external hard-drive for photos???

Watch out for viruses.

Stay close to places where there are computers.

Carry lots of memory cards.

That's all the suggestions that I can come up with....

there is the option of the ipod camera connector too

Some external storage devices have a USB On the Go function, which enables them to transfer data from a camera or cardreader directly to their harddisk, so you don't need a computer in between them.
Check if your chosen device does support this.

I have an Archos (www.archos.com) Mp3/video-player with hard disk, where I can do that and its very convenient to backup the pictures from the camera to the harddisk in my hotel room in the evenings.

Thx, #3, but that is exactly the device I'm avoiding because it/they need a battery or batteries to operate.

I usually travel for months and at times to remote areas, so I'm trying to do without battery-powered stuff as much as possible. Also, it seems that my camera gear takes up more space than anything else, including clothes, in my bag.

Thx for the tip, though.

Ah sorry, I did not read your question careful enough.

But I don't quite understand the advantage of an external hard-drive (except price). If you are in places where you can't charge the batteries of an external device, its quite likely that there is no internet place nearby either where you can download your pictures to a computer and an external hard-drive. There aren't that many places without electricity left in SE-Asia, but not everywhere is an internet place.

Anyway, I think any external 2.5' inch hard-drive like this one will suffice.

I travel to for months at a time in SEA. Often visit remote places.

I've been carrying a portable hard drive for the last 6-7 years. Never had a charging problem.

I have had problems finding a computer.

My suggestion? Don't use an external hard disk ;)

As has already been mentioned; as soon as you attach a hard disk to an unknown computer you're at risk from virus attack. Some viruses have nasty tendency to eat JPEGs, and at the very least you run the risk of transferring viruses from one machine to another.

I really do think you'll be better off with a standalone device like the Nexto ND2525; it's only fractionally larger than a conventional external housing, but in my tests it can copy and verify 45Gb before needing to be recharged (assuming a reasonably fast 4Gb card). If charging is a concern, there's an optional AA battery box which weighs very little...

If you're still perfectly content with your idea, then the best bet would be to get a 2.5" external housing; they're small, and most don't need an external power supply.

3.5" housings usually require a power supply; and weigh quite a bit more, so I wouldn't recommend them for your planned use.

1.8" housings would be smaller and lighter, but not that much smaller and lighter than a 2.5"; and sourcing drives can be trickier, 1.8" drives also have a far lower capacity in general.

Check storagereview.com for reliability reports on the underlying drive mechanisms; remember that the key reliability factor is the disk itself, not the brand of the housing.

You'd probably be best off getting a 5400rpm 2.5" drive with as much cache as you can; 8Mb or 16Mb would be my suggestion.

I use a Flash Drive when I travel, when I use internet shops overseas I worry about picking up a virus or some other problem. I have a FREE "ClamWin" portable antivirus program on the FD, I am not sure but it may also work on a portable hard drive. The ClamWin antivirus program does find infections but it is a little slow. There is no update choice but each time you turn it on it asks for a new download of the most recent virus attacks.

Address for FREE ClamWin: http://www.clamwin.com/content/view/118/89/<BR>Or Google ClamWin portable antivirus.