Whether you’re a professional or amateur, if you’re into photography you’ll know the struggle of constantly backing up images. Gone are the days when you could only take a certain amount of pictures on one film. Memory cards nowadays can store thousands of images, so there’s nothing to stop you from snapping photos left, right and centre.
And if like me, you have an incredible ability to take hundreds of photos in just a few moments, you’ll need a top-quality external hard drive to store all of your many, many snaps.
Here’s everything you need to know about external hard drives, and where you can find the best external hard drives for photographers.
What is an External Hard Drive?
An external hard drive is a portable device that can store thousands of digital files. Usually, external hard drives have 1tb or more of storage space, so they can hold much more than most laptops or computers.
You can use portable hard drives to store documents, images and even videos, freeing up space on your laptop and camera.
Why Photographers Should Use External Hard Drives?
Most photographers nowadays use DSLRs, rather than film cameras, which means they can take as many pictures as their heart desires. A single day out can result in hundreds, if not thousands of pictures.
And storing thousands of images on your computer isn’t the best idea. Filling up your computer’s storage is going to slow it down majorly. So rather than overloading your laptop or computer, external hard drives can store all the photos you need.
Using an external hard drive also means that if your laptop fails you and dies unexpectedly, you don’t have to worry about your photos — they’ll be safe and sound on your hard drive.
What To Look For In An External Hard Drive
If you’ve never bought an external hard drive before, there are a few things you need to look for in your search for the right one:
- Storage capacity — your hard drive needs to be large enough to store all of your photos.
- Price — some hard drives can be pretty pricey, and you don’t want to break the bank by investing in an overly
expensive one. At the same time though, if a hard drive has a price tag that seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. - Device Compatability — your hard drive needs to be compatible with your devices (mainly your camera and your laptop).
- Portability — if you’re the type of photographer who likes to go for adventures in the wilderness, just you and your gear, you’ll need a hard drive that’s portable enough for you to tuck into a rucksack.
The 10 Best External Hard Drives For Photographers
1: Porsche Design 1TB External Hard Drive
I thought I’d start with the hard drive that I use for most of my photos: the Porsche Design 1TB external hard drive. For me, 1TB is plenty of storage, and the sleek, lightweight and portable design makes it the perfect shape and size to take everywhere with me.
If you need more storage than 1TB though, you can also purchase this hard drive with a storage capacity of up to 8TB, so it’s a great hard drive for professionals and amateurs alike.
Pros
- Large storage capacity (up to 8TB)
- Sleek and portable design
- Compatible with both PC and Mac
- Automatic back-up software
Cons
- It’s a little pricey
2: Seagate 1TB Backup Plus Slim USB 3.0 Portable 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive
The Seagate 1TB Backup Hard Drive provides 1TB storage capacity and an NTFS driver for Mac. So you can easily use the Seagate 1TB Backup interchangeably between Mac and Windows computers. This Seagate device also provides the Seagate software with features that make it easier to backup data — your photos will be protected from accidental deletion.
Pros
- Supports Android, iOS, and Windows
- Available in 10 colors
- Lightweight
- User-friendly
- Photos are protected from accidental deletion
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Can wear over time
3: Kesu 2.5″ 120GB Ultra Slim Portable External Hard Drive
The Kesu Ultra Slim Hard Drive provides a total of 120 GB storage space. It combines both USB 3.0 and 2.0 speeds to give you faster results. So if you want quick photo transfers, this is the device for you.
Additionally, it just needs a simple, plug-and-play installation that makes it is easy to work. And as it’s formatted in ExFat, it can be used for most Windows, Linux, Mac, and Android OS computers. However, older devices may require reformatting, so if you have an older model camera or computer you can consult their customer services for more details.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to install
- It’s compatible with most devices
- Three years warranty
- Helpful customer service
Cons
- Eject drive does not work with Macbook air
- Doesn’t work with smartphones or tablets
4: Maxone 2.5″ Aluminum Portable External Hard Drive
Maxone Aluminum Portable External Hard Drive does not need any software or additional power supply. It comes ready to use with any Windows and Mac OS device. You can connect your laptop and perform fast transfers of all your photos, videos, and other files.
However, it’s preferable that you connect with a USB 3.0 port for maximum speed as USB 3.0 transfers a file ten times faster than USB 2.0 with a speed of 5 GB/second.
The Maxone External Hard Drive also comes with a LED indicator, so you know when your device is connected and when the transfer is finished.
