require a computer. I’m old and trying to lighten the load. Does anyone know of a portable SSD device that has a slot for an SD card and internal power? I searched B&H and couldn’t find anything. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.

I use a SSK backup device. it is a 1TB SSD with a built in AP. It has a usb port to plug in a card reader. You connect to it from your cellphone and can instruct it to backup the files on the attached card reader. I used it while I was in Alaska to back up my files as I didnt want to bring a laptop with me. It worked well for me.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

61jhawk wrote:

I’m looking for a way to back up my photos when on a long, extended trip that doesn’t require a computer. I’m old and trying to lighten the load. Does anyone know of a portable SSD device that has a slot for an SD card and internal power? I searched B&H and couldn’t find anything. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.

It's more difficult that should be. Electronic devices require power. Maybe a solar panel and charger and extra batteries could provide some of that power? Q: How do you plan to power the camera?

Probably multiple SD cards is your best bet. If your camera has two slots then you and set it to make duplicate pics on the 2nd SD card. If not just use multiple cards, switch them out every day and store them.

bruce1

I just went on a 2 week trip to Greece and used the RavPower Filehub Travel Router and backed up sd card every day to a usb drive - then nothing else needed - but the RAVPOWER is also great as secure router for internet and/or viewing pictures when synced to a device as Ipad/cell phone/computer

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

My suggestion would be to purchase more memory cards for your camera. They are far less weight than any storage device you could carry.
--Bob

61jhawk wrote:

I’m looking for a way to back up my photos when on a long, extended trip that doesn’t require a computer. I’m old and trying to lighten the load. Does anyone know of a portable SSD device that has a slot for an SD card and internal power? I searched B&H and couldn’t find anything. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bruce1 wrote:

I just went on a 2 week trip to Greece and used the RavPower Filehub Travel Router and backed up sd card every day to a usb drive - then nothing else needed - but the RAVPOWER is also great as secure router for internet and/or viewing pictures when synced to a device as Ipad/cell phone/computer

It's also good as a backup battery. I wonder why no one makes anything like that anymore.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

Tote1940 wrote:

I use ipad plus sd card reader. Photos go on cloud if you have wi fi

I see that they have a USB-C version as well. If I have wi-fi, but do not wish photos to go to iCloud… is that a choice? Also, do you know if the reader works, as a non-Apple reader, if used on a Windows PC?