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Camera Industry Hit Hard by Coronavirus, Causing Production Delays

09 Mar

The post Camera Industry Hit Hard by Coronavirus, Causing Production Delays appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Over the past month, the coronavirus outbreak has rocked the world.

And now it’s making its way into the camera industry.

The three biggest imaging companies, Canon, Nikon, and Sony, have found themselves affected by coronavirus outbreaks.

First, Sony Alpha Rumors published a tip from an unnamed source, which said:

“We can expect product [launches] to be very delayed along with much lower capacity in production volumes for many of [Sony’s] current imaging products.”

While we can’t know exactly what product launches Sony Alpha is referring to, fans have been eagerly anticipating the announcement of the Sony a7s III, as well as the Sony a7 IV.

Around the same time, the CP+2020 expo, which was due to be hosted in Japan, was canceled, with the organizers citing “no effective treatment or containment measures to deal with the novel coronavirus.” Organizers went on to explain that the “event attracts around 70,000 unspecified visitors and therefore we cannot completely eliminate the risk of infection.”

Then, only weeks later, Canon Rumors says this:

“Canon…will suspend operations at its five offices in Kyushu, which produce cameras and related products, for about two weeks from March 2 to 13. The supply of parts from China may become unstable due to the effects of the new coronavirus.”

While Canon Rumors goes on to say that, “At the moment, no employees have been infected,” the message is clear: Coronavirus, directly or indirectly, is taking its toll on Canon’s camera business.

And finally, a report by Nikon Rumors, and further corroborated by PetaPixel, indicates that Nikon’s new AF-S 120-300mm f/2.8 lens would not ship as initially announced. Instead, you can expect the lens in late March, at least according to Amazon’s shipping date.

As explained in a statement from Nikon, “The U.S. availability for the AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR will be announced at a later date as we determine the global impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. We will communicate updates on timing as they become available.”

At present, it’s difficult to say what all this means; will Canon, Sony, and Nikon recover swiftly from the effects of the coronavirus? Or will the virus’s impact be more long-lasting? These closures may be just the beginning.

Here’s one concern: Nikon hasn’t reported good financial numbers in recent months. If the coronavirus continues to affect production, Nikon may see a significant drop in sales, something that could further impact the imaging company over the next year (and beyond).

And similar worries are undoubtedly plaguing companies such as Olympus, which recently weathered rumors of a camera division shutdown.

What do you think? How will things play out regarding the coronavirus and the camera industry? Is this as bad as it will get, or will things become worse?

Let me know in the comments!

The post Camera Industry Hit Hard by Coronavirus, Causing Production Delays appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

09 Jul

The LaCie DJI CoPilot BOSS is a portable hard drive with an internal battery and added interfaces. The interfaces include an SD card slot, USB-C and USB-A connectors, and a custom cable for connecting the device to a phone or tablet.

There is an app available for both Apple and Android devices which gives you the ability to perform simple procedures on stored photos.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The device is meant to be simple and easy to use while providing long battery life for extended periods away from a computer or outlet. The idea is to remove the need to take a bulky or brittle laptop into the wilds while shooting. But still, allow for backing up of critical images while on location.

Who is the LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS for?

While the drive is marketed by DJI, a leading drone manufacturer, the drive can be used by any photographer. With its ruggedized covering, it’s meant to travel far and wide. Its interfaces make it device agnostic. If you have an SD card (or micro-SD with the included adapter) or a USB connection, this device will work for you.

It is meant to be easy and straightforward without the extra cost that comes with all kinds of unused bells and whistles.

Some stats

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

What’s in the box of the LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive. (Photo courtesy of LaCie/DJI)

2 terabyte (TB) capacity
5.3″ x 4.3″ x 1.4″ (136mm x 111mm x 36mm)
1.2lbs / .53kg
Compatible with Window 10 or higher and Mac OS X 10.10 or higher via USB-C 3.1, Thunderbolt, 3, USB 2 or 3
Mobile phones/tablets running iOS 10.3 or higher or Android 4.4 or higher
Connects to mobile devices via included Lightning, micro USB or USB-C
Comes with a wall charger with multi-country adapters as well as a micro USB adapter
For reference sake, the 2TB drive can download 31 x 64GB cards. That’s about 70,000 20MP images (at roughly 28MB each) and hours of 4K video. Storage capacity varies depending on your camera settings.
Suggested retail price is $ 349USD

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The unit can be charged with the included AC adapter (more on that in a minute) or through the USB-C connection, but only when connected to a computer or power pack, not through a wall charger.

The unit does have the ability to charge via its USB-C connection but only when connected to a laptop/desktop or portable external battery. When I asked, LeCie stated a wall charger would not work with the USB-C connection and it was also slower than the AC adapter (taking 12 hours to charge from 0-100% vs. 3 hours with the AC adapter).

How it works

Operation of the CoPilot is pretty simple. There’s only one button and you press it once to get system status (battery level and storage space remaining) or hold it down for three seconds to turn the unit on.

The on/off button.

Next, insert a memory card, USB drive, USB connection for a phone or USB connection to your camera or drone. The screen will ask you, “Copy?” (see image below) and indicate one press of the button for yes or hold down the button for no. Pretty easy!

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The unit will scan the drive and start copying, updating status as it runs. It gives updates with a progress bar and the remaining battery level of the unit.

If you press the button, it will also show the number of files copied alongside the total number of photos to be copied. The next screen shows that previous amount as a percentage complete and then is a screen displaying the rate at which your card is being backed up.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

Some nice features

The unit also has the ability to queue up different backups, such as plugging in both an SD card and a USB drive for total unattended backup of your devices.

When the copy process is complete, the unit will display “Done” and it will remain on that screen until OK is pressed. I love this feature. In the past, I have used units that never gave a copy confirmation and I’m not one to stare at a device for 5-30 minutes depending on how many photos are being backed up. I never knew if a backup failed or completed.

The CoPilot will tell you if the copy competed or if there was an error, before letting you move on to another card. Very handy. Also, there is a ring around the outside of the display showing, as a percentage, how much space has been used on the CoPilot.

Copy procedures can be stopped at any time by simply holding down the button for three seconds and then pressing once more to confirm cancelation.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The CoPilot App

The CoPilot App runs on Apple or Android devices. I will be sharing screenshots from an Apple iPad in this article. The unit comes with three cords for connection; Apple Lightning, micro-USB, and USB-C. The cord for connection wraps nicely around the unit, a thoughtful touch.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

After the initial setup of the app and device (those instructions are included with the device), it’s pretty easy to browse photos stored on the CoPilot or even on inserted SD cards or connected USB devices. This is helpful as it can turn your phone/tablet into a card reader for other purposes.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

On the left side of the screen are the available devices, with the first item being the CoPilot, followed by the device you are using (my iPad is named Spiff, as in Spaceman Spiff) and then the other ports on the CoPilot.

