SanDisk, Sony and Nikon today announced the joint development of a set of specifications that address the future requirements of professional photography and video markets. The three companies proposed the specifications to the CompactFlash Association, the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format. The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second (MB/sec) (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the highly versatile PCI Express interface. The increased speeds will enable imaging and video applications that could not be accomplished using the current CompactFlash specification’s Parallel ATA (PATA) interface. CF6.0, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.The new specifications’ faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images.
The proposed new specifications has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond 2 terabytes (TB), making it especially useful for high resolution images and HD video applications. Similar in size to a CompactFlash card, the new specifications’ access control function and highly durable form factor produce a combination of physical ruggedness and reliability that is indispensable for professional usage models. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.
