Hi all,

OK, so I think I have had a change of heart.

Initially I thought that I would buy extra memory cards to contain all my photos. But with an 8MP camera, those cards are going to fill up quickly. I had thought about experimenting more with RAW mode (but then realised that I probably won't have time to fix them when I get home) but will probably stick to high quality JPEG.

Even in Jpeg, the memory cards aren't going to go far.

I have been looking at digital storage devices. I have read other posts about what people have chosen, but I have my eye on a portable hard drive (if you want to know which one, it is the Vosonic VP 6210 with the colour LCD which allows you to view the photos)

Can anyone here offer any advice about what storage device they have or have heard about?

I am not entirely sure that I will use the thing again, even as a hard drive, but at least this way my friends and family can borrow it afterwards for holidays and weddings and the like. The memory cards (xD) are not as easily shareable with others who use different cards.

thanks for any advice

After my recent trip and having to delete some of my photos to make room for others I have been considering the Ipod Photo. So that I can use it with my Itunes and store photos when away from my computer.

I use portable harddrives all the time. I lost a Digibin 40GB harddrive when I unplugged it without properly shutting it down on my PC. (One must do this with all USB devices!)I now have a Nixvue 30GB and a Flashtrax 40GB hard drive. The latter has a LCD screen, and is obviously more expensive. Personally I do not use the screen that often and rather waite until I am at home. Viewing is also hard on battery life. Anyone of the above is fine. One must just realise that these harddrives are vulnerable and must be handled with care. I don't just use it on tour, but take it along on all my photography trips.
Regards

Hello!

I'd like to put in my 2 cents, if I may?

I am gadget crazy, so I naturally coveted this neat little gadget ... I came very close to purchasing it, despite the cost.

On the advice of my tech guru, I have nixed the idea. First and foremost, this is an expensive gadget that only gets used once or twice a year, unless you're using it as an extra drive on your pc. The cost also prohibits passing it around to friends and family ... who wants to be responsible for borrowing something that expensive?

These gadgets are also very fragile. Packing them in a suitcase for travel is a gamble, and carrying it around on your person subjects it to other problems such as heat, cold and wet. Moreover, it's additional weight that you have to lug around.

The iPod Photo is a great idea. I wish my iPod supported pics!

I opted for buying two 512MB cards and borrowing another off a friend. Even at the highest resolution of a 6 mexapixel camera, that's nearly 1,000 pics! If I run out of room, I'll just take the card somewhere and have a CD burned (I'm not even bringing my own CDs - I'll purchase).

But enough about what I'm doing ... this is about you. If you absolutely WANT this neat little gadget, think carefully about whether you NEED it before laying out the money. This eliminates any feelings of guilt afterwards!

Personally, I'd love to own one, but the idea of having an extra $300 to spend while on vacation is infinitely more appealing!

Good luck!

M.

Hi Nell.Australia..

Like yourself, I debated on whether to buy extra memory cards or purchase a portable storage device. For my tour last year, I brought 3 of the 256MB cards (512MB cards were very expensive at that time). But I still had to look around for places to burn my pictures onto CDs, and ended up bringing home 6 CDs of pictures! Yes, I like to take lots of pictures!

After much research on portable storage devices, I ended up buying the Vosonic 3310 with a 40GB hard drive prior to my tour in March, and it was great! The 3310 was portable enough to carry in my purse. More importantly, I felt reassured that my pictures were safely stored as I continued to click and click my camera.

Although I would’ve loved a device that had a screen large enough to view the pictures (these type of devices are still too expensive!) - I found that, for me, it isn't necessary at this time because I just wanted something to store the pictures in.

It is a matter of personal choice as to which way you want to go. For me, I knew that I would use this device even after the trip - as a hard drive and also use for future trips and events. With the hundreds of pictures I took, it’s great to be able to show and share my photos with family and friends, without having to print them and put them in albums .

All the best in what you decide is best for you!

Vera

thanks so much for all your advice.

I agree that the hard drives are delicate things and it would kill me to drop it or have it otherwise damaged or stolen and lose the photos.

If I shoot in fine mode, each pic is 4 MB so with the memory card that I have now (about 1.4GB worth) I will need to buy more cards or get a storage device.

With the two weeks in Italy I am worried that if I try to find a shop which will burn discs for me then I will waste time better spent, say, at the Uffizi gallery!! I have two weeks self-travel in the UK, and here there should be no problem with finding a shop to burn the photos.

So I really haven't decided what I should do. My family all has Sony cameras so their cards are no use to me.

Yes, it is expensive to buy a hard drive, but sometimes I wonder with the thousands of dollars we are already spending what is a few hundred more (???!!! with that attitude I am getting myself ready for Europe where the Aus dollar is like play money!)

Thanks again, it is helpful to see the for and against arguments - have a big decision to make, and quickly!

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Just as I posted that message my husband has told me that he wants to bring the laptop after all (for work reasons)!!

OK, now I have to sort this out before anything else - may not need cards/hard at all. Don't really know if it is such a good idea to bring the lap top on a whim unless he really needs it, but that is another matter!

thanks again

Also taking a 8 megapixel camera. I opted for purchasing 1 gig flash cards. I now have 2 and thinking of a 3rd. $88 at Walmart. I also will be taking a 5 megapixal pocket camera that uses XD cards. I have enough memory for 450 pictures in high quality jpeg for this camera. That's enough pictures. You need some other time to enjoy the trip from someplace other than through a camera.

too true Lummy. Actually this is precisely the reason that we are not going to bring a video camera. You do need to actually spend time looking at the sights not down the sight!

I have just returned from 2 months travelling and used a Photobar which burns to a CD and it worked brilliantlly. No need to worry how many pics each day. Yes you do need to take CDs with you but everything fitted in the carry bag that comes with it, we carried it in our carry on bag when flying but the rest of the time it was packed in the luggage under the coach and there was no problem or damage.We locked our bags in hotels, just to limit temptation. So many fellow travellers were worried about finding somewhere to download or limiting their photos we now have over 3000 photos to look back on, will only print those we need. Our device can show the CDs back as a slide show and can play DVDs as well so it can be used later as well. Just another thought to add to everyones confusion as to what to do.