A method of creating or updating a container file for storing images is provided. The method includes determining whether the container file already exists in a storage device, the container file having a container file metadata section. If the container file does not exist in the storage device, the method creates the container file by creating one or more empty records in the storage device. Each record of the one or more empty records includes an image file section reserved for storing an image, an image metadata section reserved for storing data about the image, a record metadata section including information about the record and having at least a record status mark indicating that the record is empty. The method further includes setting a container status mark in the container file metadata section to available, after creating the container file.