...to consider using CF or SD cards as a third form of back up for my most important files? They're reliable, cost effective and compact. As long as I have a reader or CF/SD-based camera I have access to the files.
We backup everything to external drives and two DVDs. Double sets are in separate buildings. I'm thinking of the possibility of using small cards as backups of my most important work that can go to a safe deposit box, a suggestion from my State Farm agent.
It's not that these are so valuable but my clients many times come to me years - even decades - after a shoot and ask for files. I've also seen the look on a photographer's face after losing important files.
I have also not renewed my GettyImages contract and am in the process of scanning my old film and organizing my more recent files for stock sales. These produce monthly income and I'd like to keep a set of those files in a safe place.
If you go for cheap CF cards, the likelihood of a failure may even be higher than on a HD. If you want to go the route of solid state, look at some of the solid state HD.
Chances are that in decades from now you had better moved all your images to a newer format, whatever that may be. It's getting tough to find something that will read 1.4 mb flopppies these days.....
There'd be no reason to use cheap ones. That's not the point. By their nature, SD & CF cards are solid state. They have no moving parts and should not deteriorate just sitting in a vault. They wouldn't get the In & out of camera use that most cards get and, I wouldn't be running them through a washer like I've done before.
Solid state HDs is a pretty good idea. Thanks, Bernie.
Every considered using a cloud-based uploading service and just upload them off-site via that method? I would feel the only issue you have there is if the company goes bankrupt.
Yes, I've considered that but I have the same concerns as you. I've thought about using a service such as a Google-based one or Widen that will probably be around for a while. Right now there are a few I'd use simply as another back up. Thanks for the reminder, Chris.
I agree with Osai - CF cards are no where near cost effective for long term, static storage.
$500 = (From NewEgg)
- 1x 64Gb Sandisk CF
- 256Gb External USB SSDs
- 256Gb Internal SATA SSD
- 5Tb of External USB drives
- 6Tb of Internal SATA drives (highly inflated by Thailand flooding, normally 12Tb)
So you'd need 4x CF cards to match SSDs (same solid state), or 80 (to 160) CF cards to cover platter based drives.
But it would really come down to a couple of factors:
- volume. Are you talking a couple CF cards to store - or hundreds as the years roll on? Again, file management and organization will become paramount as the number of media units increase.
- cost of safety deposit box - $20 for avg basic box, but only $100 for a box 10x bigger - plenty of room for a couple hard drives if the data is worth storing.
- return on data files "decades out". The more we shoot, with newer cameras with more data to come, are a couple of 8x10s in twenty years worth storing, managing and remembering where they are ... on any media? Any business model would say no, but if you think you have to, then there is no justification for cost.
> By their nature, SD & CF cards are solid state. They have no moving parts and should not deteriorate just sitting in a vault.
Absolutely untrue. Flash memory stores each bit in the form of a (not very large) number of electrons on an insulated electrode. The idea is that those electrons don't leak off very quickly. So is "not very quickly" years or tens of years?
We've got a good system for day-to-day back up. I'm looking for something small and reliable that will back up 300-400 100MB TIFs in a safe deposit box.
Thanks MalbikEndar for the info on SD & CF cards. My comment was an assumption that a lack of moving parts is a good thing.
This is not that big of a deal. Since they will need to be updated onto new technology anyway, using conventional drives will work for now. For years my "archive" of an image was a silver print. That's not a bad solution either.
> My comment was an assumption that a lack of moving parts is a good thing.
Well it is in some respects. Unfortunately there is no perfect solution for archiving- CDs and DVDs are known to degrade, disk drives fail. Enterprises use multiple, rotating backups. And they periodically verify.
