It's 2022 - There has to be a better way to transfer large quantity of images and store in the field

DTBaan wrote in post #19331608
such a bully :P

Yep, that’s me.

Hi Baan!

Archibald wrote in post #19331602
I DIDN'T SAY NOT TAKE A LAPTOP.

I quote, "Then don't take such a laptop."
I presume, from your most recent statement, you meant "Don't take an 8 lb laptap, take a 3 lb one."

Wilt wrote in post #19331622
I quote, "Then don't take such a laptop."

You misquoted before.

Sorry, I don't see an issue here for long harangues about dealing with thousands of pics on a trip. There are excellent 3 lb laptops available and I have owned one for years. It is petty quibbling about 3 lb in the luggage.

But if 3 lb is too much to carry, then take a TB USB hard drive and use the hotel's computer to back up photos.

Wilt wrote in post #19331604
But if you are reliant on daily backup of 1500 photos to a Cloud service, any disruption defeats accomplishing that and you have no practical way around the problem, not if uploading 32GB takes 9 hours sitting in an internet cafe. Imagine being in Tonga right now, trying to connect to your Cloud storage to clear your memory card of photos...no internet, no communication with outside world at all possible...underwater volcanic eruption broke communications.

Wilt wrote in post #19331603
My travel has not been all that long ago! Since 2012 I have travelled to Paris, Chartres, Essen, Geneva, Shanghai, Prague, all on business consulting for the same French company, and that does not count holiday travel nor any travel within US for the same French company.

In fact, in October 2019, just before COVID struck, my wife and I were in Kauai, and all cable and internet service was disrupted for DAYS because an underwater cable had been severed...no option, other than fly to another island for internet

And again, you are describing unusual events. You remember them because they are unusual.
As for that Kauai internet outage, it was only for a day (not days):
https://www.hawaiinews​now.com …one-internet-tv-services/
https://www.thegardeni​sland.com …-news/kauai-goes-offline/
"The outage lasted about 24 hours."

My experience counts just as much as yours, and I haven't had the problems you list. Internet cafes are rather rare now, since so many places have free internet now.

Capn Jack wrote in post #19331627
And again, you are describing unusual events. You remember them because they are unusual.
As for that Kauai internet outage, it was only for a day (not days):
https://www.hawaiinews​now.com …one-internet-tv-services/
https://www.thegardeni​sland.com …-news/kauai-goes-offline/
"The outage lasted about 24 hours."

'about 24 hours'...odd, we had no cable TV for days, we also could not check in with our airline the night before we flew home, nor could I look up things to do on the island before that.. It was not simply 'about 24 hours'. And had I depended upon internet access to download images to Cloud, it would not have been possible during that time. I cannot explain the difference between what we experience and what you say the press reported, but that linked article reported, "but it may not be fully restored until some time Tuesday. The outage, which started Sunday night..."

My point is 'sh*t happens' so reliance on such connectivity does not provide a reliable means to copy images off memory cards. Unless I am especially unlucky, the fact that I can cite six such experiences from personal history in 10 years is an indication that connectivity should not be assumed to always be available, and another means for such times is warranted. One time vs. six times in 10 years is not the issue, it is the unavailability for use 100%.
I have a friend whose rural home does not permit her to get high speed services; I have a friend whose second home we periodically use will experience unexpectedly (and not infrequently) drop out of internet connectivity and cell phone coverage is always very spotty as well.

buddy4344 wrote in post #19330639
When I'm away shooting on safari, it's not uncommon to shoot up to 1,500 images a day. Currently, each day, I transfer images off of my cards via USB-C connected to Dell XPS laptop connected via USB-C to either a Samsung or Sandisk 2TB SSD. Time wise, that's pretty quick and I can backup onto both drives in a matter of minutes .... BUT

I'm not editing in the field. I am ONLY transfering files. Lugging around 3 or 4 pounds of laptop, cables, etc. seems stupid. Back in 2009 I had a little Epson device with a CF card reader, a tiny LCD screen and about 20gb internal hard disk drive. I know today there is similar device, Gnarbox, but that seems like an expensive option.

Does anybody have a better idea?

How about just backing up the photos from the SD card to a phone or tablet with a device similar to these?
https://www.amazon.com …880487e609&lang​uage=en_US
https://www.amazon.com …d758f6a25e&lang​uage=en_US

I note the original poster didn't mention what type card they were using.

Capn Jack wrote in post #19331631
How about just backing up the photos to a phone or tablet with a device similar to these?
https://www.amazon.com …880487e609&lang​uage=en_US
https://www.amazon.com …d758f6a25e&lang​uage=en_US

Some phones do not support supplemental memory chip, and 1500 x 30GB RAW file would certainly exceed the internal capacity.
One would need an external USB connected reader for CF or SD or CFExpress with simultaneous connection to SSD, or the WD Passport Wireless which I previously mentioned.

