The picture below clarifies very well how far digital technology has come since its beginnings. The huge device, which is elevated by a forklift and loaded into the airplane, is an IBM Model 350 Disk Storage Unit from 1956. It consisted of fifty 24” metal plates, which scaled more than a ton and could be rent for a ridiculous 3.200$ (today it would cost several million for sure – adjusted for inflation) per month.
And the best thing about it is, that the hard disk – if you can call it so – had a capacity of around 3.75MB. You would need fifteen of those to save only one RAW-file of the Sigma DP2 Quattro. And you’d need 21 for a 14bit RAW-file of the Nikon D800! No wonder, that people in those days took pictures with analogue cameras 😉
© Dave Bennet/IBM
Recently, I’ve bought a 1.048.576 MB (1TB) 2,5” – hard disk for little more than 50 euros. It can carry 19.000 RAW/X3F-Files and it is small enough to fit in my jacket pocket 😉
