CompactFlash
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Lexar's new CFast 2.0 cards boast SSD speeds, but no cameras support them yet
Lexar has just announced new CompactFlash cards using the CFast 2.0 SATA tech format to greatly improve speeds and maybe steal back some thunder from SDHC. The cards, ranging in size from 32GB to 256GB, support a mind-boggling max read speed of 500 MB/s, bettering earlier models from SanDisk. That's easily enough to keep up with even RAW 4K images, let alone the 65 MB/s barrier required for the VPG-65 performance guarantee standard. Don't get too excited yet, though. First off, so far the company has only released engineering samples to help camera manufacturers. Secondly, there aren't actually any cameras that support CFast 2.0, and the format isn't backwards-compatible whatsoever with current CompactFlash tech. Still, combined with Lexar's Professional Workflow CFast 2.0 USB 3.0 reader -- also just announced -- you'll be able to get superfast speeds on your desktop when it starts shipping sometime in Q1 2014. And when it does get supported by the likes of Arri's Amira and other new cameras, it'll be nice to know you won't need to cram an SSD into your camera to capture 4K.
SanDisk's CFast 2.0 card is the world's fastest memory card of any kind
About a year after the CompactFlash Association announced the CFast 2.0 draft spec, SanDisk has revealed its new Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 memory card. The first of its kind, SanDisk says read speeds of up to 450MB/s and write speeds of up to 350MB/s make it the world's fastest memory card, period. Speed isn't the only improvement either, as the cards claim a tougher, pinless design and even unique serial numbers that owners can register with customer support. For now however, its use is going to be quite limited. The only camera ready for it at launch is the just-announced Arri Amira, although the Arri XT and Classic (with the XR module) cameras can also use it with an adapter. For those still using traditional CompactFlash storage for their 4K shooting the company is stretching the limits there too, with a new 256GB card that it says has the highest capacity ever. That extra storage will cost you however, with a price of $1,809 for the new 256GB version. There's no word on a price for the CFast 2.0 cards or their USB 3.0-equipped reader, but pro videographers in the US and Europe should be able to find them soon at specialty shops and Arri-authorized locations.
Toshiba to release 4K-ready, 160MB/s CompactFlash memory cards
Toshiba will launch its Exceria Pro series of CompactFlash cards into the Japanese market tomorrow with 160MB/s read speeds and 150MB/s write speeds. The company claims the 32GB and 64GB models are the fastest CF cards you can get now, thanks to the UDMA7 protocol combined with its own NAND flash memory and custom firmware. As such, it's certified them to the "video performance guarantee profile 2" (VPG-65) standard, meaning they're guaranteed to sustain 65MB/s, which Toshiba says will support many CF-equipped 4K cameras on the market. Obviously, HD and RAW still shooters using pro DSLR models like Canon's 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 won't have to sweat the frames-per-second, either. There's no word on US availability or pricing, but we should know more when they hit Japanese shops on April 27th.
IRL: oStylus Dot, Sansa Clip+ and SanDisk's Extreme Pro 128GB CompactFlash Card
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This week's IRL is a quirky mix of vintage and modern, with Billy getting comfy with a new iPad stylus and Jason clinging to the Sansa Clip+ player he's owned since 2009. Rounding things out, Darren's decided to put all his digital media in one proverbial basket: a 128GB CompactFlash card.
Lexar launches its first 1000x CF memory cards
You can never get enough speed when it comes to flash storage. Lexar appears to think the same way, because it's introduced a new series of CF cards that pack a whole load of impressive numbers. Boasting 150MB per second read speeds and tested to capture streams at up to 20MB per second, it's sounding like a portable videographer's dream. The cards will be out in February, arriving in sizes 16GB ($170), 32GB ($300), 64GB ($530) and 128GB ($890).
