How to handle digital files
Sep 3rd, 2007, 11:04 PM
#21
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm another Giga Vu Pro Evolution user. However, I don't trust it 100%. My friend lost 1500 pictures when her GVPE overheated in Namibia and the hard drive crashed.
Now she's replaced the hard drive (very easy with the GVPE) and we copy pictures from both our cameras to both our PSDs.
The GVPE has a wonderful screen and is quite fast (although many of the PSDs without large viewing screens are faster) at copying from the card. But it does seem to have problems with high tempertures - so I try to restrict copying to the evenings.
Now she's replaced the hard drive (very easy with the GVPE) and we copy pictures from both our cameras to both our PSDs.
The GVPE has a wonderful screen and is quite fast (although many of the PSDs without large viewing screens are faster) at copying from the card. But it does seem to have problems with high tempertures - so I try to restrict copying to the evenings.
Sep 4th, 2007, 11:08 PM
#23
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"How would you compare the Epson P-2000, 3000, etc, to the Jobo Giga Vue?
"
A friend of mine uses a P-2000. While the screen is roughly the same as the GVPE it is a lot slower transferring data. I'm not sure how the later P-X000 models compare for speed.
One difference is technical, but was important for me. The GVPE has its Operating System held in non-volatile memory. If there are problems with the hard disk you can format it (or even replace it) quite easily yourself and the GVPE will work. The Epsons have their OS on the hard drive itself. If that fails you need to send the device to Epson to get it repaired at great expense.
"
A friend of mine uses a P-2000. While the screen is roughly the same as the GVPE it is a lot slower transferring data. I'm not sure how the later P-X000 models compare for speed.
One difference is technical, but was important for me. The GVPE has its Operating System held in non-volatile memory. If there are problems with the hard disk you can format it (or even replace it) quite easily yourself and the GVPE will work. The Epsons have their OS on the hard drive itself. If that fails you need to send the device to Epson to get it repaired at great expense.
Sep 5th, 2007, 07:23 AM
#24
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,880
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fbirder wrote ... <b>My friend lost 1500 pictures when her GVPE overheated in Namibia and the hard drive crashed.</b>
I don't want to be alarmist, but everyone should read the above carefully ... all of these hard drives will fail eventually (or be lost or stolen) and for that reason I never feel comfortable until I have at least TWO copies of digital files. On safari the voltages are different and unpredictable, the heat or humidity or dust is worse than what you have at home, and the disk gets jarred more than at home, all things that don't extend the life-span.
For the original poster, if you don't want to bring the laptop then maybe an Epson P-3000 or Jobo with a viewing screen so you can view your daily work, plus a 2nd cheaper smaller drive without the viewing screen (you can find 120 GB Wolverines for $99). Or buy or borrow enough CF cards to hold your entire trip plus an Epson or similar. So long as you have TWO copies of the files ...
I figure the odds are about 1-in-50 that a device will fail any given trip but if that device has ALL your trip photos on it you'll be sorry if you don't have a 2nd copy.
Bill (designed consumer electronics for 20 years ... trust me, disks will eventually fail)
I don't want to be alarmist, but everyone should read the above carefully ... all of these hard drives will fail eventually (or be lost or stolen) and for that reason I never feel comfortable until I have at least TWO copies of digital files. On safari the voltages are different and unpredictable, the heat or humidity or dust is worse than what you have at home, and the disk gets jarred more than at home, all things that don't extend the life-span.
For the original poster, if you don't want to bring the laptop then maybe an Epson P-3000 or Jobo with a viewing screen so you can view your daily work, plus a 2nd cheaper smaller drive without the viewing screen (you can find 120 GB Wolverines for $99). Or buy or borrow enough CF cards to hold your entire trip plus an Epson or similar. So long as you have TWO copies of the files ...
I figure the odds are about 1-in-50 that a device will fail any given trip but if that device has ALL your trip photos on it you'll be sorry if you don't have a 2nd copy.
Bill (designed consumer electronics for 20 years ... trust me, disks will eventually fail)
Sep 5th, 2007, 03:04 PM
#25
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used under 5 GB and probably under 4GB for 12 days of safari activities. I brought home about 800 pictures and kept 175. I shot about 1200, but deleted some along the way. I may be on the low side.
