Why NAS is an ideal storage solution for photographers/videographers and how to set it up

 

 

Storage is a major concern for photographers and videographers alike. If you shoot RAW, especially with a high-resolution camera, hard drives fill up quickly. This is even more true if you are shooting 4K or other high-resolution videos. There are many storage solutions, including setting up RAID arrays for on-site storage and backup connected directly to your computer, cloud storage, and network-attached storage (NAS). NAS combines some of the best features of both other options.

The lattermost option, NAS, has been getting quite a bit of attention lately as a good solution for photographers. But what is a NAS? In a new video, 'A complete beginner's intro to setting up a NAS for file storage,' photographer Mads Peter Iversen breaks down what NAS is, what it does, how to set it up, and much more.

As you can see in the video above, a NAS system is a storage device connected to a network. By attaching your storage to a network, you can store and retrieve data from a central location. NAS systems are flexible and expandable, meaning that you can increase your storage capacities as you need them. In Iversen's case, his NAS has 12 bays and RAID capabilities, ensuring that it's very expandable and safe. If a drive fails, the RAID system ensures it isn't lost.

If the idea of purchasing a NAS and needing to install your hard drives to set it up sounds daunting, Iversen's video above should prove helpful. It's not nearly as complicated as it seems at first glance. Iversen also discovers how to ensure that your files are safe and secure in a NAS storage solution.

Earlier this month, Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography made a video about his NAS storage solution. In Forbes's video, he outlines the reasons to use NAS, how his storage is set up and how he uses it as part of his overall photography and video workflow.

In 2019, Jaron Schneider wrote an article here on Imaging Resource about his experience purchasing a NAS and how he thinks it's worth it for any photographer and videographer. If you haven't read that article before, you certainly should.

Your photos and videos are significant. It would be awful to lose them to a hard drive failure. Better yet, NAS not only keeps your files safe, by centralizing your files and connecting them to a network, but you can also access them from basically anywhere.