The main screen shows folders on the CoPilot when it is selected. The Backups folder is where everything resides and tapping it brings up a folder for each backup run.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The folders are named by date, the time the backup was started and a unique identifier for each card or device. The date is below each folder if that makes reading easier.

Using the app

Tapping a folder will let you drill down through the typical card structure (depending on your camera manufacturer’s specifications) until you arrive at your photos.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

At this point, the image grid can be made fullscreen to cover more real estate if you like.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

The LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive can handle all the major Raw and JPEG file types as well as PDFs and a few others.

One more tap brings up a single image to fill your screen. It’s a 100% version, so you can zoom in just as you would on your desktop. There is not a zoom indicator anywhere, though.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

There are a few things you can do with the photo at this point. The Move and Copy options are both straightforward. Images can be copied either to another place on the CoPilot or to an attached USB or SD card. Rename might be helpful to some users as well.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

Full EXIF information is also available although DJI/LaCie need to clean up how it is presented.

Exif information display for this image.

I can see why a programmer made it display this way, but it’s not too user-friendly. An exposure time of 0.00200o seconds?

A little handier is the ability to share out the image with normal platform-specific applications. Here you see the standard Apple lineup and I enjoy that “Save Image” is there, making it easy to drop the file onto my iPad for use in a blog post or the like.

Share options.

If installed, the image can be handed off to the likes of Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop Express or Dropbox or any of a number of other apps. Note that these are the RAW (.CR2 in the case of Canon) files, not JPEGs if you are shooting RAW.

The image opened in Photoshop Express.

Previews in the app

One small annoyance with the app is the chronological preview creation. In this case, I had over 800 images in the folder on the CoPilot so it starts at the top creating previews. Before that they all look like this:

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

And if you want to work with an image shot just moments ago, it’s going to be at the bottom of the folder and you have to wait for the preview to resolve. Not a big thing, but something to note if you have thousands of images in one folder.

Otherwise, the app is pretty slim in features. You can rename folders and delete them if you like, which is handy. I wish I could drag images from the main part of the screen to my iPad folder on the left, but that’s not the case. I’d also like the ability to star or pick my photos as I do in Lightroom. That would make the app a lot more useful.

In the real world

At times I thought I should be able to just plug a card in (without powering on the unit) and start copying. Once I got over that mentality and was patient enough to wait for it to power on, I found the CoPilot easy to use.

I really enjoyed that it could back up all my media, including my phone photos (but not a true backup of my phone as I do on my desktop). With a cable, I can also download directly from my drone, but I often found it easier to use the micro-SD card adapter. After all, that’s what I do now when downloading drone footage.

The unit is a little hefty and all the rubberizing makes it a little bulky. It’s certainly not as small as my Western Digital Passports but also not as large as a standard external drive. I do feel pretty confident with that mass of rubber coating all around the shell and the toughness of a non-touchscreen.

REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive

Minor issues

This will seem like a minor gripe and I guess it is, but not owning a newer Android phone, I also do not own a USB-C to USB-A cable. The unit comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to your desktop or laptop for final download and workflow, but not the cable I needed. Not a big deal, but it’s one more cable.

My bigger complaint is with the interface cover. It’s not tethered to the unit and I easily see myself losing it within a month of owning a CoPilot. It’s great that there is a cutout on the inside of the cover allowing you to keep SD cards (or the Micro-SD adapter) inserted with the cover on. But when hooked to USB, that cover can go missing.

For portability, I’m not happy that I can only use the somewhat bulky AC adapter that comes with the unit to charge the hard drive. When I am out of the country for 2-3 weeks leading one of my tours, I can’t trust that I’ll have enough battery power. So yet another power adapter has to be packed and accounted for.

It would be great if I could charge the unit with USB power (and that would take away my complaint above). However, if I was only going to be gone 1-2 weeks and thought I would shoot maybe only 4000-6000 images, I think it would be okay. This aspect needs more real-world battery drain testing.

Backing up your files

Unfortunately, there is no ability to perform incremental backups. The good news is you can use the app from your phone or tablet to simply delete the previous, redundant backup.

Such as, if you shoot 400 photos and back those up, then keep using the card for another 600 images. Your second backup will contain all 1000 images and with the app, you can delete the first backup of 400, if you want. It’s also handy that Lightroom and other desktop apps will recognize the duplicates and only import one copy, so you don’t have to delete the redundant backup copies if you don’t want to.

Backup speeds will depend on the type of card you are using. It is handy that the unit will tell you the exact throughput (in MBs) while it is downloading so you can estimate time remaining. In my experience, 40GB of backup from an SD card to the unit used about 6-8% of battery. I would estimate 12-14 32GB cards could be downloaded with each charge.

Dirt issues

Lastly, this is a minor thing, but the rubberized coating of the CoPilot attracts dirt and lint. I placed the unit in a planter for the introductory photo of this post and it came away with dirt stuck fairly well to the housing. It’s meant to take a beating, but my unit was not sparkling new for long.

See all the dust and stuff stuck to it?

(Photo courtesy of LaCie/DJI)

Downloading from the CoPilot

When matched with the likes of Lightroom and its ability to ignore duplicates, the CoPilot is a breeze when it’s time to download images at home or the office. Plug into the USB-C connector and start your import. No need to browse folder to folder.

Yet, if you only want to download a particular day’s worth of images, the CoPilot’s structure of naming folders first by the date shot is a big help in finding just the right images. The USB-C is fast at a rate of about 5Gbps.

Otherwise, the drive works like any other external hard drive and can be read directly. It can also be used as a card reader while plugged in.

(Photo courtesy of LaCie/DJI)

Is it worth it?

The LaCie 2TB DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive lists for $ 349. That’s a hefty price and not a cheap purchase. If you travel occasionally, this might not be the right device for you, given that price point. But if you find yourself lugging your laptop around only to be used as a conduit for backing up photos, the CoPilot will pay for itself soon enough.

Personally, when I lead photo tours I carry enough gear for the group that I don’t want to bring a laptop. I intend to purchase a CoPilot BOSS before my next trip abroad in order to lighten my load while ensuring I all my precious photos return with me.

The post REVIEW: LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS External Hard Drive appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Hard Drive Review: QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD for Photographers

09 May

In my last few storage and hard drive reviews for photographers, the units have all been similar in that they’ve been singularly NAS or Network Attached Storage units. Ones which connect to your home network via your wireless router (your wifi box) or a network switch.

