What is the best way to store digital photos while traveling in Europe?
Barbara F asked:
I have a Canon digital camera. I’m not sure if I will have access to any computers while traveling, but I want to take LOTS of photos. Forgive my ignorance about technology, but isn’t there some cool, portable device suitable for storing photos, or should I buy a bunch of cards?
I have a Canon digital camera. I’m not sure if I will have access to any computers while traveling, but I want to take LOTS of photos. Forgive my ignorance about technology, but isn’t there some cool, portable device suitable for storing photos, or should I buy a bunch of cards?
February 20th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
you should buy a bunch of sd cards. that is the only solution
February 21st, 2009 at 3:29 pm
i would say loads of cards would be fairly easy if your not tech savvy, you could go into internet cafe’s and upload photo’s to flickr (or other similar site) as you go. But your fairly safe with cards
February 22nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Yes there are cool portable devices. You can buy a portable drive that will copy your pics from your memory cards, but they are expensive and easily damaged if not handled with care while running.
The cheapest way is to buy lots of cards, very cheap these days.
Another option is an inexpensive laptop. I have an Asus EEEPC that I travel with. It is about the size of a Reader’s Digest. The 4gig model has about 2G of storage space on the hard drive, plus you could copy your photos to a second memory card for backup. Cost approx $400 from BestBuy online, not a lot more than the aforementioned portable drive will cost. Check it out at
Have a fun trip.
February 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
My wife and I just returned from a 10 month around-the-world trip and we carried a small stack of memory cards. Whenever one card filled up, we’d burn it to a dvd (at any camera shop or internet cafe) and mail it to friends at home. We’d then store that card away and not re-use it until we received word that the dvd had arrived safely. On a shorter trips, we carry enough memory cards to see us through.
As for the other options…
A portable storage device, while tempting, is just another expensive item that can get stolen or break down. Then there’s also the extra bulk & weight of the device and charger in your backpack/ suit case, and the constant hassle of charging it.
The same drawbacks also go for dragging around a laptop.
Uploading your pictures to Flickr or some other internet storage site is too time consuming. You’ll spend hours at a time uploading a full memory card. That time would be better spent taking more pictures! Also, European internet cafes are not cheap.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Just buy as many of the highest capacity cards that your model can accept. Your on vacation!! Do you really want to waste time trying to transfer files and burn DVD’s. A safe bet would be 1 card for every 2 days. Good luck!!