long term storage

[mikeym@ameritech.net]

I need some tips on long term storage options: what file format should I use. I would prefer to store as a NEF because of it's small size and editing options. I hope this subject hasn't been beaten to death; I would appreciate anyones thought on the subject.

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

I guess that most of us are storing as best quality jpgs or psds, with the originals kept in their original state.

My only concerns about storing in any one camera manufacturers Raw format is just how compatable they are going to be longterm.

Maybe some other people who use Raw would like to let us know what they think?

Wendy

[Chris Bishop]

If you save a version of the RAW editing program you like with the RAW files it improves the options. BUT look how Win 98 became XP a lot of current programs wouldn't work in Win 98, so RAW programs may not work in 2-3 versions time.
Professionals/ keen am's may keep a machine running XP to access the files.
There will be an interim period whereby you could alter your RAW files into the new program ?
RAW keeps the data as is. RAW editing packages get better so you can revist your RAW files and improve the picture or salvage the ones you thought were unprintable. If you kept the RAW file.
Anything else is convenience. If you have done some major work to a picture with layers etc keep the psd file. Who is to say Adobe won't alter that in a furure version? But I would guess again there will be an interim period where it could be converted from v8 to v11? If it is a big file keep it on a CD on its own.
Cd's & DVD's need replacing, neither are permanent. Judges are out on the time scale, but don't push it to the edge of time or they masy not be readable.
HDD are cheap at the moment so I suggest external USB 2 or firewire HDD's . I've had these fail!
To answer the question, as a pharmacist I think the cure to a cold would be easier to solve. I'm glad I still have prints from when I was professional, although they will be fading and my scanner doesn't do 6*4.5's anyway
Chris Bishop

[MikeH]

I keep two sets of files long term...

:arrow: Images as they originally come out of the camera (which in my case is either JPEG fine or RAW) - completely untouched.

:arrow: Images edited in PSE3 as layered but unsharpened, uncropped or sized psd files. I sharpen and crop or size images according to how I am using them.

For storage I am currently using CD, but I will probably invest in an external hard drive soon. Having lost one set of probably irreplacable photos through a disk problem and other data through a cd failure, I now keep two copies of everything. So even if I had an external hard drive I'd still keep copies on cd. Belt & braces I know...

Mike

[sharkman]

Can you store your photo's as a TIFF file? Also if your using CD's I just purchased Verbatim CD-R that has an archival life up to 100 years. Most CD with lose data over a 2-3 year period so I have been told.
Wayne

[MikeH]

Wayne,

You can store your images in any format...

Mike