CF vs Image Tank? Need advice.

[JoshBowers]

I've had my Digital Rebel for about 1 year now, been using a 512 MB Lexar card. It's been good up untill lately. Since i've become better at taking pictures, and understand it more, and enjoy it more now, I fill the 512 MB up in a few hours shooting RAW...

I will be driving soon (getting license this week), and plan to go on some photo trips into the redwoods, lakes, the ocean, train yards, old barns/farms, etc that I haven't been able to without the freedom of being able to travel large distance fast.

I am also going to St. Charles Chicago, Illinois late July for a week. They have steam boats, antiques, the great lakes, and a bunch of other stuff to take pictures of.

So, would someone recommend getting more CF cards, or saving for a Image Tank? That Epson sure looks nice, but so expensive. I read things about Jobo? I found a Jobo Giga X for around $200.00, but not being able to look at my pictures for a week seems kind of strange to me (I don't have a laptop). The only ones I could find with a screen are around $300.00+.

I can't really look at any of the equipment in person because I live up in Northern California, and the closest city with a camera store is 2-3 hours away.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me,
-Josh Bowers

[robertwgross]

Josh, there is no single solution.

CF cards are good for maximum portability and minimum physical size, but they cost more. Portable storage drives are great for maximum storage capacity, but that is just something extra to take along.

When I do photographic travels, I am often out for one or two or three days on foot. As a result, I need to carry enough CF cards to last me for the whole time. Once I return to my car, or wherever my main baggage is, I first do a visual edit of each CF card's images on the camera, and I delete any that are obviously bad. Then I can pull out the portable storage drive, dump the CF cards to it, then re-format the CF cards in the camera and get ready for the next day.

Some of the portable storage drives are small enough that I could carry one with me if I needed to, but hauling around for a week on foot does not appeal to me.

---Bob Gross---

[lostdoggy]

I hope this could help Microcenter.com has Media Gear 20GB media drive for $150 and Dell has 25% off Flash Media. If you shooting in JPEG you can view your pictures on a TV set with the AV output from DRebel

[JoshBowers]

Newegg is selling 1gb SanDisk Ultra 2s for 79.99 each right now which seems pretty low, even compared to some ebay auctions. Is that a good price? Anyone know a cheaper source?

[JoshBowers]

Also i've seen slow 2gb Sandisk cards for around $130.00. And since the Digital Rebel can't benefit from faster cards they could work pretty well right? But a Ultra 2 is only $30.00 more, so wouldn't really save me a lot of money unless I bought a quantity.

Here is what I am talking about.

I have also heard of MicroDrives, but they seem to be slightly unstable? Which is the last thing I need. Any comments how stable they are for long outdoor trips?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820171074&ATT=Memory+Flash+Memory+&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r

[lostdoggy]

Yeah dell has it for $75 for 1GB: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A0364610

[lostdoggy]

I pcik up Kingston 2GB Elite Pro 50X for $95 last week

[JoshBowers]

I think I figured out what I am going to do... B&H is having a sale on the SmartDisk FlashTrax for $250.00, and their is a $50.00 rebate, which brings it down to $200.00. So only $10-$20 more than the Jobo, and it has a screen, verification, histogram, other options, etc. Pretty good deal I think? Oh and it plays music.... I already have a mp3 player though. But still nice to know...


So... buy one of those, and also get a 1 or 2 gb CF, depending on if I can find a deal like lostdoggy found.

That sound reasonable?

[Longwatcher]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

If getting drive from BH might want to think about getting card from them as well, the prices are right in there.

Also since you are getting the portable drive (image tank) you probably don't need anything larger then what you already have (unless you feel that is not enough capacity before you have to change cards). So you could save a bit more by getting a 512MB card instead of a 1GB or 2GB card (although the Sandisk standard 1GB card at $75 is your best value for THAT camera). Do consider though if you will upgrade your camera at anytime in next couple of years, if so then maybe go for Ultra II 1GB card for a bit more.

[JoshBowers]

Yeah probably would be a better idea to get another 512 card instead of a 1gb. $40.00 cheaper. The Ultra II version of the 512mb card is only 10 bucks more so mind as well get that.

I would love to upgrade to a 20D or whatever else comes out in the coming years, when I bought my digital rebel I didn't know anything, if I knew then what I know now.... I would have a different camera, and a 70-300 Canon with USM IS instead of a Sigma 70-300.

Thanks again for the input guys.