With photo and video editing, while we’re almost there with speed and agility on the NAS side of things, the ability to directly connect your external storage to your computer, and essentially work at “full speed” is very appealing. But so is the ability to use your NAS to deliver to clients and to be your own personal “DropBox” of sorts, so which one is best for you?

Why can’t we have both?

The team at QNAP reached out and offered me a unit to review, one of their very nice TVS-682T Triple Mode Storage NAS / DAS and iScsi boxes. I’ll be focussing on the NAS and DAS side of things in this article.

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

NAS / DAS, what’s he on about!

Here’s a quick recap, perchance you’ve forgotten since my last article!

What is NAS?

Network attached storage is when your storage is attached via the network, rather than directly to your computer.

What is DAS?

Directly attached storage is exactly what it says on the tin, directly (think via USB or Thunderbolt, etc.) connected to your computer by a cable.

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

In basic terms, typically a NAS won’t operate as a DAS, and you are limited to one or the other. That usually means you’re limited to either flexibility in terms of being able to connect to your storage from anywhere on the internet, or you’re limited to having a storage box connected only to your computer, but it’s nice and fast.

The TVS-682T has both (plus more, but we’ll stick with NAS and DAS) the ability to connect to your network and be a NAS, as well as the ability to connect to your computer directly with Thunderbolt 2.

Technical specs of the QNAP TVS-682T

For those of you that are into the tech specs, here’s what the TVS-682T offers:

Built-in M.2 SATA 6gb/s slots & 2.5” SSD slots.
Qtier technology and SSD cache enable 24/7 optimized storage efficiency.
The Network & Virtual Switch app assists network traffic distribution and re-routes dedicated bandwidth for diverse applications.
Triple HDMI output for smooth 4K @30Hz video playback.
Transcodes 4K H.264 videos on-the-fly or offline.
Thunderbolt 2 (20Gbps) and 10GbE dual network for on-the-fly video editing and speedy sharing.
4 available combinations with Mac/PC and JBOD for flexible attaching, sharing and expansion.
Scalable up to 52 hard drives with Thunderbolt 2 storage expansion enclosures TX-800P/ TX-500P.
Virtual JBOD (VJBOD) allows using QNAP NAS to expand the TVS-682T’s storage capacity.
Supports QRM+ unified remote server management, QvPC technology, virtual machine and container applications, and storage for virtualization.

Blazing fast speed

Before we get into how I’m using the QNAP, I wanted to point out that to increase the pace at which you work, the QNAP has something called SSD Cache Acceleration (sounds fancy, huh!?) I’m certain that you’ve likely heard of SSD (Solid State Drive) now, yes?

If not, briefly, it’s a drive that your computer can use to store data (your photographs, etc.) but it doesn’t have any spinning parts. It’s essentially made from solid state memory, rather than a spinning platter drive and as you can imagine, this results in much faster access to your data, no head looking for the right sector on a disk results in very low latency.

What SSD Cache Acceleration does for you is (in very basic terms) puts the stuff you’re working on into the SSD Cache and serves it up in no time. This, combined with being connected to your computer via Thunderbolt means that you have a storage setup that is blazing fast!

Other benefits

As well as using the QNAP TVS-682T as a photo/video editing and delivery platform, you can use it as a great system to backup your computer. You can even use it as a computer if you so choose! (It runs a Linux operating system) and it’s also a very nice Plex Media Server (comes with a remote control) so you can play HD content, movies, and music, via the HDMI outputs.

Anyway, on with the story!

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

The Samsung SSD 860 EVO hard drive is a speedy little beast! Adding the SSD cache makes for a very fast, useable setup, even with the largest image files or 4K video.

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

Moving inside, we opted for the Western Digital WD60EFRX 6TB drives for storage, a solid performing NAS focussed drive. WD Red drives with NASware 3.0 technology are purpose-built to balance performance and reliability in NAS and RAID environments. NAS specific drives are different to your regular desktop HDD’s in that they’re pretty much built to be on 24/7, they run quietly and they keep their cool. That’s our build run-down.

Using the drive and ease of setup

The QNAP operates like your regular NAS in that it’s accessible on your local network. You can sling files back and forth over wifi on most devices using one of many apps available. You can also share links to files with co-workers, so if you have the QNAP setup in your studio, it means you can very easily collaborate on a shoot or multi-media project. Most importantly for me, it gives me the ability to access it from anywhere with an internet connection using my QNAPcloud.

It all sounds very technical. For the average user that’s the one thing I’d say I prefer about my Synology setup, is that I find it more straightforward or guided when coming at it from a beginner’s point of view. Like the Synology, the unit will auto-configure your router and ask if you want it to be more public or more private, etc.

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

But for us as photographers and filmmakers, the main drawing-card is that the unit is both NAS and DAS. So there are no hold-ups in workflow, and the ability to privately deliver digital content to clients right after you’ve ingested the files. You can use the PhotoStation (hmm, think I’ve heard that name before!) app to share photo and video via a password protected album, or publically.

What you really want to know is, how did it perform?

What we’re looking at here is the ingest and edit speed of photos and videos. I have two comparison devices to use in this little test, my 8TB G-Tech (Thunderbolt 2) and my behemoth, Promise R8 (also Thunderbolt 2) both directly connected to my 2017 iMac via adapters.

Note: Sadly, mid-way through this review, my 2015 iMac died… Apple replaced it with a 2017 iMac which only has USB-C. So while I’m thankful, I had to head out and buy a stack of adapters to use any of my drives and indeed to finish this review!

Handling of large files

I shoot with a Sony a7R Mk2 which happily produces 85MB files. So even a quick photo session with a family, 15 images, is about 1.2GB of data, which is nothing in the big scheme of things. But if you’re ingesting that every time into a slow disk, you’ll most likely start to go a little bit crazy and potentially toss your computer into the nearest dumpster!

Multiply that 1.2GB by hundreds of GB of data that could be shot on a set, or some tasty 4K video footage and you really need the speed of DAS! The QNAP certainly did not disappoint, keeping up with both the G-Tech and the Promise storage units.

But where I really noticed a sweet difference is when I was in Lightroom, editing files directly on the QNAP. The QNAP operating system puts the files you’re working with into “hot storage” and gives you quick access to them, so I guess my CR2 files were in the SSD Cache and as a result, the edits had no lag time like you’ll sometimes get if you work over a network!

You can see the SSD Cache flexing its muscles here (the little jumps) as I flick through images in my Lightroom catalog.

