Choose a portable SSD for current shoots that move between locations and editing computers; choose a desktop drive or network-attached storage for a growing local archive. Neither is a complete recovery plan for irreplaceable client work: keep a separate copy in a safe location, and check device compatibility, backup coverage and restore arrangements before relying on any setup.
If you transfer or edit event, wedding or commercial shoots away from your main archive, a compact working drive can keep current files accessible. Check its connection against your computer, and make a second copy before reusing memory cards.
Completed shoots, edits and client deliverables can outgrow a computer’s internal storage. A desk-based drive or configured network-attached storage can provide local archive space, but the archive still needs a separate backup.
If losing a shoot would put a client delivery at risk, decide how you would recover it after a device failure, deletion or loss of access to your premises. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping important data backed up in a separate safe location.
Decide where current jobs need to be worked on, where completed work will live, and how you would restore either copy. A working SSD, a local archive and an off-site backup can have different roles in the same photography workflow.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Current-job access | Check the portable drive’s capacity and connection against your computer and cable. Treat quoted transfer speeds as maximums, not promised editing speeds. | When a shoot must move between a location and an editing computer, I need a working copy I can carry and connect. Around 21% of consumers put access to current jobs first. |
| Local archive capacity | Allow for library growth and check usable capacity, operating-system compatibility and the drive’s power requirements. | As completed RAW files and deliverables accumulate, I need room to keep them locally accessible for later work. For around 29% of consumers, archive capacity is the primary concern. |
| Recovery away from the main location | Check which devices and files a backup covers, how long versions remain available, and whether you can restore them. Consider access controls for identifiable client images. | If a device or premises becomes unavailable, I need a separate copy of client work that I can actually recover. This is the leading need for around 36% of consumers. |
| Shared local management | For network-attached storage, check whether drives are included, usable capacity after configuration, device access and the separate off-site backup plan. | When several devices need access to one growing library, I want a manageable shared local store rather than files scattered between them. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this need. |
An attached SSD or archive drive remains vulnerable to failure, loss, accidental deletion and malware. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location.
Give each copy a role—current work, local archive or recovery—and verify the planned copies of a one-off shoot before reusing its memory cards.
The connection can limit transfer speed. Samsung says the T7 Shield’s quoted maximums require a compatible host and cable, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and UASP support.
Check the exact drive, computer port and cable together before making speed a deciding factor.
Samsung bases the T7 Shield’s IP65 and drop-resistance claims on controlled tests, says resistance can vary in use and excludes related damage from its warranty.
Use a rugged portable drive as a working copy, not as the only remaining copy of a shoot.
Coverage and retention depend on the service. Backblaze says Computer Backup covers directly attached external drives but not NAS or network drives; under its default 30-day version history, a disconnected external drive needs reconnecting at least once every 30 days to remain retained.
Before subscribing, check coverage for your exact devices, version retention, security controls and how you would restore a job.
The T7 Shield range illustrates a portable SSD for transfers and current-job editing.
The Expansion desktop range illustrates fixed-location storage for a growing local archive.
The DS223 illustrates network-attached storage for a central local library and access from multiple devices.
Computer Backup is a cloud-backup option for a Mac or Windows computer and directly attached drives.
These products cover portable drives for current work or a movable local copy, a desktop drive for a fixed archive, and a diskless NAS for shared local storage. Whichever role you choose, plan a separate recovery copy for irreplaceable shoots.
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Consider this for a portable working copy of current shoots. The listed variant has a USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection; check your computer and cable before relying on quoted speeds, and keep another copy of client files.
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Consider this for a movable working copy when its connection suits your capture or editing device. The product name specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 and an IP65 rating; confirm device and cable compatibility rather than assuming its quoted maximum speed will be reached.
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Consider this for keeping completed jobs in a fixed local archive. Its stated capacity is 10TB; check the file-system setup required by your computer and maintain a separate recovery copy.
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Consider this when you need to carry a larger local copy of an image library. The product name specifies 4TB and USB 3.0; check your computer’s connection and file-system requirements before moving existing files, and do not treat a carried copy as off-site backup.
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Consider this for a shared local library accessed from multiple devices. It is a two-bay diskless unit, so choose compatible drives and check usable capacity under your intended configuration; local NAS storage still needs an off-site recovery copy.
No—not if it holds the only recoverable copy. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping a backup in a separate safe location, so distinguish the drive you work from or archive to from the copy you would restore after loss or failure.
Choose a portable SSD when current jobs regularly move between a shoot and an editing computer; choose a desktop drive when the main task is keeping completed work locally accessible at a fixed desk. Check the SSD’s connection against your devices, and back up either drive separately.
Not automatically. Backblaze says its Computer Backup service excludes NAS and network drives, and its default 30-day version history requires a disconnected external drive to be reconnected at least once every 30 days to remain retained. Check the rules for the service and retention option you intend to use.
Consider security measures appropriate to the data and the risks, alongside the provider’s access and restoration arrangements. The Information Commissioner’s Office explains that the UK GDPR security principle requires appropriate technical and organisational measures when processing personal data; it does not prescribe one storage product for every photographer.
Test a restore rather than relying only on a completed backup notification. Restore a representative folder to a separate location and check that its files open; the Information Commissioner’s Office highlights restoration and testing as parts of effective data-security measures.