Mobile Workflow – SSD Accelerated

As the landscape changes from full on camera rigs to a wide combination of sources, whether it be drones, GoPros, mobile and DSLR vloggers, or the emerging trend in mobile journalism (MoJo), the focus switches firmly to portability and speed.

One of the key elements in this emerging workflow is flash memory and it's there at the start of the chain in the form of SD, microSD, Compact Flash or CFAST cards; continues on with the built-in SSD on your high spec Macbook or PC, and then more recently has emerged as the high-speed, robust storage of choice for portable SSD drives.

The benefits are multiple; lightweight, low power, shockproof, temperature and altitude friendly, x-ray proof, and moreover, fast. When time is money, and getting the data off your media and onto a secure backup is key, operating at up to four times faster than traditional portable media is a significant win.

Switching to SSD
Flash based SSD technology differs from platter based HDD primarily due to having no moving parts, and while there is a cost factor associated, the benefits are justifiable in the context of a mobile workflow.

With the advent of USB-C and Thunderbolt, interfaces are finally starting to match the performance of the media, with USB-C speeds now closing the gap on traditional internal SATA drives and Thunderbolt 3 wildly outstripping them.

There is an ideal combination of both media types where a high capacity 4TB portable HDD like the G-DRIVE Mobile for backup and a high speed 2TB working drive like the new G-DRIVE Mobile SSD R-Series, covers all bases. IP67 water and dust resistance combined with an industry leading five-year warranty delivers essential peace of mind for all working environments.

HDR and HFR – driving speed and capacity
Higher resolution (HDR) and higher frame rates (HFR) continue to gain traction with DJI's Phantom 3 4K Drones and GoPro's new Hero 6 that now shoots in 4K at 60fps and 1080p at 240fps. This incremental jump in bitrate and associated file size puts ever-increasing demands on your storage, so it pays to invest wisely in solutions that meet the needs of your workflow.

Transfer speed not only saves time offloading your media so you can get back to shooting, it also enables the use of your portable SSDs for editing high resolution content, allowing you to have a compact and travel-friendly rugged drive. The prospect of editing 4K on the go starts to become a reality when you have up to 560 MB/s transfer speeds and up to 2TB capacity available in the new G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile SSD R-Series.

Mobile SSD – A Pro Perspective – David Newton
"Keeping my data safe is one of the most important considerations when travelling. As such, I've long been a fan of flash memory storage. Beyond the speed, the reliability and ruggedness give me extra peace of mind when travelling across continents. When portable SSDs became a reality I immediately jumped in. They're incredibly fast compared to spinning drive, they use less power, they're smaller and with no moving parts, they can take the knocks.

"While wandering IBC 2017, I had some time with the latest ultra-rugged model from G-Technology. Where some portable SSDs concentrate on the flash inside, G-Technology have wrapped it in an incredibly tough exterior. It's crush proof to 1,000lbs so even if I drop it accidentally I know my images and video will still be there. Frankly I can't wait to add it to my kit. It's going to be an essential on both photo and video shoots for backing up data in the field, whether that's flying a drone over whales in Mexico, hiking the dunes of Death Valley or exploring the waterways of the Mekong Delta. The biggest disappointment was that I didn't get to take one away with me!"

Image: David Newton.

www.photopositive.co.uk

www.g-technology.com

This article also features in the October edition of Broadcast Film & Video.

(JP/LM)