QNAP TVS-682T with Samsung SSD hard drive review

I could take my finished edits and drop them straight into my PhotoStation folder and have them on the web right away. I could also export full resolution image to a folder that I then share a link to with my client! They can view the album and then download the full resolution files with very little fuss, and it’s all securely controlled on my own NAS.

Conclusions

What was the result of this hard drive review and using the QNAP TVS-682T for photography, for the last month? In my opinion, it is highly recommended if you’re looking for a solution to do both DAS and NAS!

Any negatives? Yes, I find the interface to be a little more technical and potentially confusing for people that are starting out in the world of robust NAS storage options.

But the positives far outweigh the negatives (there’s also helpdesk support, remote assistance, and a great forum if you’re really stuck).

Between the TVS-682T loaded with WD Red drives, and the Samsung EVO 860, this is one heck of a storage solution.

Disclaimer: The author was provided gear by the supplier for the purpose of this review.

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Fujifilm interview: “We will work hard to keep our uniqueness”

26 Mar

Fujifilm executives (L-R) Shin Udono, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing Group, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div., Toshihisa Iida, General Manager, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div. and Makoto Oishi, Manager, Sales & Marketing Group, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div. | Photo by Barney Britton

Recently we visited the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan and booked interviews with senior executives from several major manufacturers, including Fujifilm. Among the topics covered were the runaway success of the GFX system, how the company is moving into video and, of course, Instax.

The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

How well has the GFX 50S performed since it was released?

We’ve shipped more than we expected and planned for. Even more impressive is the lens attachment rate, as we’ve sold so many lenses as well. Overall, GFX sales have exceeded our predictions.

As far as customer feedback, we heard mostly good things concerning the image quality – especially for users that shoot landscapes that need more dynamic range compared to APS-C cameras. Something that we didn’t expect was the number of high-end amateurs buying the GFX system. According to our survey, 80% of users are non-professional, and 20% are professional. That was a surprise.

The Fujifilm GFX 50S comes with a large 43.8×32.9mm imaging sensor and uses the all-new GF lens mount.

Other feedback is that our customers need more lenses in the lineup, especially in the telephoto range. We’ve already put on the roadmap that we are developing a 250mm F4 [198mm equivalent focal length] lens to meet their demand. Many customers also want more speed from the cameras, so we’re continuously doing a lot of work to make our GFX system more responsive.

And another thing is that for many customers buying the camera, it’s not a direct replacement for everything in their system; more customers are buying the GFX in addition to their existing system. Many of these customers may want to use their existing lenses on a GFX body, so we support many third-party adapter manufacturers to provide lens adapters.

Each photographer, each customer, requires a different style of camera

Also, we introduced a new firmware upgrade this month which includes a new 35mm crop mode, allowing 30.5MP cropped images. So overall, I think the image quality is the key thing. We’re surprised too that we can find over 100 lens adapters in the market, with 28 types of mounts.

Are you mainly focused on prime lens development?

At the moment, yes, but we are aware of requests from customers for other zoom lenses.

Can you talk about how the X-H1 and its larger size fits into the overall Fujifilm lineup?

The recently announced Fujifilm X-H1 takes a lot of styling and ergonomic cues from the GFX 50S, but is based around a smaller APS-C sensor and Fujifilm’s X mount.

One purpose of us doing the X-H1 is that some customers actually requested a bigger grip and better handling, especially together with bigger lenses like the 100-400mm. And this year we’re committed to introduce the XF 200mm F2, so these kinds of lenses definitely need a bigger grip.

And of course, the X-H1 is just an additional line and we’re keeping smaller cameras. Last September, we went the opposite direction with the X-E3. We said, ‘this is a minimalism camera.’ Less is more. One reason for these lineups is that each photographer, each customer, requires a different style of camera. Landscape, sports, motorsports, travel, reportage, street, they all require a different style.

Are there other opportunities you see for Fujifilm?

We think our current product line mostly covers the purposes and styles of any kind of photography. So at the moment, we don’t feel that there’s anything we need to add, but we do want to focus on APS-C cameras. We think that’s a good format for the best balance between size, speed, quality, and now we have the GFX [for even greater quality].

The compact camera market is difficult right now. Though ‘tough’ cameras continue to sell well, do you still see room for a high-end compact like the X70, or an X70 successor?

Yes, we are considering it.

Do you know how many of your customers buy X Series cameras for video?

The Fujifilm X-H1 offers a touchscreen interface to more easily (and quietly) take control of your movie shooting parameters.

The amount is definitely growing. Yesterday, we met a photographer we’ve known for many years, and he started in still photography with the X-series, and now he’s taking more and more videos.

Would you like to move more into high-end video?

Yes.

Could you expand on where you see your strongest ability to attract new videographers, or emerging videographers, to the Fujifilm brand?

I think our strength is seen, in stills photography, as image quality straight-out-of-camera. Currently, many videographers spend a lot of time for post processing. We introduced a new film simulation called Eterna that is intended for video purposes, and many videographers that have already tested X-H1 said to us that it dramatically reduced their workflow because of the image quality from the camera.

I think we will see more users transition from stills to video rather than the other way around

The X-H1 also comes with autofocus enhancements, are these something that could come to the X-T2?

Yes, that’s technically possible. We continue to be committed to firmware upgrades, but we need to decide which cameras really require new functionality.

How do you see the X-H1 customer? Some video shooters, some stills shooters or people doing a bit of both?

Fujifilm’x MKX series of professional yet relatively affordable cinema lenses now comes in X-mount for use on the company’s own cameras, and not just in E-mount (shown here).

I think that our main customers are stills photographers, but we will see more users transition from stills to video rather than the other way around. One thing that might be interesting to users is the MKX lens lineup. These are dedicated cinema lenses, so there may be some customers who want to use them and that’s why they would buy the X-H1.

We’re interested in where Fujifilm is headed in the next 18 months. Is there anything where you see a broader opportunity for the company?

All we can say is that there is much room to improve stills photography functionality for the X Series. Of course, our firmware is one way we can improve, but there are always some limitations and we keep making innovations for the hardware as well. So, together, we can make much faster and more accurate autofocus and [improve] video functionality.

We will see more competition with Canon and Nikon as well as Sony, but we will work hard to keep our uniqueness

You had mentioned that you were surprised by the sales of the GFX, so at the high end, things are going well. How do you think about the average Fujifilm customer, and where do you see likelihoods for expansion in the coming year?

It depends on which country and which region we’re talking about. For the US market, we definitely have focused on the high-end side, and that has been successful. But if you look at the Asian market, the X-A series are really popular mirrorless cameras. In Thailand, our market share for mirrorless is over 40%. The number of young people that are buying these cameras is amazing.

