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Storing Massive Images Direct From Digital Camera?
benzilla asks: "I'm using a digital camera to take aerial photos from a helicopter. Flash cards for this camera are too expensive and keep breaking apparently. An idea would be to take a raid up in the 'copter and write the images directly to this (due to the cost of the flights the requirement is to be able to store as many images (4-8mb each) as possible on the raid each flight, as well as using redundancy to ensure that the picture is saved. This raid would then be read via the office network (Windows unfortunately). I don't really want to send a PC up with the kit as what I really want is just a simple box that would use the raid as a massive flash card. (just to note here all vibration issues etc. have already been solved). Is there such hardware available? Camera is a top range Kodak, with PCMCIA (Type III?) and SCSI ports for connection." Don't panic! This isn't being used for spy purposes. Honestly!
The first, which may not be viable, is to use that PCMCIA port to your advantage with either a wavelan card (distance is then limited to 800m outdoors) or perhaps one of those funky small Iomega drives (I forget what they are called right now).
:)
The second thought is perhaps explore writing direct to tape somehow. I see that most digital video cameras have the ability to take pictures too now, although I don't know how good the photos are, and they can store many many more pics than a digital camera.
Of course both these solutions suffer from a lack of pre-built interface to the camera, so that you'll have to work out yourself. But considering you've built most of this thing already, I'm assuming that isn't too big a deal
Matt. Want XML + Apache + Stylesheets? Get AxKit.
If flash memory is too expensive, a spare laptop with a large hard drive might work well. My Kodak DC215 can be controlled to take pictures from the serial cable through a script. Additionally, parallel port hard drives work very well too. Mount a 40G hard drive and you could take pictures until the helicopter's next service. :)
IBM has a harddisc in PCMCIA-3 format with 340MB memory - sufficient for at least 50 of your pictures. Maybe that might be an option for you? Advantage over an SCSI solution: the camera can be used in the very normal way without cabling.
If you opt for an SCSI solution, you might want to try the functionality (in a lab) on a simple single SCSI harddisc first. If you like the solution/handling, you might want to have a look at the IDE->SCSI RAID controllers for price/storage optimum.
I guess you should mount the SCSI stuff into a vibration-insulating case for use in a helicopter. Maybe you will be able to find some of the 19" cases sold in musicians' stores suitable for your cause.
A builtin power supply (UPS) is optional. And as you have to have a cable running to your camera, you might want to put additional batteries into the RAID case with the power supply chord running parallel to the SCSI cable to your camera.
Check out the Digital Wallet by Mindsatwork. It has some flaws, but if you have time to upload pictures between filling a disk or an assistant who can do it for you, then this looks like a good option:
MindsAtWork
Digital Wallet FAQ
Digital Wallet Review
I don't have anything to do with any of the above companies/sites. I am just a digital camera enthusiast who likes backpacking (and thus is looking for a similar solution, but compact). I am waiting for the second generation of these devices after reading the reviews though.
what i'd like to know is how you're breaking the flash card? :) they're rated for 2000 g's of force. that's something like a 10 foot fall onto concrete.. buy a bigass card, like 192 meg, and LEAVE IT IN THE CAMERA. anything that breaks the card, it broke YOU, and the camera LONG ago =)