Why I returned my Gnarbox 2.0 SSD (professional photographer review)
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- Опубліковано 17 вер 2024
- A very thorough video on my experiences with the Gnarbox 2.0 SSD as a professional photographer. I give my walkthrough of the pros and cons and also the read and write speeds I found when testing compared to a G-tech ssd.
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Hey Brett - Tim here from GNARBOX. Thanks for making this video. I wanted to let you know that as of the 2.5.0 firmware update, the GNARBOX does charge when in Mass Storage mode. This came out in mid-December, so it's a shame you didn't get to download it and try it out before making this video! I also was a bit unsure of how the "slow loading" was taking place for your images, that shouldn't be the case. Our support team may be able to help you out with this if you contact them.
Man. I wish the support people let me know of this. I contacted them when I had the issue and didn’t get any indication this would be possible in the future. Great to know that was fixed.
Speed over wireless to iPad or iPhone was just terrible in my attempts. Tried it many times and any major amount of images clogged it up quickly when going through a directory of photographs.
As I said in the video I returned it in the fall after I contacted support and confirmed charging wasn’t possible while using it with my Mac (clearly not the case anymore).
I wonder how long it will be before they leave version 2 users high and dry like they did the version 1 users.
Just bought my GNARBOX, any idea when support for the Canon R5 RAW files will come? I was really looking forward to using the workspace to rate my photos
I’m very surprised it isn’t in there. I don’t own one after I returned mine but pinging them might be worth trying
@@BrettCarlsen Yeah I spoke with GNARBOX, they're not sure when support will come so I reluctantly returned mine too.
As a video producer, I am never editing something without being at my home workstation, I don't even own a laptop. For me, I'm ONLY using the mobile backup feature. I connect 2 G-Tech Mobile drives, backup my cards through the gnarbox onto both of those drives, put them in separate bags, fly home, and import footage off the G-Tech. The $600 to NOT have to carry and fly with a laptop, works for me. However, I totally get if you're trying to edit off of it, in the field or at home, those speeds would render it unusable. Nice video. Honest and Straightforward.
Totally hear this and agree. It definitely has a purpose. For $600 or so dollars I could buy a used MacBook Air or I’m even pretty sure sort out a way to do it with an iPad. Or even just use the $600 to buy a 2TB iPad as opposed to a normal one.
Many ways to skin the cat so to speak and this is so close to doing a ton of what I wanted it to do and does the hard things SOOO well.
@@BrettCarlsen We should start our OWN company! One that only does stuff well!
Great review thanks. You've saved me some cash, the slow mass storage mode, and having to plug it two cables to use it as an external drive are dealbreakers. Appreciate the time you took to produce this review.
It really depends on three main factors: how much your time and media are worth; (2) whether you do enough shooting to justify it; (3) the rest of your gear and your preferred workflow. For me, I have it all automated, carry extra power with me (about 20K mAh) and keep a minimum of 3 backups by EOD.
I used to go directly from my SD, CFX and SSD's to my NAS when I got back, and on some of my gear I am able to acquire redundantly.
However, since production time is critical for me, I love that I can now automate my proxies. Second, I find it a lot easier to keep a Gnarbox plus an extra Rocket Pro 4TB and iPad Pro 2020 on me versus all my camera gear and a computer-- regardless of my mode or distance of travelling. This has been a huge lifesaver on more than one flight, one of which I was forced to give up my "second bag" with my first being my little PD fanny style pack and the iPad I was carrying. I never saw that bag again, but thank heavens I was insured for the $14K of lenses, cameras and other gear that were "lost" (yeah, I am sure they got lost in a small South American airport). If it weren't for that, I would have wasted about $6K in travel shooting and a $15K job.
I had tried using multiple alternatives before. The closest was a WD 2TB My Passport Wireless SSD drive. However, the lack of usable automated proxies, the need to use a horrific checksum system and the fact that the WD was about 1/3 the transfer speed of my Rocket/Gnarbox combo failed me both in terms of wasted time, need to make manual proxies and having no actual usable checksum resulting in problems more than once.
In any event, you could have easily velcro-mated a 1/4" thick little 10K MaH or gotten a Gnarbox backup. I have found that I get about 4.5 hours on average from the Gnarbox battery, and after 24 V90 SD cards and 6 sets of CFX A's copied while using the Anker 20K mAh for the entire 3 day trip, I still had 40%. However, a 10K battery gets you almost 24 continuous hours of actual live copy and proxy use.
No other solution other than a computer, plus third party software plus an external SSD provides the security and functionality that many professionals need. However, the extra time, effort, and complexity of other solutions, including the computer++ approach, make them more prone to workflow and functional problems. Hopefully somebody will come up with a viable alternative to give them competition, but until then all other approaches I have tried are simply accidents waiting to happen, while wasting a lot of time.
absolutely love the input. I haven't watched this video in a while (and didn't now). But the heart of my concerns is I hope the next one is "all the way there" for me. I agree with a lot of what you're saying. They get so so many things right on this device, the things they get wrong are just sadly dealbreakers for me. Love all the input and insight though, this was awesome to read.