We don’t have an old legacy. That is our strength, and also our weakness

So, in terms of creating a new market and appealing to new customers – these customers are used to smartphones, and they’re switching to mirrorless. For the Asian market, we want to continue this market creation. For the Western market, high-end and professional use is our main focus.

With continuing emphasis on mirrorless cameras, and the possibility of Canon and Nikon getting into full-frame mirrorless soon, it’s getting harder to stand out in the marketplace. What will continue to differentiate Fujifilm from its competitors in the coming years?

One of the good things about our products is that we don’t have an old legacy. We just started our mirrorless system six years ago, so we are not sticking to the 35mm format or legacy lenses. That is our strength, and also our weakness. But over the past six years, we’ve worked hard and now our lens lineup has over 30 lenses.

Fujifilm’s comprehensive lens lineup looks even more impressive when you consider that the mount has only existed for six years.
Image credit: Fujifilm

I’ve also been asked many times, ‘how do you feel about Canon and Nikon getting into mirrorless?’ My answer was always, ‘welcome.’ Because having those strong brands in the mirrorless marketplace increases general awareness of mirrorless, and that’s a good thing for the whole industry. And if the whole industry is growing, then we have a greater chance to grow as well.

So yes, we will see more competition with Canon and Nikon as well as Sony, but we will work hard to keep our uniqueness in design and usability; [one big way] we differentiate is by our analog controls. And of course, we need to keep innovating inside our cameras as well, improving the sensor, processor, and also by introducing new lenses.

Speaking of analog, a big point of success for Fujifilm is Instax cameras and printers. How does that affect your vision for digital cameras when you see such a successful product line in your business which is somewhat unrelated to all of the latest technology that you’re developing?

What do all of these cameras have in common? They all use Fujifilm Instax film.

Our philosophy is that the camera is a tool for photography. At the end of the day, the customer wants great images whether they’re on a digital display, or in print; it’s the customer’s choice. The good thing about Instax is that customers, especially younger generations, realize the value of print photography and we want to encourage that. For example, our cameras can easily print directly on Instax, so we really want to promote the value of the print.

Do you see people making Instax prints from high-end cameras?

In Asia, we actually sell a camera and printer bundle. Even for high-end photographers who use the X Series, there are good opportunities especially for street photography; take a picture, make a print, and give it to your subject.

Editor’s note:

As expected from previous meetings with Mr. Iida and his colleagues, our conversation at CP+ 2018 was both honest and candid. The unexpected success of the GFX 50S is a great thing for both Fujifilm and photographers alike. Not only does this validate the development and manufacture of the camera in the first place, but it highlights how Fujifilm’s bypass of the 35mm full-frame format was a good call. It will be interesting to see to what extent – and how quickly – the system grows in the coming years.

Certainly, Mr. Iida made the point that the X Series has only been around for six years, and now boasts a lens and camera lineup that is impressively comprehensive. While I don’t necessarily expect that level of rapidity with more niche medium-format products, there’s no denying the company’s excellent track record of system-building.

The possibility of an X70 follow-up is intriguing, but the rest of the APS-C lineup does look awfully full. In covering everything from the entry-level X-A series to the new pro-oriented X-H series, I get the sense that Fujifilm will be focusing on the refining of existing products for the near future, as opposed to introducing something entirely new (though I’d love to be proven wrong here). And with possible full-frame mirrorless cameras from the likes of Canon and Nikon appearing on the horizon, Fujifilm’s continued emphasis on improving their autofocus and video capabilities is going to be key as the competition heats up.

Fujifilm’s take on video is certainly unique. The X-H1’s excellent out-of-camera video quality has the benefit of appealing to both beginners and experienced users that grow tired of a lengthy workflow. And while that camera’s video feature set is comparatively limited at this time, I fully expect that to be addressed in future models – particularly in light of the new MKX cine lenses.

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LaCie unveils DJI Copilot 2TB portable hard drive with built-in display

11 Jan

Seagate has just announced the LaCie DJI Copilot, a portable hard drive for photographers and videographers who use camera drones. The device features a 2TB drive, as well as an integrated screen for viewing the drive’s available capacity, the status of any data transfers that are underway, and how much power remains on the device’s built-in battery.

The company describes the new LaCie drive as a full backup on-set solution (BOSS) that enables drone users to review their footage without carrying around a laptop. This is achieved via the Copilot BOSS companion app for smartphones and tablets, which supports full-resolution playback on mobile devices and enables users to organize and manage their content on-the-go.

The LaCie DJI Copilot also functions as a power bank for charging USB devices, such as a smartphone or action camera.

According to Seagate, the 2TB capacity is ample enough to store up to 65 hours of 4K/30fps footage and 20,000 or more raw images. Users can directly copy data from USB storage devices (including USB-C), cameras, SD cards, and drones to the drive. Other features include durable construction that is resistant to dust, splashes, and drops, an included 3 year ‘Rescue Data Recovery’ plan, and a 1-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps subscription.

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Seagate will start shipping the LaCie DJI Copilot portable storage drive this Spring for $ 350 USD. To learn more, head over to the LaCie website by clicking here.

Press Release

Seagate Teams Up With Industry-Leading Partners To Offer New Mobile Data Storage Solutions At CES 2018

Enables consumers and creative professionals to work, play and collaborate on-the-go, to get the best out of their data

LAS VEGAS, NV – CES 2018 – Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX), a world leader in data storage solutions, today announced a range of new products at the CES 2018 conference designed to equip the world’s increasingly mobile population with solutions that solve key challenges they face when creating, processing and accessing their data on-the-go.

“Our world is becoming more data-centric, connected and mobile. This means creating, transferring, storing and accessing data quickly and reliably is critical to unlocking the potential of everything – from data created in the field, to data powering self-driving cars, AI personal assistants or virtual and mixed reality experiences,” said Tim Bucher, senior vice president of Seagate consumer solutions. “At Seagate, we’re constantly pursuing innovative ways to address our customer needs so they can gain a competitive edge in whichever field they play.”

