Going Travelling Couple of things to discuss:

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

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Ok, a few of you may already be aware that I'm going travelling this year for 3 months. I'm going with my other half, and will be travelling to Thailand>New Zealand>Seattle/Canada.

I will be taking the D80 and a total of 6 gig SD (3x 2 Gig), I'm just wondering if I should look at getting a OTG backup device, or just take a 2 1/2" USB disk drive to backup the 6 gig at each location in a cyber cafe....Anyone know if that will be possible? I.e? Plug in a card reader and an ext drive, or cam and ext drive?

Anyone got any experience with travelling? And methods they use?

The other thing I wanted to discuss, was possible savings on lenses or devices whilst out and about. Are any of the destinations other than Seattle US going to be cheap for camera kit? i.e... Would it be worth picking up an Epson P-2000 or lenses? What sort of savings would there be? also devices like Ipods, any savings?

Any help appreciated....

Very last thing, is that I will be using my Lowepro AW-200 as my day bag, with a couple of sliplock attachments....for storage...I should be fine taking that on to the planes as hand luggage? Any bits that they might be funny about?
 
I guess Thailand could be cheap. That epson thing could be a useful buy if you use it on more than one trip.

I'm going away in the summer too for a month, I plan to back-up using DVDs and any available laptop/computer with a burner. It's going to be cheapest by far (provided you access to a burner).
 
Im just not sure what access a cyber cafe will give me, and if they would allow me to use various USB devices?
 
id get one of the standalone card backup devices that are about just incase you either cant get to a computer or they dont allow external devices.
 
Been to Oz and NZ - I found everywhere there are internet cafes that allow you to copy camera card >> temp folder via provided adaptor then PC >> CD or DVD (more of former, fewer of latter). So for 30 mins use of internet cafe (e.g $2 Aus) + cost of DVD(R) (e.g. one-off $3) I could burn a DVD up to 4.5GB or 2 or 3 CDs (700MB each). I made 2 copies, one to send home ($3Aus) and one to look at piccies over the rest of the holiday - could then reuse card if necessary.

So for about $20Aus over 2 months was able to buy CD/DVDs and time at internet cafe to back up cards. Seems cheapest / most reliable "insurance" to me. I wouldn't bother lugging round a back up drive - just make 2 CD or DVD copies - and enjoy one on rainy days during the holiday, whilst the other waits at home for you!

Loads of internet cafes in Bangkok / Chiang Mai

Avoid "internet kiosks" like the plague - go to proper "cafe".

Mel
 
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Thanks for that, so you could purchase the media in the cafe, thats good, would they let you plug a camera directly in or a usb ext disk>? if u noticed?
 
They had these "multi card readers" and had read -write access to a folder in "my docs" area for temp use so you could make up a folder = disc size.

Edit
Bought discs in shop - reasoned they would sell you "compatible" ones so if write didn't work could get a replacemement (only happened once - no hassle).
 
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Make sure you put CDs in a case - I had one CD "split" by airline as it was near case lid - advantage of 2 copies. Not all cafes gave you case - take a few slimline cases?
 
Id take a backup device for your photos, I recently got a Digimate 2 Image Tank, and I must say its not working quite right :rolleyes: I think the harddrive im trying to use is to new for its firmware,so ill swap it with my old one asap. The Epson backup devices are very nice, but apparently the digimate 3 is out now for £29 pair it with 80gb HD or something for extra back up, works well when it works,lol.

Also as said above when you get a 'dvd's worth' of shots, copy it to dvd/cd when you can, so you have mem cards+digimate type device+dvd's of all your pics. Also after reading this months photography mag there is a horror story of a guy using cheapo mem cards when he went to amazon jungle, he got back to find them all corrupted, use the BEST mem cards u can get.

Yes in the USA all items are roughly half price, like a Canon lens I was looking at was $275 and in uk its £275, $ to £ is £137, other country's, Canada etc offer similar if not more savings

The AW200 will go on flights easy, defo classed as hang luggage, go to lowpro's website and all there bags they sell there have a little plane icon to see weather they will go through customs ok

The only thing to note is if you get another lens and abit more equipment over there , when you bring it back through customs you will have to make out you took it with you or you will pay import tax. Some people I know buy devices out there, remove all packageing and instructions manuals/receipts, put them in an envelope and post them to there address or a friends address, that way thru customs, nothing they can do or proof, also pay for it on credit card so the money isnt immediantly out of your account, again they can prove nothing, chaching, half price lens / equipment ;)

Only other thing to suggest, is the lowpro bag your only bag your taking as hand luggage?, cuz that + another rucksack is abit cumbersome (+ 2 rucksacks your really running a red line on allowed hand luggage), unless your other halfs carrying everything else, id defo fo sho get a bigger bag that can carry drinks, food, maps and other stuff in a seperate compartment as well as camera stuff, you need the other stuff more than you need the camera, the lowpro Rover AW plus is about as big as a 'daysack' you can take on a plane, the lowpro Rover is abit smaller.

Has enough room for cam + 2 medium lenses and -some- bits of other equipment, but the MOST important thing it has is an upper seperate compartment for your other travel essentials

EDIT: Pack your AW200 in your large rucksack/suit case that goes in the planes hold if you need a very small day sack

EDIT2: Some air lines are weird/funny about operating cameras and equipment while in flight, some dont let you use modern SLR's, some do no problems (as some cams have wireless transmittors, the airlines dont make a point to finding out which ones do, so -SOME- ban them all).

In which case I took a £5 disposable cam on the plane for in flight shots
 
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I went travelling for 6 weeks and had 3 x 1gb cards. I just went into net cafes and camera shops and burnt DVDs. You'll find the Kodak shops will be fairly expensive for them to take your card out back, and burn it to DVD, but if you find a 'proper' camera shop they'll do it for much cheaper. But net cafes that let you do it will be much easier and cheaper! Just make sure once you've burnt your photos to a disc to format the card straight away. If you dont you'll only end up wondering if you really did back those photos up and you'll be scared to format it, and you'll probably end up burning them to disc again just to make sure and wasting money.. i know i did that :p

The biggest fault i see with carrying a big storage device around with ALL your photos on, is that if you lose/break that, you're completely screwed. As safe as they can be, you just dont know if someone might take a fancy to it, you might drop it, you might lose it etc..

Burning DVDs seems a bit tedious/lame, but at least that way your photos are spread out among a lot of storage. Plus you can always get two copies and send them home to be sure.
 
Scam said:
Burning DVDs seems a bit tedious/lame, but at least that way your photos are spread out among a lot of storage. Plus you can always get two copies and send them home to be sure.
Click to expand...

100% with you - I sent a DVD copy home near the end!

Mel
 
Memoery is so cheap now I'd go with the CD/DVD backup and just get another card or two to take along in case you get caught short with finding a cafe that lets you burn discs and you have to wait longer than planned between backups.
 
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