Sep 5th, 2007, 03:27 PM
#26
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Digital cards can go bad, as well. On our Tanzania trip, a fellow photographer had FOUR cards that died on her. If she had been downloading each day to a storage device, at least she would have had the previous days' photos.
Sep 6th, 2007, 03:14 AM
#27
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Four cards dead on one trip! I've been using CF cards for 12 years and I've only ever had two go bad (and one was my stupid fault - I pulled it out of a PDA while it was still writing).
As Bill says - hard drives will fail sooner or later. But they'll last longer if you take care of them. My friend's GVPE failed because she was backing up a card the the PSD sat on the back seat of the coach - in direct Namibian sunlight. The combination of heat and vibration was just too much for it.
I always try to do my backups back at the lodge/hotel - where it's cooler and there's not dust and vibration.
As Bill says - hard drives will fail sooner or later. But they'll last longer if you take care of them. My friend's GVPE failed because she was backing up a card the the PSD sat on the back seat of the coach - in direct Namibian sunlight. The combination of heat and vibration was just too much for it.
I always try to do my backups back at the lodge/hotel - where it's cooler and there's not dust and vibration.
Sep 6th, 2007, 04:49 PM
#28
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have over two dozen compact flash cards and in 7 years and 10's of thousands of images I have never had a bad card. A corrupted image may occasionaly occur but even these are rare and usually as a result of interupting the process of writing or copying from the card. There are cheap unbranded cards that do have a higher failure rate but if you stick to the most popular branded flash memory cards (Sandisk, Lexar, or Kingston-in that order) I think you will find them entirely reliable. One tip that has always worked for me is to always reformat in the camera and to not erase individual files. Other may have favorite techniques but these have always worked for me.
Cheers-Chuck
Cheers-Chuck
Sep 6th, 2007, 05:28 PM
#29
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,880
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Digital cards can go bad, as well. On our Tanzania trip, a fellow photographer had FOUR cards that died on her</b>
Agree with Chuck and fbirder, this is very rare ... the CF cards are solid state devices with no moving parts to wear out or go bad (unlike disks). People leave them in their pockets and run them thru the washing machine and dryer by mistake and they still work
The few problems I've heard of with CF cards were due to a firmware problem with the camera/card interface (certain Lexar cards malfunctioned with certain Canon cameras for a while, for example) or with extreme electrical shock blowing the input circuits or, apparently the most common, with a faulty connector where the flash plugs in to the camera (often a bent pin).
Having four cards go bad indicates a camera problem to me ... my wife and I have shot over 100,000 digital images and never had a card fail, which I think is pretty typical.
Bill
Agree with Chuck and fbirder, this is very rare ... the CF cards are solid state devices with no moving parts to wear out or go bad (unlike disks). People leave them in their pockets and run them thru the washing machine and dryer by mistake and they still work
The few problems I've heard of with CF cards were due to a firmware problem with the camera/card interface (certain Lexar cards malfunctioned with certain Canon cameras for a while, for example) or with extreme electrical shock blowing the input circuits or, apparently the most common, with a faulty connector where the flash plugs in to the camera (often a bent pin).
Having four cards go bad indicates a camera problem to me ... my wife and I have shot over 100,000 digital images and never had a card fail, which I think is pretty typical.
Bill
Sep 7th, 2007, 07:46 AM
#30
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am leaving for my trip next week, and I have gone a little overboard. I am taking enough cards (8 x 2Gb) so that I don't have to delete, plus a P-3000 plus my ultra-light laptop. Fortunately I had no weight problems (we are about 10-15 lbs under between the two of us). The P-3000 is going in one bag, the computer is going in another. The cards may be on my person. 
Sep 7th, 2007, 08:08 AM
#31
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been using a Wolverine storgae device. Much smaller and lighter and way less expensive than the Epsons. The Wolverine does not have a screen for viewing the photos or movies. Extremely easy to use -- (1)turn the Wolverine on and the display asks you to insert a card in the slot; (2)pop the SD memory card into the slot and the display says push the button to start copying; (3)push the button (there are only 2 - one to turn the thing on, one to copy files) and the display shows the progress of the copying.
Copying from the Wolverine to my PC is just as easy, using the USB cable that comes with the Wolverine.
I actually have never used up all my memory on a trip (I carry about 4GB in cards), so the Wolverine serves as insurance. I've got a all my pics on both the Wolverine and on the memory cards, and I keep them in separate luggage pieces.
