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Review: LaCie's 4TB Rugged RAID Pro With SD Card Slot is Perfect for Photographers and Videographers

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Seagate's LaCie brand is well-known for its line of rugged, durable hard drives that are protected by an iconic orange bumper, and this spring, LaCie unveiled its latest accessory in the rugged lineup, the 4TB USB-C LaCie Rugged RAID Pro.


Design

If you've seen a hard drive in LaCie's rugged collection before, the Rugged RAID Pro will look immediately familiar. It features an aluminum-encased hard drive wrapped in durable, shockproof orange rubber.

Compared to the former Rugged RAID hard drive LaCie offered, this new model is thinner and lighter. Size wise, the dimensions aren't hugely different, but it's noticeable. This new model measures in at 1.18 x 3.6 x 5.5 inches, compared to the Rugged RAID's 1.3 x 3.6 x 5.8 inch dimensions, and it weighs just about a pound.

lacieruggedraidprodesign-800x592.jpg

LaCie's previous Rugged hard drives have included built-in cables, but the Rugged RAID Pro uses a separate cable, which is one of the biggest design changes LaCie has introduced here. The other major change is the addition of an SD card slot, which is a fantastic addition for photographers, drone operators, and other people who often need to pull data from an SD card.

I often use an SD card reader to pull photos from my cameras, so I appreciated the addition of the SD card slot. I also prefer the removable cable to the built-in cable of the former LaCie Rugged RAID option because it offers more versatility. It's a bit messier with nowhere to wind the cord, but it overall isn't much more inconvenient.


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Article Link: Review: LaCie's 4TB Rugged RAID Pro With SD Card Slot is Perfect for Photographers and Videographers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/review/lacie-4tb-rugged-raid-pro/
Ah miss the mark by not incorporating WiFi direct transfer for the iOS users. Oddly enough I don’t use any external drives, I went entirely towards the cloud route. If only DSLR and consumer cameras include WiFi transfer we would not need external drives. Curious to know when this day will happen.

DSLR need a built-in SSD 512GB or higher with WiFi transfer. I cannot remember the last time I used a SD card or USB thumb drive.
 
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Hopefully, LaCie will release soon the great products they developed before Seagate purchase them. Now such products are external SSD for Mac based on Thunderbolt 3. Or else, others will take advantage...
 
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This is a great idea, and makes up for Apple ditching SD slots in the first place. That'll make backing up a heck of a lot easier for those that use 2016 onwards MacBook Pros.
 
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Candlelight said:
This is a great idea, and makes up for Apple ditching SD slots in the first place. That'll make backing up a heck of a lot easier for those that use 2016 onwards MacBook Pros.
Click to expand...
Does this product have a built-in battery, it’s supposed to be a portable hard drive and yet it requires an outlet. I just don’t get who these products were designed for.

Use USB-C PD to charge/use in the field, it is rugged so it can be plugged in near an outlet while the MacBook can be charged via USB-C external battery pack. TB3 s required for PD, may not work or limited with MB.

This is why I like my iPad, I can charge it via USB to an external battery pack if required.
 
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code-m said:
... If only DSLR and consumer cameras include WiFi transfer we would not need external drives. Curious to know when this day will happen.

... I cannot remember the last time I used a SD card or USB thumb drive.
Click to expand...

So then you really have absolutely no idea about the use-case of modern photo and video pros, do you?

This drive is just one of many that professionals have in order to sustain data integrity and have some kind of backup. No, wifi and cloud is NOT a solution.
 
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tehStickMan said:
So then you really have absolutely no idea about the use-case of modern photo and video pros, do you?

This drive is just one of many that professionals have in order to sustain data integrity and have some kind of backup. No, wifi and cloud is NOT a solution.
Click to expand...

Most “modern” photo/video “pros” are taking out pictures/videos with an iPhone or drone while being connected either via cellular or wifi within minutes/hours of an urban area. The one that do use DSLR upload it to a computer and then to a NAS/storage tower. These individuals are not backing up or working directly from a portable HDD. Those serious enough have external SSD options.

Please tell me all about your RED camera that you use in the field while living in a tent for a week taking out this “pro” photos/videos.

In that terrible drone video, that drone would have run out of battery power even with a spare. I wonder how big of a SD card is being used. Drone up, fly around, drone down, remove SD card load into LaCie portable drive, connect to computer (possible review photos/videos), disconnect portable drive, remove and insert SD card into drone, rinse & repeat. Yes, very professional.

Or

Built in SSD storage in drone. Drone up, fly around, down, wifi direct transfer automatically when in range of your paired computer (similar to AirDrop), rinse & repeat until SSD is full. This is professional to me. Replace drone with DSLR and transfer pictures/videos to your phone/laptop (AirDrop style) while still using your camera. No need to remove/pause yourself from the action.
 
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code-m said:
Most “modern” photo/video “pros” are taking out pictures/videos with an iPhone or drone while being connected either via cellular or wifi within minutes/hours of an urban area. The one that do use DSLR upload it to a computer and then to a NAS/storage tower. These individuals are not backing up or working directly from a portable HDD. Those serious enough have external SSD options.
Click to expand...