For example, videographers who want to capture footage in the field can now streamline their on-set workflow thanks to the second product offering from Seagate’s strategic partnership with DJI, the world’s leading manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles, which looks to advance data solutions for the UAV ecosystem. The new LaCie^® DJI Copilot, with design by Neil Poulton, is a complete backup on-set solution – enabling drone users to quickly ingest and review their content in full resolution without a PC. This changes the game by allowing creative professionals and consumers to playback, copy and manage their drone footage from their mobile device without the hassle of leaving the field or booting up a computer. Users can quickly connect and reference the built-in screen to initiate direct file transfer from an SD card to LaCie DJI Copilot – without the need of a laptop or a mobile network. The Copilot BOSS (Back-up On-Set Solution) app by LaCie allows users to playback video in full resolution as well as manage and organize files with their mobile phone or tablet, and a built-in power bank recharges your mobile devices. With 2000GB (2TB) of storage, the LaCie DJI Copilot enables users to easily store up to 65 hours of 4K 30fps video footage and 20K+ RAW photos. The LaCie DJI Copilot’s street price in the U.S. will be $ 349 and will be shipping in the spring.

Another challenge facing many mobile users today is extending the storage and battery life of their smartphones so they can capture, access and view content for longer periods of time. For consumers in China and Indonesia – two countries with some of the highest concentrations of smartphones on the planet – owners of Android mobile devices can significantly extend the battery life and capacity of their smartphone or tablet with the new Seagate^® Joy Drive. Whether consumers are on their morning commute or just out with friends, the Seagate Joy Drive enables them to access videos and other content anywhere, without the need for a WiFi connection or cellular service. Available first in China this March through an exclusive partnership with JingDong, one of China’s largest online retailers, the Seagate Joy Drive is available in 1000GB (1TB) capacity and has a street price in China of 660 CNY ($ 99). Seagate is also evaluating potential future markets and partners for this product.

In the meantime, on-the-go consumers worldwide can keep their files and lives in motion with the new Seagate^® Fast SSD – an ultra-portable flash drive that teams fast performance of up to 540MB/s transfer rates, with shock-resistance and USB-C connectivity. Users can backup or sync their content using Seagate’s new Toolkit software. The Seagate Fast SSD is available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB capacities and has a street price in the U.S. of $ 99, $ 169 and $ 349, respectively and will be shipping in the spring.

Data security is one more growing concern for anyone using a mobile device. To address this challenge, Seagate is introducing the latest addition to its popular line of LaCie Rugged drives: the LaCie Rugged^® Secure. Built to withstand all-terrain extreme conditions from photo shoots in sub-zero temperatures to repeated drops on hard studio floors, the Rugged Secure, with design by Neil Poulton, is the first Rugged drive to include hardware encryption using Seagate Secure™ technology. This new drive gives creative professionals and other users peace of mind that they can control access to their content. A simple disconnection of Rugged Secure from a computer will automatically lock the drive and access to the data stored and will remain password-protected via new Toolkit software. The LaCie Rugged Secure street price in the U.S. will be $ 139 for 2TB and will be shipping in the spring.

And for creative professionals and enthusiasts looking to try out the latest graphic design and video editing software from Adobe Systems, an expanded partnership between Adobe and Seagate now provides limited-time, no-cost access to Adobe’s latest applications bundled with popular Seagate and LaCie drives. Two new offerings available immediately include two complimentary months of the “Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan” (worth $ 19.98) – which features the new cloud-based photo service, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC – across the full range of Seagate Backup Plus and LaCie Porsche Design devices, as well as packaging one complimentary month of the “Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan” (worth $ 74.99) – which features Adobe Photoshop CC, Adobe Illustrator CC and much more – with all LaCie Rugged, LaCie d2 and LaCie big devices.

For more details, come ‘get your game on’ during CES 2018 in the Seagate Experience Zone at The Venetian. There you’ll find interactive product demos and live experiences that showcase how the latest Seagate and partner technologies are teaming up to unlock the potential of creative workflows, smart home technologies, gaming, edge computing and more. We’ll also be joined at CES by our partners including Adobe, Blackmagic, CyArk, DJI, Grab Games, ioSafe and Synology. You’ll be right in the middle of the action as you explore a hands-on studio for creative professionals, a drone stadium and a future technologies pavilion. You can also find more information on new products at:

DJI Copilot

https://www.lacie.com/professional/dji-copilot/

Rugged Secure

https://www.lacie.com/professional/rugged/#secure

Fast SSD

https://www.seagate.com/consumer/backup/fast-ssd/

Joy Drive

https://www.seagate.com/consumer/backup/joy-drive/

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Toshiba unveils world’s first 14TB conventional magnetic hard drive

12 Dec

Toshiba has unveiled what it claims is the first ever Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) Hard Drive (HDD) with a massive 14TB capacity. This drive, which is billed as a model for enterprise use, boasts nine disks and a helium-sealed design, 3.5in form factor, 7200rpm speed, and a 6Gbit/s SATA interface.

Toshiba announced the new drive, which is part of the new MG07ACA series, last week alongside a smaller 12TB 8-disk model. Both hard drives boast a lower operating power profile than the previously launched MG06ACA series, according to Toshiba, as well as better storage density.

The 14TB drive in particular offers a greater than 50% improvement in power efficiency versus the 10TB MG06ACA version. Conventional magnetic recording drives such as these are faster than similar models that use shingled magnetic recording tech.

Talking about the new MG07ACA series, IDC’s HDD Research VP John Rydning said:

Toshiba’s new helium-sealed enterprise HDD is the world’s first 14TB of storage capacity using conventional rather than shingled magnetic recording technology, giving enterprise customers the highest capacity HDD available in the market today for existing server and storage system architectures.

Consumers interested in this new enterprise series will need to contact Toshiba directly for purchase information, but as 4K and even 8K video becomes standard, ultra-high capacity enterprise drives like this might not be limited to traditional ‘enterprise’ users for long…

Press Release

Toshiba Launches World’s First 14TB HDD with Conventional Magnetic Recording

The 14TB models use an innovative 9-disk, helium-sealed design to deliver massive capacity that fits into standard 3.5 inch SATA drive bays

Irvine, CA – December 7, 2017 – Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation today announced the launch of the MG07ACA Series, the world’s first enterprise 14TB Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) HDD. Using a 9-disk, helium-sealed design, the new MG07ACA Series provides the power-efficient capacity and storage density needed by cloud-scale and enterprise storage solution providers to achieve their TCO objectives.

“We have raised the bar with the new MG07ACA Series 9-disk helium-sealed design,” said Akitoshi Iwata, Vice President of Storage Products Division, Toshiba Electronic Devices and Storage Corporation. “By utilizing an innovative design, we continue to improve the benefits that high-capacity disk storage can deliver to our broad global customer base.”

