NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Other => Topic started by: Fons Baerken on March 29, 2018, 13:40:33

Title: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Fons Baerken on March 29, 2018, 13:40:33
Backup directly from dslr to external drive without the in-between of laptop or pc?

Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on March 29, 2018, 13:49:10
You will need an OTG hard disk, that is a hard disk that can act as a host (the PC is a host).
It may have to be battery operated as the camera may not be able to power the HD.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: tommiejeep on March 29, 2018, 14:12:39
I researched this a couple of years back for a 3 month trip which never happened.
The easiest option was a Hyper-Drive
https://www.amazon.co.uk/500-HyperDrive-COLORSPACE-UDMA3-built/dp/B079VSLT7D/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1522324706&sr=8-7&keywords=nexto+hard+drive
Several manufacturers , sizes and prices
I was not looking for one compatible with XQD cards

At then end of they day I decided a 13 inch laptop and small external drives was the way to go.
There are some ways to go directly camera to hard drive but they require something in between and cost goes up .
For short trips lots of SD cards (assuming camera has two slots and one is used for back up.
Wifi to a Cloud but , depending on location, can be slow  :(
I will watch your replies.
Cheers,
Tom
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on March 29, 2018, 15:13:47
That was the type of HD I was thinking of.
It should import from USB devices = camera if it has the USB correct profile. So it may be needed to check if the camera supports the right interface (mass storage), there is difference between fx. D800 and D500, not shure if it would work with a D500.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: tommiejeep on March 29, 2018, 15:30:15
Bent, I was just thinking about copying the cards but if it does take from camera that would be cool.  I wanted it as back-up storage in case of lost cards.  The ability to view and delete was a bonus.  Between Power Pack, External HDs, Mobile, Laptop, camera gear I'm starting to feel like an electronics shop when I travel.
Cheers,
Tom
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Fons Baerken on March 29, 2018, 15:40:52
Looking at some of the options they often seem complicated and costly, probably best to have a double card camera and or take a small laptop for backup, my intention was to take as little gear as possible using external harddrive as an extra backup leaving the files on the memorycards anyway.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: gryphon1911 on March 29, 2018, 16:24:32
Check out a device called gnarbox.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: tommiejeep on March 29, 2018, 17:18:00
Looking at some of the options they often seem complicated and costly, probably best to have a double card camera and or take a small laptop for backup, my intention was to take as little gear as possible using external harddrive as an extra backup leaving the files on the memorycards anyway.
Fons, my decision also and the Laptop offers more usefulness.  I just rec'd this:

"Cana qxd card be used in any way or is there a model that has qxd slot?"
 

Amazon Customer answered:
 

"Unfortunately not - this device does not support XQD memory cards. The integrated card readers support maximum SDXC cards. And USB-XQD card readers connected via USB-OTG are also not recognized by the UDMA3. There are currently no such kind of really working and recommendable mobile photo backup devices on the market available, that support XQD cards. However, we expect in the near future (hopefully until the end of April - but this is certainly not sure) two first devices with XQD support. One with internal XQD reader integrated directly in the backup device (and additionally with XQD support by connected USB-XQD reader on the integrated USB-OTG host). End the second device with support for XQD cards via the USB-XQD reader connected to the USB-OTG port. We are seeing a great demand for mobile XQD backup devices, and we are now maintaining a list of prospects that we will inform by email or via Amazon as soon as these devices become available. If you are also interested in this information, please let us know… Your Digitalix24-Support"
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on March 29, 2018, 19:56:57
I bet with a Raspberry Pi, an SSD (or an M.2) card, a card receptacle, some jumpers and a little screen, Oh, and some Python, a ten year old could do it.  But I ain't ten any more!   ;D

I looked into this many years ago, there was a small unit, I can't remember the name, back in 2005? Had a battery pack, a hard drive and Firewire interface, don't think there was a screen.

I got really excited when the iPad came along but the connectivity is so constrained to be practically useless, apart from selfies etc. the level of which holds no interest for me.

I used my Mac Book Pro for several years but the battery has now packed up and I don't see investing in another, (battery or MBP) because I so rarely used it.  My original idea was to be able to review my images while on location, giving me the option to re-shoot if any important images were substandard but by the end of the day I am usually so knackered I just drive home regardless, past caring!
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on March 29, 2018, 20:47:08
The iPad can used if you use SD cards. I managed to make a post today only using my iPad.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on March 29, 2018, 21:25:43
So I can offload 2,000 NEF's from my D3, in a timely manner, after a day's shooting, into my iPad and review them before dark?

Somehow doubt it.

