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NYT on Photo Storage Devices

Posted by timothy on from the like-totally-massive dept.

prostoalex writes "New York Times reviews hard-drive-based photo storage devices for digital photographers on the go: 'The photo vaults in this roundup - the Epson P-2000, Jobo GigaVu Pro, Archos AV420 and SmartDisk FlashTrax - present a wide range of choice in size, shape, bells and whistles.'" (Pogue also discusses Apple's and Belkin's devices to use an iPod for the same purpose; I only wish Apple's worked with the non-Photo version of the iPod.)

5 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Belkin Media reader by randalx · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Belkin Media Reader works fine with a non photo iPod. You can't view the pics, even in grey scale, but it does list the number of pictures stored. I can confirm this since I own one and use it all the time. :-)

  2. Memory cards delicate? I don't think so. by adamfranco · · Score: 4, Informative

    From TFA: WHEN you really stop to think about it, memory cards are a pretty delicate storage format for something as important as your digital photos.

    I couldn't find it on their website, but I recently read an article in (I think) Popular Photography where they did some "stress testing" of memory cards. The results? most of the cards withstood submersion in water, drops, baked, frozen, and being run over by cars. As long as they could still be connected to a reader, the data was usually OK.

    Contrast this with a hard-drive-based storage solutions which are comparatively extremely fragile. Now, this isn't to say that I'm not going to purchase a HD-based device for a month-long trip this summer, but the cards are vastly more durable, just not as big or as cheap/GB.

    --
    "When ideology and theology couple, their offspring are not always bad but they are always blind." -- Bill Moyers
    1. Re:Memory cards delicate? I don't think so. by Lawrence_Bird · · Score: 2, Informative

      not only that, at nearly $500 for most of these devices
      you can buy at least 5 if not more 1GB CF cards (depending
      on the speed you require). Even using a Canon 1DS which
      makes 14MB raw files you can fit nearly 80 images a card.
      A 20D would fit 128 each. And these are cameras meant for
      pros. I can fit over 300 on a 1GB microdrive using my G2.

      A handfull of CF cards takes up way less space and is a
      lot less to go wrong than one of these hard drive devices.

      And the ooh and ah of seeing the picture on the tv. I can
      do this already with my G2 so big deal.

  3. Another comparison site by tarm · · Score: 2, Informative

    Here is another comparison site that compares the usual things like speed, and screen (if there is one) as well as things that other promotional sites often forget to mention like battery life and autonomy. I found it really useful when I bought mine, but it hasn't been updated for a while, and doesn't have some of the more recent models.

  4. Kanguru Media X-Change 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    If you are looking for a portable device only for Photo Storage, and can do without "bells & whistles" like a viewing screen, then check out the:

    Kanguru Media X-Change 2.0 .

    I've been using one for several years now, and it's enabled me to get, what some refer to as "the money shot", on several occasions.

    Supports Compact Flash, Smart Media, Secure Digital, Multimedia Card, IBM Microdrive, Sony Memory Stick

    Available is several sizes, and reasonably priced as well:

    • Media X-change 2.0 20G
      • $179.95
    • Media X-change 2.0 80G
      • $299.95

    I don't have any connections to the company, other than being a very satisfied user of their product, and customer service.