Digital Camera - volume image temporary storage

[DannyRaphael]

Today I retrieved several 36-exposure rolls of processed film taken during a recent vacation from the local Safeway.

The question occurred to Mr. Still Uses 35mm Technology, "Since digital cameras have a limited amount of onboard memory, how do folks temporarily store / offload a large number of images when unable to do so to their computer?"

Assumptions: Let's say we're talking 10x36 = 360 images, they're all "keepers" and mommy wants the option of enlarging several to 8x10.

I'd appreciate any thoughts / opinions on what technology options would you consider to meet this requirement and why technology A over B, C or D.

TIA...

~DannyR~

[chris h]

Danny,

I use smartmedia in an Olympus 3030z, for general work i can fit 60 hi res jpegs on a 64meg card or 27 tiffs. A 64 meg card is approx $25 dollars here so I find 3 of the cards will keep me going for a week. Thats my personal usage I think for the profligate snapper you can get a type of portable hard drive can't remember the name of it though. Of course if you use a compact flash format camera you can get a gigs worth of storage on an IBM Microdrive.

[thomasgeorge]

I carry a laptop along in a padded case Holster style to download to...thus far that system has worked very well, even when stomping about dodging Rattlers and Prairie dog burrows.... Providing you dont get rattled, forget which holster the revolver is in and try to shoot a Rattlesnake with the computer.....Good way to discover the joys of gettin' snake bit....Tom

[jerry]

Hi Danny

I just got back from vacation in Newport R.I. The question you just raised crossed my mind on this vacation. I have a canon G2 with a 192 meg card. I can fit 88 of the highest resolution jpegs on this card. I thought I would never need more than this. But by the end of the week of touring spectacular mansions and beautiful sea scapes I sure enough had filled up the card. I did the view, sort and discard routine. Later, I read an article in a digital magizine and the person addressed this issue. They said to simply go to the local photomat,walmart etc. and have them transfer your files onto a cd.... WELL DUH!!! Read that article just a little too late to help on this trip..Next time...

Jerry

[chris h]

Is that the same laptop Gary Cooper used in 'High Noon' ?

[Jakaleena]

I'd agree with Jerry on this one. Run to the local 1-hour photo place and get a CD made. These days many of them can do it while you wait.

[thomasgeorge]

Nope...a John Wayne model..you know...30 gigs on a 5 gig drive...just like 12 shots from a six shooter without the hassle of reloading. Tom

[DannyRaphael]

Thanks to all... Some good ideas here.

Much appreciated.
~Danny~

[cendres]

Hey Danny,

I bought a what is called a digital wallet. Mine is 3 gb but they now go up to 20 gb.

It is extremely portable, and small (not like a laptop) and allows you to download your pictures off your media card and then you clear the card, and go shoot more pictures.

You can't do any photo editing with it, but it will do exactly what your looking for.

The company is called Minds at work and here is their address

http://www.mindsatwork.net/

I don't think they make the 3 gb model that I got anymore, but they can be found on EBAY. I paid about $200.00

[BigAl]

Pretty neat looking device, Carl. Thanks for the link.

[DannyRaphael]

Wow. This is really slick... Talk about flexibility.

Thanks (from me, too) for the link. Really appreciate it.

~Danny~

[winwintoo]

Danny, I don't know if you're still interested in a storage device for your digital camera images, but I came across this in a magazine today. It looks like it might be the answer for someone on an extended trip.

http://www.nixvue.com/

Take care, Margaret

[clare]

I have a 1GB microdrive for my digital camera, which served as just enough for a 2 week holiday in Malta. You can fit 720 images on it at high res. The only thing I will point out is if you are any way as scatty as me do a small check before you go ... here is a small tale of my recent woes:

I first discovered that my holiday was a day earlier than expected (don't ask!) so everything was a little rushed to say the least. I rushed to my computer to make a back up of what was currently on my drive and to empty it ready for my holiday. Put it back in the camera and thought nothing more about it.
When I arrived in Malta the first thing I did was to remove my camera and turn it on- only then did I realise that not only had the computer deleted the images it had also reformated the drive - AHH! It had reformated it as a fat 32 not a fat 16 which ment that the camera could not see the drive. The camera also could not format the drive back to a fat 16!
Luckly after several days of searching I found a very kind photographer that agreed to let me reformat the drive in his computer... a life saver.

Never believe anything a computer tells you until you have the evidence in your sweaty mits!

Apart from this I have had no problems with the drive and have found it to be a good buy. Although I do like the idea of cendres digital wallet.
The idea of having a lab put the image onto a disk for you cannot always be done with a microdrive as it is compact flash 2 there fore thicker than your normal compact flash and sometimes in compatible with the labs readers. (I only found this out when trying to fix the mess that I explained above.)