CFEXPRESS CARDS EXPLAINED: WHAT ARE TYPES A, B AND C?

CFexpress Cards Explained: What are Types A, B and C?

If you’ve been following the latest mirrorless camera releases, like the Canon EOS R5 and the Sony A7S III, then you’ve probably heard about CFexpress. The new memory card game in town, it’s fast becoming standard practice for new cameras to come sporting a CFExpress slot.

Big deal, you might be thinking. Why should I be excited about a memory card? Especially when you might have noticed that a CFexpress card seems to cost a bit more than a regular SD memory card.

You may also have clocked that CFexpress comes in three varieties – Types A, B and C – and wondered about the differences between them.

We’ve put this article together to provide a quick and straightforward explanation to what CFexpress is and what you need to know about it. So let’s waste no more time and crack on!

What is CFexpress?

CFexpress cards are the latest generation of what was once CompactFlash (CF card). These are high speed memory cards designed to keep up with the demands of the latest cameras in terms of both high-resolution photos and video.

CFexpress cards use an interface called PCIe 3.0, as well as NVMe 1.3 protocols. You don’t really need to know the ins and outs of how this stuff works – the bottom line is that this is the kind of tech you would previously have found in computers and solid-state drives (SSDs), which are typically much faster than SD cards.

So the main takeaway is this – CFexpress cards are fast. The maximum theoretical performance of a Type C CFexpress card (the fastest of the three speed classes) is 4,000MB/s; for context, UHS-III SD cards can theoretically manage a little over 600MB/s.

While there is an equivalent format for SD, which is called SD Express, camera manufacturers seem to have overwhelmingly plumped for CFexpress. Like the memory card version of the battle between VHS and Beta-Max, this is the format to focus on when thinking about the future.

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of CFexpress memory card on offer.

CFExpress Types A, B and C: What are the differences?

If you were to line up the three different types of CFexpress cards, the first thing you’d notice is that they are physically quite different. CFexpress Type A is the smallest, measuring 20mm (width) by 28mm (length) by 2.8mm (thickness, including label area). The Type B cards measure 38.5mm x 29.6mm x 3.8mm, while the largest Type C cards measure 54mm x 74mm x 4.8mm.

The main reason for this is because each of these types of memory card  has a different number of PCIe data transfer lanes. The CFexpress Type A card has just one lane, Type B has two and type C has four. This means the three memory card types of cards offer different transfer speeds – Type A Cards have a maximum theoretical transfer speed of 1,000MB/s, Type B cards can theoretically reach 2,000MB/s and Type C cards, as discussed, can reach transfer speeds of up to 4,000MB/s.

Of the three, photographers and videographers don’t need to concern themselves too much with Type C – these larger cards are designed more for use with computers and Solid State Drives. The types you’ll most typically find compatible with cameras are Type B – this is the type you’ll be able to use with the Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z6, Panasonic S1R and other cameras.

One of the main reasons for this is that CFexpress Type B cards are physically the same size as, and pin-for-pin identical to, another card type – XQD cards. So if a camera has an XQD slot, then usually all it needs to become CFexpress compatible is a firmware update.

Panasonic rolled out updates for their XQD cameras in 2019. Nikon have updated firmware for mirrorless Z6/7 and DSLRs D5 / D500 / D850 / D4S / D4 which all have XQD slots.

Meanwhile, the Sony A7S III, recently rolled out to big headlines, many of which focused on the fact that it takes CFexpress Type A cards. Which, you may recall, are actually the slowest type on offer. Why did Sony pick this size? Well, for one, the 1,000MB/s maximum transfer speed is still more than ample to record pristine 4K footage without any dropped frame.

But the other half of the story is that the smaller size of Type A means that a CFexpress Type A slot can also be used as an SD card slot. So users of the Sony A7S III can use its dual card slots with SD cards and CFexpress cards.  They can be used in any combination (though you can’t use both in one slot at the same time), giving a lot more flexibility.

Which cameras are CFexpress-compatible?

Here is a partial list of current cameras that offer one or more CFexpress card slots:

Which brands are making CFexpress?

When it comes to CFexpress Type B cards, you have many brands to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown of some we’d recommend:

SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B cards

These are often bundled with the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. They come in 128GB and 64GB varieties, and the larger card is also faster, offering a maximum read speed of 1,700MB/s, compared to 1,500MB/s on the smaller card.

