Backing up Images using iPad, External Drive and LR

[Duncanh]

Mobile Operating System: IOS 11.2.6
Desktop Operating System: macOS High Sierra
Exact Lightroom Version (Help menu > System Info): LR Classic 7.2 and LR CC (not using LR CC yet)

Hi

When I travel I take an old netbook (Windows 7) and an external portable drive (Lacie Rugged USB no mains) to back up my Raw images I've shoot (over trip can be more than 200GB of images). I download images (from CF and SD cards) to the netbook then copy them to the external portable drive then reuse the cards. Works fine but netbook heavy, only used to backup and occasionally view images (not that important). I always take my iPad & iPhone.

To give me a cloud backup my first thought was to start using LR CC to back up images on my travels still using the netbook and external drive but was wondering if it's possible to use an iPad instead of the netbook. So is there a way to copy CF & SD cards via the iPad to the external drive and also upload to LR CC cloud ? I might not have internet access some/all of the time, limited space on the iPad hence needing to copy to external hdu.

Hope that makes sense, thanks.
PS so pleased this forum is still here

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I don't think there is a way to use a standard external HD with the iPad, and certainly not one that needs to get its power over the USB cable. There are some special options for dedicated external storage, including an app that you use to manage this. I know that Sandisk makes some, for example.

 

[Duncanh]

Hi Johan
Just looked at the Sandisk website, they do some interesting portable storage devices. Can't see how I can get images from CF/SD cards to them, suppose I'm asking a bit much. May be a nice small Apple Macbook is really the answer.
Thanks

 

[PhilBurton]

Have a look at HyperShop - HYPER by Sanho Corporation. I use an older HyperDrive to unload CF cards. I think you can buy just the "bare" device, and add your own SSD or HDD, or else buy a unit that already includes a drive.

Phil Burton

 

[Duncanh]

They do some nifty products, not heard of them before. Will have a good look later, thanks.

 

[Denis Pagé]

Hi Johan
Just looked at the Sandisk website, they do some interesting portable storage devices. Can't see how I can get images from CF/SD cards to them, suppose I'm asking a bit much. May be a nice small Apple Macbook is really the answer.
Thanks

Hi Duncan,

A LaCie Fuel drive may be much less expensive and portable than a Macbook for your purpose. I do not know how is the software coming with it but to transfer files from my iPhone or iPad, I use FileBrowser by Stratospherix. That way, I can send my iOS photos to my Mac Pro or even to a remote drive on a Windows network at work wirelessly and without internet!

P.S.: I am not paid by LaCie...

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Hi Johan
Just looked at the Sandisk website, they do some interesting portable storage devices. Can't see how I can get images from CF/SD cards to them, suppose I'm asking a bit much. May be a nice small Apple Macbook is really the answer.
Thanks

I don't think you can transfer images directly from the CF/SD card to the external storage, for the simple reason that both need the only connector port of the iPad. You'll have to copy them from the card to the Camera Roll, and then from the Camera Roll to the external storage. The only exception might be (but I doubt that) if you use WiFi external storage.

 

[Denis Pagé]

Western Digital make a portable hard disk on which you can plug an SD card directly! That could be the solution for Duncan.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Western Digital make a portable hard disk on which you can plug an SD card directly! That could be the solution for Duncan.

Except that he uses CF cards as well...

 

[Duncanh]

Many thanks, food for thought. Off to Spain on Monday (with the netbook), when I get back will again read the helpful advice here again and do some research on the suggestion.
Cheers, I do like this forum with great people here.

 

[Gnits]

I think you can plug a card reader into the Western Digital, which can then use CF cards. Worth checking out.

My favourite portable drive is the Colorspace Hyperdrive.
HyperDrive ColorSpace UDMA3 - Photo/Video Memory Card Backup Device for Digital Cameras

I am waiting for a USB C version to replace my existing 10 year old model.
I backup using this drive in the field, plug into my laptop via USB back at the hotel and then have disk to disk copy speeds to copy to my laptop or a second external drive.

I was keen to develop a workflow around the iPad for travel, but gave up in this a few years ago, for a variety of reasons. I use a MacAir instead of an IPad for travel. That allows me use Lr or Capture One, with Capture One especially useful for tethered shooting. My main workstation is a Windows machine.

 

[Duncanh]

Thanks Gnits
I think I'm leaning towards a MacBook, just too much fluffing around trying to get an iPad to do something it's just not designed for. If I do I'l need to sort the USB C stuff, why can't apple just keep to whats seems to be the standard of USB3 instead of always trying to move the goal posts .
When my iMac gets too old (have 2010 27") I'm considering change back to Windows but that's a whole different subject !!

 

[Conrad Chavez]

It's starting to look like the HyperDrive might be the way to go, since it has both SD and Compact Flash slots. It is also more photographer-focused than the other drives because it has features like copy verification and a preview screen for stored images, but if you buy a new camera the HyperDrive may need a firmware update to be able to read new camera raw formats.

Whatever you buy, get it from somewhere with a great return policy, because at least the Amazon reviews on every device mentioned here (and the Seagate wireless drive not mentioned) are very mixed. None of them could achieve a ratings average of over 3.5 stars, and most averaged just three stars.

If I do I'l need to sort the USB C stuff, why can't apple just keep to whats seems to be the standard of USB3 instead of always trying to move the goal posts .
When my iMac gets too old (have 2010 27") I'm considering change back to Windows but that's a whole different subject !!

Keep in mind that USB-C ports are USB 3, most use some flavor of USB 3.1. And, if you switch back to Windows for your light travel laptop, Apple was only slightly ahead of where the entire PC industry is going right now, especially in the ultrabook laptop category. For example, if you choose the latest version of the highly rated Dell XPS 13, the port selection is just USB-C and Thunderbolt...like a Mac. Other PC ultrabooks are rapidly ditching USB-A ports for USB-C and Thunderbolt, but many are keeping one old USB-A port for now, which is convenient. But only one, so if you want to plug in more than one USB device you may still have to get a USB-C adapter for most new PC ultrabooks.

 

[Duncanh]

Thanks Conrad.
Didn’t realise USB-C becoming the “standard” (well as much any IT standard.
Just looked at the Dell XPS 13, impressed.
Think I need to take a step back and consider things as a whole; iMac, netbook, iPhone all getting old so need to consider where I’m going PC or Apple but that’s for another discussion.