Portable storage device

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A portable storage device (PSD) is a small hard drive designed to copy digital photographs (RAW data) from a digital camera. This is slightly different from a portable media player, which stores and plays music and movies.

Portable storage devices are most often used by photographers to upload digital media to a computer. Some are fixed size hard drives of 20GB, 40GB, 80GB, etc. Newer units are expandable using 2.5" laptop hard drives, allowing for an unlimited amount of storage capability, helpful for video and professional photographers.

When traveling and photographing for long periods of time, a portable storage device may be a useful alternative to backing up or purging memory cards if a computer is unavailable for downloading.

Many PSDs will connect directly to a camera and copy the images, or they may provide a slot for a memory card to plug in, with or without a card reader device. Some early models allow you to review the images on color screens, but at the top end of the market.

[edit] See also

• Mass Storage Digital Class (MSDC)