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Long-term Image Storage by Jon Sienkiewicz Making sure that your images are securely backed up is extremely important.  Here are some ideas from TGP contributor Jon Sienkiewicz on how to make sure your images are safe for the long run. Article rating: 8.19

Let’s back up for a minute.

That’s all the longer it takes, once you get into the habit. But according to the Consumer Electronics Association, more than half of America’s digital picture takers do not back up all (or even most of) their images. In fact, according to the survey CEA announced August 12, 2005, “Less than half of the consumers [surveyed] are even concerned about losing their imaging content.”

That is downright scary. If the images are not backed up, where are they? Saving them to the hard drive that’s inside your computer may seem adequate, but it’s not a reliable long-term solution. Computers die or get updated. Hard drives crash. And in the process, images get lost. And when they’re lost, they’re usually gone for good.

Folks who want to keep their images for nearly ever have several easy, inexpensive options. The very best way to preserve your images is also the oldest way: print them or have them printed. There’s still some debate concerning the archival nature and longevity of modern inks and dyes; nonetheless, good old fashioned pictures printed on paper that you can hold in your hand are your safest bet.

You can make the prints yourself – you don’t even need a computer. Many inkjet and dye sublimation printers have slots built in to accept the memory card from your camera, and most are PictBridge compatible, so either way you can print your images directly from your camera even if you don’t own a personal computer. And if you don’t want to do the printing yourself, you still have several options.

Most large camera retailers offer digital printing. Many have self-service kiosks where you can view, rotate, crop and print your images right from your memory card and then burn them to a CD for long-term storage. It’s quick and fun doesn’t cost a lot. Even if you enjoy making prints at home you’ll find kiosks to be an attractive option when you have dozens of prints to make. Nationwide chains of drugstores and many grocery stores offer similar services – watch for store coupons and special promotional discounts. Then, give it a whirl.

If you prefer the on-line route you can upload your images to one of the many printing websites. Results are not as immediate, but then again you needn’t leave home. And they offer many other photo sharing options as well. Pricing is very competitive and print quality is generally excellent. If you shoot 35mm film, some online labs will develop and scan it for you, and post the images to a secure on-line album where you can review them and order prints. Many online services make optional long-term storage of image files available at a modest price. Be sure to check the details to avoid surprises down the road.

Image File Storage

The digital image files that were created in your camera can last forever because they are a set of numbers that can be stored on various media and replicated endlessly. How long they last depends entirely on how and where they are stored. Image files are like stories that are whispered from person to person – they will survive as long as the last person remembers.

DVD writers are the best option for long-term storage, and top brands are available for less than $100. Most modern DVD burners write and read both +R and –R media in addition to the rewriteable (RW) type and many are Double Layer (DL). A single blank DVD will hold about 4.2 GB of data (unformatted capacity is higher but the overhead reduces useable space). That translates to something on the order of 1,800 full resolution images from a 6-megapixel Canon 10D. Double Layer DVDs hold twice that amount.

Look for a burner that has a Write Speed of at least 16X and includes reliable authoring software. If you are comfortable installing hardware inside your PC and have an empty bay, buy an internal model. If you don’t have an empty bay you could dump your CD writer – you no longer need it since DVD burners read and write CD media as well – or go External. External is also a good choice for people who own more than one computer, just make sure it connects via high-speed USB (USB 2.0), Firewire or both.

Nero 6 DVD/CD authoring software includes an application called InCD. It allows you to use rewriteable media as a sort of removable hard drive. Insert a DVD-RW and InCD will find it automatically. You can drag-and-drop, write, read, delete and perform all other normal file handling functions. One good strategy is to devote one DVD-RW to each camera that you use. Every time you download your images to the computer’s local drive you can save a copy to the appropriate DVD. Your back-ups will always stay current. Sony bundles Nero software with all of their DVD writers.

Some portable CD writers, including the Digital Photo Copy Cruiser Plus from Alera Technologies and the RoadStore from MicroSolutions, allow you to transfer your images from the memory card directly to a CD by way of a card slot – no PC required. Their compact size and optional battery operation make them perfect for travel. Back home, they connect to your Mac or PC via USB 2.0. Buy either one of these and you’ll no longer have any excuse for not making back-ups of your image files – even when you are far away from home.

The second-best choice for long-term image storage is an external hard drive. These are available in capacities up to 300 GB and can be used to incrementally back up your computer’s local drive. One good strategy is to deploy a pair of external drives – one for full system back-ups and the other to hold a redundant copy of image files. External drives are reasonably priced, easy to operate, and very reliable. They can sometimes crash, however, and that’s why they should be considered one notch below DVDs for longevity.

Maxtor OneTouch II External Hard Drive

Seagate External Hard Drive

Look for a model that connects to your computer via USB 2.0 or Firewire. Maxtor is a leading brand. Their One Touch series has a solid reputation for reliability and comes with great utility software that will allow you to automate much of the back-up process.

In the pocket-size arena, you have several options. The Epson P2000 combines a 40 GB hard drive with a 3.8-inch LCD monitor. There’s a slot for your camera’s memory card that allows you to download directly without being anywhere near your PC so you can easily download, view and organize your images while away from home. The Apple iPod Photo is available in 30 GB and 60 GB capacities. Both sizes feature a 2-inch LCD that will display your images individually or as a set of 25 thumbnails. Of course, they also store and play music. These small, portable drives are great for vacations and business trips, but their limited size precludes them from providing a permanent, long-term solution. Make sure you migrate the image files to DVD and/or a larger external hard drive.

Good Habits

Even if you buy every device mentioned above, machines won’t save your images for you. You have to do it yourself. Print the images that are important to you. Get into the habit of making back-up copies of your image files at least once a month. If you have software that performs automatic back-ups, set it for once a week. It’s easy once you get into the habit. And having a back-up of your digital images is something you’ll never regret.

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