Delkin Devices Type B CFexpress cards

Delkin start out at 64GB and go all the way up to a whopping 2TB. Read/write speeds increase as the capacities do, although, of course, so does the price.

Lexar Professional CFexpress cards

A trusted name in memory cards, Lexar makes reliable Professional cards with capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB.

When it comes to Type A cards, Sony is currently the only game in town, announcing a range of CFexpress Type A cards alongside the A7S III. Offering read/write speeds of around 800MB/s and 700MB/s, the Sony CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Cards are, as the name implies, tough enough to stand up to the rigours of professional use. They come in 80GB and 160GB varieties.

One thing that’s also worth noting is that your current memory card reader may not be capable of reading a CFexpress card – so that’s another thing you may have to sort in order to be able to get the cards onto your computer. Sony and Lexar are two reliable brands that have started producing the CFexpress card readers. However, there are others out there, so get in touch with the Fixation sales team and we can recommend you the best deals for you.

The future?

Current CFexpress cards use the PCIe 3.0 spec, and given that the PCIe 4.0 is on the horizon, we can only expect these cards to get faster and faster. It’s up to you when it makes sense budget-wise to upgrade, however we can safely say that CFexpress is a format worth getting to know for the future of image-making.

SONY A7S III DIGITAL CAMERA

Sony A7S III Digital Camera

The long awaited Sony A7S III Digital Camera Body was announced five years after the launch of the immensely popular A7S II. It is equipped with a newly designed BIONZ XR Processing engine which provides up to an 8x faster performance over previous models. It has an AF system with an incredible 759 on-sensor phase decision points which is capable of real-time eye tracking of both humans and animals when shooting both video, and stills. This camera demonstrates Sony’s ability to deliver stunning imaging quality and professional performance in one body.

 

Recording Capabilities

The Sony A7s III is designed for complete video flexibility and it is packed with features that allow for this. The camera is capable of capturing 4k video without any crop, All-I, up to 120p with 4:2:2 10-Bit codec in H.264. The HD 1080p video is just as impressive, recording up to 240fps internally. The camera is capable of 16 Bit RAW transfer via HDMI for use with external recorders. Sony has introduced new colour science: S-Log Fx9 colour matching, as well as new codecs including XAVC S, H264(AVC), nXAVC HS and H265(HEVC). These features allow you to capture and produce extremely high-quality and professional-grade footage.

For photography the improved colour reproduction and support for HEIF still format further increases the creative scope of this camera. HEIF support, however, does require software/a working environment that supports HEIF for display and editing.

BSI Sensor and BINOZ XR Processor

Two key components that the Sony A7s III possesses must be discussed. These are the newly developed BINOZ XR Image Processor and the 12MP BSI Exmor R Imaging Sensor.

The BINOZ XR processing engine provides approximately 8x faster performance than previous models for fast, efficient video and still image recording. The 8x faster processing combined with the 2x faster sensor read-out speed makes recording 4K video at such high quality possible.

12MP BSI Exmor R Imaging Sensor

The goal of the A7S series is to demonstrate Sony’s mastery of sensitivity. The sensor is a 12 megapixel full-frame back-illuminated sensor.
Twelve megapixels on a full frame sensor is not, by 2020 standards, a super-high resolution sensor. However each pixel takes up space on a sensor so a 12 megapixel camera can have a larger surface area per pixel for more light-gathering potential.

Back-illumination is a sensor construction technology that puts the wiring of each pixel behind the pixels so that the front surface can gather light with no obstructions. It may seem counter-intuitive but a lot of CMOS sensors have their (microscopic) wiring on the face of the sensor which obstructs some of the light, removing this wiring from the sensor surface dramatically improves light gathering power of a sensor.

In the A7S III the sensor has an incredible ISO range from 80 to 102400, expandable from 40 to 409600. This is a huge range and allows for comfortable shooting of a vast range of lighting conditions. The camera also has an impressive 15-Stop Dynamic range. The new sensor unit has a 2x faster readout speed, provides impressively fast and responsive operation.

All-Improved AF

Fast Hybrid Autofocus the Sony A7S III, is a first for the Sony A7S Series of cameras. It is available in all recording formats and works with over 50 native Sony E-Mount lenses. The AF system also boasts Real-time Eye and Tracking AF. Real-time eye tracking has a 30% recognition improvement for noticeably improved eye tracking. The vari angle LCD screen enables useful touch-tracking.

