Portable photo storage devices
Hard drive based
Hard drive-based portable photo storage devices offer compact designs and large capacities. You can load just about any kind of file onto them, although not all of the devices display every type of image file on their LCDs. Most companies periodically upgrade their firmware to support new file types and features, so check with the vendor's Web site to make sure you have the latest version before taking one of these on a trip.
| Description | Pros and cons | Performance and specs |
Delkin eFilm PicturePad
(20GB, 40GB, and 60GB capacities available)  Check prices |
Pros: Compact; image-viewing and verification functions; some RAW file display supported
Cons: Short battery life; slow image display; small LCD; slow USB 1.1 upload to computer |
Download time: 6 minutes, 45 seconds (see note on how we test below)
Battery life: 9 486MB downloads (see note on how we test below)
Weight and size: 10.3 ounces; 5.7 by 3.2 by 1.1 inches
Interfaces: USB 1.1; RCA video output; USB 2.0, FireWire, and direct print adapters available
Camera media supported: CompactFlash Types I and II; SD/MMC and Memory Stick with optional adapters
Display: 1.8-inch color LCD with zoom, pan, rotate, and slide-show capabilities; outputs to NTSC or PAL TV; displays JPEG, TIFF, and selected RAW files
Power supply: Interchangeable and rechargeable 1,400mAh lithium-ion battery; AC adapter |
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Epson P-1000
(10GB capacity available) Check prices |
Pros: Compact, attractive design; large, high-quality display for image viewing; slide-show and album creation; direct output to printers and CD-R/RW burners
Cons: Short battery life; displays 6-megapixel or smaller JPEGs only; no file-verification function; expensive for capacity; slow USB 1.1 upload to computer |
Download time: 9 minutes, 51 seconds (see note on how we test below)
Battery life: 7.5 486MB downloads (see note on how we test below)
Weight and size: 11 ounces; 5.59 by 3.6 by 9.1 inches
Interfaces: USB 1.1; RCA video output; direct printing to compatible Epson printers; connects to USB CD-R/-RW drive
Camera media supported: CompactFlash Types I and II; Microdrive; SD/MMC, SmartMedia, and Memory Stick with optional adapters
Display: 3.8-inch, 640x480 color LCD with rotate and slide-show capabilities; outputs to NTSC or PAL TV; displays JPEG and selected RAW files up to maximum 6-megapixel image size; displays images on attached CD-R/RW drive
Power supply: Interchangeable and rechargeable lithium-ion battery; AC adapter |
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SmartDisk FlashTrax
(20GB, 40GB, and 80GB capacities available) Check prices |
Pros: Compact design; image-viewing and verification functions; some RAW file display supported; flip-up design protects LCD; slide-show and album creation; MP3 and limited video playback
Cons: Short battery life; slow image display and response to button commands; low-res LCD; somewhat cheap, plasticky feel to build |
Download time: 9 minutes, 10 seconds (see note on how we test below)
Battery life: 12 486MB downloads (see note on how we test below)
Weight and size: 12.5 ounces; 5.6 by 3.6 by 1.3 inches
Interfaces: USB 2.0; RCA video output
Camera media supported: CompactFlash Types I and II, Microdrive; SD/MMC, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, and xD-Picture Card with optional adapters
Display: 3.5-inch color LCD with zoom, pan, and rotate capabilities; outputs to NTSC or PAL TV with included remote; displays JPEG, GIF, BMP, Motion JPEG, text, and selected RAW files
Power supply: Interchangeable and rechargeable 2,200mAh lithium-ion battery; AC adapter |
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Download time: In our download-time test, we transfer 486MB of data, which includes 76 image files of various types and sizes, from a 512MB SanDisk Ultra CompactFlash card.
Battery life: In our battery-life test, we fully charge the device's included battery, then run our download-time test (above) repeatedly until the battery dies. If the device has an LCD, we allow it to leave the screen on or automatically shut it off during downloads, according to its default functioning. Please note that viewing images on an LCD between downloads will result in shorter battery life.
Battery life: In our battery-life test, we fully charge the device's included battery, then run our download-time test (above) repeatedly until the battery dies. If the device has an LCD, we allow it to leave the screen on or automatically shut it off during downloads, according to its default functioning. Please note that viewing images on an LCD between downloads will result in shorter battery life.
