Samsung: cutting-edge performance

High-resolution Raw footage demands storage that’s every bit as capable as the camera recording it. The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield delivers

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At first glance, an artisan bladesmith and a filmmaker don’t appear to have much in common. But look a little closer and you’ll realise that both rely on precision, craftsmanship and an obsessive attention to detail. Whether handcrafting a top-quality chef’s knife or producing a striking commercial film, creative success comes from choosing the right tools for the job.

That’s why filmmaker Gary Freeman has enjoyed a long-standing creative partnership with master bladesmith Ben Edmonds. When Edmonds needed a campaign to launch his latest range of knives and chef’s accessories, Freeman was again entrusted to tell the story.

Their collaboration is built on a successful working relationship that has already helped raise Edmonds’ profile through appearances on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, BBC’s Escape to the Country and a TEDx Talk. For the latest campaign, the brief was to capture not only the beauty of the finished products but also the drama, sparks and spectacle of the forging process itself.

Creating cinematic images in studios – or an active workshop – presents its own difficulties, so Freeman relies on equipment that’s proven time and again in demanding production environments.

His set-up includes several cinema cameras that record high-quality Raw footage directly to an external PSSD over USB-C. This has become a crucial part of his workflow, eliminating the need for offloading footage during a shoot.

“For my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, Samsung is a recommended supplier, and the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is fully approved,” explains Freeman. “I know it’s fast, rugged and reliable enough that it will never let me down.”

For a production that switched between the studio for clean product shots and Edmonds’ Derbyshire forge – where flying sparks, dust and heavy equipment are all part of the working environment – durability mattered as much as performance.

That’s where the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield proved its worth. Protected by a tough, rubberised exterior over a robust aluminium body, the portable drive has been designed to withstand the knocks of location production. It’s rated to IP65 for water and dust resistance and can survive drops of up to three metres, making it ideal for working in unpredictable environments. The aluminium construction also helps dissipate heat, helping maintain reliable performance even during extended Raw recording sessions.

Performance is equally impressive. With sustained write speeds capable of supporting demanding 8K and even 12K recording, the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield had no trouble handling Freeman’s 6K Raw workflow. Recording directly to the portable drive meant there was no interruption to production while footage was backed up elsewhere.

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is up to 9.5-10x faster than an external hard disk drive (HDD) when using USB 3.2 Gen 2, thanks to sequential read and write speeds of up to 1050MB/s and 1000MB/s respectively (actual speeds depend on the host device and conditions).

“Having the footage already on the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield speeds everything up so much,” says Freeman. “I simply plug the portable drive into the laptop, instantly review the footage and show the client too. It’s slick, efficient and looks professional, which is really important when you’ve got a team waiting on location.”

That streamlined workflow doesn’t just save time. It helps maintain momentum on-set, allowing creative decisions to be made immediately rather than waiting until everyone returns to the edit suite.

Portability is another advantage. With cine cams, lenses, lighting and support gear already filling the van, every gram matters. The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield weighs just 98g and measures 88mm long by 13mm thick, making it easy to slip into a camera bag or even a pocket without adding noticeable bulk.

The portable drive is ready to use straight out of the box with Mac computers and also supports Windows PCs. Pre-installed Samsung Magician software enables personalisation with a custom name, password protection and drive health monitoring, giving you extra confidence that valuable footage remains safe throughout production.

Available in 1TB and 2TB in black, blue and beige – with an added 4TB black version – there’s lots of room for high-res footage without worrying about storage.

For Freeman, the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield has become more than just a place to store files. It’s an integral part of a fast, dependable workflow that lets him concentrate on creating compelling images rather than managing data.

And, on a shoot where the only thing sharper than the knives on display was the actual production itself, that’s exactly how filmmaking should be.

Rock-steady storage

These days, every production is really two shoots in one. Alongside the main cameras, there’s a constant demand for behind-the-scenes content to feed social media, websites and client marketing.

That’s why Gary Freeman never heads to a shoot without a gimbal camera. Compact enough to keep in a pocket yet capable of producing smooth, stabilised footage, it’s his go-to machine for behind-the-scenes clips and walkthroughs, dramatic gimbal moves and time-lapse sequences.

When the camera is always rolling, reliable storage becomes crucial. Freeman appreciates the safety and size of Samsung’s PRO Plus micro SD to help him keep pace with every shot. Available in capacities up to 1TB, it provides enough space to record hours of high-quality footage.

With read speeds of up to 180MB/s and write speeds of up to 130MB/s, the Samsung PRO Plus handles demanding video recording with ease while moving footage quickly once it’s time to edit. It’s equally at home in action cams, drones and smartphones, making it a versatile choice.

The Samsung PRO Plus micro SD delivers the speed, capacity and reliability today’s creatives need to keep rolling from the first shot to the last.

More information: samsung.com/uk/memory storage/portable-ssd

This article appears in the August/September 2026 issue of Definition