RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘CFexpress’

CFexpress Type B memory cards double read speed to 1.7GBps, write speed to 1.4GBps

03 Mar

Sony has announced it will introduce the next generation CFexpress memory cards this summer, and promises read speeds of up to 1.7GB per second and write speeds up to 1.48GB/s. The Type B cards will use the third generation PCI-E interface that allows them to read and write at twice the rates of current models.

To make the most of the new cards a faster card reader will be launched — called the MRW-G1 — that will be backward compatible with existing CFexpress cards as well as XQD memory cards. The new cards will be more drop-proof than their predecessors and will be able to withstand a force of 70N.

The cards are aimed at industrial users as well as professional photographers. The first cards will come in a capacity of 128GB, but later units will offer 256GB and 512GB of space. For more information see the Sony website and the Compact Flash Association.

Press release:

Sony develops CFexpress Type B memory card boasting ultra-fast read and write speeds of up to 1700MB/s[1] and 1480MB/s1

  • Incomparably fast speed, designed for professional and industrial use, supports future evolution of digital devices
  • High reliability in extreme conditions thanks to TOUGH performance and smart software
  • New Sony CFexpress card reader, MRW-G1, takes full advantage of Sony CFexpress Type B’s high-speed performance
  • The Sony CFexpress Type B memory card and the CFexpress Card Reader will be in the market in early summer 2019

Sony today announced the development of the CFexpress Type B memory card (CEB-G128), a new ultra-fast next generation memory card2 that is ideal for professional and industrial use. With its super-fast speed of up to 1700MB/s (read) along with highly reliable toughness, this memory card supports the future evolution of digital devices.

Enhancing Sony’s high performance, value-added memory card line-up, the CFexpress Type B is designed based on a new specification which adopts the latest interface, PCIe®3 Gen3, standardised by the CompactFlash Association.

The Sony CFexpress Type B memory card offers a 128GB capacity, with higher capacity models of 256 GB and 512 GB planned for the future.

Incomparably fast
The Sony CFexpress Type B memory card is around 3 times faster than Sony’s fastest CFast memory card (with 530MB/s read speed). With a write speed of up to 1480MB/s, this card meets future requirement needs for secure industry data-recording or requirements from professionals to capture hi-resolution images or high-bitrate video.

With an ultra-fast read speed of up to 1700MB/s, even large-sized data files can be transferred quickly, when compared to existing memory cards. For example, when making copies or backing up large-sized data from multiple memory cards, transfer time will be dramatically reduced. This greatly improves work efficiency.

The new CFexpress Card Reader, MRW-G1, is optimised for Sony CFexpress Type B memory card and takes full advantage of the card’s fast read speed. This reader is also compatible with Sony XQD card G series and M series.

TOUGH performance
The Sony CFexpress Type B memory card has superior strength, surpassing the CFexpress standard by a factor of three, being able to withstand 70N of force in bend, and five times greater withstanding falls from up to 5m high.

The card is also temperature proof, X-ray proof, anti-static and has a UV guard so it can perfectly support usage in tricky or tough environments.

Peace of mind
Media Scan Utility and Memory Card File Rescue are available as a free download to Sony CFexpress card users.

Media Scan Utility is PC software that automatically scans your Sony CFexpress memory card every time you connect it to a PC via your MRW-G1 card reader4. The software keeps you informed of the condition of your card and lets you know if you’re nearing or have reached the flash memory limit.

Memory Card File Rescue eradicates every photographer’s worst nightmare – deleting photos accidentally and losing your precious work. The software recovers accidentally deleted files including RAW or high-resolution images and videos, so your work is safe from whatever obstacles are thrown your way.

The Sony CFexpress Type B memory card and the CFexpress MRW-G1 Card Reader will be on the market in early summer 2019.

– Ends –

[1] Based on Sony internal testing. Actual performance may vary and is dependent on environment and usage.
2 Based on memory card standard announced from the CompactFlash Association in 2017 as the next generation of XQD memory card and CFast memory card. CompactFlash is a trademark of CompactFlash Association.
3 PCIe is a registered trademark of PCI-SIG.
4 MRW-G1 is required to scan Sony CFexpress memory card

[1] Based on Sony internal testing. Actual performance may vary and is dependent on environment and usage.
2 Based on memory card standard announced from the CompactFlash Association in 2017 as the next generation of XQD memory card and CFast memory card. CompactFlash is a trademark of CompactFlash Association.

