Laptop has died; How to store photo's?

[snowie]

Hi;

My MacBook has died just before trip to Spain! Could be £50-200 repair. May be better to upgrade.

 

Usually take it away to backup photo's.

 

Camera has a 4GB Compact Flash card, So I'll need bigger card to last 6 weeks without backup.

 

Anyone know is it possible to backup/copy photo's to any other device, not attached to computer?

 

Don't want to buy new MacBook Pro until I get back and have a good think about options,

 

Must be some keen snappers out there?

 

regards

alan b

[Retread24800]

I use an 8Gb SDHC card in my Nikon, a 16Gb would fit if I needed it but I have a spare 4Gb card to use as 'overflow' could you not either fit a bigger card or buy another card as  a standby?

[snowie]

Hi Roger;

I think that will be part of solution. I was wondering if I could save pic's to a backup device whilst on holiday, and then just use my iMac for editing and achiving when we get back. Don't need laptop whilst we are away; wife has iPad,

thanks

alan b

[Brian Kirby]

It may depend a bit on what your camera is, Alan, and how big the picture files are. Ours seem to be between 5 and 14Mb. We seem to run at around 500 - 1500 pictures on a trip, requiring 3 - 5 Gb storage of files that usually run around 6/7 Mb each. If your camera will take a 16Gb card you should have adequate storage unless your file sizes are huge, or you take very large numbers of pics. However, that won't solve the backup problem. As an alternative to having no backup, how about a second camera so that you are using two between you? Then, at least you wouldn't lose the lot of the worst happens, and quite reasonable digital cameras and now fairly cheap and readily available.

[Derek Uzzell]

The requirement is discussed here

 

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7593_102-350394/i-need-a-backup-solution-for-digital-photos-while-traveling-overseas/

 

The Belkin USB Anywhere copier is cheap enough, but the reviews are mixed.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-USB-Anywhere-data-copier/dp/B000CRPTCA

 

[lennyhb]

You could just go into a camera shop and get the card backed up to a DVD or buy a cheap tablet with an SD card slot then you could back them up to either the tablet, another SD card or online storage.

Tablets usually have a micro SD card I always buy micro SD cards they normally come with adaptors for using in devices with a standard SD slot I find this means I can use & read them on all my devices .

Also if you have a smart phone with SD slot you could use that as mentioned above.

We always have with us 2 cameras, a Netbook, an ipad & a Android tablet & smart phones.

[Robinhood]

There are options out there.

 

For instance, with one of these:

 

http://www.verbatim-europe.co.uk/en_1/product_verbatim-mediashare-wireless_14183_0_47914.html

 

....and a USB pen drive or a USB hard drive it should be possible to do most of what you want (as long as you can borrow the iPad to drive the backup via a wireless connection ;-) )

 

It is available somewhat cheaper than the page referenced above, and I am working from the spec, not actual experience.

 

(It's not exactly cheap, but provides quite a lot of flexibility in other use - like expanding storage for a tablet, etc, or providing extra backup on the road for a replacement laptop).

 

I also suspect something like this rather cheaper solution

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iPad-camera-connection-USB-Adapter-reader/dp/B004R4NLJC

 

would allow you to import the pictures into the iPad, change the SD card for another (empty), and then write them out again.

 

It may also support a USB hard drive, but it isn't clear.

 

(Note, there are various similar units around at low price, and official Apple ones at considerably more).

 

 

[AlanS]

I have never relied on just one card - I usually take at least 3 to 4 cards with me and I swap them often as I have known cards to fail, both SD and Compact Flash ( which is still my favourite type for my Nikon SLR). I used to also back up regularly to my laptop but now usually take a small tablet PC with us instead to back up on but you do have to download a few Apps to download the images and to create folders (ES File Explorer excellent for this).

Alan

[lennyhb]

Agree never rely on one card had one go up a puff of smoke a couple of years ago it was plugged into the netbook at the time, lost count of the number of USB flash drives I've seen fail.

[snowie]

Thanks guys; lots to research there!

 

I'll check suggestions out over the weekend

regards

alan b

[Retread24800]

snowie - 2014-02-07 1:24 PMHi Roger;I think that will be part of solution. I was wondering if I could save pic's to a backup device whilst on holiday, and then just use my iMac for editing and achieving when we get back. Don't need laptop whilst we are away; wife has iPad,thanksalan b

 

How about an I-pad camera adaptor? like this:-  http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit   (would make a fine birthday present for TOH :-) )you would be able to do a further back up to Cloud or any other on line data storage system.

 

[lennyhb]

That ipad adaptor is a bit expense I got one on ebay For £3.50 works a treat.

 

[snowie]

Retread24800 - 2014-02-08 1:19 AMHow about an I-pad camera adaptor? like this:-  http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit   (would make a fine birthday present for TOH :-) )you would be able to do a further back up to Cloud or any other on line data storage system.

I think that may be the way to go Roger! any I could buy myself an iPad !regardsalan b

[Russellnpod]

you could try a Internet cafe. pop in for a few minutes and upload your pictures to your Facebook account or something similar. that way you can go without any additional devices. just means that you have to find a cafe with a card slot

[lennyhb]

Russellnpod - 2014-02-10 5:24 PM

 

you could try a Internet cafe. pop in for a few minutes and upload your pictures to your Facebook account or something similar. that way you can go without any additional devices. just means that you have to find a cafe with a card slot

 

But they reduce the size and when you download you will have a big quality loss better to upload to Google drive or Cloud etc.

[mikejkay]

Bigger CF card(s) is the immediate and obvious answer. There are a lot of photo storage devices about but the more modern ones tend not to have CF card slots. I have an Epson P2000 which has a built in CF card slot and a nice colur display but it's only got 20GB storage (hard drive), I think that the newer ones are up to 80GB. You might be able to pick one up on eBay. Cheaper storage units simply have a monochrome text display which provides messages and file names.

 

Just checked - 40GB on eBay currently at £5!

[Wallynnette]

You could try a Photobank, I bought one a few years ago when we took grandson to Disneyland. Brilliant bit of kit, you just empty your full cards onto it and when you get back just plug into pc or whatever, not much bigger than a packet of 20 fags. mine also has a display screen so you can still view but some don't have that facility

[snowie]

Thanks to all who responded.

 

I'm in withdrawal; I miss my MacBook! so the long term solution will; I think; involve a laptop. Not sure at the moment about repair or buy a new one.

 

Some of the other solutions look interesting, but maybe not such good value? Put money in laptop fund.

 

Going away next week, so will buy another card, and sort when we get back,

regards

alan b

[lennyhb]

As mentioned in earlier posts get yourself a card reader before you go then you can download to the ipad.

Search ebay "iPod card reader" plenty from a couple of quid make sure you get the right connector ipad 1,2 & 3 use the 30 pin, ipad 4 uses the lightning connector.

 

Cards are so cheap now take a few we always carry at least half a dozen , also as said before buy micro SD cards with an adaptor that way they are future proof and can use them across a range of devices.