1dx and Ethernet

[niccyboy]

I am setting up a project where we currently use d3x's with the twin CF slots and GPS.. data backups and GPS are a priority. Both of these on the current 1 series were a problem because the GPS option was a big extra expense and the mixed SD and CF combo scared the client off. However our 4 bodies are all hitting their use by and now we are considering the 1dx...

Canon has covered what we found them lacking on the previous models. But the thing that interests me is ethernet... we currently go through 4 sets of 2 (1 is a backup) 32gb Sandisk 90mbs cards every day...  Now with ethernet there has to be a way that we can go from camera to recording on a solid state drive of some description... it is in aviation so spinning disks wouldn't last long...

Anyone have any ideas on how this would work? Obviously we don't know exactly how it would work... but i'm just planning a proposal and need a basic workflow.

[PeterJ]

I'd guess at a minimum it will have the FTP capability of the WFT units that include ethernet, so you could use an SSD in a netbook or laptop. Either that or load up a NAS appliance with some SSD drives, most need mains power but not a lot of current so you could use a small inverter.

[dr croubie]

So that's you flying over my house taking 24MP images when i'm sunbaking?

I can't remember where I was reading it, it's late and i'm tired so i'll just go on what I remember.
The ethernet on the 1DX will act pretty much exactly like the current WFT do. There's a few different modes, like connecting to the eos utility, or FTP. So you can set it to automatically upload everything to an 'FTP Server' as you shoot.
The FTP server can just be a laptop with SSD.
Spend a bit more for a better laptop (or a desktop) with a few SSDs, and you can use RAID 1 for backup. Or set the laptop to auto-backup itself every minute or two to an external NAS with as many SSDs in RAID 5, 6, 50, whatever the customer wants to pay for.
Combine that with double-backups on 2x CF cards and you've got at least 4 copies and a few mirrors of each photo right there.

ps, when you said "we currently go through 4 sets of 2 (1 is a backup) 32gb Sandisk 90mbs cards every day", I presume you meant you back them up and wipe them when you get back to base? or you're SanDisk's biggest customer?

pps, SanDisk just dropped their prices, buy more!

ppps, I'm sure there are some NAS devices off the shelf that act as an FTP server, but I don't know what brands. If there isn't, i'll start marketing them...

[niccyboy]

haha nope... we have 8 cards ... 4x2... as the slots are shot with 1+(1 backup) we also have a backup kit with a replacement of everything... backing up the data at night isn't fun.

Sandisk must love us... and yes i just emailed them about some 64gb sandisks

We currently have inverters in the aircraft to power the Gyros and the ac power for the camera (note it's a helicopter so not a lot of space)...

I think a decent solid state laptop/desktop with some solid state drives is what we can use.. although we will need some solid UPS as a desktop will pull some power.

I'd love to be able to do it without needing a full computer running

Thanks guys...

[Stu_bert]

Qnap, Synology etc to ftp servers for their NAS and I think they do a 1 bay version. Might even draw less power...

Some of their NAS will take 2.5" drives and thus you can use a SSD not a spinning disk. But a huge SSD will be expensive. So either look to a 2 bay device with 1TB 2.5" drives (mirrored).

It will be less clunky than a notebook/netbook with 2 drives, might even be cheaper... 

[gmrza]

I'd guess at a minimum it will have the FTP capability of the WFT units that include ethernet, so you could use an SSD in a netbook or laptop. Either that or load up a NAS appliance with some SSD drives, most need mains power but not a lot of current so you could use a small inverter.

A number of small NAS appliances usee "cable wart" power connectors.  For instance, the external power supplies of my Synology NASes provide 12V to the NAS itself.  The DS410 (which I have) uses 20W on standby and 60W (or thereabouts) with 4 3.5" drives spinning.  It can also accept 2.5" drives, which should allow you to use SSDs.  The DS411 (which replaces the DS410) uses 10W on standby.  The DS410 is hardly a high end NAS, but I have still managed write speeds of over 50Mbytes/sec - this may be a challenge.  (I can't remember exact numbers.)

It may be worth investigating a hack to just run a NAS off 12V supply, cutting out the manufacturer-supplied power supply.  I think Synology also has NAS that is designed to take just 2.5" drives.  You may need to check on performance though.

You should probably be able to achieve the same with other manufacturers' NASes.

[niccyboy]

fantastic. Thanks a lot guys