3 PCIe is a registered trademark of PCI-SIG.
4 MRW-G1 is required to scan Sony CFexpress memory card

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on CFexpress Type B memory cards double read speed to 1.7GBps, write speed to 1.4GBps

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Nikon to add Eye AF, Raw video and CFexpress support to Z-series

08 Jan

Nikon has announced a trio of features under development for its Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras. First is Eye AF, a feature long found on Sony mirrorless cameras, including the a7 III and a7R III against which the Z6 and Z7 compete.

Another significant upcoming feature is the ability to output ProRes RAW video to an Atomos Ninja V. This would make the Z6 and Z7 the first stills/video hybrid cameras to support RAW video output, suggesting that Nikon is very serious about competing in the video space. In that context, the just-announced Z6 Filmmaker’s Kit with a bundled Ninja V recorder makes a lot of sense.

Finally, the company confirmed that support for CFexpress cards is on the way. CFexpress cards are capable of much higher read/write speeds than current XQD media.

More detail on all three features will be announced at a later date.

Press Release

NIKON DELIVERS IMAGING INNOVATION, INSPIRES CREATORS AT CES® 2019

New Products Including NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Lens and Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit Will be Showcased; Attendees Invited to Booth to See Amazing Speakers, Fun & Sharable Displays as Well as Future Z System Updates

LAS VEGAS – CES BOOTH #14006 (January 7, 2019) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced details surrounding their activities and new products at CES 2019. This year, Nikon will livestream a myriad of exciting and inspiring presentations from renowned Nikon Ambassadors and photographers directly from the show floor, while also offering instantly shareable and interactive experiences for show attendees. Additionally, Nikon will be showing the latest digital imaging innovations available now and in the near future with a Z Series exhibition featuring the new NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens, the Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit and a display of upgrades currently in development for the Z Series that will add new features and enhance usability.

Booth Activities: Livestream, Presentations and Shareable Moments

During CES, the Nikon booth will host live presentations and panel discussions from various Nikon Ambassadors and photographers covering a wide array of topics; from capturing weddings to conservation, outdoor adventures to iconic rock legends and more. Nikon will also be holding hands-on demonstrations and discussions with Nikon Ambassadors at an additional stage within the booth. Show attendees are encouraged to visit Nikon for giveaways, to chat with a product expert, or to check out the full line of award-winning Nikon DSLR cameras. While there, visitors can also experience the vast selection of NIKKOR lenses and an assortment of other products, including the COOLPIX P1000 with its powerful 125x optical zoom lens.

For those around the world who want to join in, Nikon will again be livestreaming all presentations directly from the booth from Tuesday, January 8 to Friday, January 11. To watch, please visit www.nikonusa.com/live or www.facebook.com/nikonusa. A full schedule of Nikon presentations can be found below.

New for CES 2019

  • NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Lens – This is the first ultra-wide zoom lens for the Z Mount System and the world’s first* full-frame 14mm filter-attachable lens. This new S-Line lens is ideal for a variety of shooting scenarios including landscapes, interiors and architecture. The 14-30mm f/4 S lens is both compact and lightweight while delivering incredible sharpness and versatility. This new lens takes full advantage of the benefits of Nikon’s new Z Mount and demonstrates superior optical performance that maximizes the potential of high pixel-count digital cameras like the 45.7-megapixel Nikon Z 7. The NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens will be available in Spring 2019 for a suggested retail price of $ 1,299.95**.
  • Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit – For content creators and filmmakers looking to fully utilize the Nikon Z 6’s advanced video capabilities, Nikon has created a new Filmmaker’s Kit incorporating the camera as well an array of essential video capture accessories. The bundle includes: a Nikon Z 6 camera, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens, Mount Adapter FTZ, Atomos Ninja V 4K HDR 5” Monitor Recorder, Rode VideoMic Pro Plus, MOZA Air 2 3-Axis Hand-Held Gimbal Stabilizer, an additional EN-EL15b battery, a coiled HDMI cable, a 12-month Vimeo Pro membership and a complimentary Nikon School Online class. The Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit will be available in late January 2019 for a suggested retail price of $ 3,999.95**.
  • Share Your Experience from the Nikon Pop-Up Studio – CES attendees are encouraged to stop by the Nikon booth to experience the interactive fan area, which will give show-goers the chance to capture visually fun and distinct moments to share with their own social media followers and friends. A selection of carefully curated scenes will depict whimsical and colorful interactive environments that create fun photo opportunities. All still images and slow-motion video will be captured by the latest Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras and NIKKOR lenses, delivering incredible image quality and results.