CompactFlash Association readies next-gen XQD format, promises write speeds of 125 MB/s and up
We don't need to tell you CF is one of the few memory card formats that's managed to survive the SD tidal wave (remember when you needed Memory Stick to use a Sony point-and-shoot?). But if you're the kind of serious shooter who uses CF, you might be tickled to know its high-speed successor is just about good to go. The CompactFlash Association said it's finished work on XQD, a next-gen format that promises faster speeds, along with a smaller footprint than current-gen CF cards. As for transfer rates, the included PCI Express interface promises theoretical write speeds as high as 5 Gb/s, though the association is quick to peg real-world writes at 125 MB/s and up. Still, that's plenty fast for processing RAW stills and 1080p video, and it's a clear bump over the 100 MB/s write rates (max) you'll get from today's CF cards. No word on availability or partnerships, though we know Nikon led XQD's development, and that Canon endorsed it, so it's safe to say we'll see this in some major releases sometime after the association starts licensing the technology in early 2012.
Delkin's CF cards handle all weathers, so quit yo' jibber jabber
Delkin sneers at wimps who sit around all day debating whether it's worse to be too hot or too cold. Its new 32GB and 64GB rugged CompactFlash cards relish both extremes, with a claimed operating temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees Celsius. They achieve this by eschewing the cheaper multi-level cell design of namby-pamby mainstream cards in favor of single-level cells that last for up to two million cycles and max out at 105MB/s reads and 95MB/s writes. We wouldn't stick anything else in our SnoMote. Full details in the PR after the break.
Sigma SD1 starts shipping in June for $9,700, has its sights set on medium format lovers
Sigma knows that $9,700 is a lot of money to pay for, well, anything, so it's couching the hefty price tag on its new flagship DSLR, the SD1, in the context of it competing against medium format digital cameras -- whose prices don't generally fall below five figures. Trouble is, as professionally inclined, well designed, and durably built as the SD1 may be, it still only packs a 15.3 megapixel CMOS sensor that spans 24mm x 16mm (or APS-C size). That means it'll have to earn its stripes on the battlefield of image quality, which it'll be ready to march onto in less than a month's time. Sigma promises to start shipping units in early June, so if you have the cash to spare (plus a little extra to fund a suitably awesome lens), you can start building up your anticipation today. Full PR and camera specs can be found after the break.
Lexar dual-slot CF / SD reader packs USB 3.0, downloads cards six times faster (video)
For professional photographers, every second counts when downloading images on a deadline -- especially when you throw enormous HD video files into the mix. With the $50 Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader, photogs now have a fast transfer option to compliment their pricey high-capacity CF and UHS-I SDXC cards, theoretically enabling downloads at up to 500MB per second (though current cards max out at one-fifth of that). You'll need to have a USB 3.0 port and high-speed flash to take advantage of faster transfers, though the reader is backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 and older cards -- you'll even be able to use that 32MB CF that came bundled with your DSLR. And what about appearance? Lexar Director of Marketing Jeff Cable sums it up: "It looks similar to our older card reader, the USB 2.0 reader, except that it says USB 3.0 right here on the front." Bam!
HP tries to sneak CFast slot by us in EliteBook 8560w
HP must have thought it could sneak this one by us -- and it would have succeeded too, if it wasn't for those meddling tipsters. A close examination of the recently announced EliteBook 8560w's press shot reveals it has a CFast slot, an interesting tidbit not mentioned in the release or the spec sheet. This is, to our knowledge, the first notebook to ship with a slot for the updated CompactFlash format, though the lack of cameras and other devices using the medium makes it a somewhat superfluous feature at the moment. Still, with transfer rates significantly faster than current CompactFlash cards and twice that of SDXC cards (with room to grow), we assume its only a matter of time before Nikon and Canon slap these bad boys in a few high-end shooters. Closeup shot after the break. [Thanks, Reznov]
iPad, iPad 2 get unofficial CF card compatibility (video)
Given the impressive knockoffs and official camera kits we've seen, we'd say the iPad's definitely got the stuff to help out most shutterbugs, but up until now, uploading content from a CF card wasn't exactly easy. Well, our friends over at MIC Gadget recently showed off an iPad / iPad 2-compatible card reader that fixes that on the cheap. Simply called the CF card reader for iPad and iPad 2, the thing slips right into the slate's dock connector port and, as you can see from the video below, it transfers HD video and high-res images in a snap -- it also sports USB connectivity. Like its predecessor, the reader's available from MIC for $29.90, but you'll have to wait at least a month to get your hands on one. Oh, and a word of warning, you might want to make sure the iPad supports your camera's video format before shelling out the dough, as MIC found the slab couldn't playback video from a Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