That's what I would like to be able to do but without spending a bunch of cash I can't see it happening.  Given it's just for fun that isn't likely.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: ColinM on March 29, 2018, 22:21:25
I remember being able to do this over 10 years ago
My son bought an iRiver MP3 player that turned out to have enough o/s to connect directly to other devices & transfer files through an MP3 cable.

With a bit of experimenting, it proved possible to transfer images from my Minolta A2 to the iRiver which bought me some extra storage space on a holiday to Toscana. My son was not amused at not being able to take his full music collection on holiday though :(
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on March 29, 2018, 22:44:26
My son was not amused at not being able to take his full music collection on holiday though :(

 ;D
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Ann on March 29, 2018, 22:55:37
I used to use my HyperDrive for backing-up whie travelling — a compact and very useful device.

Unfortunately, it does not support XQD cards (which are what I mostly use now) and the last time that I checked with the manufacturer, they informed me that they were not planning to do so.

Now I just take my small (13-inch) MBPro with me and use card-readers and external USB hard-drives for back-up.

I do own an iPad but have mostly abandoned it because I find it limiting and have no love for iOS Apps..
I am unlikely to buy another iPad as my MBP is not that much bigger and is much more capable.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Øivind Tøien on March 29, 2018, 23:15:04
I still have my Hyperdrive Colorspace that I bought for Afrika travel 10 years ago, backing up about 1000 image files per day, and used on a few field trips since then. However there are many years since I brought it on travel as I have been carrying a computer and backup disks. I just checked and it will copy files from a 16GB Sandisk Extreme Pro card, but the transfer speed is pretty abysmal. CF cards were considerably faster with this device.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p2802540599.jpg)
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on March 29, 2018, 23:25:10
So I can offload 2,000 NEF's from my D3, in a timely manner, after a day's shooting, into my iPad and review them before dark?

Somehow doubt it.

That's what I would like to be able to do but without spending a bunch of cash I can't see it happening.  Given it's just for fun that isn't likely.
The 2000 NEF’s might not be feasible ;)
But you if you have one with 128GB, you could save them to the iPad.
I just tested with one file, but I have imported more pictures some months ago.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: chris dees on March 30, 2018, 08:49:05
I tried to unload images onto my iPad Pro, but it's way to slow for my liking.
I use a MBP (512Gb SSD) for initial culling and rating and an 256Gb USB stick as a backup.

For my XQD-cards a use a Sony USB 3.0 reader (came with the card) and that's pretty fast.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Fons Baerken on March 30, 2018, 09:04:36
On a dual memory slot camera one can duplicate within camera so taking extra memory cards for that is an option when one wants to leave out additional fragile equipment while travelling.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: David H. Hartman on March 30, 2018, 09:36:10
How about cull the best and send them to the cloud. Copy everything from the camera to a couple of 2TB or 4TB SSD(s). Now if your cruse ship goes down with all on board your posterity will have the cream of the crop. Salvage divers might even find the SSD(s) and all might be saved.

With a D800 I'd have to copy from my CF card to SD cards. I'd end up with many, many SD cards that I don't care for. I think I'd have an easier time with a couple of SSD(s) and a laptop. I don't like the ideal of a spinning platter for backup on a trip.

That's my 2 cents,

Dave Hartman
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: pluton on March 30, 2018, 16:27:37
So I can offload 2,000 NEF's from my D3, in a timely manner, after a day's shooting, into my iPad and review them before dark?

Somehow doubt it.

That's what I would like to be able to do but without spending a bunch of cash I can't see it happening.  Given it's just for fun that isn't likely.
Maybe just spend the approx $100 for a new battery for the Macbook Pro? 
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: CS on March 30, 2018, 16:41:49
Maybe just spend the approx $100 for a new battery for the Macbook Pro?

+1
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on March 30, 2018, 17:50:29
Maybe just spend the approx $100 for a new battery for the Macbook Pro?

Mmmm, low on the priority list at the moment...  Maybe in a couple of months?

It  has two SSD's and is reasonably quick for a 2013 MBP,  I just find myself using it less and less.  It also complicates the processing workflow, although I have Lightroom on the MBP, I can't just slide the images into my Mac Pro, and pick up where I left off.  I have to mess with the LRCat and export them, which I don't want to do.  As a simple receptical it's fine but the cameras now are so reliable that I don't feel the need to review the images like I did in the early days.

My first sortie to a London Botanic garden with the D1 in 2005 left me a bit disappointed, one particular little white flower which I specially wanted to capture was blown out when I first saw it at home.  I was not accustomed to bracketing and the histogram in those days.  It's a 600 mile round trip to re-shoot that image, I have been back twice trying to catch it in full bloom, first time it wasn't even in bud, second time it was well over the top, petals dropping.