The Nikon Z Series: Upcoming Firmware on Display

The Nikon Z series will continue to adapt to changing user needs through the development and roll-out of firmware updates to meet and exceed creative expectations. Taking into account feedback from photographers and creators, Nikon will display three feature updates under development that open creative opportunities for the Z 6 and Z 7. Displays will include:

  • CFexpress – Coming soon to the Z 6 and Z 7 cameras is support for CFexpress, which is compatible with the XQD memory card form-factor.
  • Eye AF – Under development is an Eye AF function, which will automatically detect the subject’s eyes to make attaining critical focus on the eyes easier. It will allow users to capture photos in which focus has been clearly acquired on the subject’s eye, which is useful for portrait, event and street photography scenarios.
  • RAW Video Support – Nikon is currently developing a feature that works with the ATOMOS Ninja V to output video in RAW format, using the ProRes RAW codec.

Details, including the release date of new firmware updates, will be shared at a later date.

Nikon Theater Presentation Schedule

The Nikon Theater will feature a full schedule of inspiring and engaging photographers throughout CES. Presentations will be available via livestream so those not attending CES 2019 can watch remotely here: www.nikonusa.com/live or www.facebook.com/nikonusa. Presentations will be captured using Nikon cameras, NIKKOR lenses and various automated broadcast solutions from MRMC, a Nikon company.

Day 1 – Tuesday, January 8 (Show Hours: 10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. PST)

  • 10:45 AM- 11:15 AM: Day to Night – Stephen Wilkes
  • 11:30 AM- 12:00 PM: Adventures in Z Land – Joe McNally
  • 12:00 PM- 12:30 PM: Showing Motion with A Single Frame – Kristi Odom
  • 12:45 PM- 1:15 PM: Ocean’s Matter – Brian Skerry
  • 1:15 PM- 1:45 PM: Flowmotion (and the importance of finding your style) – Rob Whitworth
  • 2:00 PM- 2:45 PM: Framing the Narrative: Photography in Conservation – Panel Discussion with Ami Vitale, Brian Skerry, James Balog
  • 2:45 PM- 3:15 PM: Framing the Narrative – Ami Vitale
  • 3:30 PM- 4:15 PM: The Power of Personal Projects – Panel Discussion with Stacy Pearsall, Jen Rozenbaum, Tamara Lackey
  • 4:15 PM- 4:45 PM: Z Pictures Everywhere: Travel, In – Studio and Every Day Life! – Tamara Lackey
  • 5:00 PM- 5:30 PM: The Human Element: A New Vision of Nature – James Balog
  • 5:30 PM- 6:00 PM: How to Wow – Jerry Ghionis

Day 2 – Wednesday, January 9 (Show Hours: 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. PST)

  • 9:45 AM- 10:15 AM: A Colorful Career in Black and White – Stacy Pearsall
  • 10:30 AM- 11:00 AM: Sports Photography: Capturing Moments from Sandlots to the Pros – Rod Mar
  • 11:00 AM- 11:30 AM: Magazine Portraits: Celebrities, Athletes, and the Race Against Time – Joey Terrill
  • 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM: Photographing Animals and Wildlife – Panel Discussion with Ron Magill, Michelle Valberg, Keith Ladzinski
  • 12:30 PM- 1:00 PM: Storytelling the Wild Way – Ron Magill
  • 1:15 PM- 2:00 PM: Sports and Action Photography – Panel Discussion with Andrew Hancock, Jen Edney, Jen Pottheiser, Rod Mar
  • 2:00 PM- 2:30 PM: Creative Storytelling in Sports Photography – Andrew Hancock
  • 2:45 PM- 3:15 PM: Finding Your Way in Sports Photography – Jen Pottheiser
  • 3:15 PM- 3:45 PM: The Modern Photographer – Keith Ladzinski
  • 4:00 PM- 4:45 PM: Concert Photography: “Then and Now” – Panel Discussion with Baron Wolman, Knight, Owyoung, Jenn Deveraux
  • 4:45 PM- 5:15 PM: Music Photography: Low Light, All Access- Todd Owyoung
  • 5:30 PM- 6:00 PM: My Journey into Adventure Photography- Jen Edney

