The CompactFlash Association (CFA) hopes that their next-generation memory cards are going to become the predominant format as new specifications for faster, higher capacity cards have been proposed to support the storage of increasingly high-resolution photos and high-definition video.
These are definitely not the CF cards you may remember from the early days of digital photography. And while the current CF6.0 specification, just released last month, is a vast improvement with maximum performance of up to 167 megabytes per second, the next generation set of specifications compiled by SanDisk, Nikon and Sony hope to standardize the format and increase transfer data up to 500MB/s via PCI-Express.
"This ultra high-speed media format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers," said Canon's Shigeto Kanda, who also serves as chairman of the board at CFA. "This next generation formation is expected to be widely adapted to various products, including those other than high-end DSLRs."
These next generation cards will be created with professional photographers and videographers in mind. The 500MB/s transfer rates combined with storage capacities surpassing 2TB would allow cameras to process and store continuous, hi-res raw images and keep subsequent transfer times to a minimum.
"The capacity of memory cards today only tells part of the story. It's not only important how large my card is, but also how fast my card responds. It's the same way that a hard drive in a computer spins faster to launch applications faster," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Gartner. "That's becoming an issue with memory cards when you are talking about devices that can do mega-megapixel images and high-definition video. New storage devices have to be fast enough to keep up with that; otherwise consumers get very impatient waiting for files to move or copy or forward."
While these next-gen CF media cards are likely going to be a winner for professionals, it may be a difficult sell for personal devices. Though they are fast and durable, the size of the cards will make them impractical to use with the ultra-slim media players and amateur video devices on the market. Maybe future specifications will also include a slimmer, more compact design? Couple that with an affordable price and there will be plenty of customers soon lining up to buy.
