View Full Version : Total file size of thruhike photos?
Alligator
01-07-2009, 09:21
How large is the folder holding all your digital photos from your thruhike or completed section hike? Let's try number of photos and total size. I was thinking this might be a little help for planning, such as size and number of cards and working out upload times.
firemountain
01-07-2009, 09:52
My thru hike photo folder is just under 1gb with almost 350 files. Remember too that most modern cameras will take high resolution video as well which eats up much more space than pictures alone.
Johnny Swank
01-07-2009, 10:23
Memory is cheap, and getting cheaper every day. Unless you're going to be uploading a bunch of videos, you could easily do a thruhike on just 2-3 SD cards, IMO. Throw up a few on flickr every once and while and keep on truckin I say.
jersey joe
01-07-2009, 10:58
My thru hike photo folder is just under 1gb with almost 350 files. Remember too that most modern cameras will take high resolution video as well which eats up much more space than pictures alone.
Very true firemountain. Video, even short ones eat up a ton of space compared to pictures. I thru hiked in 02 with an "old school film" camera. I WISH I had a digital. I took about 183 pictures and after scanning them in at a rediculously small size, they came to 23mb. If I had a digital camera that number would be way up.
Low Impact
01-07-2009, 11:05
Just checked my AT folder with all of my 2008 THRU-HIKE photos.
Total file size is 16.2 GB.
Yea, I took a lot of photos. Close to 5500 in all. Each was shot as a high-res JPEG.
3456 x 2304 was the average size.
For anyone who may be interested - I lugged a Canon Rebel XT from GA 2 ME.
jersey joe
01-07-2009, 11:08
Low impact, how did you handle the memory? Did you carry extra SD cards? Mail them to yourself along the way? Upload the images at town stops?
Highway Man
01-07-2009, 13:19
Just checked my AT folder with all of my 2008 THRU-HIKE photos.
Total file size is 16.2 GB.
Yea, I took a lot of photos. Close to 5500 in all. Each was shot as a high-res JPEG.
3456 x 2304 was the average size.
For anyone who may be interested - I lugged a Canon Rebel XT from GA 2 ME.
I have a one wtih the same amout of pixels. But I'd rather shoot in RAW format. The aveage file size is 8.2 MB. The apporach is more forgiving when I neglect something. I also want to take a lot of pictures during thru. I plan to get a 500 GB Seagate hard drive for $110, and a NexTo shell for $130. That will give me plenty of storage and leave me no worry.
I have totally 3 GB CF cards. I may bring my video camera with me instead. Storage is cheap, good quality memory is more precious.
8 GB SD cards are now around $19.99-24.99 without the rebate hassle. You might want to download them more often in case the camera/card gets lost/stolen but 8GB is a lot of flexibility and as the saying goes "it weighs nothing".
Low Impact
01-08-2009, 19:35
Low impact, how did you handle the memory? Did you carry extra SD cards? Mail them to yourself along the way? Upload the images at town stops?
Hey Joe -
I only carried one, 2 GB card with me on the entire trip. This can hold approximately 525 Large JPEG's on it. I'd shoot what I wanted to shoot, and when I reached a major town (one with a Walmart, Rite Aid, CVS, or even a Photography Shop) I'd burn the photos to a few DVD's and send them home to good ol' Mom.
Before I left town, I'd erase my card and start all over again.
Pretty easy - never got into a situation where I ran out of space, or felt like I needed more space.
Hope this helps.
Low Impact
01-08-2009, 19:41
I have a one wtih the same amout of pixels. But I'd rather shoot in RAW format. The aveage file size is 8.2 MB. The apporach is more forgiving when I neglect something. I also want to take a lot of pictures during thru. I plan to get a 500 GB Seagate hard drive for $110, and a NexTo shell for $130. That will give me plenty of storage and leave me no worry.
I have totally 3 GB CF cards. I may bring my video camera with me instead. Storage is cheap, good quality memory is more precious.
I hear you man. I certainly shot in a RAW format when I thought I had a shot that would be worth framing or selling, but for the most part - I tried to keep the "snapshot" mentality - meaning I DIDN'T want to spend all day at a location, trying to get the perfect portfolio-worthy shot. I wanted to just shoot what I saw, when I saw it and keep moving.
In addition - if you have a firm grasp on the manual functions on your camera - "neglecting" something should happen very rarely. :D
Highway Man
01-08-2009, 20:49
I hear you man. I certainly shot in a RAW format when I thought I had a shot that would be worth framing or selling, but for the most part - I tried to keep the "snapshot" mentality - meaning I DIDN'T want to spend all day at a location, trying to get the perfect portfolio-worthy shot. I wanted to just shoot what I saw, when I saw it and keep moving.
In addition - if you have a firm grasp on the manual functions on your camera - "neglecting" something should happen very rarely. :D
You're probably right about shooting RAWs. Under the ideal condition, least compressed full resolution JPEG files show almost no difference than the ones in RAW. It does save processing time.
On the other hand, shooting RAW under difficult conditions can help offset the limitation of the camera sensor. I am more concerned about dynamic range of the shots. The camera may not be able to expose perfectly due to the metering algorithem. In combination of using a good software, I can bring back a lot of more details, particularly for landscape shots where the sky tends to get blown out.
MisterSweetie
01-09-2009, 00:39
I lugged a Canon Rebel XT from GA 2 ME.
What lens? And would you chose to take the XT if you were going again, or opt for something smaller? How did you carry the camera, and how did it fare after the trip? (dirt/moisture/etc)?
J
Low Impact
01-30-2009, 08:54
What lens? And would you chose to take the XT if you were going again, or opt for something smaller? How did you carry the camera, and how did it fare after the trip? (dirt/moisture/etc)?
J
I just took the kit lens with me. I knew there was potential to seriously damage the camera during the trip - so I left all my good glass at home.
I've got another two thru-hikes coming up this summer, and I intend on carrying this camera with me on both of them. Something smaller would be a lot easier, but I really love the quality of this camera.
As far as carrying goes, I sewed a small, tight, "case" for it out of socks. I would keep it in that case 100% of the time. If it were sunny out, I would keep it in one of my water bottle holders on my pack. If it were raining - or looked like it was going to rain - I would throw it IN my pack.
I met one other guy on the trail who had the same camera - and he actually had a legit case strapped to his chase. As you can imagine, a case for a DSLR camera is pretty big as cases go. I can't imagine hiking all day with something like that strapped to the front of my chest.
To each his own!
The Old Fhart
01-30-2009, 09:26
Low Impact-"As you can imagine, a case for a DSLR camera is pretty big as cases go. I can't imagine hiking all day with something like that strapped to the front of my chest."This photo from the JMT shows it can be done and you get used to it quickly. I had quick access and it wasn't as much in the way as when it was on my hip belt. The camera I had then was a 35 SLR with zoom lens. The rest of the camera gear, including tripod, stayed in the pack. If it was really wet, the camera joined the rest of the gear inside.
5542(click for full size)
Low Impact
01-30-2009, 23:11
This photo from the JMT shows it can be done and you get used to it quickly. I had quick access and it wasn't as much in the way as when it was on my hip belt. The camera I had then was a 35 SLR with zoom lens. The rest of the camera gear, including tripod, stayed in the pack. If it was really wet, the camera joined the rest of the gear inside.
5542(click for full size)
Wow.
I give you credit man. I couldn't do it. I feel guilty enough carrying 2+ pounds of camera gear - never mind throwing it into a case and strapping it onto my pack. But of course - HYOH, etc.
Good for you.
Nice pic from the JMT. I'm starting my SOBO Thru around Aug. 1st.