I was just talking to a friend of my daughter's who just returned from her honeymoon to find she'd lost all of her honeymoon pictures. This got me thinking: I am planning to take my netbook and a flash drive to have two copies of my photos in case something happens to one, but I'm contemplating whether I should have some type of off-site storage like Carbonite, etc. Any advice?
Posted by
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
48 posts
I uses MobileMe. It is available for Mac or PC users.
MobileMe is a service that pushes email, contacts, and calendar events over the air to all your devices. So your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC stay in perfect sync. No docking required. There is a yearly cost involved which some folks may think is too expensive. However, I like it very much. You can access your personal site from any computer. So, for example, if you are at an internet cafe...no problem.
As I said, this site is not for everyone. However, since I also have an iTouch, it allows me to sync my iTouch with my Macbook Pro.
Here is a link to the site for more information...
Posted by
CA, USA
333 posts
It depends on how big the files are. You can always upload to Flickr or Picasa every night assuming you have internet access but large files from DSLRs would take a long time.
I have a netbook and bought a portable 350 GB hard drive. I back up all images to both when I d/l them from the cameras. It would be smart to carry them in separate places while traveling as well just in case one gets lost/stolen but it is a PITA at times
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23624 posts
I think you need to be careful with the up load sites and read the "Terms of Service" carefully. Some sites will own your photos. Which means -- you can look at them, share them with other people but cannot download them without purchasing.
Posted by
Macungie, PA, USA
463 posts
NOT the op here, just someone reading--steven--i didn't even THINK of using mobile me, though i do already have a subscription. thanks for the tip!
Posted by
Alameda, CA, USA
80 posts
I second Picasa. I love the quality of the photos. Their online download system (synch-ing) is super efficient too!
Posted by
Honolulu, HI, USA
408 posts
For a variation on this question ... how about backups when not carrying a computer? I've asked some 'camera folks' and one suggestion was a backup storage device (but those I checked are pretty expensive, and yet-another device to carry and fret over). Are there places in Europe where I could periodically burn a DVD/CD to mail home? (something like Costco in the US offers)
Mostly I've been told to just get bunches of SD cards and don't worry. (ha!)
If I can't find a way to get things onto a DVD/CD to mail home then, yes, a nightly send to mobileMe sounds like my next best bet, but the time to upload (over WiFi) seems to be a bit of a question-mark.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Keri..."I've been told to just get bunches of SD cards and don't worry."
That's exactly what I do....go thru the photos quickly each evening, copy the ones I want to save onto my computer, then keep the originals on the SD cards until I get home. With the storage space available, the small size of the cards, and their cheap prices, it's the easiest way to go, I find. Just purchase a little 'wallet' where you can store the SD cards, and write a number or letter on each one to keep track.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5842 posts
Keri, if you do decide you want to burn a CD, lots of camera shops will do this for you.
However, I agree. Cards have gotten cheap. Just buy some extra.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
Cindy,
Using one of the photo storage websites is certainly one option. However if you take a lot of photos, it could be very time consuming to upload them to the photo site (and probably not the most desirable thing to do while on holidays). I use Smugmug and find that transferring photos to the site can take a while as my photos are "large" and there's usually lots to upload. That's probably something to do when you get home.
As you're taking a Netbook, that provides a convenient method of storing files. Most Netbooks have a built-in Card Reader, so transferring photos is very quick. A Flash Drive is not an option for me, as the file sizes of my photos would quickly fill up a Flash Drive.
I always travel with multiple Memory Cards, so I don't have to erase them right away. When a card is full, I back it up and then store it, and then use a new Card.
Portable Hard Drives (such as those from Epson used to be a popular way for travellers to store photos, however these are not as attractive at the moment as Netbooks are cheaper and more versatile. I was looking at a PHD in the Camera store this afternoon and it was about double the cost of a Netbook and had less storage capacity.
Cheers!