External Hard Drive

External hard drives are often an afterthought. Sometimes, they’re only thought of once it’s too late and photos and videos have been lost, unable to be retrieved, lost forever in the digital trashcan. “Why didn’t I back them up?!”

What is an External Hard Drive?

An external hard drive is a device on which you can safely store your important images, videos, music, Time Machine, etc., instead of, or in addition to, your computer or laptop. External Hard Drives are available in many sizes, from a few hundred Gigabytes to many Terabytes. The hard drive expands the storage capacity of your laptop or computer by letting you store files that can only be accessed when you plug the drive into your computer or laptop.

Why do I need an External Hard Drive?

In addition to expanding your storage capabilities, an External Hard Drive gives you peace of mind by having one or more backups of your images and videos. Many people create backups of their most important files on an External Hard Drive and store it in a different location from the main computer/laptop and primary External Hard Drive. For example, the backup might be stored in your office rather than at home in case of a fire.

What type of External Hard Drive should I use?

Just like the rest of your imaging gear, you should use what works for your needs and lifestyle. There are tons of hard drive styles available, ranging from desktop style to rugged for travel, from ones sized to fit in your pocket to ones meant to sit on your desk. External hard drives range in reading and writing speeds. Some creators prefer the External Hard Drive to be efficient for editing and working off of in real time, while others want to take time to preserve files in more than one spot within the system. All have a reason behind their makeup and are built with a purpose. Decide the storage capacity you need by reviewing the capacity on your computer and double the capacity when selecting a drive. Determine if the drive will stay in your home office or will travel with you frequently and choose a drive that meets the ruggedness criteria you need as well as the size and weight you desire.

Is an External Hard Drive the only way to back up my images and video?

Like all electronic equipment, your drive can fail. Or it can be damaged if you travel with a drive that is not built with a rugged design. External Hard Drives are rated to last up to ten years, but in real life use, it is closer to five years. You should also take advantage of cloud-based storage opportunities to increase the security of your imagery in addition to one or more External Hard Drives. Additionally, you could lose your drive, or it could be stolen.