The MG07ACA Series features both 14TB 9-disk and 12TB 8-disk models. The helium-sealed 3.5-inch mechanical design realizes better storage density and a lower HDD operating power profile than the previous MG06ACA Series for optimal TCO in cloud-scale infrastructures. The series also utilizes Toshiba Group’s laser welding technology to ensure the helium remains securely sealed inside the drive enclosure. The drives support a SATA 6Gbit/s interface and 7,200rpm access performance. The 9-disk 14TB models achieve a 40% increase in maximum capacity over previous MG06ACA 10TB models. Additionally, the 14TB models improve power efficiency by over 50% (W/GB).

“Toshiba’s first helium-sealed nearline drive intercepts the market at a class-leading 14 TB capacity with CMR,” said John Chen, industry analyst at Trend Focus. “Its early time-to-market for this capacity positions the company well to meet the storage needs of large hyperscale and cloud companies. Additionally, the company’s choice of a 9-disk platform paves the way to achieving higher capacities in future product generations.”

“While enterprise server and storage customers realize that shingled magnetic recording (SMR) technology can improve HDD capacity, the adoption of SMR HDD products into server and storage systems is a transition that will take several years,” said John Rydning, Research Vice President for hard disk drives at IDC. “Toshiba’s new helium-sealed enterprise HDD is the world’s first 14TB of storage capacity using conventional rather than shingled magnetic recording technology, giving enterprise customers the highest capacity HDD available in the market today for existing server and storage system architectures.”

Sample deliveries of MG07ACA Series drives to customers sequentially begin today. For more information on our full line of HDD storage products, please visit: https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/us/product/storage-products/enterprise-hdd/mg07acaxxx.html.

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AI-powered Pholio hard drive is an offline alternative to Google Photos

19 Oct

If you feel uncomfortable with your images being stored on cloud servers the Pholio device is a new offline alternative that offers many of the features we are used to from cloud services like Google Photos.

Once connected to a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone, Pholio automatically searches through the device storage and backs up all images and videos, either at full size or smaller ‘optimized’ versions. If you choose the latter Pholio provides a link to the full size-version.

Pholio comes as a standard version with a 500GB capacity or as a ‘Pro’ variant that offers 2TB of storage. 20,000 built-in descriptors allow for automatic tagging and easy searching, but the system is capable of learning if you want to add your own keywords. Face detection allows to find images and create albums for a specific person and the software is even capable of finding still shots within a video clip. The Pholio makers say an update will expand the backup services and include encryption.

You can now reserve a 500GB Pholio by pledging £200 (approximately $ 260) on the project’s Kickstarter page. If the funding goal is reached delivery is expected for January 2018.

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WD will use microwave technology to create 40TB hard drives

13 Oct

Every time you think we’re approaching the ceiling of what’s possible in the world of photo storage, a new innovation comes along that moves that ceiling just a little (or a lot) higher. Case in point: Western Digital has revealed some new proprietary technology that it claims will allow them to create 40TB 3.5″ spinning disk hard drives (HDDs) by the year 2025.

According to Engadget, the current max you’ll find in the wild is also made by Western Digital (or, rather, one of its subsidiaries) and maxes out at 14TB. So how does WD expect to almost triple that capacity without increasing the size of the drive itself? The answer: microwaves. Or, more specifically: something called “Microwave-Assisted Magnetic Recording Technology”.

This MAMR technology is built into a new type of drive head that, according to Western Digital, is able to pack more bits of data onto the same size disk by generating “a microwave field.” Once this technology is fully developed, WD expects it to allow drives to pack up to 4 Terabits of data per square inch of disk, leading to “hard drives with 40TB of capacity and beyond by 2025, and continued expansion beyond that timeframe.”

If you’d like to learn more about this technology, check out the technical video below:

WD claims this tech is “ready for prime time,” with the first MAMR drives appearing on the market in 2019. Just in time for 8K video to become standard on smartphones, right?

Press Release:

WESTERN DIGITAL UNVEILS NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY TO PRESERVE AND ACCESS THE NEXT DECADE OF BIG DATA

Company Builds on its Leadership of Delivering Industry’s Highest Capacity Hard Drives with Demonstration of Breakthrough Innovation on Microwave-Assisted Magnetic Recording Technology

San Jose, CA – October 11, 2017 – At its “Innovating to Fuel the Next Decade of Big Data” event today, Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC) announced a breakthrough innovation for delivering ultra-high capacity hard disk drives (HDDs) to meet the future demands of Big Data with proven data center-level reliability. The event, held at the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, included a demonstration of the world’s first microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) HDD and presentations from company executives and the inventor of MAMR technology, Professor Jimmy Zhu from Carnegie Mellon University. The company also showcased advancements in micro actuation and Damascene recording head technology. Western Digital expects to begin shipping ultra-high capacity MAMR HDDs in 2019 for use in data centers that support Big Data applications across a full range of industries.

“As the volume, velocity, variety, value and longevity of both Big Data and Fast Data grow, a new generation of storage technologies are needed to not only support ever-expanding capacities, but ultimately help our customers analyze and garner insights into our increasingly connected universe of data,” said Mike Cordano, president and chief operating officer at Western Digital. “Our ground-breaking advancement in MAMR technology will enable Western Digital to address the future of high capacity storage by redefining the density potential of HDDs and introduce a new class of highly reliable, ‘ultra-high capacity’ drives. We have a proven track record for identifying, investing in and delivering advanced technologies that create new product categories and enable the world to realize the possibilities of data. Five years ago we introduced our HelioSeal®, helium-filled drive technology. Since then, we have shipped more than 20 million helium drives. That type of leadership and innovation continues today and we aim to leverage it well into the future.”

MAMR is one of two energy-assisted technologies that Western Digital has been developing for years. The company recently innovated a breakthrough in material and process that provides the required reliable and predictable performance, as well as the manufacturability to accelerate areal density and cost improvements to an estimated average of 15 percent per year. Developments in the other energy-assisted technology, specifically, heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), present new material science and reliability challenges that are not a factor in MAMR. Only MAMR demonstrates the reliability and cost profile that meets the demands of data center operators.

At the heart of the company’s innovation breakthrough is the “spin torque oscillator” used to generate a microwave field that increases the ability to record data at ultra-high density without sacrificing reliability. Western Digital’s innovative MAMR technology is expected to offer over 4 terabits-per-square-inch over time. With sustained improvements in recording density, MAMR promises to enable hard drives with 40TB of capacity and beyond by 2025, and continued expansion beyond that timeframe.

“Western Digital’s demonstration of MAMR technology is a significant breakthrough for the hard disk drive industry,” said John Rydning, research vice president, Hard Disk Drives, IDC. “Commercialization of MAMR technology will pave the way to higher recording densities, and lower cost per terabyte hard disk drives for enterprise datacenters, video surveillance systems, and consumer NAS products.”