Thanks for the review. I have a suggestion. There is a saying “Don’t tell me. Show me.” It would have been much better had you put in clips of things like the slow download. This feels like a PowerPoint presentation with lots of text and no charts or pictures. Thanks again.
Sorry for the lack of B-Roll and pizzazz on this one. I legitimately bought this and promptly returned it (shipped it out after filming). And remember these are just my opinions. I’m sure this is just the trick for others.
Hi
When I connect the gnarbox with a thunderbolt 3 cable to the mac it charges in usb mass storage mode..
Did you turn on in settings Usb-c charging?
Yes. I did this and contacted Gnarbox to ask them why it died. They provided me with the answer I mention in the video (that it does not maintain charge when being used in mass storage mode).
Actual response from them: “The GNARBOX does not charge when it is connected to a computer and runs off of the battery. A full battery should last at least 6hrs when connected to a computer in Mass Storage Mode The reason the GNARBOX does not charge when connected to your computer is because generally most USB connections on computers do not provide enough of a power output.”
Actual video starts at 2:20
Great straight forward review Brett. I just did a review on the WD Passport SSD on my channel for my EOS R single card slot backup solution in field. Might be an option for you but the one thing Gnarbox has is newer port tech like USB C for other types of cards. Would love to get my hand on one by man they are pretty $$$. Subed, keep up the videos.
Really appreciate this. Hard to get motivated to make these but trying hard!
That r5 will fix that need for you which is so exciting!
Brett Carlsen you’ll be great man. Keep at it. The specs alone look amazing at 8K but I’m sure it will come at a price tag, even a machine to edit. I’m still 1080p all I need for now.
Ricky Cheung I’m in the same boat there. 4K DCI raw on my C200 I have to edit proxies on my MBP. I’ve heard people throw around ~$3500 price which is what the 5D starts at each generation
Yes - I think the new technologies have changed the game regarding what is needed and not needed. Ie the r6 saves you £800 from not needing a gnarbox.
Amen to that.
Virtually all those issues have been addressed, but it sounds like you want to have a simple external hard drive like a WD My Passport. There is a lot of thought they have obviously given to workflow with broad-based professional photog and videographer input. But if you do not leverage those workflow automation and related features, they are obstacles rather than aids.
Which I appreciate. This video is pretty old now and while making it I had every intention of keeping the Gnarbox, had many calls to friends that owned them (that did not purchased it) and I called and emailed gnarbox to see if they planned to fix my complaints which support said they did not. I’m stoked they have! Like I say there are many things they got right and think that’s very impressive. But your last comment is very accurate to my issue. If you’re in their flow it’s great but if you aren’t it’s speed bumps instead.
Seriously thinking about it instead of having larger storage in the MacBook Pro I am going to get.
WD 1TB Pro Wireless. About a quarter of the price, does the useful bit, more compact.
Awesome!
I have just bought a WD wireless SSD but tempted to get the Gnarbox instead for the selects.. is there any selects alternative for the WD? I’ll be using it on an iPad and leaving my MacBook behind.
@@robball76 Did you ever find an option? This is where I'm stuck right now. I want to be able to stick my SD card into an external SSD, copy, but then access the files somehow to cull with flagging and/or star rating like the Gnarbox Selects app does, before moving files into Lightroon on my iPad.
It's a shame they seem to have gone out of business, and you can't contact support or download the app anymore, making the Gnarbox a very expensive paperweight
Is there already a video on your channel about how you pick your selects/organize your photos? If not you should!
That is a fantastic idea! Idk what to title that as it would be “how to edit your photos” or something but everyone will think I mean toning when I say that haha.
@@BrettCarlsen I think most photographers would benefit from seeing how other professionals in the industry manages their own files. Everyone is different and has tips to keep organized and tidy.
I’ll happily make this!
Can you plug it in while charging on a laptop? I know you said the laptop doesn't charge it but I was wondering if you can use the other usb c port to charge it while in use
Honestly don’t remember. But they have updated software and say it is now charged by the computer. Wish they would have agreed this was a good idea when I called and emailed them complaining about it haha.
Thanks for the review, I just ordered one myself and I'll keep these facts in mind while I test it out. I'm hoping it'll lighten what I carry while on a project and not add any steps to my workflow. Have you tested any other alternatives?
I cant connect my gearbox to the wifi of my ipad. It says password is not correct. I have never connected it yet so it should be the default
Hmm. Usually you connect the iPad to your Gnarbox’s WiFi network. (May have been a typo but wanted to be certain)
I feel like I remember having to google to double check the password or something similar. But uncertain.
I bought one of these too. Hated it. More like "Shitbox".
Hi was the slow loading by WiFi or by wire connection?
Thanks
I tried both (again this was at release a long time ago) and found both to be quite slow working with 5D Mark IV raw files.
m.2 hard drive fast then ssd.i hope in future they put m.2 and fix transfer
I agree
R6 WiFi has direct backup over WiFi. So what is the point of this £500 equipment.
🤷🏻♂️ not everyone has an R6, but yeah I think there is other ways of doing what the gnarbox does
Too long; didn't watch?