The improved AF system provides 92% AF coverage across the sensor thanks to 759 phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection points when shooting still images (shooting mode dependant). To compliment the excellent low-light performance of this camera, the EV performance of the autofocus has been improved to allows effective AF down to EV-6. Another upgrade, is the ability to capture 10fps continuous burst capture with accurate tracking (AF-C) and AF-S focus.

Stable Shooting

To accompany the improvements to autofocus and recording spec of the Sony A7S III, Sony has incorporated a 5-Axis optical in-body image stabilisation system providing up to 5.5 stops of stabilisation. In addition users can enable the electronic stabilisation within the camera’s intelligent active mode for additional digital stabilisation, this mode runs with a x1.1 crop.

9.44 Million dot QXGA OLED Tru-Finder + Vari-Angle LCD

The articulating touch-screen LCD is a welcome addition which offers more flexibility when shooting handheld, for reaching over crowds or composing a low angle shot. The menu has been re-designed for easier access to video and stills settings, and is touch screen compatible for fast control changes and touch-focus tracking. The viewfinder is a 9.44 Million dot QXGA OLED Tru-Finder which offers the highest resolution EVF in the Sony Alpha camera line-up, providing crystal clear images for live shooting or checking through your footage.

High-Speed

The A7s III is fast. The camera can shoot stills at 10fps with full AF-C/AF-S operation. It can store 1000+ uncompressed RAW files, directly onto UHS II SD cards, the dual memory card slots are compatible with new CFexpress Type-A cards for even faster read and write speeds. The high speed media available indicates the true processing power of the camera. The impressive processing enables high speed image and video capture, and powers the remarkable auto focus engine.

Heat Management

Recording at such a high quality and speed can heat up camera as the systems and components are working at full capacity. The Sony A7S III, however, is equipped with a re-engineered heat management construction to enable up to hour-long 4K 60p recordings. The optimised heat dissipation structure is 5 times more effective than earlier models!

Colour Profiles

The Sony A7s III features 10 colour profiles, including 4 new options:

  • FL (film-like tone)
  • IN (Instant Camera Tone)
  • VV2 (Vivid & Bright Colour)
  • SH (Soft & Highkey)

These options are accompanied by 8 parameter image controls which include: saturation, contrast, shadow, highlight, fade, sharpness, sharpness range and clarity. The profiles and parameter controls allow for complete creative control when shooting.

To place an order, or to find out more about the kit, contact our sales team on 020 7582 3294 or email sales@fixationuk.com

NIKON MIRRORLESS Z5

Nikon Mirrorless Z5

Nikon has announced a new camera body in its Z series Mirrorless range. The Nikon Z5 is a full frame 24.3 megapixel camera with two SD card slots for more shots or for a secure backup on important shoots. The Nikon Z5 is positioned below the Z6 and Z7 in the Z series lineup, but it is a powerful camera, and an ideal first full-frame body.

Nikon Z5

Nikon has put the most important mirrorless technologies in this small, light, but tough, camera body. The 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor has ample resolution for stills and video recording up to 4K. Here are the features in detail.

 

Five Axis VR CMOS Sensor

The full-frame 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor in the Nikon Z5 is mounted on a 5-axis VR system for in body image stabilisation. With any Nikkor Z lens your stills stay sharp and your video will stay steady. The sensor has an ISO range of 100-51,200 to cope with any lighting conditions, with excellent low-noise performance at higher ISO levels.

Small, Light, Solid

To keep out dust and moisture, the Z5 has a magnesium alloy body with weather sealing around seams, moving dials and buttons. The body is compact and weighs only 680g with the battery. The Nikkor Z 24-50mm f4-6.3 kit lens that comes with the camera is the smallest, lightest full frame zoom available on the market. It is admittedly not the brightest lens, however it is a handy wide to standard zoom that will perform well in good shooting conditions. The body has sensor stabilization which will help produce steadier shots at longer shutter speeds which may be needed with a smaller aperture lens.

Ultra-Sharp AF

The Z5 focus system has 273 AF points on the imaging sensor and includes Eye-Detect AF and Animal-Detect AF focus modes to lock on to a wide range of subjects. The Nikon AF algorithm will lock on to your subject quickly and track moving subjects for crisp action shots.