Day 3 – Thursday, January 10 (Show Hours: 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. PST)

  • 9:45 AM- 10:15 AM: Wildlife Photography: Creating Emotional Impact – Michelle Valberg
  • 10:30 AM- 11:00 AM: Z Joy of Photography – Matthew Jordan Smith
  • 11:00 AM- 11:30 AM: Journey Through Landscape – Taylor Glenn
  • 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM: Photography in Social World – Keith Ladzinski,
  • 12:30 PM- 1:00 PM: Small Footprint Video Production: The Making of Morning – Corey Rich
  • 1:15 PM- 2:00 PM: Storytelling with Motion – Video Panel Discussion with Corey Rich, Chris Hershman, Keith Ladzinski, Diane Fitzmaurice
  • 2:00 PM- 2:30 PM: Intimate Portraits: Healing on Both Sides of the Lens – Jen Rozenbaum
  • 2:45 PM- 3:15 PM: I Saw the Music – Baron Wolman
  • 3:15 PM- 3:45 PM: Filmmaking in The Music Industry – Chris Hershman
  • 4:00 PM- 4:45 PM: On the Rise – Getting Started in Photography – Up and Coming-Young Photographers – Panel Discussion with Taylor Gray, Kiamarie Stone, Nicolas Bruno
  • 4:45 PM- 5:15 PM: Be Consistent: Build Your Brand – Kiamarie Stone
  • 5:30 PM- 6:00 PM: Wedding Day Moments Captured – Cliff Mautner

Day 4 – Friday, January 11 (Show Hours: 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. PST)

  • 9:15 AM- 9:45 AM: Photographer Talk
  • 9:45 AM- 10:15 AM: Creative Landscapes: Finding Shots Beyond the Obvious – Mandy Lea
  • 10:30 AM- 11:00 AM: Relive the Moments: Documenting Life – Charmi Pena
  • 11:00 AM- 11:30 AM: Exploring the Art of Landscape and Time- lapse Photography – Taylor Gray
  • 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM: The Power of Portrait Photography – Panel Discussion with Jerry Ghionis, Charmi Pena, Dixie Dixon
  • 12:30 PM- 1:00 PM: Lights, Camera, Fashion – Dixie Dixon
  • 1:15 PM- 2:00 PM: Making Dynamic Landscape Photograph s- Panel Discussion with Mike Mezeull II, Joshua Cripps, Mandy Lea
  • 2:00 PM- 2:30 PM: Why I Love Chasing Extreme Weather – Joshua Cripps
  • 2:45 PM- 3:15 PM: The Wild Among Us – Melissa Groo
  • 3:15 PM- 3:45 PM: Nature’s Fury: The Allure of Tornado Alley – Mike Mezeul II

For more information on Nikon’s latest products including new the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens and Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit, please visit www.nikonusa.com. For more information about Nikon’s presence at CES 2019, including the livestreaming of presentations through the show, please visit www.nikonusa.com/live or www.facebook.com/nikonusa.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Nikon to add Eye AF, Raw video and CFexpress support to Z-series

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Lexar confirms XQD development being “held up by multiple parties,” focusing on CFexpress

29 Oct

Last week, Nikon Rumors reported Lexar will no longer make any XQD cards, citing a press release from Polish Lexar distributor My Adventure. DPReview has since independently confirmed this report with Lexar.

“While Lexar is eager to pursue the XQD technology, the product availability of XQD has been held up by multiple parties including Sony (who owns the IP) which has prevented us from moving forward,” said a Lexar spokesperson to DPReview. “In addition, we are diligently working on the future standard of CFexpress through our efforts in the Compact Flash Association and partnerships with key camera manufacturers.”

