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Sony has announced what it is describing as the world’s fastest SD memory cards with the launch of the new SF-G series. The three cards under the new label are capable of reading out at a rate of 300MB/s, but more significantly for camera performance they can accept data at a write speed of up to 299MB/s. Such speeds equip them to receive high resolution video as well as to cope with the new wave of extreme frame rates in DSLR and mirrorless cameras – such as that produced by the Olympus OM-D E-M1 ll.
Sony says that it isn’t just the physical properties of the cards that assist getting long bursts of high resolution images recorded, as the company has also developed a new algorithm that it says ‘prevents loss of speed in data writing even after repeating burst shooting, and contributes to the camera’s speed of burst shooting’.
Sony will launch three different capacities in the SF-G range; 32GB, 64GB and 128GB, and says the very high read rates possible will reduce the time it takes users to copy large amounts of data from the cards – so long as a suitable card reader is used. Conveniently then, Sony has also announced a new card reader that uses USB 3.1. The MRW-S1 is claimed to be the fastest card reader in the world too, due to its adoption of SuperSpeed USB and a direct, cable-free connection between the reader and the PC’s USB port.
No pricing has been released with the news, but the SF-G cards are due to go on sale in March while the card reader is expected for April.
It’s interesting to note, however, that the card is still rated as U3 speed class, meaning that it’s only guaranteed to be able to sustain a writing speed of 30MB/s, which is significant if you’re attempting to shoot video (30MB/s is 240 Mbps). It’s unclear whether this is because the card can’t dependably write fast enough to earn a V60 rating or if Sony simply hasn’t fully adopted the SD 5.0 standard yet.
For more information visit the Sony memory card website.
Press Release
Sony launches the World’s Fastest SD card, the SF-G series
World’s fastest SD Card for writing speeds up to 299MB/s, for burst mode shooting and 4K video with DSLR
Faster reading speeds up to 300MB/s, for quick file transfer
File rescue software to recover accidentally deleted photos and videos
Faster than ever before
Sony has applied years of experience in professional media to expand the current high performance memory card line up with an ultra-fast speed model that will maximise your camera performance. Introducing the world’s fastest SD card, the SF-G series is the perfect accompaniment for your high-performance DSLR or mirrorless camera, offering up to 299MB/s write speeds, contributing to longer high-speed continuous burst mode shooting for high-resolution images with cameras supporting UHS-II.
Available in 32GB, 64GB or 128GB storage capacity, this memory card’s blazing-fast write speed also allows for a shorter buffer clearing time, making sure you will never miss those life-changing moments or shots.
A Sony developed algorithm prevents loss of speed in data writing even after repeating burst shooting, and contributes to the camera’s speed of burst shooting – this is an SD card you can rely on.
Another brilliant feature of this SD card is the ultra-fast read speed of up to 300MB/s. Paired with a memory card reader, the cards can transfer large volumes and file sizes to a computer very quickly, contributing to a more efficient workflow for professionals.
“As the continuous shooting of higher-resolution images and adoption of 4K video with DSLR and mirrorless camera increases, the inherent need for larger, faster and more reliable cards becomes apparent. Thanks to the SF-G series, we continue to show our commitment to providing a full range of extremely high performance media devices to professional photographers and enthusiasts, maximising their camera performances” said Romain Rousseau, European Product Marketing Manager.
The perfect back-up
Sony’s SD products are highly reliable and durable and offer such features as water proofing and anti-static protection which help keep your precious contents safe. But when you are out all day shooting fast with time at a premium, accidental deletion of images can happen. With Sony’s free downloadable File rescue software, you can quickly recover deleted images or videos, including RAW images and 4K XAVC-S video files.
MRW-S1, the fastest card reader for SF-G series
In conjunction with SF-G series, Sony is introducing a new memory card reader, model MRW-S1, the perfect solution to drastically improve workflow efficiency after shooting by quickly transferring large data from SF-G series SD cards to a PC. This compact card reader offers an in-built SuperSpeed USB (USB3.1 Gen.1) standard A port for cable-free PC connection, so that your files can be copied faster than copying through the SD slot on a PC.
The new SF-G series SD cards will be available in stores in March 2017 and the MRW-S1 card reader will be available in stores in April 2017.
For more information on Sony’s SD card lineup, including the SF-G series, please visit; https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/storage-devices/t/sd-cards
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)