Android RAW workflow - direct from sd card to ext HDD

All I can say is good luck.
The reason I don't use any tablet is because of this. Transferring files you own is a nightmare.

Maybe what you do need to supplement your kit is one of the HDD cases with memory card reader in them. That is what I use now to backup photos from card to HDD.

You were lucky in some ways as not all tablets even have the hardware to support connecting a HDD directly to it. Although I'm assuming Samsung would not be an issue, a lot of tablets don'tcan't support USB host mode which mean connecting a USB device to it won't work.

Regarding jpegs though, you should be able to find an app that will create small jpegs from the RAW files. I actually find the compression on the jpegs stored with RAW horrendous. Applications can usually do a better job. Also do you need all the jpegs extracted, or just some? I find i might be out shooting all day, but when it comes down to it a quick glance will find ~10 photos i'll convert to a small jpeg for posting on my blog.

A powered hub won't work to transfer files from card to HDD. There are devices that can probably do this though.

Have a look at Hypershop I have one of their HDD cases. while a lot of the stuff is aimed at apple users, it works with android. They recently they released a unit that would accept a HDD and you can transfer files to/from any wireless device to it. I've also seen wireless HDD units too. Plus they make the HDD case with card reader.

I've come across all these issues and basically went back to a laptop. Definitively agree, most places in the world, make uploading photos impossible as an alternative.

Likewise I rather wait until the proper windows 8 i5 tablets are getting cheaper for such tasks.

Few ideas:

There are wifi portable hard drives, easy to connect to any tablet.

I would not want my hard drive being powered by a tablet alone, don't think this is good for the drive, not enough power.

About the jpegs, can't you set your camera shooting jpeg and raw at the same time?

If the tablet does not recognize the card reader how about the camera? Can't you connect your Canon directly to the USB of the tablet?

I was looking for someone who actually had experience with this set up but it seems that I'm out of luck.

Justin thanks for getting in touch but I'll hold off with your solutions for the mo.

I see no real reason why it should be overly complicated to transfer files between the external media as I've heard people saying that they could just drag and drop files. Why won't a powered hub work? I've seen it used but I'm talking about RAW files, hence why I'm asking. Here's a one of the set up that I've seen posted so it will work, but I'm trying to see if anyone's used this kind of set up with RAW files.The Nexus 7 supports otg which is why I bought it - it would be pretty foolish to buy a tablet in this situation without checking out its capabilities - so I don't think I'm overly lucky....

I'm not fussed about having copies of each and every jpeg but I'd rather batch convert than converting/extracting the ones I need, one by one.

Shooting RAW + jpeg isn't an option as I only want small jpegs and the 550d won't let you alter the quality in camera so I'd be stuck with a large jpeg for each and every RAW file.

I've no need of one of the storage devices with a card reader as they are expensive for what you get.

Why won't a powered hub work? I've seen it used but I'm talking about RAW files

• I've no need of one of the storage devices with a card reader as they are expensive for what you get.

That's true but then I they have given me fantastic use during the past 7yrs or so and thye are in fact the reason why I have not looked into any other photo downloading option since then. In that sense they were a great investment, albeit costly at the beginning.

One of the reason why I don't seriously look into tablets for image back-up for now is all that fumbling around needed even if it work.
Get you tablet out, hook up powered USB hub, plug in two USB hard drives and/or card reader start copying (at what transfer speed...???).
Nope.
Just doesn't sound user friendly to me.

Hence I stay with my Nexto drives. Card full? One button to switch on, insert card, one button to copy to drive. Throw drive back into my belt bag. Files are being copied inside my bag while I continue shooting.
Hard to beat.

But yes, quite expensive at the beginning.

