Best way to back up footage when filming?

V

Vic5

Member
What do you think is the best way to backup the footage and sound tracks when filming?

1. Get a portable hard drive, which doesn't need a PC/Mac. Just insert the SD card, press a button and back up. There's a USB 3 port.

2. Get a PC/Mac. Get a less expensive external HD that requires a PC/Mac. Get a Laptop that has a USB3 port and back everything up.

3. Some other solution, maybe multiple SD cards.

Will be using a DSLR.

Thanks.
 
Vic5 said:
What do you think is the best way to backup the footage and sound tracks when filming?

1. Get a portable hard drive, which doesn't need a PC/Mac. Just insert the SD card, press a button and back up. There's a USB 3 port.

2. Get a PC/Mac. Get a less expensive external HD that requires a PC/Mac. Get a Laptop that has a USB3 port and back everything up.

3. Some other solution, maybe multiple SD cards.

Will be using a DSLR.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'd go with #1.
I use a NEXTO storage device and have never had any trouble with it. For the model I got, there was an accessory that allowed me to use AA batteries to extend the life of the internal battery. I recommend you get something with this option. I use mine to dump my XF305 CF cards to, as well as the 7D CF cards and 6D SD cards. I don't like the idea of packing along a laptop for the sole purpose of card backup.

Mark
 
When I work on larger crew projects with the proper budget we have a DIT person doing the work.

When working smaller crew projects with smaller budgets I use my MacBook Pro.

For local one man band projects cards go back into a case and then get backed up back at the studio.
 
If you go the way of the laptop go with a raid 1 drive so you have a back up incase of a failure and use a software like Shotput Pro for checksum verification of data before recycling cards.
 
emretufekci said:
If you go the way of the laptop go with a raid 1 drive so you have a back up incase of a failure and use a software like Shotput Pro for checksum verification of data before recycling cards.
Click to expand...

Ok. Using Shotput Pro is something I will certainly do.

When working smaller crew projects with smaller budgets I use my MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

I will probably get an inexpensive laptop with USB 3 and an external hard drive. Shotput Pro will help check the integrity of the data.

Just found a Facebook post by someone who does something similar:

https://www.facebook.com/seanjohnsonmedia/posts/940275922680941

This guy doesn't format the SD cards in a hurry either.

Thanks.
 
NEXTO's can be nice if you only need to copy data quickly, but there is no way to organize and label files, it's just a back-up device(I haven't used the new one). And while I've never had a data loss/internal drive failure with a NEXTO, I've had two fail(unable to transfer card data). I bought another one last summer right before a four day shoot and haven't used it since. It's still working, but their win percentage with me is only 1 for 3. Not good.
 
Definitely grab yourself some software like Shotput Pro or Catalyst Browse that includes checksum confirmation when transferring cards - the checksum confirms that the data copied over exactly matches the data on the cards.
 
Laptop is what I recommend. Most of my clients supply their own travel drive and they want the footage copied to their drive ( in labeled file folders ) at the end of the day. Refurbished Mac Book Pros from a reputable and established dealer are a less expensive route. You don't need to latest greatest model of mac book pro. Bringing along a laptop isn't that big of a deal for me. I initially purchased a hard case ( Pelican brand ) just for the laptop but unless I am shooting out on a boat the hard case is overkill. I just carry the laptop and card readers in a soft briefcase ( Timbuktu messenger bag ) and there are many camera backpacks out there that have a slot for a lap top. There is always the chance that my laptop could crap out on site or have a problem but that has yet to happen and should it happen I would just inform the client that I will have to ship them a drive later on. Good practice is to assume a client will forget to bring along a travel drive and bring along one in case they do. I long ago lost count of how many times a client said that the Field Producer would have a drive but that wasn't the case in actuality. Nice being the hero who thought to bring along a travel drive and save the day. One of the common consumer travel drives will suffice. The fancy Lacie "rugged" drives with the rubberized shell and built-in thunderbolt cable are cool but hardly necessary.

For years I never bothered with ShotPut or any equivalent software and never had any issues with copying of files. Just dragged and dropped. That said, I now use it just to be safe and to be more professional. I back up my client's footage on a drive of my own even if they say it isn't necessary. I've had clients call a year after the shoot asking if I had a copy of their footage because they lost the files or had a problem on their end.


On a related note- I and many others try to avoid having much footage on a single card. That is, rather than have 2 hours of shooting on a single 128gb card we swap out cards so that the 2 hours of shooting is on 2 64gb cards or on 4 32gb cards. The idea is to avoid losing footage because a card has a problem that isn't known until you go to copy files. Better to lose the footage from 2 interviews than to lose the footage from all 8 interviews that you shot that day. I hope that my explanation made sense.
 
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