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/888/40399520424_c9220e9a7d_q.jpg)

Out of interest I ran it through the latest Lr process today.

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/801/40215194895_2c7181639b_b.jpg)

The memory of that (and some other) failed images was why I got the MBP, but as I said above, when I have driven 300 miles, spent the day walking round a large garden carrying all the gear, then face 300 miles drive home, I really don't feel like reviewing several hundred images before I leave.

I now know to double, or triple check the exposure on bright or white flowers and if in doubt bracket like crazy.  The D3 seems so dependable now that my day is much more relaxed and I see very few exposure issues of that sort. I can just concentrate on finding the flowers and composition.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: chris dees on March 30, 2018, 22:42:20
...
It  has two SSD's and is reasonably quick for a 2013 MBP,  I just find myself using it less and less.  It also complicates the processing workflow, although I have Lightroom on the MBP, I can't just slide the images into my Mac Pro, and pick up where I left off.  I have to mess with the LRCat and export them, which I don't want to do.  As a simple receptical it's fine but the cameras now are so reliable that I don't feel the need to review the images like I did in the early days.

.........

Just export as a catalog on your MBP (with or without previews) and import that same catalog on your Mac Pro. I do it all the time and it works without any problems.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on March 30, 2018, 23:34:19
Just export as a catalog on your MBP (with or without previews) and import that same catalog on your Mac Pro. I do it all the time and it works without any problems.

Thanks Chris but that doesn't integrate it with my normal main image catalogue, (unless you know otherwise?) this is one of my quarrels with the Lr cataloguing system, not that I have a better answer!

I used to have numerous catalogues, botanic images, general, family, work, projects, and others relating to external projects.  I have reduced it to two, botanic and general.  This saves all sorts of confusion trying to remember where certain images were, so I have gradually amalgamated them all into one LRCat, apart from the botanic stuff which really is separate and is now cleansed of all incidental personal images, like the kids playing hide-and-seek around the rhododendrons!
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on March 31, 2018, 00:30:20
I also used this method, when you have your working library open then just import the the one you made on the MBP into this library. You will have to Copt the picture files as well into where you want, may have to relocate them in the LR catalog
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: chris dees on March 31, 2018, 11:43:56
Thanks Chris but that doesn't integrate it with my normal main image catalogue, (unless you know otherwise?) this is one of my quarrels with the Lr cataloguing system, not that I have a better answer!

I used to have numerous catalogues, botanic images, general, family, work, projects, and others relating to external projects.  I have reduced it to two, botanic and general.  This saves all sorts of confusion trying to remember where certain images were, so I have gradually amalgamated them all into one LRCat, apart from the botanic stuff which really is separate and is now cleansed of all incidental personal images, like the kids playing hide-and-seek around the rhododendrons!

I'm not sure what you mean, it integrates perfectly with my workflow. I can describe how it works for me.
I only have one catalog with a little under 150K images on my iMac (2012). I have a folder structure in my catalog (and disks) like
YYYY
   YYYY-MM-<Name>
      YYYY-MM-<Name>-RAW
         YYYY-MM-DD (only if a trip/event has more days)
            YYYY-MM-DD-Timestamp-<Name>.NEF
When I'm on the road I import (and rename) my images on my MBP (2016) and backup them on an USB-stick (256Gb).
If I have time I cull, rate and do some PP.
When at home I export the folder (with images, without previews) from my MBP to an external disk and import it from that disk to my iMac and I can continue working on the images.
Everything is present; Picks, Ratings, XMP-files, Keywords (only grouping doesn't work).
So basically just two steps (they take some time tho :) ). There's no difference in workflow between my MPB and iMac, same programs/plugins on both machines.

Hope this helps. :)
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: arthurking83 on April 01, 2018, 00:49:23
Backup directly from dslr to external drive without the in-between of laptop or pc?



You probably already have the smart OS part of the requirement .. in your phone!
That is, if you have a smartphone, all you then need is a capable device to do the connections.

Have a look at a RAVPower FileHub Plus type device.
You can get them with good powerbank capacity too, which will power a HDD for long enough to do the transfers.

ie. shoot the images to a SD card, connect the portable HDD(SSD's use less power!!), insert the SD card with the camera images into the FileHub Plus .. and use your phone to do the transfer interface.

It all depends on your phone type too tho.

