Portable storage device for your pictures

[Raj]

I wonder if you guys use any portable storage device to free up your CF card in field. Shooting RAW+L I run out of 1 GB card quite quickly. I have 2 x 1GB at the moment. Just wondering if I should get more cards or get some portable device which I can quickly download my images to, free up my card.
Obviously it should be soemthing like a iPod, handy to carry around (much better if it can play music but this requirement is not a showstopper).

ipod is good but expensive at the moment. I could find one "flashtrax" on web around same cost.
Can you guys advise what you use ? something not too expensive .

Thanks
- Raj

[Longwatcher]

I currently use an old picture pad, but if I bought today I would probably get the Epson P2000.
However, the main limitation I am having with these devices are they are not very fast at offloading my CF cards. So I am looking at upping the number of CF cards I have out of necessity. My alternative is to get a small laptop, but that is more of a nuiscance on airline trips these days as you have to pull it out at security and let everyone know you have a laptop, where as the picture pad stays in my bag and only TSA knows I have it.

That said a 30GB device is probably the minimum I would look for these days and my picture pad still does a good job of offloading cards if I can afford the time it takes. From what I have read the P2000 is only a bit faster.

For you I would say it depends on how fast you take pictures if you fill up a card in 5 miutes flat then you need more cards, if it takes you about an hour per card, then a P2000 or something similiar will be of benefit over more CF cards. The P2000 is the equivilant of having 20 2GB CF cards for the price of 3 2GB CF cards. Are you going to need more then 3 2GB cards, if so then get the P-2000. There are some cheaper devices BTW, just I prefer a screen to make sure I know the files are on the device.

Just my opinion,

[PJ Saine]

I wonder if you guys use any portable storage device to free up your CF card in field.

Raj -

There are a number of options for this type of device out there. A comparison is available at: http://fhoude34.free.fr/PortableHD.htm

My personal experience is with 2 different devices. With my Canon D60, I used a Nixvue Digital Album 20G model. (www.nixvue.com) Very reliable. It helped me as I shot for my New Hampshire Rock Portraits book, as well as when shooting in India & China. I still have it and use it for smaller jobs.

When I upgraded to the Canon 20D, the files were larger (shooting Raw + large .jpg) and I purchased a 60 gig Compact Drive PD7 unit. Pros: Reliable, bigger battery, faster upload, USB 2.0 download. Cons: the protective plastic covers on the end were either off (loading end) or cracked and covered with electrical tape (battery end) in the first use [2 weeks in Myanmar (Burma)]. Good unit, poor design/construction of endcaps. I purchased directly from their website at: www.compactdrive.co.nz


I am a Confirmed Mac Guy, so would love it if an I-pod could easily upload a compact flash in the field.

Hope this helps!

PJ
www.pjsaine.com

[Jon]

I have enough (more than . . .) cards than I'm likely to need any given day. If I'm travelling without my laptop (fat chance!), I have a CD/DVD burner from Addonics that will go direct from card to optical.