An external hard drive can be a great option for storing photos, depending on your specific needs. With the high storage capacities and data transfer speeds of modern external hard drives, they provide a convenient way to store large photo libraries and archive your images. However, there are also some downsides to consider when using an external drive for photo storage, such as portability, durability, and security. This article will examine the pros and cons of using an external hard drive for photos to help you determine if it is the right solution for your photo storage and backup needs.
Storage Capacity
External hard drives offer large storage capacities compared to other storage devices like USB flash drives or memory cards. This makes them well-suited for storing many high resolution photos.
For example, a 1TB external hard drive can hold around 250,000 photos taken with a 12MP camera. A 2TB drive could store about 500,000 of those photos (Source 1). Even larger drives up to 8TB or more are available, providing essentially unlimited storage for photos.
So if you have a large photo library from years of shooting with DSLR or mirrorless cameras, external hard drives have the capacity needed. They offer far more storage than could fit on camera memory cards or internal computer hard drives (Source 2).
Portability
One of the main advantages of using an external hard drive for storing photos is portability. Unlike internal hard drives that are fixed inside a computer, external drives are small, portable devices that can easily be transported. This makes them ideal for photographers who are frequently on the go and want to be able to access their photo library from different locations.
Most external hard drives are compact and lightweight, similar in size to a smartphone or wallet. This means they can easily fit into a camera bag or backpack when traveling. Many also have rugged, shockproof designs that allow them to withstand being transported without damage. Some even include a built-in carrying case or sleeve for added protection.
The portability of external drives allows photographers to bring their entire photo libraries with them wherever they go. For example, they can bring the drive to a photo shoot and instantly access the files later when editing on a laptop. Or they can bring the drive to a client meeting to showcase their portfolio. Having portable storage makes it easy to transport, share and access photos on the go.
In summary, the small, lightweight designs of external hard drives allow for excellent portability and on-the-go access to your photo collection from any location. This makes them an ideal choice for professional photographers and amateur hobbyists who need to frequently transport and access their photos from different computers or devices. For maximum portability, it is important to select a compact and rugged external drive designed for mobility.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-external-storage-drives/
Durability
External SSDs are generally more durable and reliable than external HDDs. SSDs have no moving parts, making them more resistant to damage from drops, shocks, vibrations, etc. compared to traditional HDDs with spinning platters and moving heads (Source). The lack of moving parts also means SSDs tend to have a longer lifespan and lower failure rates. One study found SSDs to have nearly 2 times longer lifespan compared to HDDs.
However, HDDs have continued to improve in durability through features likeramp loading technology to better protect the drive when powered off. High-end HDDs designed for enterprise/server use also incorporate features for increased reliability. But consumer portable HDDs remain more vulnerable to damage from drops or impacts compared to SSDs.
For a portable external drive that will be transported frequently, an SSD provides much better protection against accidental drops. The rugged design of some external SSDs also includes features like dust/water resistance for further durability.
Speed
When it comes to saving and accessing photos, transfer speed is an important consideration for external hard drives. The faster the transfer speed, the less time you’ll spend waiting for files to copy over. For photography purposes, experts generally recommend looking for hard drives with USB 3.0 support and speeds of at least 100 MB/s for reads and writes (Seagate). USB 3.0 provides transfer rates up to 5 Gbps, much faster than USB 2.0’s 480 Mbps cap.
High-performance external SSDs can reach even faster speeds, with some capable of over 500 MB/s sequential reads and writes, but they come at a higher price point (Cloudwards). For most photographers, a fast external HDD in the 100-200 MB/s range offers a good balance of speed and affordability.
Keep in mind that the interface, file size, and computer hardware can impact real-world transfer speeds. But for storing and working with large photo libraries, an external HDD with good transfer rates will save you time waiting on file transfers.
Security
One of the biggest risks of using an external hard drive for photos is the potential for data loss or theft if the drive is ever lost, stolen or damaged. Fortunately, many external hard drives today offer advanced security features to keep your photos protected.
One option is to purchase an encrypted external hard drive that automatically encrypts all data stored on it. Top models like the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3NXC use 256-bit AES hardware encryption to seamlessly encrypt data on the fly, keeping photos protected even if the drive falls into the wrong hands.
Some external SSDs like the Samsung T7 Touch also offer built-in fingerprint readers for biometric authentication. This adds an extra layer of security, requiring a fingerprint match to unlock the drive.
Using a password protected external hard drive is another good option for securing sensitive photos. Drives like the Apricorn Aegis Padlock allow you to set a password that must be entered before accessing drive contents.
With the right security measures, you can store irreplaceable photos safely on an external drive without worrying about data breaches or theft.
Backup
External hard drives are an effective way to backup large photo collections stored on your computer. According to the New York Times, storing photos on two external hard drives, with one stored locally and another offsite, is an ideal backup solution for photos [1]. When used for backup, external hard drives provide an extra layer of protection against data loss if the photos on your computer are accidentally deleted or become corrupted.
To backup your photo library on a Mac, you can simply drag the Photos Library file to the external hard drive. On Windows, you can use the included backup software or third-party backup tools to schedule regular backups of your Pictures folder to the external drive [2]. Storing a backup of your photo collection on an external drive ensures you always have a copy if something happens to the photos on your main computer.
Cost
External hard drives often provide a more cost-effective option for mass photo storage compared to other solutions. According to Disk Prices, consumer-grade external hard drives in early 2023 were available for around $0.012 per gigabyte, or $12 per terabyte. Meanwhile, sources like Reddit and other price trackers show external hard drive prices at $15-16 per terabyte on sale. This is significantly cheaper than solid state drives, which remain above $100 per terabyte. For photographers building an extensive photo library, external hard drives deliver abundant storage at a reasonable cost.
Compatibility
External hard drives are designed to work with a wide range of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, and tablets. Most external hard drives today use a USB interface, which allows broad compatibility across operating systems like Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS and more. According to Seagate, their external hard drives are compatible with modern Windows operating systems starting with Vista and Mac OS X 10.4 and above without needing any additional drivers. This makes it easy to use Seagate external drives interchangeably between a desktop and laptop computer. Some external SSDs also come with USB-C or Thunderbolt ports for compatibility with the latest computers and tablets. The wide compatibility offered by external hard drives makes them versatile storage solutions that can move files seamlessly between desktops, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones in many cases.
Conclusion
In summary, external hard drives have both pros and cons when it comes to storing photos. On the pro side, external drives provide abundant storage capacity at a relatively low cost, as well as portability to transfer photos between devices. They also allow you to easily back up your photo libraries for safekeeping. On the con side, external drives may be less durable and secure than some other storage options. They can fail or get damaged, resulting in data loss if backups are not maintained properly.
For most amateur photographers, using an external drive to store photo libraries is likely a good and relatively affordable option. However, professionals with extremely large collections may want to consider a more robust networked storage setup. When using an external drive, be sure to have a backup process in place and properly eject the drive to avoid file corruption.
Overall, external hard drives provide photographers with expanded storage and flexibility to manage their photo collections. As long as best practices are followed, they can be a perfectly suitable solution for storing your precious photo memories.