back-up options - on the go

Hi all,

I'm after a bit of advice to two solutions I'm after. I'll start off my listing my gear so you know I've got then I'll explain what I'm after

Canon 6d with wifi
Nexus 7 tablet with eos app
OTG cable
Cable to connect Canon 6d with PC
Numerous SD cards
Very old & cheap SD card reader off ebay
Nexus media importer app for tablet

What I'm looking to do is to back-up my raw files when I'm away from home (without the use of a laptop). I typically use SD cards which are 8-16gb in size & if I'm away for a few weeks using the camera a lot, it's not uncommon to fill a number of cards & have a significant amount of gb's.

At the moment, I fill the cards, then keep the cards in a safe place. What I'd like to be able to do is put a copy of those files onto another device.

My DIY type thinking lead me to believe that because I had an OTG cable, I could essentially plug the 6d into the tablet - this doesn't work.

Then, I removed my SD card from the camera, put that into the card reader & that into the tablet. Again this doesn't work (I think my £1 or £2 card reader could be the problem here).

I'd like to know whether I'm barking up the wrong tree, is this doable, am I missing something?

I'm considering buying the following items to complete this "solution" but before I do, I want to make sure that the current issue I'm facing is simply because my card reader for want of a better word, is crap

http://www.amazon.co.u​k …=8-4&keywords=card+reader

Then I'd export the files onto this device:-

http://www.amazon.co.u​k …r=8-13&keywords=pen+drive

Thanks for anyone who can offer any advice or confirm from personal experience that they know this would work & seems logical.

I don't know your tablet, but in general, they're not known for offering massive storage. You might want to look into battery powered external HDs with wifi. I don't have one yet, but there are ways to use one of those and move files to it via a tablet, w/o storing the files on the tablet itself. raw files would fill your tablet in no time.

side note, chances are slim that your card - if stored correctly - will go bad and loose the images. I've never had it happen, so I just bring enough cards with me. I think card failure is pretty rare.

An other thing to look at might be something like dropbox or other cloud storage, even flikr takes raw now I think and offers you 1TB for free.

cheers for that

they're other options which are worth looking at

i guess the other bonus i would get by putting them on the tablet is the ability to view them on a larger display - maybe even begin the process of culling/rating them if im travelling back home. gives me a headstart before im home & im greeted with k's of files

the plan with the tablet by the way was maybe to view them on there, but then to export them straight away onto that bigger pen drive which was my final url

I use a Asus Transformer Tablet, the keyboard dock has a SD slot, and a usb slot that I plug an external HD into if I have lots of data to backup. Otherwise I can copy from the SD right onto the tablet.

I also can use the OTG plug and a usb sd reader if I am saving right to the tablet, then unplug the reader and plug in the hd, its more steps but if I dont have the keyboard dock this also works.

guess this is actually my proposed workflow - benefits are that images are in two places quicker, and i can view them (begin the rating process before returning home - ok i can do this already i know)

1) take pics & fill card as normal
2) optional - i can view them on the tablet via wifi & eos app, rate/cull them whilst the sd card remains in the 6d
3) remove sd card from 6d
4) put sd card into new card reader
5) put card reader into otg & otg into the tablet
6) copy files from sd card onto the tablet
7) remove card reader from otg cable
8) insert pen drive into otg & export files from tablet to pen drive (to avoid taking up space on tablet)

doable or any reason why it shouldn't be doable?

wellsie82 wrote in post #16791040
guess this is actually my proposed workflow - benefits are that images are in two places quicker, and i can view them (begin the rating process before returning home - ok i can do this already i know)

1) take pics & fill card as normal
2) optional - i can view them on the tablet via wifi & eos app, rate/cull them whilst the sd card remains in the 6d
3) remove sd card from 6d
4) put sd card into new card reader
5) put card reader into otg & otg into the tablet
6) copy files from sd card onto the tablet
7) remove card reader from otg cable
8) insert pen drive into otg & export files from tablet to pen drive (to avoid taking up space on tablet)

doable or any reason why it shouldn't be doable?

As long as your tablet supports the reader and pen drive I dont see why not. You can probably find an app that would allow you to rate and cull while images are on the tablet vs in the camera still. I am starting to look for an app that will do the same as I will be a 10 days in yellowstone with just the tablet and would like to be able to rate and cull in the evenings (no actual editing).

If you grab two pen drives then you could make two copies from the tablet and free up your SD cards since you will have two versions on two drives. Keep one in camera bag one in another bag, or one in the hotel and one with you when you go back out. Keeping them in two different spots also keeps from loosing them both to theft or anything else.

Cracking idea that about using two pen drives & would mean I never run out of memory, unless I go really OTT!

I'm the same as you, I wouldn't edit away from home on a tiny device but handy to know what you've got in closer detail & to make adjustments

If you're serious about backup get a Hyperdrive >>here

flowrider wrote in post #16791266
If you're serious about backup get a Hyperdrive >>here

Yep, great solution for backup on the road.

Cheers both - never heard of them so I'll look into them

I looked into the hyperdrives, but already had the tablet and it pulls its weight when traveling so I was able to make it do on more thing with limited funds and space in the bag. On any given trip my tablet acts as a Movie player, book reader, net surfer, game device, alarm clock, map, gps ..... and now photo backup.

Not saying its the solution for everyone but it works great for me. And if I use it for backing up photos only without the keyboard I can get a 4 day trip out of the battery.

I posted a step-by-step guide to use a Raspberry Pi £30 mini computer as a portable photo backup solution for travelling.

The system means I can use a standard lightweight portable hard drive as a backup for a fraction of the price of a dedicated photo backup device like the Hyperdrive.

An Ipad is used to control the Pi but it could also be done using VNC with other tablets.

I hope you find it useful. The guide can be found at www.sggimages.blogspot​.com

BW

Steve

Get a Hyperdrive Colorspace UDMA bare case and put in your own 2.5" HD. I use that plus the laptop. Lightroom even has a feature that will let you plug the Hyperdrive into the laptop and back up a CF card to both at the same time.

Is your Nexus 7 rooted?

Try this app:
https://play.google.co​m …ails?id=net.sha​jul.usbotg

I use my phone with a USB OTG cable, Transcend card reader, and Western Digital My Passport hard drive to do exactly what you're trying to do. No issues. Pen drives don't have enough space IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/​dp/B0056TYRMW
http://www.amazon.com/​dp/B006Y5UV4A

Like sneakerhead stated, what you are trying to do should work. I can connect to my 60D and SX100 directly using a usb otg cable and then transfer the files to my tablet.

Archos 70 250GB Android Tablet as a Portable Photo Storage Device

I would think that if you tried a different camera or card reader, you would find out if you could connect another device to it at all.

Disclaimer: My tablet is pretty old and on Android 2.2 (Froyo) but I don't see why what you're trying to do shouldn't work on a more recent version of the OS.