Travel photo backup without a laptop

[pluto]

I've been trying to find a solution to this problem for quite a while but I've finally found a system that works for me. I know you can get little hard drive things with card readers in them that will backup but last time I looked they were pretty expensive. Also I could just buy more CF cards but I want/need fast cards for my 5DmkII so they're quite expensive.

In a nutshell I connect a usb card reader to my Android phone and copy the raw files off of my camera's card and onto the internal memory (or the micro sd card in the phone). Then I connect a usb thumbdrive to the phone and copy the photos onto the thumbdrive. If they're really important pics I just back them up onto 2 seperate thumbdrives (of different brands!).

Also you don't need a seperate card reader if you don't want, you can just plug the camera straight in through usb and it will act as a card reader (same as it does on a computer).
Thankfully all phone manufacturers (except one) use standard usb connectors to charge and exchange data so all I had to buy was an $8 usb host cable.

If you didn't want to use thumbdrives you could use other cards in your card reader, or micro sd cards if your phone/tablet has a slot. Also I think you can use a usb hard drive but I don't think the phone will provide it power so only use one with an external power supply (I haven't tested this though).

Also, as a side note, I've been using an app called "Photo Mate" that can display and edit Canon raw files, great for me to review my pics after a day out as I don't shoot jpgs and it's handy for basic edits while on the road.

So my total kit for photo backup/basic edit while traveling consists of my phone, which I would have with me anyway, a tiny cable and a bunch of thumbdrives or cheap cards :D

[AstroJunk]

I use an android tablet on my travels and do similar. The tablet has a built in SD card and full size usb which streamlines the process, and I backup everything to hard disk as you do. I'll look up photo mate. The program I use is DSLR Controller which does a nice job of capture, but I have yet to play with many others.

I'm planning on using an old HTC desire as a capture device which it isnt so good as phone anymore. (I dropped it in a river, actually, no, I dropped ME in the river with phone in my pocket).

I must get a usb converter - where did you get yours?

[pluto]

I've been using DSLR Controller for ages and I love it!

I got the usb host adapter (sometimes called an OTG - on the go adapter) from ebay, can't remember which seller but they're all the same. I'm 99% sure the HTC desire uses micro usb B the same as my phone so you could get this one for $3.89! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-OTG-Host-Cable-Adapter-for-Samsung-Galaxy-S3-S-III-i9300-GT-9300-AUS-/290849198012?pt=AU_MobilePhoneAcces sories&hash=item43b7f68fbc

[AstroJunk]

Thanks Hugh, I'll grab one of those :thumbsup:

[Wavytone]

I use my 64GB iPad as backup, at the end of each day extract the images from the camera and cull the junk... worked fine for 2-3 week trips.

Also nice to see there's a 128GB one coming too !

[pluto]

I tried using my iPad as a backup a couple of years ago but I found it so slow as to be unusable, though I'm sure it's quicker these days with the newer models.
Also I'm about to go OS for a month and I don't think 64gb (or even 128) will be enough for all those Aurora Borealis timelapses and, unless I missed something, a non jailbroken iPad can't mount usb drives.
I'll still be taking my iPad with me when I travel but just for net stuff.