Author Topic: Flash card storage? (Read 7310 times)

PenelopeB · « **on:** December 09, 2007, 08:47 »

Hi everyone:

Going on 10 day sail out of Florida in Feb. on a 38 foot boat and need as much storage as I can get utilizing as little space (no laptop). I found this on eBay for under $50 cdn.

It comes with the second item listed below, but I don't understand how a stick can be a card reader/writer?

BRAND NEW Topram 8GB Compact Flash Memory

BRAND NEW CF Type I and Type II (Compact Flash) Card reader/writer.

Does anyone know of any other solutions as I want to continue to shoot raw. My camera is a Nikon D200.

Thanks & regards
Penny

le_cyclope · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:11 »

The card is a generic CF card which is up to you to trust or not... Personally, on a boat far away from any Compusmart I would not!

The card reader is a device that can transfer your photos from a CF card to your computer; no use on your trip since you don't bring a computer.

I had the same dilemma last summer, it ended up with buying 1 or 2 GB cards everytime one was full!

There are on the market devices that act like a hard drive without a computer but their price ranges from 250 to 600$ (at least last summer); for that price you better buy a small notebook.

As you can see, I have no answer for what I think is an easy problem!

Maybe our friends can tell us what they use (and how much they paid for!) ?

Claude

stokfoto · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:13 »

never used this but it sound good if it works ok
http://cgi.ebay.com/SMARTDISK-80GB-PHOTO-BANK-DIGiTaL-IMAGE-STORAGE-Sealed_W0QQitemZ140186357381QQihZ004QQcategoryZ99247QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

le_cyclope · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:22 »

Wow, that's exactly what I was looking for last summer!

Kngkyle · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:26 »

I know PNY makes a 16gb compact flash memory thing. It's 175$ at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/PNY-Compact-wirte-20MB-Read-20MB-P-CF8GB-133W-DVDC/dp/B000X4R7O0/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1197210379&sr=8-11

PenelopeB · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:53 »

Wow Stokfoto - sounds great? So you use your usb cable for your camera and plug it into this thing and transfer?

I've put a watch on this item to see what it sells for. (they are selling by the vendor for $132. - not bad!)

Thanks very much everyone.

If anyone out there has had experience with this thing, let me know please?

Regards
Penny

Pixart · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2007, 10:42 »

Penny, I realize we have different long term needs, so for what it's worth I'll add my experience. I am not a full time photographer, but there are times (like right now leading up to Christmas) that I can barely manage time to go to bed. My cards are overflowing!!!

I had several big events back to back this summer and splurged for an Epson P-3000 storage viewer. Couldn't afford the 80gb but the 40 is serving me well. I searched around on a few forums and many think it is an overpriced gadget. Well - I don't have use for it on a daily basis, but it has been a great resource for me on those times when I did need it. I dumped several cards of wedding photos on it the day after my neice's wedding and they passed it around and picked out photos for their thank you cards before they left on honeymoon. I came home directly to a sports event where I filled up several cards, I'd fill a card, put it in to dump while I shot from a new one.

I noticed that the Epsons have come down slightly in price (in Canada) and this week have a rebate as well. Maybe about $299 now.

I just don't know about the storage devices with no viewing screen. They only serve one purpose then, storage. The great thing about the Epson is you can go through, delete photos that do not meet your standards, and you can rank them by importance and do a bulk of work while on the road.

Other than that, it seems that Sandisks are almost free now - I thought the 4gb's I bought at Costco for $69 were a bargain three months ago, but I saw them in a Dons flyer for $39 this week. If you are shooting RAW on that D200, it sure fills a card up quickly. I think 230 shots or so on a 4gb?

Another thing about the Epson, sometimes I'll work from it hooked up to my pc. I have a horrible time with Nikon Capture crashing, and it seems more stable when I read from the Epson than my card reader.

You can also view video and listen to music.

So... my advice - if you have use for a portable viewer in the future, it could be a valuable tool for you on a trip. I can't remember why I wanted a Jobo viewer, I did quite a bit of reading on both - Dons was out of stock at the time and I had to go with the Epson.

stokfoto · « **Reply #7 on:** December 09, 2007, 13:04 »

Quote from: PenelopeB on December 09, 2007, 09:53

So you use your usb cable for your camera and plug it into this thing and transfer?

