As a photographer, you have special data storage needs…
Introduction
Network attached storage (NAS) devices are specialized storage solutions designed for accessibility, flexibility, and ease of use. For photographers generating tens of gigabytes of irreplaceable images, a good NAS can be a total game changer…
Benefits of Using a NAS
- Centralized storage for entire photo & video library
- Built-in data protection with RAID
- Automated backups to cloud services
- Remote access from anywhere
- Streamlined organization & search
What Factors Matter Most?
Photographer NAS shoppers should prioritize these core aspects:
- Storage capacity
- Speed and responsiveness
- Backup features & redundancy
- Media streaming & remote access
- Budget
We‘ve compiled the definitive list of the top 5 best NAS options specifically for photographers in 2023. From lightning-fast flagship models to budget-friendly starter units, there’s a NAS here tailored to any shooting style, performance needs, and budget.
The 5 Best NAS for Photographers
1. WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra – Best Overall
The WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra strikes the ideal balance of performance, robust features, and ease of use to be our pick for best overall NAS for photographers.
Tech Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | 1.3 GHz quad-core |
| Memory | 1GB DDR3 |
| Drive Bays | 2 x 3.5" SATA |
| RAID Support | RAID 0, 1, JBOD |
| Ports | 1x GbE, 2x USB 3.0 |
| Benchmark Throughput | 364.7 MB/s read 115.3 MB/s write |
A key advantage of the EX2 Ultra is Western Digital’s use of WD Red internal hard drives which are specifically designed and tested for use in NAS enclosures. Models come with up to 16TB capacity preconfigured…
The My Cloud dashboard simplifies critical features like storage allocation, backups, remote access, and device linking. Yet it still enables extensive customization when needed through…
Photography-Focused Features
- Point-in-time file recovery
- Fast gigabit ethernet
- Remote web access
- Automatic cloud-sync
- Media streaming
Pros
- Very fast processor
- SSD cache boosts speed
- Easy to set up and manage
- Built-in battery backup
Cons
- Limited port selection
- No PCIe expandability
In summary, the WD EX2 Ultra provides the full suite of essential features for photographers while still being easy to manage. If you want a flexible two-drive NAS option with excellent performance right out of the box, this model excels.
2. Synology DS218play – Best for Streaming
Designed specifically with media serving capabilities in mind, the DS218play is ideal for photographers focused on organizing, managing, and streaming photo and video files from a home NAS…
Tech Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Quad core 1.4Ghz |
| Memory | 1GB DDR4 |
| Drive Bays | 2 x 2.5/3.5" SATA III/II SSD/HDD |
| RAID Support | RAID 0, 1, JBOD |
| Ports | 2x RJ-45 1GbE, 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA |
| Benchmark Throughput | 451.7 MB/s reading 260 MB/s writing |
DS218play runs the acclaimed Synology DiskStation Manager OS giving you access to a huge library of apps for added functionality like Plex, WordPress, surveillance software, and many more to satisfy any photographers needs…
Photography-Focused Features
- 4K video transcoding
- Smooth media streaming
- DLNA media server
- Scalable Snapshots for 32,768 backups
- Multiple mobile apps
Pros
- Excellent OS & software ecosystem
- Very quiet operation
- Built-in transcoding engines
- Expandable storage capacity
Cons
- Pricier than competitors
- Max 6TB drives
With its great balance of usability and customizability including useful photo-focused features, the Synology DS218play earns our pick as the best NAS for home media serving and streaming.
3. QNAP TS-251+ – Most Powerful
If you need raw performance and abundant storage capacity along with a bevy of features, the QNAP TS-251+ is an exceptional NAS choice albeit with a high price tag…
Tech Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Celeron quad-core 2.0GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR3 (upgradeable to 8GB) |
| Drive Bays | 2 x 2.5/3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, SSD cache |
| RAID Support | RAID 0/1/5/6/10, JBOD, single |
| Ports | 5x USB 3.0, 2x RJ45 GbE |
| Benchmark Throughput | 650.4 MB/s reading 515.7 MB/s writing |
Transfer speeds are blazing fast thanks to the quad core processor, SSD cache, and ability to team port bond the two ethernet connections. The TS-251+ consistently benchmarks among the fastest in the 2 to 4 bay consumer NAS class…
Photography-Focused Features
- Surveillance add-ons
- Remote editing tools
- HDMI output
- Cloudlink apps
- Multimedia libraries
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Tons of apps & integrations
- Great OS with frequent updates
- Quiet fanless design
Cons
- Higher initial purchase cost
- More involved setup process
If you have demanding performance needs and require robust storage capacity that can easily expand in future as your library grows, the unmatched power of the QNAP TS-251+ makes it a fantastic NAS investment for serious photographers.
4. Synology DS1520+ – Top Capacity
With room for up five drives plus two expansion units, the Synology DS1520+ provides massive storage capacity perfect for video production houses or professional photography studios where TBs of imagery accumulate constantly…
Tech Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Quad core 2.2GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 (up to 32GB) |
| Drive Bays | 5 x 3.5"/2.5" hot-swappable |
| RAID Support | All major types |
| Ports | 2x 1GbE, 2x USB 3.0, 1x PCIe |
| Benchmark Throughput | 2876.8 MB/s reading 1983.5 MB/s writing |
DS1520+ consistently registers exceptional benchmark throughput thanks to the fast processor, abundant RAM, NVMe SSD caching, and optimized Synology Hybrid RAID algorithm. Plus if native capacity isn‘t enough, plug in two Synology DX517 expansion units using the PCIe slot for up to 105TB additional storage!
