NYT on Photo Storage Devices

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.)

Comments

None of these...

[demondawn]

Really made me want to run out and buy something (but then, I'm not a professional photographer.) It seems to me, though, that what a photographer might really want is a CAMERA with a nice big screen to see the pictures that have just been taken, and with a BUILT-IN hard drive to take lots of high-quality pictures. These products all seem like just boondoggles.

Re:None of these...

[Zapraki]

It seems to me, though, that what a photographer might really want is a CAMERA with a nice big screen to see the pictures that have just been taken, and with a BUILT-IN hard drive to take lots of high-quality pictures.

At first glance, that does seem like the most logical solution. Eliminate the middle man.

But there are two reasons I can think of why it seems unlikely for this type of solution to be pursued anytime soon:

1) For pros: In a word, BULK.

Adding that extra-big screen and hard drive to the camera is probably going to add a far bit bulk, as in more volume and more mass. With digital SLRs, the size of the really good lenses alone adds so much extra bulk that I can't see many pros wanting ever more bulk. Compactness is a virtue. Plus, these are the people who have, in general, enough money to spend that they can afford to buy extra, external "photo vaults". When these guys take as many pictures as they do, they might even want multiple.

2) For average ppl: In a word, COST.

It's going to add a non-trival extra cost to add a larger screen and built-in hard drive to a camera. Consumers value the bottom line, and I can't see large numbers of people shelling out extra for a camera with these admittedly helpful, but also expensive features. Plus, most average people probably aren't going to think ahead enough to realize that they're going to have to buy a "photo vault" anyways, and so that won't factor into their decision. They'll just stick to having a fistful of compact flash cards.

Belkin Media reader

[randalx]

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. :-)

hmm

[Sv-Manowar]

as good as these kind of devices get, I can't help but wonder if a sub-notebook would be a better choice in terms of flexibility, I know for sure i'd rather take my ibook complete with it's software bundle rather than try to play with one of these kinds of devices and potentially lose photos.

Memory cards delicate? I don't think so.

[adamfranco]

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.

Re:Memory cards delicate? I don't think so.

[Lawrence_Bird]

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.

Bells and whistles?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's awesome. I'm a photographer of bells and whistles.

Archos AV

[Remik]

I've had an AV480 for about six months, and it's changed my life. Imagine all the great things that Tivo does for you, and then imagine that you can take your Tivo anywhere. My commute has disappeared thanks to being able to watch the previous night's Adult Swim. I'm not stuck watching crap movies on planes, and I don't have to make any excuses about why I didn't make productive use of my time (the main reason I didn't get a laptop...working on the way to work isn't my idea of a good time).

As a photo vault, I haven't given it much of a workout. It certainly does everything it claims to do, but it's best for those who have cameras that use CF type I, as I think worrying about an adapter would be too much of a hassle.

-R

Archos support both PAL & NTSC video

[Andyvan]

I have the Archos, and found it incredibly useful on a recent trip to Germany. A German friend had some video he had recorded, and I was able to dub it onto my Archos (PAL format).

When I got home to the US, I was able to view it in NTSC format, and have since put it onto a DVD.

I also used it to off-load 2 different cameras, watch a movie, and listen to music.

Oh, almost forgot, I also used it to record a concert via the microphone, and to record a couple of tracks from an LP via the line-in.

I didn't miss having a laptop at all, though I do have a PDA to do laptop-like stuff.

-- Andyvan

iRiver

[nukem996]

My iRiver H40 has the feature to hook up to any USB mass storage device show a file manager and then you can copy the files/directories you want over to it. If its a digital camera and the pictures are jpg/bmp(which most cameras do save as) you can even view them. The hole player is shown as a USB mass storage so on Linux/Windows/Mac you can just copy files over and not go through some crappy software *caugh* iTunes *cough* If you upgrade the firmware to the international version you can even view avi movies. The new version H10 looks much better but is only at 5gigs(soon to be 6) and you lose view playing support.

Problem with Apple & Belkin devices

[j79]

A major issue with Apples iPod accessory, as well as Belkin's is the transfer speed from card to iPod!

It takes about 4-5 minutes to transfer roughly 110 MB of information (iPod device - a bit faster with belkin..) While this may not be an issue with casual users of digital cameras (who only have a 128 or 256 card), people who use higher end dSLR cameras with 1GB cards will find they have to wait 45minutes for a transfer!!