The move echoes ProGrade Digital, a memory card brand founded by former executives of Lexar, who recently said it too will skip developing XQD cards in favor of CFexpress.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Lexar confirms XQD development being “held up by multiple parties,” focusing on CFexpress

Posted in Uncategorized

 

ProGrade demonstrates first ever 1TB CFexpress card with 1,400MB/s read speed

10 Apr

Memory card manufacturer ProGrade claims to have shown off the first public demonstration of a CFexpress Type B card with 1TB capacity at NAB 2018 in Las Vegas. The card, which is backwards compatible with XQD formats, makes the most of the CFexpress specifications with blistering read/write speeds of 1,400MB/s and 1,000MB/s, respectively.

CFExpress is the latest standard from the CompactFlash Association, and is seen by many as the natural successor to the CFast and XQD formats. It was first announced in September of 2016, and the final specifications for version 1.0 were published in April of 2017. According to the specification list, version 1.0 of CFexpress Type B cards has a maximum transfer speed of 1970MB/s—roughly twice the maximum speed of XQD 2.0 cards—so ProGrade isn’t leaving much on the table with its debut version.

In its statement to DPReview last month, ProGrade said, “XQD cards [can] be upgraded to operate with the new CFexpress Type B cards if the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) chooses to update firmware in those devices.” This puts the onus on camera manufacturers such as Nikon and Sony to upgrade the firmware in its cameras with XQD card slots so CFexpress cards can be used.

ProGrade says its CFexpress cards will be available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities when they’re released later this year. We have reached out to Nikon and Sony regarding whether or not they plan to support CFexpress cards in the future, and will update this article accordingly when we hear back.

In addition to teasing its upcoming CFexpress cards, ProGrade also launched a collection of V90-rated SD cards with maximum read/write speeds of 250MB/s and 200MB/s, respectively. The cards will be available in early May in 64Gb, 128GB, and 256GB capacities for $ 100, $ 190, and $ 380, respectively.

ProGrade Digital is First To Publicly Demonstrate CFexpress™ 1.0 Technology in 1TB Capacity

1,400MB/Second Data Transfer Speed Reaches New Milestone

NAB, LAS VEGAS, NV – April 8, 2018 1:00 am Pacific—ProGrade Digital, founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade digital memory cards and workflow solutions, has become the first company to publicly demonstrate the CFexpress™ 1.0 technology with 1TB of capacity. Debut of this important next generation digital memory card form factor, presented by CEO Wes Brewer and VP of Marketing Mark Lewis at NAB in Las Vegas, provides solid proof that the industry is moving toward productization of this new standard.

“The CFexpress standard has been evolving for several years within the CompactFlash Association as a successor to both CFast™ and XQD™ formats. We are pleased to be working within the CFA and aside device manufacturers to bring to market this next generation removable storage standard,” said Brewer. “Industry adoption of CFexpress will allow for much higher resolution and higher bit rate image capture than ever before in many still image and video capture devices. Faster offload speeds will also greatly benefit the post-capture workflow through the extremely high read speeds it provides. With our demonstration today, we’ve also been able to show compatibility for the CFexpress Type B form factor with XQD memory cards–showing operation of both card standards in a common Thunderbolt™ 3 reader.”

ProGrade Digital demonstrated performance benchmark speeds exceeding 1,400MB/second and burst write speeds of greater than 1,000MB/second–nearly three times faster than CFast memory cards and more than four times those for SDXC™ UHS-II.

CFexpress 1.0 Demonstrated Technology Key Features:

  • Industry-leading speeds
  • Greater than 1,400MB/second read
  • Greater than 1,000MB/second burst write
  • CFexpress Type B format factor with two lanes of PCIe® and NVM Express® support
  • XQD form factor interoperability
  • Dimensions: 29.6 mm x 38.5 mm x 3.8 mm

