Using a digital camera abroad

paul · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2003 12:24 pm Post subject: Using a digital camera abroad

When I use a digital camera, I like to take pictures on the highest resolution just in case I get that "dream shot" which I want to be able to enlarge, print and put on the wall. Of course, if I just take low res shots, the quality will be poor when I come to enlarge the pictures.

The problem with this is that it limits how many pictures I can fit on to a single card. Typically, I can get around 40-50 images on my card when using the uncompressed format. This isn't really enough for a week's travels even if I delete images as I go along...

Do others have this same problem or is it just me? What do you do to get round it? Convert images on to CD whilst you're away, have additional cards, just take the pictures at a lower res...? Any thoughts aprpeciated...

Paul
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hello · Posted: Mon May 19, 2003 3:55 am Post subject: digital pictures....

Something my brother recommended I do for my trip is to bring something with to download the pictures onto a computer at any internet cafe (would that be a firewire? or does your camera come with whatever you would need to download the picture onto a computer?) and then put them onto the internet, uncompressed. he has his own space for his web page (I think that would be space on a server, which he has access to through a password) , and does the same with his pictures. from there, they can be taken off by someone at home - or by you when you get home, and dealt with (burned onto CD or whatever). This way, it can be accessed anywhere in the world as long as you can get to an internet connection. I will be finding out alot more about this - as I have a vague idea of what he was trying to describe - before I go. If I find out more about how this is done in the next little while, I'll get back to you.

When he described it too me, it seemed to make alot of sense. If what I described doesn't make any sense for you, just wait until I know more because it would work if I knew exactly what I was talking about. I guess the hard thing is figuring out how to get space on a server.

Johann_Kaspar · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 9:36 pm Post subject:

I am taking pics at the highest resolution, too. The solution is a 1 Gb micro-drive which enables to save some 500 photos at 2048x1536 pixels. Having all needed space (well, soon a second micro-drive will be welcome), the next problem was running out of batteries during daytime. A transformer running on a 12V battery car solved that. I can reload one of my 3 batteries while driving to the next place, using in turn 3 batteries.

DarrenC · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 6:40 am Post subject:

I've been wondering the same Paul.

I'm in the process of looking for a digital camera. Any ideas of any good deals out there?

Secondly my friends in Australia have a PC so I was going to upload the photographs to my server and then sort them out when I arrive back home.

For those that havent got a server. Try www.yahoo.com where you can set up a photo folder and upload the photos to it. Ideal for budget travellers on the move! You can email the folder to family and friends whilst you are travelling.

Darren
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paul · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2003 9:49 am Post subject:

Hi everyone and thanks for the feedback.

Firstly, to 'hello'... unfortunately, on my last trip, I wasn't always in locations where I could readily upload to the internet, particularly this kind of volume of data. I had about 3Gb worth! The only internet connection available to me whilst I was away was very slow and very expensive. I doubt it would have coped with uploading the data.

To 'Johann', I already have a 1Gb microdrive, plus two 1Gb CompactFlash cards. My problem isn't really having enough space for all the pictures whilst I'm away. I largely got round this on my last trip by taking pictures on the highest JPG setting as opposed to taking them in uncompressed RAW format, which gave me a far greater number to play with. This way I could get around a couple of hundred shots on a card. (Battery-wise I'm OK, because it last several hours and I have one spare.)

My problem is what I do with the images once I'm back. Obviously, I want to clear the cards reading for my next shooting spree. I could write 3Gb worth of data onto around 4 CDs, but they can be damaged, so do I do the same again as a backup? I understand DVD writers are far more affordable these days, so maybe I would be better writing everything to 1 DVD, and then once more as a back up. At least that way I end up with just 2 'disks' rather than 8.

BTW, when I was away last time, I did meet someone who was emptying the data off his card onto some kind of storage device that could hold quite a few Gig, I believe. Anyone seen these products on the market or know much about them?

Finally, to Darren, the camera I bought was the Canon G5 if you want to look into it. Not the cheapest but it does take some great pictures (examples are on my http://www.africahoneymoon.com website if you're interested). I shopped around quite a bit on it so, if it looks like it's the camera for you, let me know here and I can recommend a couple of places to make the purchase at a reasonable price (by UK standards, at least... it's probably still cheaper if bought overseas).

Paul
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asianboywonder · Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject: ipod

i have an ipod and there is adaptor that reads memory cards and stores them into the ipod....product is called BELKINS MEDIA READER...only problem with this is that it doesnt read memory stick pro and transfer rate is kind of slow....all and all it works

david

annelisabeth · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:02 pm Post subject:

I have an S40 (little brother series to the G-range). Great camera. I've got 3 batteries now. Peace of mind...

Anyway, thanks for the tip about the Ipod. Didn't know that. I have a similar setup (see the sig link for my travel setup).

But I was thinking about those that don't. With so many high capacity webmail providers these days, you could get some help that way. A Gmail account and a hotmail account (remember to log in every two weeks or whatever they require, or you could lose your content) or a Yahoo account.

If I were to use a mail approach to storing photos, I'd frankly CC the mail to a second account, just in case one barfs.

Then there are CD burners at internet cafe's and some photo stores also do that sort of thing.

BTW, I'm new here. Hi!
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aaron · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:46 pm Post subject:

SOL · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 9:20 pm Post subject:

You may find that your digital camera can actually take a card a lot larger than the manufacturer states.
I have a Fujifilm MX1200 that states that the largest card i can use is 32mb yet i have a 128mb card in it and it works fine...this gives me over 200 pictures at top resolution and size!! Dont always believe what you are told in the handbooks..for the price of a £29.99 memory card i found out the easy way. Lets be honest..whats the chance of you using 200 shots on an average holiday?? very slim..because with digital cameras if you dont like you delete and only keep the best. Who wants to be carrying extra drives around with them..and if you do are you fully insured for all these extras?
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msprague · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:42 am Post subject:

I agree with Paul, the higher the resolution the better. I have a Digital Rebel and will be taking a wack of shots on our trip to Tunisia and Paris in a couple of weeks. If I run out of memory card space and can't find a shop to either transfer them off to a cd or mail them home I'll just splurge and buy another card. After all, who knows when we might be back to Tunisia?!
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georgep · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:24 am Post subject: Re: ipod

msprague · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:19 pm Post subject:

Any comments on micro drives?
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Mitch Sprague
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paul · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:22 pm Post subject:

Hi Mitch

I have both microdrives and CF cards. Personally, I favour the latter as I'm told that microdrives, being mechanical devices, can be more prone to damage. You can drop a CF card and being pretty much safe in the knowledge that it'll probably be fine. I think that's less the case with a microdrive.

Paul
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georgep · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:30 pm Post subject:

Microdrives are not the best of the two options Smile

it's like a mini harddrive. so it consumes a lot more power and are easier to damage. They say that the "new" 2 and 4 gig versions are stronger but still they are drives.
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msprague · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 8:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. Thanks for the input. I'm really torn between buying a couple of 512mb CF cards or a 2.2GB microdrive for about the same cash. I'm thinking, since I have 2x128mb and 2x256mb CF that I might risk the microdrive and make sure I use the CF cards when I have shots I really want to safe guard. I haven't had much luck at all finding any commentary about the microdrives, other than the caution you have to take with regards to handling them. Gently, gently.
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Mitch Sprague
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