Western Digital’s MAMR technology is the latest innovation to significantly improve areal densities. It builds upon a number of other leading innovations from the company. In addition to HelioSeal helium-filled drive technology, MAMR also builds upon the company’s micro actuation and recording head manufacturing technologies. Western Digital’s advanced micro actuation technology for data center applications enables hard drives to accurately and reliably position magnetic heads for writing and reading at ultra-high densities. The company’s head manufacturing operations are the only internal supplier to utilize Damascene processing to manufacture heads with the precise tolerances and complex structures required for reliable and cost-effective recording at ultra-high densities. The Damascene process also provides the capability to embed the spin torque oscillator that enables the manufacturing of MAMR heads. The combination of these technologies deliver superior total cost of ownership (TCO) across all sizes of cloud and enterprise data centers.

The demonstration of Western Digital’s MAMR technology is the latest achievement in decades of HDD leadership from the company, including over 7,000 issued patents in HDD technology, on-going helium-enabled HDD technology advancements – as highlighted by the recent introduction of the world’s first host-managed shingled magnetic recording (SMR) technology enterprise-class 14TB hard drive – and a long history of world’s firsts in multi-disk design.

For further information on Western Digital MAMR technology, go to http://innovation.wdc.com.

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Review and Field Test of G-Technology G-Drive ev ATC Portable Hard Drives

18 Sep

As photographers, keeping our data safe is of the utmost importance. Being able to trust your hard drives to work and survive all types of conditions and hardships is something to consider. As a wildlife photographer, I often find myself out in the elements, and when traveling, my gear has to put up with the rugged nature of travel, while still being ready to work when called upon. Recently I have been putting the G-Technology G-Drive ev ATC hard drives through their paces and I think these might just be one of the best rugged and solid ways to keep data safe on the move.

Review G Technology G Drive ev ATC Portable Hard Drive

G-Drive ev ATC hard drive features

The ATC is part of the G-technology ev series, a set of drives offering a simple workflow from the field to the studio. The ATC builds upon the standard RaW and ev drives by adding a polycarbonate protective shell to the main drive offering protection from bumps, dust, sand and even full submergence in water to keep your drive and data safe.

The case itself is solid – the simple blue and black design that is stylish and bright enough to easily find in dark conditions. The polycarbonate shell feels very solid in the hand and fits the drive like a glove. It seals closed with a latch system that might seem flimsy, but offers a solid click and seal to ensure the drive is closed off from the elements.

G-Drive ev ATC hard drives - The G drive inside the ATC case

G-Drive ev ATC hard drives Locking mechanism for waterproof closure

The G-Drive ev ATC comes in two varieties, offering Thunderbolt or USB-3 connections for your chosen device. The cords are built into the case itself so you don’t need to worry about forgetting them, a really well thought out design. Of course, the case adds an extra amount of bulk to the setup that might be a problem for those photographers wanting to keep things as small as possible, but personally, I think the extra size is a worthy trade off for the added protection.

Testing the drives during travel

Testing the drives out, they have accompanied me on a few international trips, coming as my primary and backup drives for work in the Falklands, Canada, and Finland. On each trip I have worked with two drives, keeping one as a primary and the other as secondary backup. The fast data transfer speeds were great, 1GB of data transferred in less than a minute over USB-3 meaning backups were swift and simple.

On returning flights keeping data separate is important (in case of a lost bag) and I had no worries about packing one of these with the G-Drive ev ATC hard drives into my checked baggage, knowing the solid construction would keep it protected from any rough handling from the dreaded baggage handlers! On all of my trips, the hold drive never skipped a beat, being ready to upload as soon as I got home to my office.

G-Drive ev ATC hard drives Using the internal drive with the EV docking station

The drive easily pops out and can be inserted into the G-Dock for easy file transfer back home.

In the office the workflow is simple. Popping the drives out of the housing I can easily slot them into the Ev docking station (called G-Dock) that gives me Thunderbolt speeds to upload images directly to my main drives for editing, backup and archiving. The ease of being able to just slot in one drive saves faffing around with multiple SD and CF cards again, keeping my workflow streamlined.

Extreme testing

To further test the drives I wanted to put them through the mill so I decided to rough them up with some real world testing. Grabbing one of the drives in the ATC case I took it out onto location and basically treated it like I didn’t care it was full of precious data. Dropping it onto the ground, into muddy puddles and even throwing it into my local river before rescuing it again down stream.

G-Drive ev ATC hard drives Tested in the dirt and mud without a hitch

Each test was passed with flying colors and even after fully submerging the drive underwater with my hand for a minute, it was in perfect working order. Of course, one problem with the drive is that you do need to check that everything is latched down. Human error, not fully closing the latch or getting something stuck into the gasket could compromise the waterproofing and seal, so it’s best to always be careful. I mean I doubt too many of us regularly throw our drives in a river intentionally…

G-Drive ev ATC hard drives Underwater isnt a problem for the ATC

As a drive, they are built solidly, but one area that I feel would be a great improvement is the use of SSDs rather than normal disk drives. Including an SSD would just add another level to the rugged nature of the drives making them even more durable for life on the road, while also giving faster transfer speeds. This would be especially useful for those editing and working with video files on the move as well.

As a photographer, G-Drive ev ATC hard drives suit my needs very well. The large 1TB hard drive easily has enough storage for a long photo shoot on location and with the protective shell offering great durability to my drives I am sure they will be part of my workflow for many years to come.

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Western Digital’s new 12TB hard drive offers lots of storage and class-leading reliability

18 Sep

Western Digital is upping the internal storage ante with a new WD Gold drive that measures in at a whopping 12TB. The new WD Gold 12TB is a twelve-terabyte 7200RPM 3.5″ SATA 6Gb/s hard drive with the company’s 4th-gen HelioSeal, a technology that seals the drive with Helium to improve efficiency and reliability.

Western Digital is marketing the drive at IT managers, enterprises, and similar, but it is suitable for anyone who have a large amount of data to store… hint hint.

This 12TB model is the latest expansion in Western Digital’s WD Gold drive lineup, which also offers 8TB and 10TB capacities with 256MB cache, and even lesser capacities (down to 1TB) with 128MB cache. The drive stands out among other 3.5″ HDDs, according to Western Digital, because of its 550TB/year workload rating. Other features include enhanced RAFF tech to protect against vibrations, time-limited error recovery, real time fly height adjustment, and compatibility with all major desktop operating systems.

In other words: lots of storage meets class-leading reliability.

The WD Gold 12TB hard drive is available now from Western Digital for $ 522 USD.

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