Image Tank versus used Laptop

I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

I realise the Image Tank would be a lot smaller, lighter and easier to
carry, but the Laptop would allow me to process the images in the
evening and to get a view on how the camera is working. Also, I could
transfer the images directly to the Laptop via the USB.

1) Has anyone else considered the two options and if so I would greatly
appreciate any feedback.

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

Thank you.

I have been using the IT (original & G2) for the past four years and have
never lost an image. Just added the Addonics MFR as a back up. Still between
these two less to carry than a lap top. I copy my days shoot to the IT & the
MFR. In most countries around the work I have connected the MFR to a TV to
view my days shoot as I can display both NTSC & PAL.

If you don't mind carrying a laptop that is not a bad way to go.

Bill Lillycrop wrote:

I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

I realise the Image Tank would be a lot smaller, lighter and easier to
carry, but the Laptop would allow me to process the images in the
evening and to get a view on how the camera is working. Also, I could
transfer the images directly to the Laptop via the USB.

1) Has anyone else considered the two options and if so I would greatly
appreciate any feedback.

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

There are many storage devices. I'm collecting information myself
so I can't give any opinions as to the best. Some manufacturers:
Tripper USB
Delkin Devices
Kingston
Nixvue
SmartDisk
X'S Drive

Personally, I would prefer to carry a storage device than a laptop.
Mainly because my laptop is too big to lug around. Also, being
on holiday, I wouldn't want to spend my nights working on
processing images. With used burner you never know the
quality of the burner, though you would have the hard drive
as secondary storage in addition to the burned CD.

I haven't heard of any problems wearing out connectors. No matter
what, you should take care in inserting/removing CF cards. With
that logic, would you not worry about wearing out connectors on
the camera?

As to being able to review your images, arthur's idea of
connecting to a TV is one solution, though the resolution is low.

If you decide to burn CD's, buy high quality media and
burn twice.

I recently took a short trip with my canon 10D and a laptop. I have C1
loaded into the laptop. After a day of shooting, the first thing I did was
burn the RAW images directly from the card reader to a cd. My digital negs.
Then, if you have time, open up your RAW conversion program and play with
your images. Then, re-format your cf card, and head out the next day.
"Bill Lillycrop" wrote in message
...
I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

I realise the Image Tank would be a lot smaller, lighter and easier to
carry, but the Laptop would allow me to process the images in the
evening and to get a view on how the camera is working. Also, I could
transfer the images directly to the Laptop via the USB.

1) Has anyone else considered the two options and if so I would greatly
appreciate any feedback.

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

Thank you.

Bill Lillycrop wrote:

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

Here's a page that I found:
http://fhoude34.free.fr/PortableHD.htm

Bill Lillycrop wrote in message ...
I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

I realise the Image Tank would be a lot smaller, lighter and easier to
carry, but the Laptop would allow me to process the images in the
evening and to get a view on how the camera is working. Also, I could
transfer the images directly to the Laptop via the USB.

1) Has anyone else considered the two options and if so I would greatly
appreciate any feedback.

Don't forget option 3: 4GB Microdrives are selling for under $200.

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

Lots. Most function as USB2 multi-card readers and ext hard drives
too. It's a nice addition to a laptop or destop since you'll never
even have to transfer images to your computer given a big enough hard
drive.

3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

You might wear out the USB/firewire connection too.

In article k.net,
Mike Jenkins wrote:
I recently took a short trip with my canon 10D and a laptop. I have C1
loaded into the laptop. After a day of shooting, the first thing I did was
burn the RAW images directly from the card reader to a cd. My digital negs.
Then, if you have time, open up your RAW conversion program and play with
your images. Then, re-format your cf card, and head out the next day.


Plan on an old laptop having a battery that's useless. You'll have to
use the power plug when you're burning.

Get a PCMCIA CF adapter card for the laptop. That wil transfer files
at IDE-speeds.



"Bill Lillycrop" wrote in message
...
I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

I realise the Image Tank would be a lot smaller, lighter and easier to
carry, but the Laptop would allow me to process the images in the
evening and to get a view on how the camera is working. Also, I could
transfer the images directly to the Laptop via the USB.

1) Has anyone else considered the two options and if so I would greatly
appreciate any feedback.