SanDisk reveals $1500 128GB Extreme Pro CF card, Ultra / Cruzer Edge USB drives
The world's fastest high-capacity CompactFlash card? Yes, please! SanDisk has just taken the CF game to an entirely new level, doubling the capacity of its current highest Extreme Pro offering by dishing out a 128GB model here at CES. The Extreme Pro is definitely the card of choice for the high-speed cameras here at Engadget HQ, and for those who've outgrown their twin 64GB setup within their D3S, you can soon pop in a pair of these bad boys for a nominal fee. The card touts performance as high as 100MB/sec (write), a Power Core controller and a UDMA-7 interface, perfectly suited for capturing hours of 1080p footage. Oh, and speaking of that nominal fee -- it's expected to hit retail "later this year" for $1499.99. Yeah, a grand and a half. But hey, you get what you pay for. In less enticing news, a pair of new flash drives are also being launched this evening, the SanDisk Ultra and Cruzer Edge. The Ultra offers transfer rates as high as 15MB/sec, ships in capacities ranging from 8GB to 32GB and will cost between $44.99 and $109.99. The Cruzer Edge reaches from 2GB to 16GB and will set you back between $12.99 and $79.99. Check out the full releases after the break, and though we shouldn't need to advise you, we'd recommend you start pinching those pennies dimes soon. %Gallery-112736%
Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon propose 500MBps memory card with more than 2TB capacity
While the CompactFlash Association scoots along at a maximum transfer rate of 167MB per second under its just released CF6.0 specification, Sandisk, Sony, and Nikon are already looking to the future. The trio have just officially proposed a new memory card format that switches from PATA to the PCI Express serial interface to achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second with a potential to extend maximum storage capacities beyond 2 terabytes. The proposed set of specifications hints at the high performance requirements we'll soon face as DSLRs and camcorders are updated to capture continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images and ever higher definition video. Naturally, the spec also enables photogs to transfer their troves of data more quickly to computers for post processing and combines high-speed transfer with a scaling system to extend battery life. The CompactFlash Association has already announced a new workgroup to study the proposal. Canon's Shigeto Kanda, CFA chairman of the board, had this to say about the proposal: Future professional photography and video applications will require memory cards with faster read/write speeds. The development of a new high-performance card standard with a serial interface will meet the needs of the professional imaging industry for years to come and open the door for exciting new applications. Sounds like tacit approval to us. And really, anything that brings Sony and Sandisk together on a future storage format should be seen as a positive step. Unless, of course, you're the SD Card Association or anyone who recently purchased a CFast card.
Trimble enhances its Nomad 900 series rugged computers, takes WinMo further into the field
Windows Phone 7 may be the talk of the town, but good 'ol Windows Mobile is still gettin' 'er done in industrial devices around the country, gadgets like the Trimble Nomad 900 series. These rugged and suitably yellow handhelds are now even better at finding their way through the wilderness with improved GPS circuitry to decrease the time it takes to pull coordinates from the heavenly bodies above. Also new is a 5 megapixel camera with flash, paired with the same 806MHz processor, and 3.5-inch VGA display, 128MB of RAM, and 6GB of flash storage. Not enough for you? CompactFlash expansion is on offer, and you know how cheap CF cards are these days.
Transcend issues four new CFast 500 memory cards, promises 108MB/sec transfer rates
February 2010 has come and gone, and we're still not seeing a heck of a lot of traction with regard to CFast. Hailed as the next major leap in the CompactFlash standard, CFast cards rely on the SATA interface versus UDMA / IDE, with Transcend's latest expected to boast transfer rates of 108MB/sec. As with other CFast cards, these too are shaped exactly like existing CompactFlash units, and while it seems as if the company is pushing these towards enterprise and industrial applications right now, it's just a matter of time before they make the jaunt to your local camera shop. Expect four sizes (2/4/8/16GB) to pop up in the next few months, and feel free to let your imagination run wild with respect to prices.