Sorry Penelope I haven't used so ı don't know it for sure but what understood from their picture you attach your CF card to the device to copy your file then use USB to transfer them to your PC,but I might be wrong though.

good luck with bidding

madelaide · « **Reply #8 on:** December 09, 2007, 15:08 »

Penelope,

This item you saw, as I understand it, a card reader only transfers from/to memory card to/from a computer, without the camera, so it seems it is not what you're looking for, as you won't have a computer with you.

You should look for "external storage" or something like that. I have a Jobo GigaOne with 40GB and it works well. During my trip to Europe in May (that's when I bought it), I backed up my two 4GB cards in it. Before that there was a thread here about this, that's when I learnt about the GigaOne. They even have some models, though very expensive, with a small screen so you can see the files.

Regards,
Adelaide

Freezingpictures · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2007, 15:17 »

I posted this in here a while ago, still use it, you stick the CF card in that device and transfer the images, works fine for me:

"1. Get a Digimate, thats what I have 40GB storage, very light and is working on a battery. Mine is called Smart portable storage Digimate 2, it is an me2 device. You also can get them with more storage. Mine was a 100 Euro half a year ago.
Here the technical data and a picture.. http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=AA35360"

PenelopeB · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2007, 17:27 »

Thanks for all the info everyone!

The one I am interested in is made by Verbatim who have been around for years. Sounds exactly like your Digimate Freezing. Runs on a battery also, along with a ac adapter.

It has 80gb of storage and from what I can see by the photo, you insert the card into it then it transfers everything from you card on to the mini 80gb hard drive. You can then format your card for a fresh go round. When I get back from holiday, I can then transfer everything from it to my computer via usb.

It fits in the palm of your hand, so I think that due to space issues, I will do that. Not sure yet. It runs "buy it now" around $130. - reasonable for 80gb?

Pixart... Your storage viewers sounds great too, may look further into this too!

God, I LOVE the internet! Who would have figured this all out in such a short period of time 20 years ago eh? "with a little help from my friends"

Pixart · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2007, 18:38 »

I remember too that Costco had something by Ipod, but it would only handle JPEG and no RAW, but the price seemed pretty good if you could live with the smallish viewing screen.

Boylet · « **Reply #12 on:** December 10, 2007, 04:04 »

Hi Penny,

You may also try looking at the brand Wolverine...

http://www.wolverinedata.com/index.php/site/quicklinks/C13/

I haven't personally tried it, but this would be more versatile since it can also play videos, music, and redirects them to your TV (just in case you want to show off the photos immediately to your friends and there's no immediate access to a computer).

However, there is a difference between this wolverine and epson. If the major reason for your portable storage is for photo (and review), you might be better off with epson since its LCD is way better than this. If not, then the size and other features of wolverine might make up for the LCD's short comings.

Regards.

annfoto · « **Reply #13 on:** December 10, 2007, 07:59 »

Quote from: PenelopeB on December 09, 2007, 17:27

Thanks for all the info everyone!

The one I am interested in is made by Verbatim who have been around for years. Sounds exactly like your Digimate Freezing. Runs on a battery also, along with a ac adapter.

It has 80gb of storage and from what I can see by the photo, you insert the card into it then it transfers everything from you card on to the mini 80gb hard drive. You can then format your card for a fresh go round. When I get back from holiday, I can then transfer everything from it to my computer via usb.

Be very carefull when you insert the CF card back into the camera.

I too have a D200 and had to change cards during a shoot. When I inserted the new card the camera coudn't recognise it.

The problem turned out that the card slot on the D200 is not a precise fit and if the many pins on the camera don't line up properly with the card then some will either get bent or as in my case 2 of them dissapeared into the body of the camera.

Nikon fixed it under warrenty but it took 4 weeks. I now have a 4Gb card which never comes out. If I think that I will run out of space I take my laptop with me and connect it with the cable.

Ann

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Author Topic: Flash card storage? (Read 7310 times)

PenelopeB

le_cyclope

stokfoto

le_cyclope

Kngkyle

PenelopeB

Pixart

stokfoto

madelaide

Freezingpictures

PenelopeB

Pixart

Boylet

annfoto

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