Dual SD card slots

Record onto fast UHS II SD memory cards and easily shoot to one with a backup saved to the second card. Or use one card for stills and a higher capacity card for video to make sure you never run out of space.

Best in class EVF

The electronic viewfinder in the Nikon Z5 has a 3690k-dot display which shows exposure, ISO and white balance settings in real-time.

 

To place an order, or to find out more about the kit, contact our sales team on 020 7582 3294 or email sales@fixationuk.com

USING CANON EF LENSES WITH EOS R BODIES

Using Canon EF lenses with EOS R bodies

Tempted by the new Canon EOS R mirrorless cameras but worried about all your Canon EF lenses gathering dust? In this article, we’re going to be running through the adapter options for mounting EF lenses to EOS R bodies and explain how you really can get the best of both worlds.

We know that it does sound too good to be true. The idea that you might be able to bring all any old EF lenses with you when migrating to a new system, and have everything work just as it’s designed to may seem a pipe dream.

Photographers have been swapping lenses between systems for many, many years now, but it is generally accepted that this will involve a trade-off in terms of features and functionality. Things like autofocus or image stabilisation will either work less effectively than usual, or simply not work at all.

Canon’s new EOS R system, however, is a different story.

With the introduction of the full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the Canon EOS R. Canon turned many heads and signified that it was taking mirrorless seriously. This was a serious tool for serious professionals, and was clearly built and marketed as such – but many pros worried about their considerable collections of EF compatible lenses. Was Canon asking them to effectively throw these investments in the trash and start again?

Short answer: no.

Do Canon EF lenses work with EOS R camera bodies?

It was a given that Canon would produce an EF to EOS R adapter, however what’s impressive is just how comprehensive a job they’ve done of ensuring the lens and cameras can communicate.

This is not a coincidence. Canon has specifically designed the EF and RF systems to be what it calls “bilingual”. When most lenses are adapted between systems, the device is converting the electronic signals from one device to the other.

Even when the communication is sophisticated enough for the devices to understand each other thanks to the latest firmware updates, it still has an inherent latency, which causes lag and impacts on performance. On EF-EOS R adapters, the information can pass straight through.

What this means in practice is that, for the vast majority of models, everything that your EF lens can do on an EOS body, it can also do on an EOS R body when they are connected using an adapter. Indeed, now that the cameras have been around for a couple of years, photographers have been able to test them out. Some are even reporting that, anecdotally, their EF lenses seem to perform better with the Canon R, with faster autofocus.

The Canon EOS R bodies are able to store a large number of lens profiles in their internal memory, allowing them to correct known aberrations and distortions in many EF lenses, back to the 1990s. This functionality can be disabled if you don’t require it and it won’t overpower the character of an old lens if you’re going for a specific “look” over technical perfection.

The compatibility really does extend right across the range of EF lenses. You might be wondering, out of more than 150 EF lenses made by Canon, how many have functions that don’t work when they’re paired with EOS R bodies? Answer: eight.

In all cases, it’s a pretty minor thing – the Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 PZ lens from 1991 can’t use its Power Zoom when paired with EOS R, and the AF Stop button doesn’t work on seven telephoto prime lenses from the late 90s and early 00s. In all other respects, EF lenses work on EOS R bodies exactly as they were designed to work on the original DSLRs.

From left to right: EF-EOS R standard adapter, Control Ring adapter, Drop-in filter adapter.
EF-EOS R adapters

The EF-EOS R adapter range is made up of three models, each of which is a little different. Let’s take a look at the main features of each one…

Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapter

This is the simplest, most affordable mount adapter for converting EF lenses to EOS R bodies. It allows for full communication between lens and camera, meaning all functionality like AF points and image stabilisation will work as advertised.

Lightweight and compact, the EF-EOS R mount adapter contains no optical elements, so it won’t compromise the quality of even the sharpest L-series lenses. It’s also dust- and water-resistant, so if you’re using the more rugged lenses in harsh weather conditions, the adapter won’t be a weak spot in your setup.

Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

Similarly to the standard EF-EOS R Mount Adapter, the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R converts EF lenses to EOS R bodies with no lag or optical elements to compromise quality, and is also equipped with weather sealing.

