>
> Use 4 gig cards so they'll fit on a DVD. Periodically pop into a shop, get
> them to burn you a DVD. Do each card twice in different shops. Carry the two
> copies separately or mail one home. Erase and re-use the cards if you need
> to.
>
I've had an epiphany regarding this. Back in the film days I budgeted a
maximum of five rolls of film per day. Some days I shot one, other days I
shot 10. But for the duration of the trip my budget never exceeded five
rolls per day--in fact, my as-run consumption has almost always been three
rolls per day, but I like to have enough extras to cover the
once-in-a-lifetime situation . With the exception of the rare bracketed
shot, each picture was closely managed. Nowadays, I take TWO shots for each
picture for insurance purposes. So, an average trip had a budget of 180
images per day, but an as-run average of 100 images per day.
If I shoot digital in exactly the same fashion, at 15MB per image, my
storage requirements are 1.5 GB per day in as-run, but my budget should be
2.7GB of storage per day. I presently have 9.5GB of CF cards, so I know
that I can go almost four days without dumping. In reality, I'll probably
buy another couple 4GB cards before too long, so I'll be able to last longer
than my maximum vacation without dumping.
80GB????? What are people shooting? I honestly don't get it. I absolutely
have no clue how somebody can wad up 80GB and then still have time to
image-manage at night. Personally, once the sun goes down, I'd rather be
enjoying a nice evening with friends or family of copious amounts of food
and drink.
This came to head two years ago at the Isle Royale Workshop. Every
participant was shooting digital, although Bill was shooting plenty of
film. I didn't have enough CF storage for the week, so I had to do two
dumps into my laptop. Also, there was that nasty little task of recharging
batteries. We had NO electricity where we were staying. I personally
recharged everybody's BLM-1 batteries late at night in the laundry. While
the others slept, I was hiking in the dark back and forth down a long hill
to the laundry where I had the washers unplugged so I could plug in the
chargers. If I recall, there were around 10 batteries between the four of
us.
The first Zuikofest trip that Joel and I went on, we had ONLY film cameras.
It was refreshing because the trip was about the photography. The second
Zuikofest trip we went on we were nearly 100% digital and the trip was about
battery charging and dumping CF cards. Again, on Isle Royale, except for
Bill's B&W and pinhole stuff, we were 100% digital. Digital really is a
logistical nightmare and, frankly, put a huge damper on our travel options.
Could I go back to 100% film? For my professional work, absolutely not.
For the "expedition-style photography", I believe that I not only could, but
if the conditions warrented it, it would be desirable. I haven't shot
anything in the past two trips on digital that wouldn't have been equally as
good on film. I would love to host another Isle Royale Workshop where it
was film-only. The logistics as host would be much more bearable.
In fact, here is a thought. For the next Isle Royale Workshop, I'm thinking
that it will be film-only. So those flying in don't need to worry about
X-Raying film, we'll have Fed-Ex deliver the fresh bricks of film directly
to me and they'll be waiting at the dock for you. Upon exiting the island,
we'll Fed-Ex the film to the processor of your choice.
AG
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