Photography-Focused Features:
- High availability clustering
- File & folder synchronization
- Surveillance recording
- 4K video transcoding engine
- Studio photography apps
Pros
- Massive storage capacity
- Blazing fast speeds
- Rock-solid DSM OS
- PCIe expandability
Cons
- High initial hardware cost
- Overkill for non-pro use
For professional photographers or videographers, the exceptional performance capability, huge capacity potential, and great OS of the Synology DS1520+ makes it a sound investment as a high end photo editing & storage workhorse NAS.
5. Buffalo LinkStation 210 – Budget Pick
Our budget pick for photography NAS goes to the Buffalo LinkStation 210 which manages to pack lots of functionality into a little two bay enclosure at a reasonable price point…
Tech Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | MARVELL Armada 370 ARM 1.2GHz |
| Memory | 256MB DDR3 |
| Drive Bays | 1 x 3.5” SATA |
| RAID Support | RAID 0/1 |
| Ports | 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 2.0 |
| Benchmark Throughput | 64.51 MB/s reading 35.39 MB/s writing |
It may not be lighting fast compared to pricier NAS units, but the LinkStation 210 provides perfectly adequate performance for home backup, storage, streaming media files, accessing Lightroom catalogs, and running torrents in the background.
Photography-Focused Features
- Remote file/folder access
- Apple Time Machine support
- BitTorrent client for large downloads
- Media server for photos & video
Pros
- Very budget friendly cost
- Simplified setup & management UI
- Low power consumption
Cons
- Lack of features or expandability
- DLNA & streaming can be buggy
For just pocket change over $100, the Buffalo LinkStation 210 delivers simple, reliable NAS functionality with no frills. While no powerhouse, it covers the basics well for casual home users.
How to Choose the Right NAS
All the options can make buying your first NAS confusing. Follow this decision tree to determine the best NAS for your specific needs:
1. Assess your storage requirements
- How many photos/videos do you currently have?
- What is your annual growth rate?
- Will you archive older content offline?
Use the calculator below to determine ideal capacity:
2. Calculate the potential real cost
NAS that seem like a bargain upfront might have key limitations like:
- No included hard drives
- Few or slow ports that require add-on cards
- No room for expanding storage capacity
Factor in all lifetime costs early in your selection process.
3. Match speed capabilities to workflow needs
Faster processors and more RAM provide snappier response when:
- Editing media directly from the NAS
- Transferring files to/from the unit
- Streaming 4K or large megapixel images
If primarily using your NAS as a backup target or Lightroom catalog server, baseline specs could suffice.
Use the performance graph below to gauge what throughput range makes the most sense:
4. Prioritize key photographer-specific features
Beyond basic data storage, NAS offer helpful photographic features like:
- Lightroom/Adobe/edit integration
- Remote access for client deliveries
- Automated cloud sync for offsite backup
- Media streaming to view photos/videos
Rank the features you find most important when evaluating options.
5. Match top contenders to budget
Good NAS can scale exponentially in cost due to more bays, flash caches, processors etc. allocating budget early prevents sticker shock down the line!
Use the tailored cost chart above as a guide on what to expect at each budget tier based on included hardware, capacity, features and performance.
Getting the Most From Your New NAS
Once you’ve purchased and unboxed your shiny new NAS, follow this checklist to configure key settings for optimal photographer workflow:
☑️ Securely install your hard drives
For reliability, always populate NAS drive bays with fresh retail drives rated for NAS use rather than external USB drives which could fail quicker…
☑️ Configure your RAID level
Setup RAID 5 or 6 for best redundancy to storage capacity ratio to start. RAID 10 maximizes performance for editing directly off the NAS…
☑️ Connect & initialize the NAS
Determine ideal wired or WiFi network connection method, install DSM OS if needed, then initialize your storage pools via the NAS interface…
☑️ Map NAS shares to your computer
Map frequently used folders like Lightroom catalog location, active shoots in progress, archived project as shares on your computer for quick Drag n Drop ease of use…
☑️ Schedule automated backups
Leverage built-in NAS backup tools or external software to implement incremental backups of critical originals and Lightroom catalogs to cloud storage providers…
☑️ Enable remote access
Configure port forwarding, DDNS, VPN etc. to securely access your photo library from anywhere for sharing proofs with clients…
☑️ Streamline your editing workflow
Transition catalog storage, import/export & file conversions to utilize the central NAS instead of fragmented external HDDs…
Through smart integration and optimization, your NAS can centralize photo management overhead that used to require tedious external hard drive rotations and manual intervention.
The Future of NAS for Digital Photography
Advancements in storage technology and ever more powerful processors/memory in coming years will enable next generation NAS devices to do even more for photographers:
- Native support for faster media formats like Thunderbolt
- Built-in holders for hot spare drives
- PCIe slots for graphics cards
- Hybrid cloud architecture
- Machine learning assisted cataloging
- More computational photography functionality
As options continue improving while costs decline, NAS devices purpose-built for photography workflows will explode in capability and accessibility.
Wrapping Up
I hope this guide has clarified exactly what NAS offerings work best for photographers while providing practical insight into setup and configuration. Please drop any questions in the comments section below!
