Moving to and managing an external Photos DSLR non-icloud library

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Level 1

18 points

Moving to and managing an external Photos DSLR non-icloud library

Hi all

I have a 2TB MBP that is now running out of space and having addressed capacity issues elsewhere it is now time to move my non-iCloud Photos library to an external as the main master location.

My current set-up:

I have two of my own user accounts on my MBP, one account has an iCloud enabled iPhone-based Photos system library and that will remain on the internal drive. The other is my DSLR-based managed Photos library which is on my other user account - this allows for it to be a system library there (so I can use third party apps such as Nitro and previously Raw Power with it) but crucially it is not iCloud enabled. However, this is now taking-up too much space. Currently, all my files (including Photos libraries) are backed-up to 2x 16TB HDD RAID 0 external enclosures (one at home, another at work) plus a Backblaze cloud backup.

Preference - While separate libraries can be created and some do advise it for performance reasons with large libraries, I have a preference for a single Master version (albeit duplicated on two externals) so the Memories feature works across the entire time period of my photos.

My potential solution:

Do a final back-up of my DSLR non-icloud Photos library to my both of my externals (and Backblaze), renaming the now external versions of the library to something like Photos DSLR Master library. The original DSLR library on my internal drive I will likely also rename to something like Photos DSLR temp library. I will keep the folder structure (geographic-based) but delete all past photos from it (now existing on the externals only) so that only new ones are added but my existing geographic organisation structure is intact. This DLSR temp Photos library will continue to be backed-up separately to my externals. New additions can be fast edited on the internal but I was then intending to download PowerPhotos so I can periodically update my DSLR Master library on the externals with the latest photos I have added to my DSLR temp Photos library on my internal drive. As the DSLR temp library takes up space I can delete older photos on it knowing they are on the Master library on the externals.

Does this sound like a feasible way forward for maintaining a larger Masters Photos library externally?

Many thanks

Ross

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on Aug 4, 2025 07:03 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,516 points

Aug 4, 2025 08:24 AM in response to Rossulik

Why not just move the library to an external disk formatted Mac OS X Extended, Journaled or apfs?

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

214,314 points

Aug 4, 2025 09:08 AM in response to Rossulik

As Yer_Man suggested move the large library to a portable external SSD.

That being said consider this external SSD as a candidate: Envoy Pro mini - 500 GB, 2 TB, 1 TB

If budget is a major concern consider this setup:

I have several similar setups running as external SSDs for my Mac Mini M4.

Just some food for thought.

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Answer 3

Rossulik Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 4, 2025 11:55 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks both. That is a fair point and would be a nice way to do it, too. Was actually thinking of that for my old Aperture library which I'm in the midst of prepping for the final move over but it comes in at over 4.5TB (16bit film scans in there, too) and was thinking I might need to go down a 2xSSD RAID 0 set-up with two Samsung 990 PRO 4 TB, (although total speed would be overkill for my M1 TB4 port and the enclosures). I technically could get both libraries merged on that final 8TB set-up and have space to add more. I do like the idea of still having fast near internal drive speeds on a dedicated external(s).

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