Wilt wrote in post #19331630
'about 24 hours'...odd, we had no cable TV for days, we also could not check in with our airline the night before we flew home, nor could I look up things to do on the island before that.. It was not simply 'about 24 hours'. And had I depended upon internet access to download images to Cloud, it would not have been possible during that time. I cannot explain the difference between what we experience and what you say the press reported, but that linked article reported, "but it may not be fully restored until some time Tuesday. The outage, which started Sunday night..."

Wilt- that was an unusual event and you are all but saying that the cloud is useless because you once might have paid more for internet access, you once had an internet outage in California. and once had a cable cut during vacation. I've been to Kauai- it isn't a huge island. You couldn't just drive to the airport and check on your flight?

As for the highlighted text, I strongly suspect you were once in upper management or politics due to the way you phrased that. It was copied from one of the sources. One of the references did say the outage was 24 hours, that's why I left the links. The other link said, for an outage that happened Sunday, "By Monday night, residents in parts of the island reported their service being restored."

The biggest reason you need a laptop is that's where the user interface lives. It lets you select source files, define a destination and start the transfer. Not exactly cutting-edge technology, but it has to be done somewhere.

I was wondering if you could use your phone for that UI layer. I did a little reading and it sounds like what you'd need is a USB OTG hub. (OTG = on-the-go). Apparently it works the same as a hub you'd plug into your computer and allows the attachment of peripherals. Sounds like you'd be able plug in a card reader, an external drive and a power source (to power the drive) and use your phone to initiate the transfer between the card and the drive.

I've never tried any of this, so keep that in mind. But, if it works, you could swap the weight of the laptop for the weight of a usb hub.

Also, everything I've read so far talks about USB OTG on Android. No idea if iPhones work or have something comparable.

https://www.instructab​les.com …ve-to-Android-Smartphone/
https://www.amazon.com …rry-Android/dp/B00LTHBCNM

Capn Jack wrote in post #19331639
One of the references did say the outage was 24 hours, that's why I left the links. The other link said, for an outage that happened Sunday, "By Monday night, residents in parts of the island reported their service being restored."

And I quoted the other, "but it may not be fully restored until some time Tuesday. The outage, which started Sunday night..." is more than 24 hours.
The point you continue to ignore is that one does not always have the flexibility to find and use workarounds.

Wilt wrote in post #19331633
Some phones do not support supplemental memory chip, and 1500 x 30GB RAW file would certainly exceed the internal capacity.
One would need an external USB connected reader for CF or SD or CFExpress with connection to SSD.

Come on, Wilt! How about helping, instead of posting misinformation? Nearly all of your replies on this thread have been claiming cloud backups are useless because the internet rarely goes down! Some phones have a terabyte of internal memory, and many phones and tablets have swappable memory cards. The converse of some phones not supporting supplemental memory is that some do. Only the original poster can determine if their phone can work as a back-up.
As for the highlighted text, it ain't necessarily so, for the phone backup.

Wilt wrote in post #19331644
And I quoted the other, "but it may not be fully restored until some time Tuesday. The outage, which started Sunday night..." is more than 24 hours.
The point you continue to ignore is that one does not always have the flexibility to find and use workarounds.

You mean like just driving to the airport on a small island to check on their flight?

Capn Jack wrote in post #19331645
Come on, Wilt! How about helping, instead of posting misinformation? Nearly all of your replies on this thread have been claiming cloud backups are useless because the internet rarely goes down! Some phones have a terabyte of internal memory, and many phones and tablets have swappable memory cards. The converse of some phones not supporting supplemental memory is that some do. Only the original poster can determine if their phone can work as a back-up.
As for the highlighted text, it ain't necessarily so, for the phone backup.

Your paraphrase 'Cloud useless'. I never said that, I pointed out only that one cannot absolutely depend upon internet connectivity...very different!

I have suggested some alternatives that are not reliant on ANY connectivity. And I am experimenting with modifying products available 15 years ago, that had no reliance on any computer or phone. So I am trying to provide OP with a response to his need, not merely being a naysayer. I apologize if I am being realistic in alternatives, for the benefit of OP. I have stated limitations of alternatives as well, not merely critiquing internet or Cloud.

Wilt wrote in post #19331649
Your paraphrase 'Cloud useless'. I never said that, I pointed out only that one cannot absolutely depend upon internet connectivity...very different!

You do realize you can't absolutely depend on anything, don't you? Of course you never said the cloud was useless, but you keep providing examples that support the contention that the cloud is useless.

Wilt wrote in post #19331649
I have suggested some alternatives that are not reliant on ANY connectivity. And I am experimenting with modifying products available 15 years ago, that had no reliance on any computer or phone. So I am trying to provide OP with a response to his need, not merely being a naysayer. I apologize if I am being realistic in alternatives, for the benefit of OP.

15 year old technology? Most people don't keep old tech around. They do carry a phone or tablet, so backing up to one of those is a possibility.

Here's an article with some suggestions, some of them mentioned in this thread already.
https://toomanyadapter​s.com/backup-photos-without-laptop/
Here's Western Digital drive mentioned in the article that reads SD cards:
https://www.amazon.com …0&linkCode=ogi&​th=1&psc=1