Steve'sDigicams

Flash42 · Aug 25, 2008, 11:29 AM

I want to overnight ship a 4 Gb CF card from LA to NYC, without erasing any images on the card. Someone suggested allowing 6" of packing all around the card to insure distance from any magnetic source. Anti-static bags were also suggested. Does anyone have experience with shipping a memory card with images on it. I know the info should be backup before shipping and that transferring data to a DVD to ship would be safer and these are not options. My LA guy has no computer or computer skills.
Any suggestions appreciated

Photo 5 · Aug 25, 2008, 12:02 PM

I read an article once before that the guys at Sports Illustrated do ship their compact flash cards overnight to their home office whenever it is not possible for them to upload the photos and e-mail them (time restrictions and travel issues).

What is the end user in LA gonna do with the card one they get it? Will they just view the pictures in their camera and then return the card to you? You might want to consider printing them out at your local CVS, Walmart, Ritz Camera etc and mailing them the prints.

dave

TCav · Aug 25, 2008, 8:18 PM

There's nothing that the USPS, UPS or FedEX can do that would erase the images from a CF card or any other flash memory device, despite what often seems like their best efforts.

If you pack them well enough to avoid physical damage, the data will be fine.

JimC · Aug 26, 2008, 7:28 AM

I've never seen any evidence of damage to the contents of a memory card from mailing it, with no special precautions taken.

I'd use a floppy disk mailer, CD/DVD mailer, padded envelope, or similar. If you're going overnight, I'd just use the carrier's typical cardboard overnight envelope and put it in that. I've sent and received them that way before with no issues. I do enclose the memory card in it's original plastic case for added protection. But, that's probably not even necessary.

The person you're mailing it to has no computer or computer skills, huh? What is the purpose of mailing it then? Unless it's the same camera model, with the same folder structure on the memory card, he's probably not going to be able to view the photos on another digital camera model. If it's just so this person can print the images at a local printer, most will take a CD or DVD now.

An easier solution would be to upload the photos to a photo processor for pickup at a location close to them. For example, you can upload images to http://www.walgreens.com and select the location you want to pick them up at. I do this relatively often (since I have a Walgreens pharmacy within about 1 mile of my home). They can also create a CD with the images you uploaded.

Flash42 · Aug 26, 2008, 9:55 AM

LA is doing the photography and sending the card to me, NYC, so that I can upload the images and "massage" them. Since my original posting I've learned that Flash cards use charged transistors to store info, not magnetism. So there is no issue with magnetic fields, etc. causing a corruption of info during shipment.
Thanks to all for the feedback, now I can relax while I await receipt of my friends CF card.

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Aug 25, 2008, 11:29 AM	#1
Flash42 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2	I want to overnight ship a 4 Gb CF card from LA to NYC, without erasing any images on the card. Someone suggested allowing 6" of packing all around the card to insure distance from any magnetic source. Anti-static bags were also suggested. Does anyone have experience with shipping a memory card with images on it. I know the info should be backup before shipping and that transferring data to a DVD to ship would be safer and these are not options. My LA guy has no computer or computer skills. Any suggestions appreciated

Aug 25, 2008, 12:02 PM	#2
Photo 5 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 2,053	I read an article once before that the guys at Sports Illustrated do ship their compact flash cards overnight to their home office whenever it is not possible for them to upload the photos and e-mail them (time restrictions and travel issues). What is the end user in LA gonna do with the card one they get it? Will they just view the pictures in their camera and then return the card to you? You might want to consider printing them out at your local CVS, Walmart, Ritz Camera etc and mailing them the prints. dave

Aug 25, 2008, 8:18 PM	#3
TCav Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Washington, DC, Metro Area, Maryland Posts: 13,826	There's nothing that the USPS, UPS or FedEX can do that would erase the images from a CF card or any other flash memory device, despite what often seems like their best efforts. If you pack them well enough to avoid physical damage, the data will be fine.

Aug 26, 2008, 7:28 AM	#4
JimC Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Savannah, GA (USA) Posts: 22,378	I've never seen any evidence of damage to the contents of a memory card from mailing it, with no special precautions taken. I'd use a floppy disk mailer, CD/DVD mailer, padded envelope, or similar. If you're going overnight, I'd just use the carrier's typical cardboard overnight envelope and put it in that. I've sent and received them that way before with no issues. I do enclose the memory card in it's original plastic case for added protection. But, that's probably not even necessary. The person you're mailing it to has no computer or computer skills, huh? What is the purpose of mailing it then? Unless it's the same camera model, with the same folder structure on the memory card, he's probably not going to be able to view the photos on another digital camera model. If it's just so this person can print the images at a local printer, most will take a CD or DVD now. An easier solution would be to upload the photos to a photo processor for pickup at a location close to them. For example, you can upload images to http://www.walgreens.com and select the location you want to pick them up at. I do this relatively often (since I have a Walgreens pharmacy within about 1 mile of my home). They can also create a CD with the images you uploaded.

Aug 26, 2008, 9:55 AM	#5
Flash42 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2	LA is doing the photography and sending the card to me, NYC, so that I can upload the images and "massage" them. Since my original posting I've learned that Flash cards use charged transistors to store info, not magnetism. So there is no issue with magnetic fields, etc. causing a corruption of info during shipment. Thanks to all for the feedback, now I can relax while I await receipt of my friends CF card.