My experience on Synology for Photo/Video is good. Frequent using it.

You can either set up for common use or individual photo/video. Backup and view.

Download the synology apps for ios/android.

Get a switch data control and connect the NAS Synology with aggregate.

It can setup for each individual use. Backup, photo/video, music, file etc. Can setup for over 100 user. (Forget the actual)

You're the admin to control the NAS.

It come without the hdd. HDD size depend your usage every yrs and forecast how long it last before full.

Setup the NAS in Raid. At least buy the 4hdd bay.

Can have 3 individual with their own space. Create everyone each their own account and their folder, then allow each account to only read & write their own folder. You also can set each folder can only occupy how many GB/TB space.



See this to understand how HDD, storage pool, volumes and folders work with each other. Start from bottom, Disk is the how many HDD that you have in the NAS. From there you create storage pool, this part you decide what RAID type you want to use, different type of RAID affect how many space you have. Example if use 4 HDD and set RAID-10, you only have half the space from HDD capacity, if set RAID-5 or SHR you have 75% of the space from HDD capacity. After that you create volume, you can create one or multiple volumes. After that only you create folders on which volume that you have.

If use Windows as comparison, folders in NAS are like partition that you create from HDD in Windows. Volume in NAS are like the HDD in Windows. NAS have another layer that is storage pool which is cumulative of the HDD that you have.

Usually seller sell NAS without HDD. Some do bundle with HDD but unless the price is cheaper it's better to buy separately.

Synology got Photos and Moments app that for upload photos and videos as well as managing it

Usually can last around 5 years, but actual is depends on usage, how take care, type of HDD.
Best is get NAS HDD, as it design for continuous running and have vibration protection.

My experience from 2 bay to 4 bay and last, 8 bay.

If for personnel use less traffic, 2bay is ok.

The cons about 2bay is,

1) The only way to expand if run out of space is by HDD. No extra bay to expand. Both HDD have to change together.
2) The chance of both hdd spoil is high. Cause you normally buy the hdd together. Backup is like no backup. Unless you can buy hdd separate time and place.
3) it only provided 1 LAN to communicate. If the LAN port spoil, you can't access your data anymore. No spare LAN.

My 2bay last about 5yrs, 4bay last about 6-7yrs. Now using 8bay.

HDD lifespan very much depend on brand I guess.

I have WD red last 5yrs and some still running. Have Samsung last 8yrs and some still running. Have new seagate stil running fine.l