2) Are there any other items similar to the Image Tank out there? I see
the Digital Wallet is no longer being made.

3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

Thank you.





--
Al Dykes
-----------
adykes at p a n i x . c o m

Bill Lillycrop writes:

I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

My issue is, what do I do with the storage device when I'm not on the road?
And what do I do when I'm on the road and I'm not out doing something? With
a laptop, I have a device I can use every day for anything I can use a
computer for. (duh) And when I'm on the road, I can edit images when I'm
not otherwise engaged (during travel time, during rainy days, during the
evenings before bed when TV sucks).

Often stores in my area offer CDs for some amount of money with a mail-in
rebate for the entire purchase price; all I end up paying is the sales tax
plus the cost of a stamp.

Another person has mentioned that batteries in laptops eventually fail --
true. Buy a back up, and if one eventually won't hold a charge, see what it
would cost to have it rebuilt at
http://www.primecell.com/

I've had a couple of batteries rebuilt there which brought them back to
'new' capacity for less cost than a new one.

SNIP
3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

I think this is carelessness on the part of the operator. You are as likely
to damage the firewire or USB connection as the card. (By the way, get
another card or two. One really isn't enough on trips. And be sure your
computer has a CF recovery program on it -- eventually the card will get
some file on it that it doesn't like, and you won't be able to access the
card directly -- another advantage of a laptop.)

--
Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed
Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@
http://www.PhilipStripling.com/ | my domain is read daily.

I was going to make my own reply, but my feelings are so similar to
Phil's, I'm piggybacking.

Phil Stripling wrote:

Bill Lillycrop writes:

I am planning a holiday and will be gone for three weeks. The problem I
have is the memory card won't last that long (Canon Rebel with a 512 MB
card - can easily fill the card in one or two days). I am trying to
decide whether to purchase an Image Tank (or similar item); or for the
same amount of money if I should purchase a used Laptop with CD burner
and 10 GB hard drive.

My issue is, what do I do with the storage device when I'm not on the road?
And what do I do when I'm on the road and I'm not out doing something? With
a laptop, I have a device I can use every day for anything I can use a
computer for. (duh) And when I'm on the road, I can edit images when I'm
not otherwise engaged (during travel time, during rainy days, during the
evenings before bed when TV sucks).

Hotel televisions seem to all come from one certain factory that
produces new TV's that perform like old TV's... With a laptop, as long
as it has a DVD reader, you can play movies. Bring good headphones! You
can check email, read newsgroups. More useful, you can start weeding
out your culls while still on the road, you can see how your pictures
are turning out so if you need to change your technique or reshoot
something, you can.


Often stores in my area offer CDs for some amount of money with a mail-in
rebate for the entire purchase price; all I end up paying is the sales tax
plus the cost of a stamp.

Another person has mentioned that batteries in laptops eventually fail --
true. Buy a back up, and if one eventually won't hold a charge, see what it
would cost to have it rebuilt at
http://www.primecell.com/

I've had a couple of batteries rebuilt there which brought them back to
'new' capacity for less cost than a new one.

SNIP
3) One of the advantages I liked with the Laptop, was that I could plug
my camera directly into the Laptop without having to remove the card. I
was concerned with this continuous removing the card from the camera
every day, if this was going to wear out or affect the connection
between the card and the camera. We had a card damaged a work when it
was removed from the camera.

I think this is carelessness on the part of the operator. You are as likely
to damage the firewire or USB connection as the card. (By the way, get
another card or two. One really isn't enough on trips. And be sure your
computer has a CF recovery program on it -- eventually the card will get
some file on it that it doesn't like, and you won't be able to access the
card directly -- another advantage of a laptop.)

Agreed again, with normal careful use, it's unlikely you'll damage a
card taking it in and out. More likely you'll wear the CF connector in
the camera unnecessarily. Besides, a card reader is faster than
connecting the camera, and a CF to PC card adaptor is faster yet. And
if you can find a laptop with a CF card slot built in, that may be even
faster yet.

Lisa

Different strokes for different folks. Usually when on a overseas tour there
is time in the evening to copy or burn your images. I start the process and
then go of and do some thing else. I have even been known to read in bed
before going to sleep while the images are burning. Some times with a one
gig CF card full I can even take a shower while the CD burns.
It is all a matter of managed time.