[Leica] Simplified Backup for the average Digital Photographer....

[Aram Langhans]

Sage advice.  Basically what I do and I use the free Microsoft Synctoy 
to do the backup every few days. One backup for the photos and one for 
the lightroom catalog.  I know this is totally manual but it works for 
me and it is free..

But I was wondering if you have any recommendations for an easy to use 
automated software that could do this for me?  Maybe not real time, but 
maybe once a day?  Windows user.

Aram

On 6/1/2024 10:53:50, Frank Filippone wrote:
> This is written to help those who are not computer savvy, and have a 
> few years of digital photos they wish to preserve, and especially want 
> to backup.  I will try to be as easy on the techie talk as possible.
>
> Follow the advice, don't follow the advice, your choice.... but this 
> is MY OPINION.
>
> You  have had a digital camera for several years, and maybe you have 
> downloaded your images to the HDD in your computer.  Maybe you never 
> did that, but keep  all your SD cards with the images on them.
>
> You have a few thousand images... maybe more.
>
> You want to preserve them... for "posterity".  Or your Kids.  Or 
> because you are a hoarder.
>
> You have no reason to spend more than a couple hundred $$$. ( Keep the 
> cost low.)
>
> You have a PC.  You have a MAC.  Does not matter. Ditto shooting in 
> RAW or JPEGs.
>
> You want to rationalize your current photo image backup system, with 
> something that works "better".
>
> Go get an USB 3.0,  EXTERNAL, HDD.   There are two brands, Seagate or 
> Western Digital.  Makes no difference which you choose.
>
> It will come in a capacity of 4TB to 20TB.  Figure a cost of about $15 
> per TB.
>
> Do not buy a portable HDD. get the _desktop version_.
>
> What size for ME?  big enough.... use this as a guideline....
>
> If you produce RAW 60MP images, each 1TB of HDD space will hold 
> roughly 16,000 images.
>
> Do the math.... or just use this advice, buy the 8TB model. That is a 
> lifetime of images for Mr. Joe Average, amateur photographer.
>
> Dedicate this HDD to your images only.  Or not.
>
> How easy is this to install?  Plug it in to power and use the enclosed 
> USB cable to your computer.  Done. Installed.
>
> Figure out HOW you wish to establish the hierarchy of folders... by 
> Year?  Camera?  Country/Topic?  Set up those folders.
>
> Copy all your image files to the external HDD. ( this may take a while 
> ... do it the first time at night.... )
>
> Done.
>
> Yes, it really is that easy.
>
> Do not pay attention to the recent nonsense on RAID Arrays, JBOD, NAS, 
> DAS, LAN, or other words that you really have no interest in.  Just go 
> get the 8TB USB 3.0,  EXTERNAL, HDD, and start using it.
>
> Happy backup heaven.
>
>
> Frank Filippone
>
> BMWRed735i at Gmail.com
>
-- 
Aram Langhans
(Semi) Retired Science Teacher
& Unemployed photographer
  
“The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin himself would ever have dared dream.”
    James D. Watson