Question about archiving photos

[MrLabGuy]

With the days of 7 mega pixel cameras it becomes harder and harder to find a way to keep safe all the original digital files. I'm not thrilled about resizing the originals and I'd like to preserve them in as original a format as possible. I've got a couple of thousand photos I need to transfer off of my computer hard drive and was wondering if there is a product, program or media I should be using.

I don't have a Blue-Ray burner as of yet but I might need one soon because I just purchased a High Def camcorder.

What to do with all the photos though?

Michael

[Thunder22]

I use 2 external Western Digital HD's so I have 2 copies of my photo's on magnetic, and then I copy to CD every now and then. I'm still in the dark ages and don't have a DVD burner in my main machine (only in my laptops).

[MrLabGuy]

Originally Posted by gresch

I use 2 external Western Digital HD's so I have 2 copies of my photo's on magnetic, and then I copy to CD every now and then. I'm still in the dark ages and don't have a DVD burner in my main machine (only in my laptops).

What are you using to compress the files? I do have a DVD burner but even then the files are HUGE.

Any on line solution that is reliable? I'm willing to pay for redundancy.

[Thunder22]

compressing jpeg? they're already compressed. or do you shoot raw?
regardless, i don't compress them, i store them natively. 500GB drives are cheap.

[MrLabGuy]

Originally Posted by gresch

compressing jpeg? they're already compressed. or do you shoot raw?
regardless, i don't compress them, i store them natively. 500GB drives are cheap.

I was thinking about something like WinZip or a compression program to move some photos to CD-ROM or DVD.

I'm now thinking a Seagate 650gb external HD or something similar.

Thanks,

[noncom23]

So that is just an extra plug in, right?

Originally Posted by MrLabGuy

I was thinking about something like WinZip or a compression program to move some photos to CD-ROM or DVD.

I'm now thinking a Seagate 650gb external HD or something similar.

Thanks,

[the head]

I use a tape drive mag tape storage has the longest shelf life of all types of current data storage I store them all uncompressed and put them in a fire safe

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by the head

I use a tape drive mag tape storage has the longest shelf life of all types of current data storage I store them all uncompressed and put them in a fire safe

huh? mag tape? you're assuming a lot doesn't happen like oxidation, temperature changes, tape drive malfunction, restore software obsoletion....

[MrLabGuy]

Originally Posted by the head

I use a tape drive mag tape storage has the longest shelf life of all types of current data storage I store them all uncompressed and put them in a fire safe

I just pulled the trigger on a 650 GB Seagate external drive for $225. I'll then store some of my more important photos online for an off-site storage option.

[MrLabGuy]

Originally Posted by noncom23

So that is just an extra plug in, right?

The 650GB Seagate is USB 2.0 so it is plug and play.