“Image Tank G2”
I need more photo storage space – I mean immediate storage space.
I’m beginning to prefer shooting in RAW mode, even during the brightest of days, and a 512CF just wont cut it when you’re out of town.
Been eyeing the Image Tank G2 to solve my problems.
“Image Tank G2”
“Canon EOS 300D/Digital Rebel”
“nGALLERY”
“Ball Heads”
Like any other person, ultimately, I output to JPEG to save filesize. At first I thought that since I’ll be outputting to JPEG eventually, if the situation permits a somewhat easy exposure to begin with, maybe I could just save space on the onset and save directly to a JPEG file.
On a bright day outside, what you capture on your camera is most likely to be close to perfect (unless you’re planning on some artsy trick-shots). This being the case, you’ll pretty much end up with a final product right then and there, so why go through the process of developing RAWs in your PC and photo-software (a.k.a. Digital Darkroom)?
But then, that mindset goes along the lines of what an “album” person needs. Meaning a person who merely collects pictures would be fine with such output. But as a web developer/designer, I enjoy further enhancing individual pictures in different ways for my web-needs, and not just plug them into the gallery.
When you use/process and re-use/re-process pictures, though not required, it is always preferable to use 1st-generation sources (sources that haven’t been altered in any way). This allows maximum flexibility and minimal [or no] generation loss.
The RAW output of a digicam is a 1:1 representation of what the sensor picked up during a shot, bypassing all other in-camera processing (white balance, compression, etc.). All these processes can be later re-introduced in your digital darkroom. Suffice to say that RAW, if you can afford to shoot with it all the way, will always be better quality-wise.
Practicality however, is a different story altogether.
A RAW file is approximately 6-8MB in my 300D on a 512CF which I currently use, that translates to about 70-80 shots on a single CF. This would me more than enough on a single shoot (e.g. a friend’s party). But when you’re on official business, you have to shoot like crazy to make sure you have some good shots to deliver, a 70-80 quota in that scenario simply won’t cut it. Switching to JPEG mode will deliver at the hundreds the very least, and that would be more than enough.
But once you’ve spoiled yourself with the benefits of shooting in RAW, you can’t help but sigh whenever you see jpegs of your shots. No matter how perfect the shots were, at the back of my mind, I’d always be like: “gee, imagine what more I could be doing with these shots right now if they were in RAW”
The Image Tank solves this problem as it is a portable storage device which takes your card data, and dumps them into a hard disk right there and then. You could then format your card and start shooting again… All this, without having move the files to your pc at home. The hard disk is interchangeable too! The Image Tank is compatible with any laptop hard drive.
Considering the way I shoot, I’d need at least 5GB for a safe number of RAW shots (approximately 750 pictures purely in RAW format). I’m eyeing getting a 10-20GB HDD to be on the safe side (1500-3000 shots). Now if that isn’t enough, I don’t know what is!
Of course when your out of town for like, a month or so, then maybe, even with 1500 slots readily available, you may still feel uneasy. After all, your pc at home and you’ll be in a far-away place. When you’re out for that long however, you’d proabably have chances to access a cd/dvd burner (whether through a friend or a photography shop). I know that I would make it a point to have access to a burner one way or the other.
Changing the subject, I aquired (thanks to Nono) a tripod collar, which ironically I use with my monopod. Here’s how I connected it:
*Where there’s a will, there’s a way*
Also, I need a ball head. The swivel tilt head can’t appease my usage. Either you mount your camera in a way that allows you to tilt down or up, or tilt from side to side.
Both ways of tilting have their benefits – forward tilts can make your composition easier without having to tilt along with the pod. Side tilts allow you to shoot on a vertical orientation while still using the pod. But it’s one or the other. And having to disconnect, realign the mounting just for that sucks.
A ball head solves that problem, as you have full control on any axis.