The reader promises to deliver better CFexpress card ingest performance than any USB-based reader and also ingests files simultaneously from two CFexpress cards at up to 2,600 Mbps.
Sonnet Technologies has announced the SF3 Series – CFexpress/XQD pro card reader, the latest model in its expanding family of professional media readers.
Priced at $199.99, the SF3 Series – CFexpress/XQD pro card reader features dual card slots and a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface. CFexpress 2.0 Type B is a new, ultra-fast recording media developed to support the requirements of shooting 4K and 6K RAW video and continuous capture of high-megapixel photos.
XQD cards have been available for several years and share the same form factor and connector as CFexpress 2.0 Type B media.
Compatible with Mac and Windows with Thunderbolt 3 ports, the SF3 Series – CFexpress/XQD pro card reader ingests footage from CFexpress 2.0 Type B and XQD media at up to maximum supported speeds.
Designed for demanding workflows, Sonnet’s SF3 Series card readers are built with rugged aluminium enclosures and dual Thunderbolt 3 ports. These features enable users to stack and connect up to six readers to their computer in a daisy chain through a single cable, and ingest footage from four, six, or more cards simultaneously.
The Sonnet reader is also compatible with older Macs with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt ports when used with the bidirectional Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt cable.
The SF3 Series – CFexpress/XQD pro card reader was designed to meet the time-sensitive demands digital imaging technicians (DITs), post professionals, and pro photographers face on a daily basis, needing to offload huge files from memory cards in as little time as possible.
Sonnet’s SF3 Series – CFexpress/XQD pro card reader is the only dual-slot CFexpress 2.0 Type B card and dual-slot XQD card reader available, and it supports both card types in both slots.
For DITs working multicamera shoots or in a small workspace, the ability to stack multiple SF3 Series CFexpress / XQD, RED MINI-MAG, SxS, and CFast 2.0 readers in the same footprint is convenient, while being able to connect them all to a computer through a single cable is game-changing.
The capability to ingest multiple cards simultaneously means that users can complete the process — without swapping cards — in as little as one-sixth of the time required using single-slot readers. For users who need to mount their gear in equipment racks, Sonnet SF3 Series readers include threaded mounting holes to support installation in a standard rack shelf, enabling side-by-side mounting of two readers in 1U of rack space.
