Rising DRAM, NAND and HDD prices threaten camera media, editing workflows, and post-production systems

By NetNewsLedger Tech Team

THUNDER BAY – TECH UPDATE: A severe, industry-wide memory component shortage is accelerating more rapidly than forecast, with signs pointing to major consequences for photographers, filmmakers, and content creators. As 2025 closes out, supply of NAND flash, DRAM, HBM, HDDs, and even mature-node semiconductors is tightening dramatically — and the impact is now reaching far beyond consumer PC parts.

Filmmakers and digital creators may soon face a crunch in storage media, RAM, and even camera gear availability, as pressure from the AI server boom shifts manufacturing priorities away from the creative sector.

🔥 From Camera Cards to Workstations — Memory Crunch Hits Creators

The warning signs are no longer subtle. A recent industry note from a major camera media manufacturer to CineD confirms that NAND flash scarcity is now affecting the very components used in CFexpress and SD cards, essential for video production.

Meanwhile, memory suppliers and chipmakers are reporting capacity sold out into 2026, with CEO Wallace C. Kou of Silicon Motion calling the current scenario “unlike anything the industry has ever seen.” He points to a worsening shortage across HDD, DRAM, HBM, and NAND, all crucial to on-set data storage, post-production computers, and high-resolution digital camera systems.

💡 Why This Is Happening: AI Servers Are Soaking Up Global Memory Supply

At the centre of the shortage is the AI infrastructure race. Hyperscalers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are buying enormous quantities of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and DDR5 DRAM to power machine learning servers. These components require more wafers and silicon than older memory types, eating up fabrication capacity that once served the broader tech market — including cameras, SSDs, and RAM for creators.

Samsung has already raised chip prices by up to 60%, while foundries like SMIC report major slowdowns in production of other components due to memory bottlenecks.

💾 What It Means for Thunder Bay Filmmakers and Photographers

The supply crisis touches nearly every stage of the modern media pipeline:

🎥 Camera Cards

• CFexpress and SDXC cards may spike in price, or become harder to find in large capacities

• These rely on premium-grade NAND, which is being redirected toward AI-grade SSDs

🖥️ Editing Workstations

• RAM prices for DDR4 and DDR5 have already doubled in some regions

• GPU production is slowing down as memory costs eat into development budgets

• Upgrading editing rigs, HDR monitors, and rendering machines will likely cost more in 2026

🗃️ Archival Storage

• HDDs used for cold storage are becoming scarce

• Cloud storage providers are shifting to SSD-based archives, tightening NAND supply further

• Media companies may need to plan backup storage months in advance

📦 Panic Buying and Delayed Releases

Large manufacturers like ASUS and MSI are now buying memory on the spot market — usually a last-resort tactic for small vendors. This has triggered what analysts are calling panic buying, pushing prices up and drying out normal supply channels.

DigiTimes and TechPowerUp both report that some camera and laptop product lines are delayed due to unavailable internal memory components. In practical terms, this could mean slower release timelines for new mirrorless camera bodies, SSDs, or production laptops.

📉 Outlook: Shortage May Extend into 2027

While prices are rising, manufacturers are not increasing production fast enough to relieve pressure. Instead, they’re investing cautiously, worried that the AI boom could become a bubble. With no new factories coming online quickly, analysts warn that the global memory crunch could last through 2026 and into 2027.

🧠 What NetNewsLedger Recommends

For production teams in Thunder Bay and across Canada, 2026 will be the year to plan gear and storage purchases earlier:

• Buy CFexpress and SSD media early in your production cycle

• Budget more for RAM and GPU-based editing system upgrades

• Ensure backup drives and archival workflows are secured ahead of deadlines

Studios that rely on high-resolution workflows, multicam setups, or HDR monitoring should take this trend seriously. Cost and availability are no longer guaranteed, and delays could impact publishing and delivery timelines.

🧭 Final Thought

This memory shortage isn’t just a tech story — it’s a creative production issue. As AI servers continue to dominate chip supply chains, creators and media professionals must adapt to a world where planning, budgeting, and sourcing gear becomes part of the creative process.

NetNewsLedger will continue tracking the impact of this crisis on the filmmaking, photography, and broadcast industries as it unfolds through 2026.

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