Things were a lot easier when we had analog cameras and photos filed into albums. Whether the pictures were from a small vacation or from the most adventurous month long trip, there would be only a few dozens of pictures, which were easily manageable.
But welcome to the world of digital cameras and photos, things are a lot more complicated. Now, before we set out on a trip, we have to have our photography gear, a good number of SD cards, a backup device and a laptop as minimum requirement. That’s a lot isn’t it?
Most people carry these items while travelling, but they often ignore the most important aspect; safety of images saved on these SD cards while they’re travelling. Here, we are going to provide 7 useful tips in order to protect your SD cards while travelling.
Tip 1: Use high quality memory cards
Storage is becoming cheaper and cheaper by the day. Even the best quality SD cards are now affordable. Cheaper SD cards are more prone to corruption and damage and not worth risking your data. Hence, it is recommended that you go for high quality from reliable manufacturers like SanDisk, Lexar, Sony, Transcend etc.
Tip 2: Use a case to protect your SD cards
Most SD cards are weather and water resistant; however, it is still a good idea to store them in a water proof case for extra protection. It also helps protect SD cards from physical damage and scratches that may lead to data corruption.
Tip 3: Backup photos to a laptop or external hard drive everyday
While you are on your trip, make it a point to backup photos after you are done with shooting for the day. You can use an external hard drive or a laptop for this purpose.
If you want to travel without a laptop or card reader, there are portable backup devices available with built in SD card slots. This allows you to offload SD cards and directly transfer photos to hard drive without having to use a laptop, which makes it so much easier.
Tip 4: Don’t save all your photos on the same SD card
64GB or 128GB SD cards are capable of saving all your photos, but it is not recommended that you do so. Always use multiple small size SD cards to shoot your photos and videos.
Additionally, you can also have one large capacity SD card (may be a 128GB) only for backup purposes. This is a great way to have 2 copies of your photos, one on the smaller SD cards meant for shooting and the other copy on your 128GB card used as backup card.
Tip 5: Never erase pictures on SD card
Erasing pictures directly on your SD card may cause serious corruption issues and eventually data loss. Hence, it is recommended that you carry multiple SD cards with you in case you are running out of space on one of them.
Note: If you have accidentally deleted files on your SD card and looking for ways to recover them, check out the tool from Remo Recover. Their guide on how to get back deleted files from SD card provides a simple way to recover images and video of any format like JPEG, JPG, PNG, PSD or even RAW formats.
For more info, visit this site – https://www.remorecover.com
Tip 6: FORMAT your SD card
Caution: Before you format your SD card, please ensure you have made a full backup. Because formatting will wipe your drive completely and remove all data.
Make it a habit to format your SD card before each use. This ensures that your card is clean and fresh before use. This will help keep your card free of corruption issue in the long run and increase longevity of your cards. Also, remember to format only on the camera, not on your computer.
Tip 7: Consider cloud storage options
Similar to storage devices, even cloud storage is becoming cheaper by the day. There are several cloud storage options such as Flickr (specific to photos only), DropBox, OneDrive, Amazon, Google and many more to choose from.
With cloud storage, you don’t need to worry about data loss due to theft, corruption, mishandling, overuse or any of that sort. Hence, it is a good option if you are willing to invest some money.
Wrapping it up!
From external hard drives to cloud storage; there are indeed several backup options available for you to choose from. No matter which option you select, it is important that you transfer your photos daily and have a proper backup plan. Throughout your trip and even after, stick to the plan and be consistent. This will save you from potential data loss situations and protect your memories for a lifetime.