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As a photographer, have you gotten around to using CFexpress cards despite the higher costs? If not, then this new option just might convince you to change things up.
The CFexpress format memory cards came about as a response to higher demands that new camera technology imposed on storage. With cameras being able to shoot larger images and higher resolution footage, while also doing so at a much faster pace, memory cards need to be able to store them more efficiently so as not to interrupt the shooting workflow. CFexpress cards have been made to offer much larger capacity, faster speeds, as well as better stability and durability. However, all of these undeniable benefits have always come with undeniable costs. These new CFexpress Type A cards from South Korean brand Novachips aim to change all of that.
The Novachips 400Gb CFexpress 4.0 Type A Memory Card
The Novachips 400Gb CFexpress A cards are VPG certified and offer high-capacity cards with not just faster read and write speeds but, more importantly, sustained speeds that ensure optimal performance in high-demand situations. These CFexpress 4.0 cards offer sustained read speeds of up to 1,700 MB/s and sustained write speeds of 800 MB/s to better meet the needs for high resolution continuous burst stills shooting and high-bitrate 4K and 6K ProRes video workflows. Amidst that, Novachips offers this storage solution at a cost that is lower than many V60 SD cards in the market, going into retail at just $140 USD.
Speed Tests and Comparison
The following speed tests done with Blackmagic’s Disk Speed Test app were done with the CFexpress A cards I personally own and have used along with the Novachips 400 GB 4.0 card. They were tested with two CFexpress Type A card readers, namely the USB 3.2 card reader on the Pgytech card reader case and the Novachips 40 Gbps USB 4.0 Thunderbolt 4 reader.
With the USB 4.0 reader, the Novachips 400 GB averaged read speeds of 1,550 MB/s and write speeds of 1,130 MB/s, which are close to the sustained speeds promised on the box.
When tested with the same reader, the Homan 256 GB CFexpress A card had average speeds of 690 MB?s read and 480 MB/s write. The Sony Tough 80 GB hit speeds of 760 MB/s read and 620 MB/s write. The latter cards offered half the read and write speeds shown by the Novachips 400 GB card.
When tested with the more widely available USB 3.2 card reader, the new Novachips card reached average speeds of 750 MB/s read and 780 MB/s write, while the Homan 256 GB hit 620 MB/s read and 420 MB/s write speeds.
The Sony Tough 80 GB hit 720 MB/s read speeds and 610 MB/s write speeds, respectively.
Practical Use
Using higher-capacity and faster CFexpress cards on compatible cameras offers a lot of benefits depending on the actual workflow. For photographers who shoot fast-paced action, long events, and anything in between, more capacity means fewer interruptions while faster speeds mean keeping up with the moments. For videographers, CFexpress cards expand the quality of footage they can record by being able to shoot in 10-bit color at much higher resolutions for professional-grade work.
For the regular photographer who does not necessarily require such large capacity cards and fast speeds, using high-quality SD cards has sufficed, especially because of the huge cost difference between SD cards and CFexpress cards. However, with this card offering CFexpress A capacity and speeds for the price of SD cards, using them now makes more sense.
The Novachips 40Gbps reader is also compatible to the MagRing of newer iPhone and come with a shorter (slower) cable
I’ve been shooting with the Sony a7R V for a couple of years now. Though my use mainly involves shooting landscapes, travel, and professionally, architecture, the benefit of CFexpress cards was not as obvious at first. I started shooting with a Sony 80 GB CFexpress A card and treated it like pseudo-internal storage in my camera while writing simultaneously with a smaller 64 GB V60 SD card that I swapped out more often. This workflow provided better assurance of never losing files from card failure but still interrupted my workflow whenever either card reached capacity.
Now with the availability of a more cost-effective option, shooting with dual 400 GB CFexpress A cards means finishing most shoots without having to stop and swap out cards. Instead, I end up with cards automatically backed up because of simultaneous writing. For photographers who shoot more in one go, especially fast-paced events, this would still mean having to stop less, and when they do, even if they immediately dump the files onto a computer, the sustained read/write speeds offer much faster performance when used with the appropriate reader and ports.
Conclusion
With this high-capacity and faster option now in the market for a much lower cost, shooting with CFexpress cards on compatible Sony camera bodies just became more practical and feasible. Off the bat, a cheaper option with faster speeds and larger capacity obviously makes more sense, especially if it’s time to cycle out your memory cards (which everyone should be doing every couple of years). We’re yet to see this new card’s durability over time and constant use (which I will periodically update in the comments of this article if needed), but while those are yet to be determined, the Novachips 400Gb CFexpress 4.0 Type A card definitely seems to be a compelling choice.
What I Liked
- High-capacity storage
- Higher average sustained speeds
- Great price point
What Can Be Improved
- More size options