Copying from the Wolverine to my PC is just as easy, using the USB cable that comes with the Wolverine.
I actually have never used up all my memory on a trip (I carry about 4GB in cards), so the Wolverine serves as insurance. I've got a all my pics on both the Wolverine and on the memory cards, and I keep them in separate luggage pieces.
Sep 7th, 2007, 10:03 AM
#32
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bill_H and safarichuck, thanks for your input. I believe she had the camera checked out and no problems were found. All four cards were the same brand and capacity size, so we suspect that the manufacturer had a bad batch. She had cards that were the same brand but different sizes and they were okay. It was a brand I hadn't heard of (D something or other) that the camera store told her was better for a Canon camera...NOT! One of my favorite CF cards has been Dane Elec, which has been really reliable and quite fast.
Sep 7th, 2007, 10:48 AM
#33
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is an excellant source of information realting to comapct flash cards, in fact all flash memory cards, and their speed and funtionality in different digital cameras. For that information I would refer all those interested to Rob Galbraith's site (www.robgalbraith.com). His testing and information is most useful and I think most professionals and serious amatures trust his evaluations. Check it out, it's better than relying on some store clerk for what might turn out to be critical information. Just trying to help, I have no ot her stake in this issue.
Regards-Chuck
Regards-Chuck
Sep 7th, 2007, 11:43 AM
#35
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a further clarification, for those of you not familiar with Rob Galbraith's website, clck on CF/SD in the upper right corner. On the new page, note the drop down menu with the sames of different digital cameras for your model or for one similar to the model you are interested in. Rob Galbraith is a talented Canadian photographer and provides timely information on digital photography issues.
Cheers-Chuck
Cheers-Chuck
Sep 9th, 2007, 07:52 AM
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chuck, thanks for the link to the Rob Galbraith site. One minor frustration I have with digital is the lag time between shots - not noticeable in all circumstances, but definitely in some. Interesting to see the write speeds.
Sep 9th, 2007, 11:02 AM
#39
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
star55,
I often share your frustration regarding write speed and camera buffer clearling between shots. One of the things I discovered, on the Galbraith site, was that for my favorite card, the 4GB capacity is significantly slower to read and write than is the 2GB capacity card. I have noticed that difference in practice (in the field) as well. Once in Kwetsani, Botswana, I was trying to capture a lioness in a midair jump across a four foot deep body of water (actually the flooded road bed). She made several half hearted trial starts before actually jumping. I thought the period of time needed to clear my camera's buffer was agonizingly long. Another time I was trying to capture a Malachite Kingfisher feeding his mate a small fish, I had the same agonizingly long wait for my buffer to clear. Although I have many 4GB cards, I actually prefer the 2GB capacity. They seem much faster for a given make, even when the model is the same (i.e., Sandisk Extreme III 2GB cards are faster than Sandisk Extreme III 4 GB cards). Some people like to keep their images on smaller cards because they don't want to "put all of their egggs" in one basket. However, I find Compact Flash storage too reliable to really worry about. You are going to be in some wonderful safari country hope you get lots of great shots. We are returning to Tanzania in later February, I can't wait.
Regards-Chuck
I often share your frustration regarding write speed and camera buffer clearling between shots. One of the things I discovered, on the Galbraith site, was that for my favorite card, the 4GB capacity is significantly slower to read and write than is the 2GB capacity card. I have noticed that difference in practice (in the field) as well. Once in Kwetsani, Botswana, I was trying to capture a lioness in a midair jump across a four foot deep body of water (actually the flooded road bed). She made several half hearted trial starts before actually jumping. I thought the period of time needed to clear my camera's buffer was agonizingly long. Another time I was trying to capture a Malachite Kingfisher feeding his mate a small fish, I had the same agonizingly long wait for my buffer to clear. Although I have many 4GB cards, I actually prefer the 2GB capacity. They seem much faster for a given make, even when the model is the same (i.e., Sandisk Extreme III 2GB cards are faster than Sandisk Extreme III 4 GB cards). Some people like to keep their images on smaller cards because they don't want to "put all of their egggs" in one basket. However, I find Compact Flash storage too reliable to really worry about. You are going to be in some wonderful safari country hope you get lots of great shots. We are returning to Tanzania in later February, I can't wait.
Regards-Chuck
