Vacation Photography Backup Solution

Over the years I have found or used various methods for backing up my photos while on the road.  I continually look for new solutions because travel scenarios, weight limitations, image file size increases, technical advances, etc., have made this a dynamic arena.

With my professional camera, I have a dual card capability that provides a quick solution.  I shoot RAW files which record to a large Compact Flash card, and simultaneously record the same image in the significantly smaller JPG format to an SD card.  Since the JPGs are my backup, I usually use the second level of compression so that a single 128Gb card can be left in the camera for an entire vacation.  The JPGs also come in handy when you want to share images before you return home.

With my semi-pro camera and its single SD card, the need to backup is even more critical for precious vacation images.  Backing up images on a daily basis is essential.  In the past this meant using a laptop, card reader and portable hard drive.  When traveling by car or on short domestic flights, this is not a bad solution.

For longer flights and international travel I sought out, and have hopefully found, a simple light weight collection of gear.  This $136 solution eliminates the laptop and substitutes the smartphone that is already in the mix for most travelers.  In addition to your smartphone, you will need a RAV Power File Hub Plus ($40), a powered USB 3 hub ($26), and a portable bus-powered hard drive.

USB 3 Hub with 4 ports and 1 Charge Port

RAV Power Network Hub, SD Card Reader, Backup Power, and WiFi

For this last item I already have my Seagate 2TB portable hard drive ($70) but plan to supplement/replace it with a faster Samsung 1TB SSD ($350).  For most people the Seagate is the better solution as it is a larger capacity mechanical drive and totally competent.  My desire to upgrade to the Samsung SSD (no moving parts) is my need for greater speed for the individual 30 to 70 Mb RAW image files that I shoot.

Seagate 2TB (shown in red) Hard Drive

Samsung 1TB SSD

Note that the RAV Power part of this solution provides, in addition to an SD card reader, a WiFi network of its own making.  There is also an associated app for your phone or tablet that can provide your file management interface.  Once the RAV Power is plugged into the 4 port hub with your portable hard drive in  another port, you can transfer files using the app interface.  The RAV Power also has a 6000mah battery that can re-charge your smartphone if needed.

The RAV Power plugs into the main (bottom USB cable permanently attached) portion of the 4 port hub and your portable hard drive plugs into any available port.  The use of the 4 port hub is the scenario I tested but the RAV Power device is advertised to work directly with hard drives up to 4TB which would eliminate the need for the 4 port hub.

When you need to back up your SD card, just pop it into the RAV Power, link your smartphone to the Rav Network and supply the 11111111 password (that was 8 ones) it needs, open the app, and locate both the hard drive and the SD card in the app program.  It is here you navigate to your files and make a copy to the hard drive folder of your choice.  It should be noted that your portable hard drive solution must be port powered so as to not exceed the limits of the hub.

For most photographers the above solution will suffice.  For those of you, like me, who also must contend with Compact Flash (CF) cards, I have added a USB 3 Card Reader to the scenario.  The card reader handles CF, SD, micro SD cards.  It also provides a USB C converter to plug directly into newer laptops and smartphones with the "C" type connectors.

WEme Aluminum USB 3.0 CF/SD/TF Micro SD Card Reader

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There is also another single device solution for SD cards only that might be attractive for some people and that is the Western Digital SSD with a built in card reader.  It is a bit pricier ($500 for 1TB size) than the other two scenarios above but it is a single device that should do it all.  I said SD cards only but I should clarify that this device will accept a card reader but the USB port is of the 2.0 variety and not 3.0, so your transfer speeds for external devices will be a bit slower.

Western Digital SSD with Built In WiFi and SD Card Reader

The WD SSD shown above features:

• Built-in SD card reader with one-touch copy button
• Durable, shock-resistant SSD inside
• All-day battery life (up to 10 hours)
• Wirelessly stream 4K videos and view photos with the My cloud mobile app
• Import from USB card readers