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Reader Question: File Format Longevity, Particularly for Digital RAW Files

Lefteris K writes:

Though not a matter requiring urgent attention, I wonder what file formats are best as “future-proof” (relatively speaking), for storage on DVD-Rs.

DIGLLOYD: the storage medium will likely matter much more than the format: will a DVD-R reader even exist 10 years from now, let alone 20 and along with the requisite operating system support to read them? Floppy disks are long gone, CDs are a rarity now, etc. The writing is on the wall.

My view is that the storage format should be kept current, refreshed and updated as technology advances. And use Cloud storage as an adjunct if you have something that makes it viable in a bandwidth sense, such as gigabit internet (still rare).

For now, I favor hard drives and changing them out every 3-4 years, and don't let them sit for more than 6 months without powering them up and verifying data integrity with a program like IntegrityChecker (detecting bit rot). No fewer than 3 copies, ideally stored in at least two locations. Hard drives look like they will still be around for a while. Until SSDs see their price cut by a factor of 10 or so (see the 16TB OWC Thunderblade!), I don’t see SSDs as viable for high capacity archiving.

Consult with Lloyd for your computing and storage and backup systems.

Plan ahead for not just your current storage and backup needs, but what your needs will be 3 years out. For example, if you move from a Sony A7R IV to a Fujifilm GFX100, your storage needs will increase substantially, particularly if you start doing stitching or focus stacking. Also, hard down slow down drastically as they fill up, so I favor buying at least 25% more capacity than seemingly needed.

No Toshiba hard drive I have ever had has ever failed. They are very fast and quiet.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended hard drives

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended high capacity storage

Then there is the issue of software being able to use the files. Whether or not you like Adobe, they are the dominant player with aggressive updates for new file formats and the most wide-ranging raw file support. For that reason, boutique software like PhaseOne CaptureOne, Hasselblad Phocus, etc are not IMO a good way to go. Ten years from now, all the effort put into metadata, processing parameters and so on may be lost if those software products disappears and I’d give that high odds.

Multi-drive units can be used with RAID, or each drive can be used separately.


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