Imagemine Loc: St. Louis USA

seems to be a lot of talk about how much memory to have on a computer , my method is make a folder label it with date then upload 30 images then transfer it to my ssd external 1 TB hard drive . Doesn't hurt to have a good computer with lots of space . My gole is to take & edit images not to worry about my gear . Just a rant & hope it helps someone. All said I have gotten some good advice from people on the Hog .

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

You are talking about storage memory.

Generally concerns about memory have to do with RAM or Video RAM in order to run post processing software. Many of these programs need copious amounts of each to run efficiently.

Laramie Loc: Tempe

Purchase as much as you can afford. Problem solved.

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

I think you'll get mostly agreement on this subject. It's certainly workable to put your picture folder on an external drive regularly (and back it up), especially with todays faster and cheaper external drives and enclosures. All the RAM you can afford, especially if you're like some of us who have many tabs and programs open at once and have little patience. Lastly is video memory which you only really need if you're running one of the high end editors that can/will use it.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Many many people confuse disk storage space with memory (the OP appears to have done this). They are two completely different things. If you are building a new computer, or buying a new laptop, it is up to you to calculate how much disk storage you will need. Other people have no idea your raw picture sizes, how prolific a button pusher you are, how long you keep previously worked photos for, etc. Storage size is up to you. But add a 1TB SSD for your C: drive size. The main proviso is that however much you think you need then double it so that you can keep at least 2 copies. My wife and I have 6TB each (with another 6TB on each others computer for a backup copy) with a 500GB SSD C: drive. When we update, depending on costs will aim for 1TB SSD for C: and maybe 2-4TB SSD for working data drives.
Computer memory can vary but it is not expensive. If you get a good deal on 16GB fine, better if you have the option to go for 32GB. If money no object AND you are a heavy Photoshop user go for 64GB.

BebuLamar

Yes but the disk storage space of a computer is more like a person's memory than the memory of the computer.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Nothing like it what-so-ever. For starters if you turn off the computer the disks still hold the contents. Turn off the person and the contents are gone forever. And many more differences. Anyway it still holds that disk storage memory and computer memory are two totally different things. If you can grasp that concept then many other problems/queries you might have will be much more understandable. If anything, to go along with your idea, a persons memory is more similar to the memory of a computer. Turn either of them off and the contents are lost.

BebuLamar

How do you turn off a person and turn him back on?

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

You can't turn them back on again. I am sure you can think of plenty of ways to turn them off. That would be another way that a persons memory is like neither disk storage or a computers memory.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Agree, I don't worry about gear either. I have a computer, camera, and software.
(But more RAM is always better than less RAM.)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Memory -

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need-probably-less-than-you-think/
http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The local Chrysler dealer has loads and loads of Rams on his lot. I'd be nervous if I were him.

BebuLamar

I thought many dealers don't have enough cars.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It depends on the dealer. Some have many, and some have few. If they had the vehicles that people wanted to buy, they would be selling, rather than storing. When my son and I wanted to buy a Honda Fit (a total of three over a couple of years), it was very difficult to find one. And "one" was all we were able to find each time. I had to go to Maine to buy mine.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

"Computer" memory is a broad term. Disk Storage is "computer" memory, as is RAM, ROM, DRAM, PROM, EPROM, and so on. Most people when speaking of "computer" memory are speaking either storage memory as in disk drives or RAM which is where the computer loads the software stored on your disk drives. You need lots of RAM to load large apps like PhotoShop which also will load the pictures you are editing into RAM, as well as large parts of your OS. If you run out of ram for apps like PS, they will swap out parts to disk storage, which is pretty slow and needs avoided.

I believe the OP was talking about storing his pictures on an external SSD drive to free up his internal disk drive. While nothing wrong with that, but he needs to make sure he has that drive backed up at least once on another physical drive. I would imagine most computer nerdy types into photography have automatic backups on at least two separate drives and some use cloud storage on top of that. I back up to 3 external drives plus a networked drive plus most of my pictures are stored on DVD disks as well.

I also highly recommend everyone has one drive that is not connected to the electrical system when not in use. Electrical surges from lightning strikes or power company issues can destroy everything connected to the grid, including stuff on cheap surge protectors. My brother lost every electrical device in his house that had a live connection, such as TV's that were "off" but had a led indicator to denote power was on to the device. It happened when the electric company accidently crossed some lines at the pole.