Blackmagic BRAW proxy workflow
Keep BRAW in the cloud, cut with proxies, grade against the original RAW.
BRAW files eat modest SSDs fast
Blackmagic RAW is lighter than most RAW, but it is still RAW, and it adds up. At constant quality 3:1 a Pocket 6K writes roughly 100 to 200 GB per hour to a single .braw file per clip, and a documentary or multi-day shoot fills a 1 or 2 TB SSD across projects fast. BRAW also decodes partly on the CPU and GPU because the sensor data and Blackmagic colour science travel inside the file, so scrubbing raw .braw on a modest laptop is not always smooth, and Premiere needs the Blackmagic RAW plugin installed to read it at all.
You do not need every .braw on the local disk to cut. A light proxy builds the edit, and the BRAW is only needed at the grade, where you want the real sensor data and the Blackmagic RAW controls.
BRAW cloud archive, proxies on SSD
Sanbila uploads the .braw files to cloud storage on import, with an automatic backup copy, intact and never transcoded. The proxy is encoded on the Sanbila cloud, ProRes Proxy for a Resolve finish or H.264 for Premiere, so your machine is not decoding BRAW while you cut, and only the light proxy sits on your SSD.
You edit on the proxy, and at the grade Smart Relink reads your timeline (FCPXML, Premiere XML, EDL or AAF) and streams only the .braw clips you used back from the cloud over a virtual drive. DaVinci Resolve then decodes the real BRAW with its Camera Raw panel, so the quality setting and Blackmagic colour science are applied to the original, not a baked proxy. Nothing is flattened into the proxy, so a one or two terabyte SSD covers a freelance BRAW load while the archive lives in the cloud.
.braw uploaded intact
The original .braw file, with its Blackmagic sensor data and colour science, is kept in the cloud with an automatic backup copy, never transcoded.
Decode off your machine
ProRes Proxy for Resolve or H.264 for Premiere is encoded on the Sanbila cloud, so your CPU and GPU are not decoding BRAW while you cut.
Grade in the Camera Raw panel
Smart Relink streams the used .braw back, so Resolve applies its RAW controls and quality setting to the real sensor data, not a baked proxy.
No NAS for freelancers
The BRAW archive lives in the cloud, so a 1 or 2 TB SSD covers a typical freelance load instead of a dedicated NAS.
Sanbila by the numbers
Real specs from the live Sanbila product, not marketing claims.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit BRAW on a laptop without a dedicated NAS?+
Yes. Sanbila keeps the .braw in the cloud and caches a light proxy on your SSD, so you cut on the proxy and only the clips you use stream back at the grade. A 1 or 2 TB SSD is enough.
Do I keep Blackmagic RAW controls if I edit on proxies?+
Yes. The .braw is uploaded intact, and at the grade Smart Relink streams it back so Resolve decodes it in the Camera Raw panel with the real sensor data and quality setting.
Why does raw .braw stutter in Premiere?+
Premiere needs the Blackmagic RAW plugin to read .braw, and decoding leans on your CPU and GPU. Cutting on an H.264 proxy and streaming the BRAW only at export avoids the stutter.
How big is BRAW, really?+
At constant quality 3:1 a Pocket 6K is roughly 100 to 200 GB per hour. Lighter than uncompressed RAW, but across projects it still fills a modest SSD, which is why Sanbila keeps the originals in the cloud.
Edit BRAW without filling drives
Free plan includes 5 GB. Solo plan (2 TB) covers typical BRAW freelance workloads.
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