Even worse is the battery drain caused by using these devices! That little iPod harddrive was not meant to be spinning for 45 minutes straight!

So for professionals, definitely stick with the dedicated media wallets. Much faster transfers. Larger LCD screens (for certain models), and you won't be killing your iPod battery charge which means more music when your on your shoots.

I'm a cheapskate...

[tinrobot]

Spending $500 for one of these things seems a little out of my price range.

A few weeks ago, I ran across cheap enclosure for $20 that's battery operated, holds a 2.5 inch drive and also has a compact flash slot. I tossed an old 10GB laptop drive in it and that was it. I'm not sure who makes it, but I found it through Yahoo shopping.

Sure, it's the opposite end of the spectrum from the Epson and Archos, and it's pretty low tech (doesn't show the photos, copies the *entire* CF card to the drive, not just the pictures) Still, it works good for my purposes and my wallet is much, much fatter.

Another comparison site

[tarm]

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.

Too expensive, not needed

[Lemuel]

The devices looked interesting until I saw the price. Most of them cost more than my camera, and the flash memory getting cheaper having a separate hard disk device just doesn't seem worth it. The screen on my camera may not be as nice, but at that price it is good enough.

FlashTrax are really sub-par

[mxwoz]

The FlashTrax in this review are awful. I brought one, It has apalling battery life, about enough for 5 or so 256 meg transfers.

The units are highly unreliable. Mine has the habbit of inverting its screen so it looks like a cheap 1980s VGA screen. This requires a reboot.

They periodically stop during transfers resulting in a broken directory that can't be deleted. They have a fragile and thouroughly unreliable USB connection. I have destroyed my desktop by not shutting the machine down in the correct order.

Their MP3 player only likes one type of format, it supports lots but all but 128bit MP#s have lots of hiss. This is an Alpha product that is being sold to the public. Oh and the screen is so awful that you might as well not bother. So as a review device it fails miserably.

On the plus side, I have used mine for several long trips, outback Australia, albeit with frequent recharging of the pathetic battery, and not having a laptop is a godsend, you get to concentrate on photographs rather than futsing with laptops.

Flashtrax gets my vote!

[RotateLeftByte]

I went on a 3 week trip to Madagascar last fall with my 2 Nikon DSLR's and a Flashtrax 80Gb device. I took 6 512Mb CF Cards for the days shooting and at the end of the day I copied them to the Flashtrax device. Even in this very poor country main power was available in most places so the battry life was not really tested but I took a couple of spares for the two days we were in an area where there was no power. I also took an Ipod compatible Solar Panel. This trickle charged my various batteries during the day so I had no problems with batteries running out.
The screen on the Flashtrax allows us to review pictures in the evening to attempt to identify various species including my attempt at photographing the elusive Fossa(success!)
If you plan your trip successfully and think about spare batteries etc then any devices like these are worthwhile.
On a recent trip to North norfolk, there was another DSLR user with an Archos. The screen on them is far better tha the Flashtrax but this user was extreemly frusrtated with the Software on the Archos. It would not copy the whole CF card from his Canon EOS30D but had to copy individiual folders as Canon in their wisdom insist on creating new folders on the CF Card every 100 shots!
He was envious of my Nikon/Flashtrax combination which was far easier to use.
So, if you are considering on of these devices to go with your Digital Camera, try one out before buying or you could end up like my Canon user friend.
When buting one of these devices don't be a cheapskate and buy one of these with a small HDD. Get the 80Gb version. Then you will have plenty of space for your MP3 collection and the thousands of pictures you will take. I shot 10,000+ piccies in three weeks in Madagascar.
Also, with the ever increasing numbers on MegaPixels on Digital Cameras, the size of each picture will only ever get bigger as I have found out with my new D2X.
Finally, a checklist:-
- Ease of use when copying Digital Media
- Spare Batteries for Flashtrax/Archos etc
- Spare Batteries for digital camera & flashgun
- Spare Digital Media
- Solar panel for trickle charging batteries
- Digital Camera soft case(eg Lowepro) to put the Flashtrax/Archos/etc device in to protect it.

If you get yourself orgaqnised then these devices are brilliant.