The key difference, as the name implies, is that this Canon EF adapter comes with a customisable control ring, and it’s not hard to see why many photographers say this is their favourite of the three adapters. Adding a lens control ring to the setup makes using the lens incredibly intuitive. What’s especially good about this adapter is the extent to which the control ring can be customised to the individual user’s preference – essentially it mirrors the control ring found on native RF lenses.

The control ring can be programmed to adjust all the major settings, including shutter speed, ISO, aperture, exposure compensation and white balance. The ring can be set to change values positively or negatively when it’s turned to the right or left. It can also be set to only kick in when the shutter button is half-depressed, if you’re concerned about accidentally knocking it at a crucial moment.

Canon Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

The third option of mount adapters for EF-EOS R is an interesting one, allowing for the use of a select number of drop-in filters. This is especially useful if you’re planning to shoot with a lot of larger lenses or wide-angles with a bulbous front element that doesn’t allow for the easy attachment of filters on the front.

While it doesn’t have the control ring option, this adapter does have all the functionality of the other adapters – it retains full autofocus and image stabilisation capabilities of the attached lenses, and also has the same dust- and weatherproofing.

Below are the filters you can use with this mount adapter

Canon Drop-In Variable ND Filter A: This variable ND gives you tremendous flexibility in controlling the amount of light reaching the camera, with a variable ND effect that runs from 1.5 stops all the way up to 9 stops. Use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds even in bright light conditions, and easily alter the intensity of the ND effect with the rotating wheel.

Canon Drop-In Circular Polarizing Filter A: Minimise reflections and glare with this drop-in polariser, which also has a rotating wheel that allows the user to modulate the intensity of the polarising effect. Made with high-quality glass, it ensures that the final image is still pin-sharp

Canon Drop-In CL Filter: This is a clear filter that’s used if you want to use the adapter without any of the above filter effects. Made from high-quality glass, it’s designed to effectively transmit light without any additional effects. This is useful if you want to have the option of using or not using the Drop-In filters without having the hassle of buying multiple adapters.

So the reality is that the best of both worlds truly is possible! We hope you’re encouraged to see the possibilities of shooting with EF glass and EOS R bodies, but if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team! You can email sales@fixationuk.com or call 020 7582 3294

SONY FE 12-24MM F/2.8 G MASTER LENS

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master Lens

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master is an extreme wide angle zoom lens for full-frame Sony alpha bodies. It is perfect for getting close to the action, or capturing a whole scene in one image. The constant f/2.8 aperture is an industry standard for professional zoom lenses, it enables photography in low light at any focal length you select.

The Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 G Master lens launches at £2899

To place an order, contact our sales team on 020 7582 3294 or email sales@fixationuk.com

Key Features

Innovative Optics – Sony G Master Precision

Sony has preserved incredible image details at extreme wide angles and wide open at f/2.8 by applying the full range of G Master imaging technologies. The FE 12-24mm f/2.8 features four aspherical elements in a complex build of 17 elements. Three are XA elements (extreme aspherical) to manage the distortion and aberrations that can come with wide angle glass. Not here, the combination of XA, Aspherical, ED (extra-low dispersion) and Super ED elements effectively reduce chromatic aberrations for crisp detail while a new Nano AR Coating II minimises ghosting and lens flare.

Bright f/2.8 aperture

The constant aperture of f/2.8 permits shooting at any point in the zoom range without having to resort to slower shutter speeds or higher sensitivity which could take away from the shot. Low light scenes which need low-noise such as night landscapes and astro photography are possible with this lens and the 12-24mm zoom range offers more framing options in one unit.

Professional build and control

Shoot anywhere with weather sealing for resistance against dust and moisture. The Sony 12-24mm f2.8 G Master also features a focus hold button for locking on to your subject without taking your hand from the lens. Alternative functions can be assigned to the focus hold button in the camera menu for more control options.

XD Linear motors – Four of them

Count ‘em four. Two for the main focus movement and two for the floating elements which correct chromatic aberrations as lens elements are moved further apart. XD linear motors are quiet with minimal vibrations for smooth focusing and precise focus tracking. Floating element groups allow lens designers to engineer more compact lenses. Another benefit is that the focus is made faster by reducing the distance traveled by each element group

To place an order, contact our sales team on 020 7582 3294 or email sales@fixationuk.com

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