Photo backup in the field

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Abinoone

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Greetings,
How do you backup photos during long, multi-day field trips, when there's no access to electricity? Using a laptop on battery is an option but, if you're on an extended trip, eventually the battery will die. Are there other, reliable options for backing up files from a camera or card?

Thx,
Abinoone
 
I am sure someone has a better option for you, but I use a laptop and have one of the solar generators as they are called. It basically a lithium battery, an inverter, and charge controller built into a small box. Goal Zero is a common brand. Now I have an M1 MacBook Air and the battery last an incredibly long time and it uses so little power it can more easily be charged by using the 12V in a car or smaller portable batteries used by most to charge their phones.
 
Greetings,
How do you backup photos during long, multi-day field trips, when there's no access to electricity? Using a laptop on battery is an option but, if you're on an extended trip, eventually the battery will die. Are there other, reliable options for backing up files from a camera or card?

Thx,
Abinoone
Ironically, just added a reply about this on your other post.
 
Ironically, just added a reply about this on your other post.
Directly quoted from that post:

"The challenge with the laptop is it's more gear, the weight (if that's an issue for you) and definitely powering it. If you're a Lightroom user @Steve has a brilliant segment in his "Lightroom Library" tutorial (unit 19 in Module 3) about backing up and using catalogs on the road. As previously mentioned, I now have two portable SSD hard drives and I can quickly make twin backup copies of files in the field and then confidently reformat those memory cards so they can be re-used for the next session. I did this for the first time on a camping trip last summer when I was shooting Grizzly Bears here in British Columbia. The protocol had me beaming, was straightforward and a massive bonus when I got home and reintegrated those pics (and catalog) into my home setup. Absent this, you arguably need many more memory cards which, if you're otherwise shooting in an environment where you have access to power, seems a waste of money. Add to that, using XQD or CF Express cards of higher capacity (they're also much faster than SD in your D850) can quickly eclipse the cost of those external SSD drives. Plus, once you have those SSDs, it gives you dramatically more flexibility, comfort and reassurance in the field when backing up. Unless and until there's a better solution, this is now my mode when I'm travelling. Also, you don't have to have the laptop on for long to do this...you would however need to resist the urge to start viewing and editing in the field. Ha."
 
Greetings,
How do you backup photos during long, multi-day field trips, when there's no access to electricity? Using a laptop on battery is an option but, if you're on an extended trip, eventually the battery will die. Are there other, reliable options for backing up files from a camera or card?

Thx,
Abinoone
All kidding aside, I use my iPad. Fully charged it will last a very , very long time if all your doing is backing up your SD cards. But honestly, SD cards are very cheap and I would just switch cards if you don’t own an iPad. But if you are considering it, get one with 256gig of storage. Also, if your main card is an XQD card than you might have an issue. Most XQD cards readers require more power than an iPad can supply.
 
All kidding aside, I use my iPad. Fully charged it will last a very , very long time if all your doing is backing up your SD cards. But honestly, SD cards are very cheap and I would just switch cards if you don’t own an iPad. But if you are considering it, get one with 256gig of storage. Also, if your main card is an XQD card than you might have an issue. Most XQD cards readers require more power than an iPad can supply.
Thanks, Ralph. I do have an iPad but it's the smaller one (Air, I think), plus I'm trying to be as light as possible because I'm traveling by float plane. I've looked at a Gnarbox device, but they are pretty expensive and get mixed reviews. Wouldn't you think that Nikon would provide a simple means of plugging a flash drive directly into the camera for backups? Seems pretty basic to me. Anyway, thanks for the advice!

P.S. my main card is XQD with an SD in the secondary slot.
 
When I have some type of base camp like a hotel room, cabin, chalet, or friendly restaurant, I'll offload to my iPad or my laptop depending on how much gear I want to carry with me. On our trip to Alaska, I took a bunch of extra SD cards and each day I would start with a fresh card. That way, if the card was corrupted or I did something really stupid like accidentally format the card, I would only lose one day's worth.

Jeff
 
When I have some type of base camp like a hotel room, cabin, chalet, or friendly restaurant, I'll offload to my iPad or my laptop depending on how much gear I want to carry with me. On our trip to Alaska, I took a bunch of extra SD cards and each day I would start with a fresh card. That way, if the card was corrupted or I did something really stupid like accidentally format the card, I would only lose one day's worth.

Jeff
I may end up having to take extra XQD cards (I only have 2 now) but they are a little pricey, so don't want to go crazy. I'll be way out in the field, without any power at all, except what I bring.
 
I may end up having to take extra XQD cards (I only have 2 now) but they are a little pricey, so don't want to go crazy. I'll be way out in the field, without any power at all, except what I bring.
during our Alaska trip I set the camera to record to card slot 1 and 2 the same images. At that time my camera (D7200) only used SD. Card slot 1 I only replaced when it got full and I replaced card slot 2 daily. If I were going on the same trip today with my D500, I'd probably do the same thing leaving the XQD in there until it got full and swap out the SD cards daily.

Normally, I shoot Raw+JPG with RAW and video going to the XQD and JPG going to the SD card slot. On trips, I usually set it up so the same images are written to both card slots. Not as deep of a buffer that way but honestly, I don't recall ever having the buffer stand in the way of getting a shot. It's rare for me to just hold the shutter down until the buffer fills.

Sounds like it's going to be a great trip for you. Don't forget a lot of extra batteries! :)
 
Thanks, Ralph. I do have an iPad but it's the smaller one (Air, I think), plus I'm trying to be as light as possible because I'm traveling by float plane. I've looked at a Gnarbox device, but they are pretty expensive and get mixed reviews. Wouldn't you think that Nikon would provide a simple means of plugging a flash drive directly into the camera for backups? Seems pretty basic to me. Anyway, thanks for the advice!

P.S. my main card is XQD with an SD in the secondary slot.
I use an iPad Air with 250 gig of memory. If you use the SD card as a backup, you can load the images from that card into the iPad. Most photography backpacks have a sleeve where you can store the iPad very easily.
 
Take extra memory cards and use the second slot for backup instead of overflow.
Yep, use the second card as backup and carry enough cards. It’s been suggested that extra cards are expensive but so are most of the other options. There seems to be a bit of paranoia around card failures. Cards are inherently quite reliable and failures in quality cards are rare.
 
Since 2018 I'm still using a DJI Pilot. This has a SD port and reads XQD cards via a USB card reader - working with its phone app. Although mine is slow to charge off the mains IME, it works fine. Handicap is it's cumbersome to manage files

see these older links https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63062509
the newer options by Dazuinfo options look to be a better option, and they use SSD drives . I plan to check out this, which looks optimal
 
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