Filehub plus are about USD $40-ish or so.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: tommiejeep on April 01, 2018, 05:45:55
Arthur, looks promising.  I would really need to do a cull of obvious deletes while card is still in the camera  ;) .  Price n India about $120.  Need to check UK prices while my wife is still there.  I can see my teenage son using for his Smartphone images.  We have many External Hard Drives  :)
Many thanks for the pointer.
Tom
Edit: Just ordered from Amazon UK Prime delivery tomorrow.  39  UK Pounds  :)
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: John G on April 02, 2018, 07:38:25
Gnarbox is a device that will be usable.
There is a full review of it on www.photographylife.com
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on April 02, 2018, 22:11:38
I just stumbled on this:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/accessory-review-wd-my-passport-wireless
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Øivind Tøien on April 03, 2018, 00:56:26
Gnarbox is a device that will be usable.
There is a full review of it on www.photographylife.com

I just stumbled on this:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/accessory-review-wd-my-passport-wireless

What seems to repeat itself in the reviews referred to in the last two posts is too slow transfer speed to be really useful.

Edit: Oops, second quote became duplicate instead of the intended one; corrected above.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: John G on April 03, 2018, 20:33:43
I did refer to the Gnarbox without fully reading the full write up. It seemed timely so I put the link on.
There is another review today on the same link as the Gnarbox, of the WD SSD My Passport Wireless SSD.
This has received a more favorable write up .
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Øivind Tøien on April 03, 2018, 23:07:25
I did refer to the Gnarbox without fully reading the full write up. It seemed timely so I put the link on.
There is another review today on the same link as the Gnarbox, of the WD SSD My Passport Wireless SSD.
This has received a more favorable write up .

Quote form the article on the WD wireless Passport :
". A 3.6GB folder of photos took 44 seconds to copy from my SD card to my computer using a normal card reader. That same folder of photos took 4 minutes and 46 seconds to copy to the My Passport Wireless."

Besides the WD device is not an SSD but a spinning drive.

(I corrected my intended quote containing the link to this article above.)
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Seapy on April 03, 2018, 23:17:32
I would have thought a spinning drive would be far from ideal for obvious reasons, fragile and comparative slow/heavy battery consumption, on the other hand an SSD would be fast, low consumption and hopefully more rugged.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Øivind Tøien on April 03, 2018, 23:39:16
Yes the Gnarbox 2.0 looks like a much more capable device partly addressing the speed and other problems in the 1.0 review, but then at a price:
"pledges start at $300 for a 128GB version and max out at $700 for the largest 1TB build"
https://www.dpreview.com/news/2615581847/the-gnarbox-2-0-ssd-lets-you-backup-photos-make-selects-review-footage-and-more (https://www.dpreview.com/news/2615581847/the-gnarbox-2-0-ssd-lets-you-backup-photos-make-selects-review-footage-and-more)
Also here: https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453 (https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453)
It is more at the price levels of the Hyperdrives, but may be not too bad considering they contain SSD's and not spinning drives. Might be appealing to the professional market.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Bjørn Rørslett on April 04, 2018, 00:27:10
Perhaps a version with the new 100 TB (!) Exadrive SSD would be ideal for the photographer on the go ??
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Ann on April 04, 2018, 01:07:49
My feeling is that because I can buy 2 TB USB "spinners" for about $100 a pop, it makes perfect sense to take a couple of them on any journey; put a back-up on each one; and keep the drives in separate places (with one of them on my person).

These little HDDs seem to be perfectly stable and it is unlikely that both will fail simultaneously, if they fail at all, and they haven't done so — so far!

I download to the SSD in my MPB each night and then leave the computer running while it copies the files to the external drives so it doesn't matter if that takes a little longer than it did to do the original download through my card-reader.
Title: Re: Backup from dslr to external drive?
Post by: Fons Baerken on April 05, 2018, 12:39:51
Yes the Gnarbox 2.0 looks like a much more capable device partly addressing the speed and other problems in the 1.0 review, but then at a price:
"pledges start at $300 for a 128GB version and max out at $700 for the largest 1TB build"
https://www.dpreview.com/news/2615581847/the-gnarbox-2-0-ssd-lets-you-backup-photos-make-selects-review-footage-and-more (https://www.dpreview.com/news/2615581847/the-gnarbox-2-0-ssd-lets-you-backup-photos-make-selects-review-footage-and-more)
Also here: https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453 (https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453)
It is more at the price levels of the Hyperdrives, but may be not too bad considering they contain SSD's and not spinning drives. Might be appealing to the professional market.

another preview here at photographylife

https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453 (https://photographylife.com/news/gnarbox-2-0-ssd-announcement#more-156453)