Comments on: Backing up your digital photos

By: Rudy

Rudy — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:29:30 +0000

Thanks for remind me… Many times i forgot to backup.

Normally, I do backup to CD-RW or DVD-RW and after 1 CD/DVD full, burn to DVD and remove from DVD-RW

By: Marc

Marc — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 14:41:41 +0000

I see some comments about formatting compact flash cards only after having backed up their data… Is formatting a card necessary each time you’re done with it’s data, or is just erasing the pictures off it adequate?

By: James Martin

James Martin — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:38:05 +0000

I post all my photos on line with a Photomax account where the photos are never deleted, backups are created regulary and stored in a granite vault.
You can store up to 5 GB free forever. If you would like cd”s or Movie Magic DVD’s they are available plus lots of other items with your photos.

By: ralph schensema

ralph schensema — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 04:43:42 +0000

Hi, I was told by the person who I trust at Future shop who does all the repair work to back up all my photos on cd’s, but not to use the first copy to keep it from getting damaged by handing, they can get scrateched etc.

By: David Peterson

David Peterson — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:24:51 +0000

Hi Koen,

The commercial CD process uses a ’stamping’ method. This process ensures the CD has a much longer life. Unfortunately, it’s very expensive to setup a new CD so while this process works when you have a large number (in the thousands) of CDs to create, it’s too expensive for one-off backups.

David.

By: Koen

Koen — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:21:23 +0000

I prefer to use the term ‘archiving’ when talking about storing my pictures for a long time. ‘Backup’ I use for normal files for which many programs exist. But English is not my mother tongue…

I am aware of the fact the best way is to have the images printed, but we have too many nowadays. As many other people I resort to the ‘many copies’ option, for which the probability to all become unreadable at the same time is about zero.

At regular times I copy new pictures from my camera to the organizer of Photoshop Elements AND to a CD (adding until it is full). When the CD is full, I copy it to another CD (but this is recent) with a gold reflective layer. The producer (Emtec) claims ‘tested for lifetime archiving’. I’ll be never be able to test this of course, but hope it will last longer than other (cheaper) CD’s.

What I’d like to know and can’t find anywhere, is the lifetime of commercially made CD’s. The burning is physically different and should guarantee longer life, but how long?? If it is much longer, I would recommend anyone to have their archives made this way.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:27:10 +0000

Thankfully, I learned as a computer newbie, to back up everything once a week. Also, very thankfully, I’ve never lost any pics. When I started into digital photography, about 2mos after I purchased my first computer, I learned to backup my pics when I first take them from camera to computer. It doesn’t take long, if you do it right away, instead of waiting until you have tons of pics. I put them on a CD and then when the CD is full, I put them on a DVD.

As was stated by others, I keep my CDs and DVDs fresh by copying the files to my computer and then putting them back on the same media. On occasion, I purchase new disks and copy the older disks to the new ones. Then I use the old disks to start copying pics again. It’s a cycle I find well worth the time!!

By: sadni

sadni — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 14:47:17 +0000

it was ironic that i talked about saving my pics to a cd (all my trips!) but never did and then i got THE virus. wiped me out completely… one thing i never did, is when i wnet to alaska, for some reason, i just never deleted the pics from my memory cards!! (I have many). i learned my lesson the hard way, i will now put them on cds…. sandi

By: Bruno

Bruno — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:03:40 +0000

adding to the CD / DVD backup method: not only better blanks but also slower writing speeds will increase the lifetime of your backups.
According to some research results I read a while ago 8X for CDs vs. 2.4X for DVDs are a good measure.
Faster speeds seem to burn the data “less deep” into the disk surface, also write errors are more common.

Storage is another key for all storage media: keep it in a cool, DRY (!), dark and clean place. If you live in a humid climate zone, use airtight sealed bags with dehumidifiers (i.e. those little silicagel packets you get with new shoes).
I lost several Disks while travelling through SouthEast Asia because of fungi that eat up the silver layer. Hard drives don’t like humidity (or dust) either.

By: Theresa

Theresa — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:56:24 +0000

Another good online site is Kodakgallery.com. You can store pictures on their site for up to a year at a time. Doesnt cost a thing. And, since the pictures are already there, you can create books, calendars, or other neat things they offer. Im not trying to promote Kodak, but gee, its a great site for a lot of reason and its an option I thought I could add to this as a reply.