View Full Version : Mailing Memory cards
bigboots
12-11-2008, 19:13
I am planning on mailing my camera memory cards home as I fill them up. Due to the increased security (x-rays/magnets) will the stored info still be there on the other end?
I assume it would be but have never mailed memory cards, anyone have any problems with doing this?
lonehiker
12-11-2008, 19:19
I sent several back this past summer with no problems.
In '06 I put mine in padded envelopes and sent them priority mail. It would really be sad to have one get lost.
Slo-go'en
12-11-2008, 19:26
I meet at least one hiker who had a card lost in the mail, so using a delivery confermation sticker might help ensure it gets there. But no worries about loosing data.
x-rays/magnets mess up film and tapes. memory cards hold the information on transistors and then the information also has error correcting parity bits. more to worry with making sure the card gets to the destination.
Blissful
12-11-2008, 20:39
I'd take a big enough card to use the whole trip, personally.
I'd take a big enough card to use the whole trip, personally.
unless you loose the card/camera or the card gets damaged then you loose ALL of your photos. I suggest using at least two, mailing one home for downloading while you use the second one until you send the next package home or where ever you're getting your cards backed up.
Rain Man
12-11-2008, 22:08
I am planning on mailing my camera memory cards home as I fill them up. ... I ... have never mailed memory cards, anyone have any problems with doing this?
That's what we did for my daughter Grass in '04. We'd mail her an empty card in a care package and she'd mail us the card from her camera in a padded envelope. We did that all the way up the trail and that part all worked like a charm.
What did NOT work like a charm was when my hard drive crashed and we lost about 2 or 3 months of her photos during her hike! Fortunately she was hiking with someone who took photography in college, so she was able to bum a bunch of good photos, they just weren't "hers." So, do a better job of backing up the photos once they get home than I did. That's where the problem is more likely to be.
Rain Man
MoBill122
12-12-2008, 11:35
I guess part of this would also reflect on the postal person handling the package correctly.
I got a new GPS a few weeks back. I noticed the mail person drive up the driveway. I walked out to meet her, rounding the corner just as she threw the package from her truck....20ft... to my back door.
I stopped her... and she argued that since the package wasn't marked " FRAGILE " , it wasn't her problem. GGRRrrrrrr
Thankfully, it was packed really good.... but I was still ticked off at her attitude about throwing packages around.
Jim Adams
12-12-2008, 12:41
stop in town and download onto a dvd at a computer store. most do it very cheap like for the cost of the blank dvd. Mail the dvd and the memory card home in different envelopes.
geek
Cabin Fever
12-12-2008, 12:52
When you stop at hostels or stores with computers, upload your pics to Google Photos or one of the dozen other sites like it. There are also several options for storing files online. Keeps the memory card cleaned out and no need for swapping cards around. If you have a big card, then you can surely go several days/weeks between downloads.
When you stop at hostels or stores with computers, upload your pics to Google Photos or one of the dozen other sites like it. There are also several options for storing files online. Keeps the memory card cleaned out and no need for swapping cards around. If you have a big card, then you can surely go several days/weeks between downloads.
Noooooo, please don't do this. Trying to upload at trail towns ties up computers that are usually very slow running on slow connections and few in number. Other folks just need to check their bank account and email and have to wait forever on folks that do this.
stop in town and download onto a dvd at a computer store. most do it very cheap like for the cost of the blank dvd. Mail the dvd and the memory card home in different envelopes.
geek
Much better idea. Its not even necessary to mail the card home doing this.
WalkingStick75
12-12-2008, 15:05
Open a gmail account and upload your pictures from time to time. Most photo sharing sites as soon as you upload your picture you give up any rights to it, gmail you retain those rights. You only have to buy a couple SD card that way too.
Oh yea, don't upload when others are waiting to use the computer!
ofthearth
12-12-2008, 15:28
That's what we did for my daughter Grass in '04. We'd mail her an empty card in a care package and she'd mail us the card from her camera in a padded envelope. We did that all the way up the trail and that part all worked like a charm.
What did NOT work like a charm was when my hard drive crashed and we lost about 2 or 3 months of her photos during her hike! Fortunately she was hiking with someone who took photography in college, so she was able to bum a bunch of good photos, they just weren't "hers." So, do a better job of backing up the photos once they get home than I did. That's where the problem is more likely to be.
