Samsung: Rugged speed for real-world filmmaking
Posted on Dec 19, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 Shield never missed a beat when storing all the footage from a news shoot
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In modern filmmaking, speed isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. The difference between catching the shot or missing it often comes down to how quickly you can move, shoot, back up and deliver. Whether you’re working solo on location or part of a large-scale production team, the need for fast, durable and reliable storage has never been greater.
That’s where the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is perfect. It’s a tiny unit that delivers blistering speeds, complete peace of mind and the resilience to thrive no matter where your production takes you. Designed for creators who work fast and travel light, it’s a true workhorse that is compact, secure and unshakably tough.
For filmmaker Ian Allardyce, that blend is crucial as his work is massively varied, but always under pressure.
He rose to fame when he travelled to Afghanistan, one year after the Taliban regained power, as one of the first western filmmakers to reach the heartland province of Zabul. Alone and working with limited resources, he was able to shoot a feature-length documentary for News UK that would go on to screen at Cheltenham Literary Festival and Bafta.
It was an assignment that tests every part of a filmmaker’s resolve – and their kit. Allardyce says, “Weeks of self-shooting in fast-moving environments means I only use gear that I can trust completely.”
That trust now extends to something small but crucial – the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield. Whether he is filming a commercial doc or social-first content for different brands, his work depends on reliable, high-speed data storage in unpredictable conditions.
He especially enjoys filming long-form content, and his latest project is working on documentaries for a YouTube channel with journalist Ninka Mbaye about people living taboo lifestyles. “Her style is very Louis Theroux, which means she wants long takes, so I need lots of storage!” he says.
“After shooting an episode recently, I had to offload a day’s footage on the roof of our hire car – the typical life of a documentary DOP! The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield was lightning quick, so four full 120GB cards were backed up in the time it took to pack the car. We were able to enjoy a stunning sunset and moonrise instead of staring at a progress bar.”
That speed comes from Samsung’s USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, which delivers read speeds of 1050MB/s and write speeds of 1000MB/s. Even when handling huge 4K or 6K video files, transfers happen in mere seconds, not minutes. For those working against the clock, it guarantees instant backups, quicker offloads and a smooth on-set workflow.
Yet, performance is only part of the story. The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is built to handle the kind of abuse that would make lesser storage quit. Its IP65 rating means it shrugs off dust and water, and the rubberised shell as well as an aluminium unibody protect it from drops of up to three metres. It has been tested in everything from busy city streets to desert heat and it just keeps on going.
“When you are filming on the move, you cannot afford to baby your kit,” Allardyce explains. “This portable drive takes the knocks and keeps the footage safe – that means everything.”
At just 59mm wide, 88mm long and 13mm thick, as well as weighing just 98g, the device slips easily into a pocket. Despite its tiny size, it’s available in 1TB and 2TB in black, blue and beige, as well as 4TB in black – plenty for days of shooting high-bit-rate footage with no swapping.
Security and compatibility are built in. AES 256-bit hardware encryption protects your work with optional password access through Samsung’s Magician software, which also monitors drive health, manages firmware and optimises performance. The portable drive works seamlessly with Windows, MacOS and Android, and supports direct recording from SSD-compatible cameras. Both USB-C to C and USB-C to A cables are included, so it is ready straight out of the box.
That combination of performance, portability and peace of mind is exactly why the portable drive has become the go-to choice for filmmakers who refuse to compromise. Whether you’re shooting a brand campaign or a hard-hitting documentary, it delivers the same confidence in your storage as your camera delivers in your image.
“You do not get a second chance in documentary filmmaking,” he says. “Once the footage is gone, it’s gone; so having a portable drive that is fast, reliable and secure lets me concentrate on the story rather than the stress.”
The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is proof that the smallest pieces of kit can make the biggest impact. It’s the reliable heart of a modern mobile production unit. Because, when the pressure is on and the light is fading, you don’t just need storage – you need a shield.
Specifications at a glance
- Read speed: Up to 1050MB/s
- Write speed: Up to 1000MB/s
- Connectivity: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Durability: IP65 rated (dust/water); drop resistant up to 3m
- Weight: 98g
- Dimensions: 59x88x13mm
- Capacities: 1TB, 2TB (blue, beige, black); 4TB (black only)
- Security: AES 256-bit hardware encryption, password protection via Samsung Magician Software
- Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, SSD-enabled cameras
- Cables included: USB-C to C, USB-C to A
Pro plus micro sd
Samsung is famed worldwide for its fast and reliable memory solutions – and that extends to micro SD cards. Samsung’s PRO Plus micro SD card is available in up to 1TB in capacity and, with a read speed of 180MB/s and write speed of 130MB/s, it’s V30 rated for 4K capture.
It’s perfect for action cameras, audio recorders, drones and indeed any devices which require a micro SD card.
The Samsung PRO Plus also comes with an SD adapter, so it can be used in SD-equipped cameras and then downloaded directly to a laptop which has an SD slot or via a card reader.
For more information, visit samsung.com/uk/memory-storage/all-memory-storage
This article was first published in the January/February 2026 issue of Pro Moviemaker
