Having a reliable external hard drive for backing up photos is crucial for photographers and photo enthusiasts. With high resolution photos and videos taking up significant storage space, external hard drives provide a convenient way to back up and store all your precious memories.
Why Do You Need an External Hard Drive for Photos?
Here are some key reasons why you need an external hard drive for backing up your photo collection:
- Running out of space on your computer’s internal hard drive is very common, especially for prolific photographers.
- Storing photos on an external drive frees up space on your main hard drive for programs and other files.
- External hard drives make it easy to back up your entire photo library in one place.
- They provide redundancy if you ever lose photos due to hardware failure or accidental deletion.
- You can conveniently take your photo archive with you anywhere by bringing along your external drive.
- Many external drives today provide ample space of 1TB or more to accommodate tens of thousands of hi-res photos.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an External Hard Drive
There are several key factors you need to consider when picking the right external hard drive for your photo backup needs:
Drive Capacity
One of the most important factors is the storage capacity of the external hard drive. For photo backup purposes, you’ll want a minimum of 1TB of space. Here are some capacity guidelines:
- 1TB drive – good for backing up photos from 1 high-end DSLR camera for a few years
- 2TB drive – can support photos from 2 to 3 DSLR cameras for 2-3 years
- 4TB drive – great for backing up multiple DSLR & mirrorless cameras for 4-5 years
File Transfer Speed
The data transfer speed determines how fast you can copy photos and videos to and from the external drive. Some key specs to look for:
- USB 3.0 support – provides transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 – offers 10Gbps transfer speeds
- USB-C connector – enables fast speed with new USB-C equipped cameras and laptops
- Thunderbolt 3 – provides blazing fast transfer rates up to 40Gbps
Drive Portability
Portability and durability are also important criteria if you travel frequently with your drive. Consider the following:
- Drive’s physical size and weight
- Presence of protective casing or extra ruggedness
- Single USB-C cable for power & data transfer
Backup Software
The software bundled with the external drive also merits consideration. Look for drives that include user-friendly backup software with features like:
- Scheduled/automated backups
- Support for incremental backups
- Photo organizing and managing tools
- Password protection and encryption
- File versioning capability
The 6 Best External Hard Drives for Photos
Based on the criteria above, here are our top picks for the best external hard drives to backup photos:
1. Samsung T5 Portable SSD
- Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
- Connector: USB-C
- Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- File Transfer Speed: up to 540 MB/s
- Dimensions: 2.91 x 2.26 x 0.41 inches
- Weight: 1.80 oz
With its fast transfer speeds, compact and durable design, and password protection, the Samsung T5 is one of the best portable SSDs for photographers.
2. WD My Passport Portable Hard Drive
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Connector: USB-A
- Capacities: 1TB to 5TB
- File Transfer Speed: up to 5 Gbps
- Dimensions: 4.22 x 2.95 x 0.44 inches
- Weight: 0.46 lb
The My Passport drive from Western Digital provides fast transfer rates, large capacity options, and a stylish slim design making it one of the best external hard drives for Mac and Windows users alike.
3. LaCie Rugged Mini Hard Drive
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Connector: USB-A
- Capacities: 1TB to 5TB
- File Transfer Speed: up to 130 MB/s
- Shock resistant rubber sleeve
- Rain resistant
The LaCie Rugged Mini drive is designed to withstand shocks, drops, vibration and extreme weather, making it ideal for using in harsh environments.
4. Seagate Backup Plus Hub Hard Drive
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Connector: USB-A
- Capacities: 4TB to 10TB
- Transfer Speeds: up to 160 MB/s
- 2 integrated USB ports for charging devices
With its large capacity, fast speeds, and built-in USB hub, the Seagate Backup Plus Hub is tailored for photographers needing to backup a massive photo library.
5. G-Technology ArmorATD Rugged Portable Hard Drive
- Interface: USB-C, USB 3.0
- Connector: USB-C
- Capacities: 1TB to 5TB
- Transfer Speed: up to 140 MB/s
- Triple-layer shock resistance
- Crush resistance up to 1000 lbs
The rugged design and protective housing of the G-Technology ArmorATD makes it ideal for travel and outdoor photography while providing fast transfer speeds.
6. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt Portable SSD
- Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0
- Connector: Thunderbolt
- Capacities: 1TB
- Transfer Speed: up to 382 MB/s
- Built-in Thunderbolt cable
With Thunderbolt support, the Buffalo MiniStation SSD provides extremely fast file transfer speeds perfect for transferring tons of photos quickly.
Key Features to Look for in a Photo Backup Hard Drive
Based on our top picks, here are the most important features to look for when shopping for an external drive to backup photos:
- High-speed connections (USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 3)
- Durable design with rugged housing
- At least 1TB storage capacity
- Compact and portable form factor
- Software for simplified backups
- Hardware encryption to secure photos
Tips for Backing Up Photos to an External Hard Drive
Follow these tips to easily backup your irreplaceable photos to an external hard drive:
- Import all photos to your computer first before backing up to the drive.
- Organize the photos into folders on your computer’s internal hard drive.
- Connect the external hard drive using the appropriate cable.
- Use the backup software provided with the drive to schedule regular incremental backups.
- The software mirrors the folder structure on your computer to simplify finding photos.
- Store the backup drive securely in a separate location from your computer.
- Consider using cloud backup as an additional offsite backup.
Backup Software Recommendations
The following backup programs integrate conveniently with external hard drives for easy photo backup:
| Software | Key Features |
|---|---|
| WD Backup | Comes bundled with WD external hard drives; features incremental backups and encryption |
| Seagate Toolkit | Included with Seagate drives; provides mirror folders for backup |
| Time Machine | Apple’s built-in backup software for Macs; integrates with external hard drives |
| Acronis True Image | Advanced backup software with mobile apps, source file deduplication, and drive cloning tools |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How often should I backup photos to an external drive?
You should backup your photos to an external drive at least once every 1-2 months. For photographers who take tons of photos, more frequent weekly or even daily backups are recommended. Many backup software let you schedule automatic backups.
2. How long do external hard drives last for photo backup?
Most external hard drives can reliably last 3-5 years or more if handled properly. Higher end drives built specifically for durability can last over 10 years. So it’s best practice to replace external backup drives every 3-5 years.
3. Should I use an external SSD or HDD for photos?
SSDs are much faster, more portable, and more durable compared to mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs). But HDDs offer significantly more storage capacity for the price. For a primary photo backup drive, a portable external SSD provides the best combination of speed, durability and travel-friendly size.
4. How do I free up space after backing up photos to external drive?
Once you’ve confirmed the photos are safely stored on the external drive, you can free up space on your computer’s main drive by deleting the original copies of the images. Many backup software let you compare files on both drives to confirm they match before deletion.
5. Can I backup photos from my phone to an external drive?
Yes, most external drives come with backup software that lets you backup photos from your smartphone or tablet. For iPhone users, Apple’s Time Machine software allows backup of images in the iOS Camera Roll folder to an external drive connected to a Mac computer.
Conclusion
Choosing the right external hard drive is crucial for protecting your precious photo memories. Look for drives with fast transfer speeds, rugged design, enough capacity to accommodate all your photos, backup software features, and portability to take on the go. Following a regular backup schedule and storing the drive safely are equally important. With an external photo backup drive, you gain peace of mind knowing your photographic collection is protected if anything happens to your main computer.