I think I will wait until proper i5 8gig RAM windows 8 powered tablets with two USB ports become cheaper.
Then it might be time to get a real tablet.
Something along this line:
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE700T1C-K01US-11-6-Inch-128GB-Velvet/dp/B00CTHQORA/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1378732710&sr=1-2
Make it at 400$ and you got me as a customer...
+++

Can you back up direct from that unit of yours to other devices? I've read about them and they are really handy, but I like having an external hdd for other media too - movies, music, ebooks etc.

Granted, with a tablet it's a bit of a faff getting the set up all laid out, but at the end of it you can have your beloved photos back up onto 2 external drives and I also intend on putting them onto a large sd card which I can keep in my money belt (and God no, it's not one of those fanny pack effort, an actual belt with a small, built in pocket). When I was using my netbook it wasnt much different as I would have the netbook plugged in and have the drives attached so it's something I'm used to. I shoot with 16gb cards and try and thin out the majority of the dead wood from my card whilst it's in the camera so I can last a while between back ups - though obviously I don't want to leave it too long as it would defeat the object!

I've also got a 1tb usb3 drive that I had from my last trip and picked up a transcend 750gb drive with shock protection and a durable case that only cost me £37! I'll use that for hooking up to the tablet when I need things off it - movies etc and will keep the 1tb one purely as a back up.

That Window tab is interesting but I think I'd end up just getting a small laptop like one of the ideapads as they're a bit heavier but are already way cheaper - I like the 7" screen size of mine, but hey, with use it may prove a little small - only one way to find out.

Yes, you actually can.
I bought two actually for real back up but later found out that they can host as well as long as the other drive has its own power source.
However you will have to look carefully, not all models can be host as well. Plus how the transfer is actually done, mine seemed a bit awkward in browsing to the right folder, but what do you expect with one button and a tiny screen. Newer models might be better at this.

You can use the image drive as a bog standard hard drive as well I think. At least that's how it connects to the PC.

Well it sounds like its a set up that works for you, but as things stand it's not for me - if I only needed something to back up some pics whilst shooting then this would be a good idea, but as I stay away for long periods of time, having a tablet or compact laptop is best for me - the size and weight is balanced out by the use that I can get out of it.

True enough, I always had my head quarters some place where I could download my image drive to othereexternal hard drives via a PC. Did that every month or so, which was just ok a, I had filled the 160gig disks in about 4 weeks at that time. Nowadays the disks in there are bigger.

Internet and mail I do via smart phone. All in all a very small yet independent set up.
But expensive indeed.

As I said, i use the HDD backup device, far easier than what you are trying to achieve, but acknowledge the cost isn't cheap. Mine will store videos and other media and i can plug it into a PC and it is seen as a HDD.

I think you've highlighted the reason many photographers stay away from tablets for now. They are just a pain in the neck. And while you did research, it isn't uncommon for people to buy a tablet see USB ports and think it should work exactly like the PC, but its not always the case as there is extra hardware required to get it to work and for a while nobody put it in.

Your USB powered hub idea? i'm assuming you mean with OTG cables/hardware. In theory it could work, but if it does it will be much slower. I'm not sure if you've ever tried copying files between 2 USB drives before on a PC. It is actually quicker to copy USB HDD1 -> PC -> USB HDD2 than USB HDD1 -> USB HDD2

I think the $89 wifi adaptor on the page i suggested is a good solution as then everything can talk to the HDD wirelessly. It won't be quicker or probably much slower, but easier to use.

I took a tablet away for a month through Central Asia. I won't be doing that again, I'd rather carry my 2kg laptop and the HDD backup unit. Plus i can backup to the laptop HDD and the external HDD, which is enough for me. Tablets don't have the storage space for me yet. I'll take about 64GB of photos and videos in a month. I leave photos on the cards as well until i run out of space then I'll use the oldest one first. I find though 2 x 32GB cards is plenty for what i do.

I guess tools4fools and I can only offer advice on what we've come to use for the time being. I think the HDD backup unit though is the way to go. One of those instead of the other HDDs you carry would be my advice. As I said I use mine as a secondary backup.