The founders of ProGrade Digital are industry veterans in the removable storage and digital photography industries. Each, having spent time at leading companies such as Lexar and SanDisk, brings extensive expertise in the design, development and manufacture of digital storage products, plus longstanding relationships with key manufacturing and supply chain partners. The company focuses exclusively on development of memory cards, card readers and workflow software for professional imaging markets. Flagship products, ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 and ProGrade Digital SDXC UHS-II, are optimized to render maximum performance when paired with high-end DSLR, mirrorless, ­­­camcorder and digital cinema cameras from manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony and Blackmagic. ProGrade Digital memory cards expand the creative visions of cinema and photography professionals around the world.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on ProGrade demonstrates first ever 1TB CFexpress card with 1,400MB/s read speed

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Confirmed: ProGrade Digital will NOT make XQD cards, is betting on CFexpress instead

06 Mar

When new, high-end memory card manufacturer ProGrade Digital made its debut last month, one of the most common questions we saw in the comments was “will you make XQD cards?” The answer seemed to be “no,” but it was based on support email screenshots and other unofficial sources.

To clear up any confusion, DPReview reached out to ProGrade Digital directly and asked if the company could confirm or deny these reports, and/or share its plans (or lack thereof) in regards to the XQD format.

ProGrade Digital CEO Wes Brewer sent us the following statement in response (emphasis added):

ProGrade Digital is not planning to manufacture XQD cards at this time. We are however strongly promoting the future standard of CFexpress through our efforts in the Compact Flash Association. The CFexpress Type B form factor of this new standard is the successor to XQD, and allows existing cameras that utilize XQD cards to be upgraded to operate with the new CFexpress Type B cards if the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) chooses to update firmware in those devices. In addition to the option of backward compatibility to XQD cameras, the new CFexpress cards utilize two lanes of PCIe (vs. one lane on XQD) and supports the NVMe (Non Volatile Memory express) protocol, which provides more than twice the interface speed of XQD. Look for ProGrade Digital to make announcements in this area throughout 2018.

There you have it. The future, as far as ProGrade Digital is concerned, is the CFexpress Type B form factor, which is backwards compatible with XQD memory card slots anyway. Given this fact, it makes sense that ProGrade would steer clear of the “licensing arrangements that Sony requires” (H/T Nikon Rumors) to manufacture XQD cards in the meantime.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Confirmed: ProGrade Digital will NOT make XQD cards, is betting on CFexpress instead

Posted in Uncategorized

 

CFexpress cards with 8GB/s data rate on the way according to the CompactFlash Association

15 Oct

The CompactFlash Association has announced that it is working on a new series of memory cards that will offer theoretical data rates of up to 8GB per second. Still very much in development, the CFexpress family of media storage will be available in a range of form factors to suit multiple kinds of device, but will all have the same physical interface and memory protocol. The Association says the cards will be good for professional photographers and videographers as well as for personal computing, servers and for industrial applications.

The cards will have varying numbers of lanes that will govern their ultimate speed of communication. Those lanes will be based on the PCIE generation 3 interface which can deliver a theoretical 1GB/s per lane and cards will be supplied eventually that have up to eight lanes.

The Association suggests that the need for such data rates is being driven by the increasing numbers of 4K cameras and that slow motion 4K footage recorded in raw format needs better communication speeds than currently exist.

There is no indication of when these new cards will come to market, but you can read more information about the CompactFlash Association on its website.

Press release

THE COMPACTFLASH ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES CFexpress FAMILY

CFexpress Introduces a New Family of High-Performance Removable Media Based on PCIE® and NVM Express®

Cupertino, California – The CompactFlash Association (CFA) announces the CFexpress Family of high-performance removable storage based on PCIE® and NVM Express®

CFA has developed high-performance removable cards standards for the last 21 years with the popular CompactFlash®, CFast®, and XQD® formats. The CompactFlash Association was formed in 1995 as the initial digital film format and continues to serve professional imaging and industrial markets where high performance and high-quality recording media is essential for high-speed capture and high-speed transfer into the workflow.

CFexpress is the next evolution in an open standard format for a broader set of applications, such as professional imaging, personal computing, servers, IoT and industrial. CFexpress differs from prior CFA standards in that CFexpress is a specification spanning multiple form factors and performance levels to match various market requirements while maintaining the same electrical/physical interface and memory/storage protocol. The new CFexpress specification is under development within the CFA CFexpress Working Group.