Hasselblad CFV-50 adds 50MP digital sensor to your V-System camera
We know you're a hardy crowd and aren't impressed by mere megapixels, but how about this: the 50MP sensor inside Hasselblad's new CFV-50 digital back is physically twice as large as a full-frame imager. Yeah, now we've got your attention. Intended as the attachment that finally makes film shooters break down and go digital, the CFV-50 comes with Hasselblad's DAC lens correction features that'll hunt down and ruthlessly obliterate any distortion, vignetting, lateral chromatic aberrations, or stray feelings of buyer's remorse. Yours for only €11,990 ($15,750) plus whatever taxes your local bureaucrat elects to slap on top. Full press release and a closeup of the CFV-50 await after the break. Update: We managed to stop by the outfit's booth here at Photokina and snag a quick hands-on. Man, does this thing feel retro.
Sigma SD1 has a 15.3MP sensor, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, and no video mode at all (update: eyes-on!)
It'd be too easy to describe this as "one for the purists," but it really rather is. The Sigma SD1 eschews any pretenses of being a video camera and gets right on with the business of taking gorgeous stills instead. Employing a 24mm x 16mm X3 CMOS sensor -- you know, the one with three stacked layers, one each for absorbing red, green and blue light -- dual TRUE II image processors, and an 11-point autofocusing system, the SD1 is eager to sweep up enthusiast photographers into its magnesium alloy embrace. 98 percent viewfinder coverage, a 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD and CompactFlash compatibility fill out the spec sheet, while price is indicated as somewhere in the neighborhood of the Canon EOS 7D. Without any live view or video options, Sigma had better have some truly spectacular image quality to show us when this thing ships in February of next year. Update: Our hopes and dreams of caressing this rugged beast were dashed upon learning that the only SD1 at Photokina was held behind a glass box of emotion, but that didn't stop us from pointing our own camera at it and firing off a few shots. Trust us, it looks just as beastly in person as it does in the press shots. Have a gander below, won't you? %Gallery-102882%
PhotoFast GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter gives your pro DSLR another storage option
You're probably wondering how you'll get 2TB or so into a single CF slot of your D3S. Or even if you're not, you're probably wondering how you can strap a trio of CF cards together for a 6TB slab of flash storage. So far as we can tell, PhotoFast's the first with an adapter that enables devices with CompactFlash slots to accept those minty fresh SDXC cards, which would theoretically allow anything that understands CF to now recognize. The GM-7300 SDXC-to-CF adapter is expected to ship next month in Japan for ¥2,980 ($35), but there's no word yet on when it'll be headed up over the Bering Strait and down into the US of A.
Shooting around with the Nikon D3S: the field review
Nikon's D3S didn't exactly emerge out of nowhere, but the DSLR's boosted ISO ceiling of over 100,000 (102,400, if we're being precise) has certainly shaken up the industry. Nikon claims that it's set a new bar for low-light performance and raw speed in the crowded DSLR arena, and we were tickled pink when given the chance to see if this thing was worth its weight in gold. Now, the master photogs over at DP Review have already broken down the nitty-gritty details in an exhaustive 34 page critique, but for those just looking for a little insight -- and perhaps a short answer to "should I buy this?" -- we've got exactly what you're looking for. Head on past the break for two distinct takes on Nikon's most capable shooter yet -- and some thoughts on how Nikon's latest monster professional cam will radically change the consumer camera as well.
RED Station makes modular storage look good
ARRI may have attracted the majority of attention from camera nerds at this year's NAB show with its ALEXA camera, but RED is making a respectable showing itself, and has now introduced its new RED Station modular storage unit. That consists of a typically RED-looking base station, along with either a CompactFlash card reader module or a 2.5-inch SSD / hard drive reader, or both. Each of those modules also naturally packs an ample supply of ports, including not one but two FireWire 800 ports, and a single eSATA and mini USB port. Of course, all that doesn't exactly come cheap, with each piece of the puzzle set to run about $250 when they roll out on April 16th. RED isn't quite done with NAB just yet, however, as it also plans to show off a working EPIC camera at the show.