This hasn't been my experience… I run a production company that makes mostly commercials, branded content, etc. Almost every project shoots on one of the Arri Alexa variants. We deploy mirrored pairs of drives to every shoot. When possible, 2-bay RAIDs (frequently OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual actually!), but very frequently shuttle drives like Ruggeds as well. Sometimes the DIT (basically data manager responsible for downloading media) is working off a laptop, sometimes they don't have access to consistent power and can really benefit from bus power, and sometimes production needs to travel and don't want to pack multiple huge raids. As skeptical as I was of LaCie after their dark days in early 00s, Ruggeds have always served us well and I'm excited for these new ones -- though I sadly don't think the SD card slot will be very useful for us — maybe CFast ; )

No, raw media does not go to the cloud (for many reasons), and cards are very infrequently being dumped to SSDs -- the huge amounts of data generated per day and the disposable nature of on-set drives that need to be sent to several post production partners and frequently delivered to clients most often precludes that option b/c of the cost. Every so often you'll hire a particularly well kitted DIT that has a SSD RAID built into their cart, but this is just for getting media off of cards quickly, when then gets transferred to spinning drives to deliver to production at the end of the day.

Can't speak for serialized content where they have the luxury of working with a single team for months or years at a time and have consistent access to and control over locations -- maybe rugged drives are irrelevant in that world, but certainly not in commercial production!
 
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code-m said:
Ah miss the mark by not incorporating WiFi direct transfer for the iOS users. Oddly enough I don’t use any external drives, I went entirely towards the cloud route. If only DSLR and consumer cameras include WiFi transfer we would not need external drives. Curious to know when this day will happen.

DSLR need a built-in SSD 512GB or higher with WiFi transfer. I cannot remember the last time I used a SD card or USB thumb drive.
Click to expand...

The technology is not here yet for wifi transfer to cloud in the field.

Most pro's use gear producing tens of gigabytes a shoot, wifi could not transfer this fast enough let alone safely. That's before we even start talking about the privacy issue.
[doublepost=1533283831][/doublepost]
code-m said:
Most “modern” photo/video “pros” are taking out pictures/videos with an iPhone or drone while being connected either via cellular or wifi within minutes/hours of an urban area. The one that do use DSLR upload it to a computer and then to a NAS/storage tower. These individuals are not backing up or working directly from a portable HDD. Those serious enough have external SSD options.
Click to expand...

I don't think you really know what "Most modern pro's" really do when in the field do you?...
 
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rodpascoe said:
The technology is not here yet for wifi transfer to cloud in the field.

Most pro's use gear producing tens of gigabytes a shoot, wifi could not transfer this fast enough let alone safely. That's before we even start talking about the privacy issue.
[doublepost=1533283831][/doublepost]

I don't think you really know what "Most modern pro's" really do when in the field do you?...
Click to expand...

RAW does use quite a bit of memory, however in this promotional video from LaCie one is ejecting a SD card which I suspect is 128-512GB in capacity, to insert it into a rugged drive for RAID and then to a MBP. It would have been simpler to just attach a dongle or use a MBA (SD slot) than to risk an expensive MBP in the field (no protection on the laptop) just to upload and review the content.

The promotional video is a horrible example. Another option is if drone producers had the option for user insertable PCI-E SSD drives (super fast, upgradable, massive storage, etc). If you are crying about the expense then you are a wannabe “pro” or don’t receive a lot of work because there is someone better. To transfer these files or to review from one storage medium to the next is time consuming which places a dent in productivity. In the field condition can change rapidly, SD cards (even the best of them) are slow compared to PCI-E. CF is another matter, however that resembles a SD slot on that rigged drive.

What would be even better is a lightening or USB-C connector on a dongle and PCI-E (female) on the other or some docking system. Review content on iPad/Pro or iPhone, store PCI-E memory safely, load up another and you are back in business. WiFi direct transfer encryption is available on many WD drives. Is transferring from SD card to HDD (even in RAID) to laptop really the fastest meathod, why no SSD or used as cache. Ah this is LaCie being cheap compared to the competition, high prices not much value, interesting design, late to the party.

The term/label “pro” is subjective on ones prespective. Similarly to the term/label “computer.”
 
martyjmclean said:
I switched to a Samsung T5 but ~this~ has me almost wishing I didn’t. I’m a huge LaCie fan!
Click to expand...

I recently switched to the T5 as well. Twice as fast as this thing, 1/8 the size, and black. I love it. I'm personally not tempted by this LaCie at all.
 
Not fer' this photographer!
Becuz for someone who shot with film and developed photos and photostats were every snap could waste time and money, i recently switched back to using 2Gb cards in the nikon because i need to organize about 6,000 photos from the Mac mini. i figured 2GB of photos are perfect for a nature shoot cuz i can only post 4 or 5.
happy shooting!
organize means delete 80% of these which are mostly that fluffy 1 year old turkish angora cat that is photo energetic and adorable as a kitten!
 
I would assume someone who has been in the hard drive market as long as LaCie would know what a RAID is, but it appears they don't.
 
If you think most pros take pics with an iPhone, you can't really contribute to this conversation.

code-m said:
Most “modern” photo/video “pros” are taking out pictures/videos with an iPhone or drone while being connected either via cellular or wifi within minutes/hours of an urban area. The one that do use DSLR...
Click to expand...
 
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loybond said:
If you think most pros take pics with an iPhone, you can't really contribute to this conversation.
Click to expand...

Apple’s marketing has convinced me otherwise. You are on a rumours site focused on Apple related news, do I believe Apple and the many well known and famous professional photographers and videographers or do I believe you with your anecdotal opinion.

Please provide evidence of your published professional work, watermark it if you prefer for copyright reasons.

What benefit is there in having the most amazing and expensive equipment if you have no sense of artistry to portray a feeling by a photo or video. The equipment only goes so far and extends the capabilities/vision of the person behind the lense. I know many so called “pros” with expensive DSLR cameras, however cannot take a great picture to save their life, ah excellent details captured by the equipment.

Are you one of those people who have a complex, i.e. driving around in a luxury car with no purpose other than to brag and taken out a loan, lease or rented it to falsely portray an image of “success” to the unfortunate in your egotistical/narcissistic views.
 
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