CFA’s goals for the CFexpress family are:
1) Unify the ecosystem around a removable storage specification that has longevity in the market
2) Provide a platform that scales with performance increases in the PCIE® interface
3) Leverages the technologies and skillsets of the larger volume compute markets
4) Seamless compatibility with the capture ecosystem and workflow tools.

CFexpress leverages the PCIE® physical interface for higher performance based on the high-volume compute industry. PCIE® CFA’s objective is to specify multiple removable storage devices that spans from two lanes architecture all the way up to eight lanes. With the current PCIE® Gen 3 delivering maximum theoretical interface speeds of 1.0GB/sec per lane, CFexpress would enable theoretical sequential speed of up to 8GB/s.

CFexpress also utilizes the low latency NVM Express® memory/storage protocol across all of the form factors. This enables compatibility with a broader set of ecosystem components, such as controllers, OS, capture devices and workflow modules. In imaging, compute and industrial applications, the use of PCIE® /NVM Express® enables access to wide range of open standard platforms consisting of mature and proven drivers. In addition, the new CFexpress format also enable easy compatibility with the Thunderbolt® interface which is also based on PCIE®. Actual CFexpress products will vary in performance based on market requirements and protocol overheads.

Professional video data rate requirements are growing at an exponential rate exceeding the capabilities of existing open standard formats. 4K RAW video at 30fps requires 400-500MB/sec of sustained performance not including any overhead to guarantee performance over the entire recording media. 4K RAW video at 120fps requires 1,600-2,000MB/sec. 4K RAW video at 240fps requires 3,200-4,000MB/sec. Even in High-Quality I-Frame compression formats, the data rates quickly exceed 1.0GB/Sec at high frame rates.

Key Feature Benefits

PCIE® Gen 3 Interface
Provides a max theoretical interface speed of 1.0GB/sec per lane of PCIE®. This speed enhancement enables a new generation of higher performance cards to meet requirements for professional video recording.

Family of Form Factors
Provides multiple form factors to address multiple market segments with a unified physical interface and memory/storage protocol. 2 lane and 4 lane form factors will be the initial focus but anything from 1 lane to 8 lanes is possible. This provides a range of up to 8GB/Sec with PCIE® Gen3.

NVM Express®
A storage interface designed from the ground up for NVM storage. The NVM Express protocol features fixed length commands, an efficient queuing model, and very low non-cacheable PCIe accesses per command, delivering reduced I/O overhead and performance improvements in comparison to legacy storage device interfaces. NVM Express® is gaining popularity across various flash-based storage solutions and has driver support on all leading OSs.

Mr. Tom Ando of Canon and CFA Co-Chairman of the board said; “As the Co-Chairman of the CompactFlash Association I am pleased and excited to introduce CFexpress as CFA’s continues the tradition of performance leadership. The higher performance provided by CFexpress formats will further increase the capabilities and value for photographers, videographers, cinematographers, industrial, and compute applications. I am very pleased and proud to see the CFA creating standards that address new market requirements.”

Host and card manufacturers will be able to leverage the compute industry’s investment in PCIE® and NVM Express®. Media manufacturers will be able to leverage high volume solid state disk (SSD) controller technology to serve the high performance requirements of this market. The new format will have VPG (Video Performance Guarantee) capability with new VPG profiles at every increases performance levels. CFA’s goal for CFexpress is the development of a standard that can span many market segments and provide a stable and consistent format to fully leverage the industry’s R&D investments and less churn in the market of standardized and proprietary recording media formats.

Mr. Koichiro Kawamura of Nikon and CFA Co-Chairman of the board said; “As the Co-Chairman of the CompactFlash Association I am also pleased and excited to introduce CFexpress. The specification is a family of form factors that can serve many market segments with a unified physical interface and unified memory/storage protocol. We are excited with the vision that CFexpress will unify the imaging and industrial ecosystems around formats that are easily compatible with the computing markets. CFexpress represents a unique opportunity to unify the market around truly open standard formats.”

CFA invites host and media companies interested in supporting the new CFA specifications to also join CFA as members. Membership in the CompactFlash Association enables participation in CFA CFExpress Working Group and access to new specification before they are available for purchase by non-members. More information can be found at http://www.compactflash.org.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on CFexpress cards with 8GB/s data rate on the way according to the CompactFlash Association

Posted in Uncategorized

 
Newer Entries »