Rain Man
Topic was discussed in another thread - to some extent :-?
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=43929
I usually copy cards to disks. Can you copy card-to-card to make a duplicate? Is that even a good method? I have reached the point where I have almost stopped taking pictures even though I carry a camera. One never knows when a bear might show up for a photo op.
Rain Man
12-12-2008, 19:46
Can you copy card-to-card to make a duplicate? Is that even a good method?
I've never actually tried it, but I think of cards as flash drives. So, yes, you can copy files (not just photos) from and to camera cards. Or so I think.
Rain:sunMan
.
Pokey2006
12-13-2008, 04:18
You don't need a computer store to copy pics to CDs -- you can do it at any drug store like Walgreens or CVS, or Wal-Mart. The cost is about $3 per CD, with 300 pics per CD (unless you use a yellow Kodak machine, which holds only 125 pics per CD). Not all trail towns have these types of stores, but I found I could get to one often enough when I hiked in 06. I'd recommend doing CDs as a back up, at the very least. Had a friend who lost a batch of photos, and it was devastating for her. Those little cards get lost easily.
If I were to do my hike again now, I'd bring along a flash drive or two, and upload photos onto those whenever I had a chance, instead of fooling with CDs. Again, just as backup. Then mail the cards home as you have planned.
since the memory cards weigh almost nothing and are cheap, maybe you could have multiple cards just keep the full cards in possession until your trip is over.
Panzer
I just got a card for $12. Are they basically the same? I could have spent $16. Any to avoid?
ofthearth
12-13-2008, 13:49
I just got a card for $12. Are they basically the same? I could have spent $16. Any to avoid?
googled the question and the answer is yes!!!!!! check out the first link for info about fake cards. Had not heard of this.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=different+type+of+camera+memory+cards&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=
The different types of flash memory cards for use in digital cameras are: Secure Digital (SD), CompactFlash (CF), Memory Stick (MS), MultiMediaCard (MMC) xD-Picture Card (xD) and SmartMedia (SM).
The type of memory card you use is dictated by which digital camera you buy. These cards are physically different and are -not- interchangeable.
NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE --- NOTE
eBay has become notorious for "fake memory card" sales, thousands of people have been scammed by sellers who are selling inferior or lower capacity cards that have been relabeled and repackaged to look like the real thing. Buyer beware - I recommend that you purchase your cards only from reputable online vendors or brick and mortar stores. If you must buy on eBay then check out this page at Overclockers.com.au (http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Fake_Memory_Cards) for ways to visually identify some (not all) of the most popular fake cards. Also see our public discussion forum (http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=52) for more info.
Thanks. I'm glad I didn't do Ebay.
Allow me to rephrase. SD card. 2GB. San Disk. Lexar. Kingston. Kodak.
Are all fine choices, or is one better than the other. Are there any brands to avoid?
I bought the Kingston, as it was the mid-price card. Seemed logical at the time.
ofthearth
12-13-2008, 20:01
Thanks. I'm glad I didn't do Ebay.
Allow me to rephrase. SD card. 2GB. San Disk. Lexar. Kingston. Kodak.
Are all fine choices, or is one better than the other. Are there any brands to avoid?
I bought the Kingston, as it was the mid-price card. Seemed logical at the time.
from google (note the date)
Techgage - SD Card Roundup (http://techgage.com/article/sd_card_roundup/)
Nov 28, 2006 ...
"The market is completely saturated with SD cards, but which one will give you the best bang for the buck? We are taking a look at seven different cards ranging in different densities and speeds to find out."
From: http://techgage.com/article/sd_card_roundup/2
Bare Bear
12-14-2008, 09:49
Definitely copy your photos to a CD at a trailtown Walgreens.
Then mail separately. The USPS lost several of mine dispite the padded envelope and having my name/address on the card protective box itself. I eventually (ten months later got two of four back). But all of the CD made it home OK so I had allmy photos.
BTW make sure you have enough disc space left and fresh batteries when you summit K. I had the disc space but had to wait while the batteries refreshed and still did not get nearly as many photos as I wanted. DUH.............
Silver Bear
12-14-2008, 16:47
In the spring I got a new camara Nikon $200. And put a 4g high speed card $30. in it. At 5mp I can get over 3,000 pictures on it. Why worry about all of the problems of uploading, mailing etc?