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Three years warranty
- Available in different colors, including a great rose gold colour
- Fast transfer
- Compatible with a range of devices
Cons
- Instructions are a bit hard to read
5: Toshiba HDTB410EK3AA Portable External Hard Drive
The Toshiba HDTB4 is a hard drive from a well-known brand, and you can buy this hard drive with a storage capacity of up to 3TB. It has a super high transfer speed with USB 3.0 and will transfer data on all Windows devices.
The package comes with a USB cable, a user manual, and a two-year warranty if you register your purchase at their website.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Recommended by users
- Safe and reliable
- Lots of storage (3TB)
- Well-known brand
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Only compatible with Windows
6: Seagate Expansion USB 3.0 Portable 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive
Another hard drive from Seagate, this external storage device comes with 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB of storage capacity. Simply drag and drop your photos and videos onto the Seagate Expansion Hard Drive to save all your important data. As you can view, save, and share multimedia files, this device can be used for multiple purposes.
The device uses a simple USB connection, so there is no need for main plugs. Also, the device is compliant with Windows 7, 8, and 10 but can be used for Mac computers with an adapter or by reformatting.
Pros
- Two-year warranty
- Can also use for Xbox or PS4 video games
- Large memory (up to 4TB)
- Easy to install
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Only for Windows computers
7: Sonnics 320GB Blue External Portable Hard Drive
The Sonnics Blue Hard Drive has a 320GB storage with a USB transfer speed of 5GBs/second. It does not need any external power source as it works with a USB 3.0 or 2.0 port. Furthermore, it is formatted to FAT32, which is compatible with Windows and Mac OS systems. You can also use the Sonnics Hard Drive to view your photos and videos on larger television screens as it is compatible with most smart TVs.
Pros
- One year warranty
- Relatively affordable
- Lightweight
- High user rating
Cons
- Doesn’t include a user manual
- Only 320GB of storage
8: Bipra S2 2.5 inch USB 2.0 NTFS Portable External Hard Drive
The Bipra S2 NTFS Portable Hard Drive is available in multiple storage capacities with the highest being 750GB. It’s a reasonably priced answer to your storage problems. It’s formatted to NTFS so it can support multiple Windows and Mac devices. The Bipra device is USB powered and can be connected to your device with a simple plug-and-play.
Pros
- Affordable
- No power source needed
- Easy to use
- Available with multiple storage capacities
Cons
- No warranty specified
- Slightly heavy for a hard drive
9: WD Elements Portable External Hard Drive
The good thing about the WD Elements External Hard Drive is that it has two layers of protection for your data. Transfer all your images to this device by installing the WD SmartWare Pro software. The software will automatically save your photos and backup your cloud data online.
The device requires USB compatibility, so it is supported by all Windows 10 and 8.1 computers. For other versions, it needs to be reformatted.
Pros:
- High user rating
- Free trial available for software
- Good customer service
- Fast transfer
- Large storage capacity (2TB)
Cons:
- Requires reformatting for Mac OS
- No warranty specified
1o: Seagate 8TB Backup Plus Hub USB 3.0 Desktop 3.5 Inch External Hard Drive
The Seagate 8TB backup is the perfect external hard drive for serious photographers. It provides 8000 GBs of storage space. Like the Seagate 1TB, the Seagate 8TB Backup comes with the Seagate Dashboard software or mobile app allowing you to use different tools. For example, you can schedule syncing to backup data automatically at a specific time. You can also make use of a two-month free subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud when you sign up for the Seagate software.
Pros:
- One year warranty
- Great customer support
- User-friendly
- Also, available in different colours
- Two-month free subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud when you sign up for Seagate software
- It has all the storage capacity you could ever need
Cons:
- Expensive
- Heavyweight
11: SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
You’ve probably used SanDisk memory cards before, but now you can use a SanDisk external hard drive too. With a transfer speed of about 550 GB/ second, the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD provides fast transfer of all high-resolution pictures and videos. You can use this device on all Windows 10, 8, and 7 computers as well as Mac OS 10.4 and above.
The SanDisk hard drive is extremely durable with special impact-resistant and waterproof technology, so it can withstand whatever adventure you throw at it and you can rest assured that it won’t lose quality over time. It comes with an OTG cable, USB hub, memory card reader, and more. You can buy this hard drive with a storage capacity of 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB.
Pros:
- Waterproof
- Dust resistant
- High user rating
- Large storage capacity (up to 2TB)
- Compatible with most devices
- Fast transfer speed
Cons:
- No warranty specified
- Expensive
I live in the UK, in the country’s most uneventful city, where the most interesting story in the local paper is about banning dressing gowns in supermarkets.
I travel and I write, because surely there are more interesting stories than that to write about and share.