Upload time..

[kreeker]

This may seem like a stupid question BUT... I'm going to Thailand for three weeks and will be taking my new Canon Ixus II. I'll have a 128 MB card but from the sounds of it that won't last me too long so.. I'm thinking about uploading the photos to my email account over there and then download them when I get home. What I was wanting to know was: How long does it take to upload 128MB worth of photos and would your typical Internet cafe have the software and hardware needed to do this? Thanks in advance.

[mike j]

I've never tried this, but I think you face a number of problems.

The first, like you say, is whether an internet cafe PC will have suitable software. It's highly unlikely that they'll have ZoomBrowser installed and waiting for you, so does anyone know if you can download photos just using Windows XP ? I would imagine they wouldn't be too keen on letting you install your own software.

The second is the amount of time it would take to send 128MB by email ! Even on broadband, this would take quite a while. Your ISP may also have limits to stop you sending huge attachments in one go and you might run the risk of creating a backlog which means that other email won't get through.

One possible solution is to get your photos backed up onto disc over there, but this obviously depends on the type of areas you are likely to end up in ! Places like Jessops and Boots will do that over here so you'd have to find the equivalent over there.

If I was you, I'd just get another card. A 128MB Compact Flash card will only cost you £23.49 from Crucial. Oh - hang on, the IXUS II takes SD cards, doesn't it ? A 128MB costs £38.76 (ouch - that's the same as a 256MB CF card !)

Incidently, I've just spotted a firmware update is available for the IXUS II - I'll post the link in a separate thread.

[Ikinaa]

IMO you don't need a Zoombrowser to download pictures from your cam to WinXP.
At work, I often connect simply my IXUS300 via USB to the PC, and with the corresponding driver downloaded by Canon, I see the cam as a drive among others.
As for transferring 128 MB to a email account (or some Webspace), that will take a long time I guess.
I don't know the prices for Internet cafes (but they sure count the hours for making you pay), that combined with the long time you use (perhaps several hours), compensates the price you need to pay for another 128 MB card...
I don't know for Thailand, but in a lot of countries, at a local photoshop, where you can 'develop' you digital images, they also transfer the files to a CD.
Perhaps you can just walk in a computer store (which perhaps also sells your brand of camera), ask them if they can transfer your pictures to a CD, pay the CD, give the salesman some cash... What can they do? say 'no'? Give it a try...

[mvrekum]

I don't know for Thailand, but in a lot of countries, at a local photoshop, where you can 'develop' you digital images, they also transfer the files to a CD.


Most internet cafes also offer the posibility to transfer images from camera to CD.

[kreeker]

Thanks heaps guys, will go shopping for a new card tommorow!!

[Ikinaa]

Thanks heaps guys, will go shopping for a new card tommorow!!
To have more than one card is best (hardware problems can ever occur)
But if ever in Thailand you have the possibility to transfer the pics to some CD in a shop, do it. First, you got a backup copy of your pictures and second, when you begin to lack space, you can always reuse one of your cards...
Keep this in mind : You won't go back to the places you visit for a long time (I guess), so don't make the error to save your pictures in low-quality format, just buy one card more... you spend a lot for the journey, so why be to economic with the memories from your journey?

[stopbath]

Get a second (and third?) card before going on the trip.

Don't open the card packages until you need them, then if you don't need them, at least you have the option of returning the unused cards...

Sending the pictures by email is dangerous. Emails are easily lost. They may just never get sent out, they might get garbled, some server may figure they pose a virus threat, some server may get reset while handling your email. Your ISP may have a cap on how much email space you can fill up before it blocks incoming... Just way too risky.

If you go the route of CD. Ensure your CD is readable back home. Use a reputable site that you would trust (since there if there is any problem, you're on your own.) You could likely grab data off a problem disk, but why take chances on it.

[platinumdoc]

Why not use a card reader?

[mike j]

Why not use a card reader?

Eh ? Did you actually read the thread ?!
How would a card reader help in this situation ?

[platinumdoc]

Oops! I stand corrected. Some ISPs have online storage but I am not aware of the limits. Will get back to you on that....