Storing My Digital Files -- Recommendations?

mattograph wrote in post #5364125
Okay, does anyone know of an external drive with a cf reader in it so you can dump and roll.

This?

Regards.
Victor

alduin wrote in post #5358690
Not to nit-pick, but you didn't read my post very carefully. =)

The third failure is either the primary storage drive in my computer or the offsite copy. I specifically said that only two of the dead disks could be in the array.

Actually, I read it several times. Somehow the "more than two" comment didn't make the jump to implying a separate OS volume. I did have the feeling I was missing something though.

ed rader wrote in post #5353477
.........
true Wilt. I use two external hard drives to store my files. storage is too cheap these days to even consider clogging up my PC with raw files.

you can get a quality 750 gig hard drive for less than i paid for a 500-gig hard drive three months ago.

External - 750GB eSATA / USB 2.0 External Hard Drive (Seagate) - eCOST.com - e

ed rader

Do you guys always keep the RAWs?
After making edits, why not convert to TIFF and discard?

Also, I see that RAW files generate an xmp file. Do I need to keep that as well?

I convert to DNG and keep the RAWs. Only reason I keep them is that disk space is cheap.

J.

trailblazer wrote in post #5788474
Do you guys always keep the RAWs?
After making edits, why not convert to TIFF and discard?

Also, I see that RAW files generate an xmp file. Do I need to keep that as well?

The xmp file is edits - it is stored as a separate file and re-applied when you load the raw. The original raw is untouched.

Converting to TIFF may be OK depending on the original RAW - I believe some raws are 20 bit per channel and tiff allows up to 16 bits per channel, so you would lose 4 bits (4 stops) of potential dynamic range converting to tiff for archival.

PaulBradley wrote in post #5788805
Converting to TIFF may be OK depending on the original RAW - I believe some raws are 20 bit per channel and tiff allows up to 16 bits per channel, so you would lose 4 bits (4 stops) of potential dynamic range converting to tiff for archival.

4 bit does not equal 4 stops.
Canon Raw files are 12bpc or 14bpc.
A CR2 file is *way* smaller then a 16bpc. tif.
If you want to discard something, discard the tif...

You can always go from CR2 > tiff, but never the reverse.

trailblazer wrote in post #5788474
Do you guys always keep the RAWs?
After making edits, why not convert to TIFF and discard?

Also, I see that RAW files generate an xmp file. Do I need to keep that as well?

Did photographers of the past throw out the negatives?! That is what RAW files essentially are.

I did not know that PaulBradley
Ok, so JohnJ80, why do you convert to DNG? What are the benefits?
Also, do you store a Jpeg and embed the original RAW?

René Damkot wrote in post #5789055
4 bit does not equal 4 stops.

I stand corrected.

Is there some easy way to understand how bits translate into stops of dynamic range?

thanks

PaulBradley wrote in post #5789438
I stand corrected.

Is there some easy way to understand how bits translate into stops of dynamic range?

thanks

They don't. Bits translate into how many steps the camera can record between what your sensor sees as black and as white. You may have a dynamic range of 3 stops or of 6 stops and represent that range with the same 14 bits.

trailblazer wrote in post #5789165
I did not know that PaulBradley
Ok, so JohnJ80, why do you convert to DNG? What are the benefits?
Also, do you store a Jpeg and embed the original RAW?

No sidecar files, all the metadata is contained in the file - the file stands alone and is complete. Open standard. I don't embed the original RAW - DNG is essentially a raw format.

J.