Fast Portable Storage Device

[harmsr]

I just got a new Hyperdrive Colorspace 0 yesterday for backup of my files when traveling without a laptop.

For years I have had an old Epson P-2000. It was extremely slow to copy and even worse to view RAW files. It also did not work to view the new Nikon files or the M8 files.

Now comes the new Colorspace 0, which does fully support the new Nikon files and the M8 files. It is blazingly fast in all operations. It can copy at up to 25MB/sec if the cards you are using are fast enough themselves. It also has an extremely fast and useful 100% review of the files which only takes about 3 seconds to generate. You can navigate in the photo to confirm details or critical focus.

The screen is a very nice 3.2" color unit that automatically rotates the image between landscape and portrait, depending on how you are holding the unit.

It supports all CF, all types of SD, Memory stick, and MMC cards. Other cards are supported if used via a compact flash adaptor (for example my Olympus 560 with the xD cards that I use for scuba diving).

Battery is listed to last for 120 GB of downloading.

I bought the 160GB hard drive unit, but they are available up to 250 GB or you can even buy the unit without hard drive and install your own.

It also has a USB connection to go direct to any camera, or you can plug into a cigarette lighter connector via the USB cable for car charging.

The Colorspace 0 has hardware verification to insure that files were copied correctly.

Last but not least, it also does slideshows.

Retail price is $399 on this 160GB unit.

(The usual disclaimers that I don't work for them or get any benefit from sales. - However I am very happy with my new unit.)

Best,

Ray

 

[Terry]

Is this a new unit with a bigger screen as I thought the Epson screen was supposed to be much better?

 

[harmsr]

It is brand new on the market and yes it does have a larger screen.

The Epson 5000 does have a larger and better screen, however it is slower than the new Colorspace 0. Epson also does not support files from the Nikon D3/D300 or the M8.

They only other unit of which I know supports files from the M8 is the Jobo one, but that is very slow for any sort of preview and also slower on file copy.

If Epson ever does a new unit with that great screen, which supports viewing of the files for my cameras along with a fast speed then, I would get one. However, the Hyperdrive Colorspace 0 is the only one that does all of that today.

Best,

Ray

 

[Maarten]

I'm also looking for a storage device for Leica M8 photos. On my list there is also the Vosonic VP5500. I'm wondering is it can display the M8 files (render them based on the RAW files, not just display the jpeg). The Vosonic website says it supports the RAW files of the "LEICA: AG.R8, AG.R9". Would that then also include the M8? Are these files similar to the files of the DMR for the R cameras?

 

[jaapv]

It must be the DMR, as R8 and R9 are not digital as such...
There is a difference between DMR and M8 files, as some RAW converters supported the DMR DNG's but not the M8 in the beginning. So if the M8 is not listed, it probably is not supported.

 

[Maarten]

Thanks, Jaap. That's what I thought. I just asked the dealer if he knows more. I want to buy one for my trip to Japan. If it can't render M8 pictures there's no need for a screen. The Dutch dealer told me the Colorspace O was a "limited edition" and he was not able to sell it to me, so I'm looking for an alternative. Maybe I take my macbook and some more SD cards.

 

[Terry]

I went on line and looked at the tech specs. It doesn't really say what the hard drive specs are. I'm wondering if it is better to just buy the shell and use my own drive or to buy one with a drive already installed. I have a couple of drives at home but if the thing is really speedy because of a speedy drive I don't want to hobble it.

 

[harmsr]

I got this from the manual.

2.5" IDE/PATA at 7200 RPM - Mine is the 160 GB drive.

We know that it can transfer at 25MB/sec via the card reader or 28MB/sec via the USB 2.0 cable.

The upcharge is $150 retail, so yes you could put in your own drive for about $50 less. It was just faster and easier for me to get it with the 160GB installed.

Even from the big files of the Nikon D3 (14bit - loseless compression), I get 300 files per 8GB card. This leaves me the ability to get 6000 files on the drive.

Best,

Ray

 

[Maarten]

The colorspace O uses Parallel-ATA hard disks. Newer ones are the Serial-ATA drives. But more important to the speed I think is the RPM's the drive makes. Normal ones do 5400 RPMs, fast ones 7200, slow ones 4200. The site www.hyperdrive.com doesn't tell which drive they put in so I guess it will be a 5400 RPM one.

EDIT: Ray says it's a 7200 RPM drive. Which is much better.

 

[MrSlezak]

How much impact the different drives will have on battery life I can't say, but every laptop I've changed drives for a faster spin drive tends to run warmer and the battery runs for less time. There are positive trade offs, which is why I do it, but on a laptop I can tweak other aspects to (max CPU speed, LCD brightness, etc...) to extend the shift in drive speed.

 

[divory]

I am afraid that I can confirm that the Vosonic does not read M8 raw files. It has a very good screen, good battery life, quite fast, but until they upgrade the software, not recommended.

I made the mistake of thinking that all Leica digital files would be the same!

 

[Maarten]

I am afraid that I can confirm that the Vosonic does not read M8 raw files. It has a very good screen, good battery life, quite fast, but until they upgrade the software, not recommended.

I made the mistake of thinking that all Leica digital files would be the same!

Strange, my dealer told me the M8 files are supported bij the Vosonic. He even sent me a picture. See below.