GROUP TEST GEAR
WHICH DRIVE?
Find the perfect portable hard drive with a range of options covering speed, size, space and security LOCATION DRIVES
WORDS KINGSLEY SINGLETON
W hether you want to back up footage in the field or edit movies on the fly, you’re going to need a first- class portable hard drive. And while you’ll most likely already have a selection of drives, with file sizes always on the rise and many videographers now using multiple cameras, both the space and the speed you need should be routinely reassessed. That’s why we’ve brought together a selection of the latest models in this month’s group test. This selection offers a range of specs so all needs are covered, from those who need masses of storage on location to those who need the fastest transfer speeds. And many of the drives are rugged enough to stand up to water, dust and accidental drops as well.
If you need the fastest connections, a solid state drive (SSD) is the way to go, and when combined with a Thunderbolt 3 connection you’ll get huge speeds. Solid state drives with a USB 3.1 Gen 2 connection are still very fast, though – certainly enough to edit 4K video without problems. They are backwards compatible with USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, but your connection speed is limited by the slowest of the links in the chain, so don’t expect a USB 3.1 SSD to performwonders on an old laptop with 2.0 ports. Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) are slower, but offer lots more storage for your money, so if you don’t need to edit off the drive they can be a more cost-effective option. And with lots of space you can mirror your backups for greater security.
SONY PSZ-RA PRO FIELD DRIVE 12TB £589.85/$750 www.sony.com
If you need huge amounts of portable storage, say when shooting an extended event or using lots of cameras, Sony offers a great solution in the shape of its Pro Field drives. These are hard disk drives (HDDs) so you can’t expect solid-state speed levels, but there’s masses of capacity with models from 4TB to 12TB, and as RAID devices you can use the total of the storage (RAID 0) or mirror it (RAID 1). You’re unlikely to run out of space, and it’s a lot easier than chasing multiple smaller drives about your desktop after the event. Unlike most drives of the size, the Pro Field models also offer a good level of shock resistance. There are internal and external dampers, allowing the unit to run while there’s vibration, such as
PROMOVIEMAKERRATING: 9/10 Pros: Huge storage, rugged and well priced Cons: Needs power if required. Top speeds should hit 440MB/s, though this falls to 360MB/s with 8TB/12TB models; best speeds are reached in the RAID 0 configuration (a 1TB file should transfer in less than an hour). It can be used with large-capacity SxS PRO+ D Series memory cards. connections so you shouldn’t be short of connection options, including chaining several drives
from a running car or generator, and a robust carry case with handle. It can operate from 5°C to 40°C, so might need some additional protection if you’re planning to use it in extreme conditions, but it can be stored from -20°C to +60°C. Unlike the other drives covered here it also needs a power supply as it’s not bus-powered. At 156x100x241mm and weighing 2.9kg, it’s not small or light, but that’s not its job. It comes with a three-year guarantee. The drive uses both USB 3.1 Gen 1 and two Thunderbolt 2
“Many of the drives stand up to water, dust and drops”
102 PRO MOVIEMAKER WINTER 2018
Powered by FlippingBook