The Compact Fast (CFast) memory card can be used as a faster version of the CF card for high-end cameras and supports high speeds.
The Compact Fast (CFast) memory card can be used as a faster version of the CF card for high-end cameras and supports high speeds.
The CFast, also called Compact Fast, is a type of memory card based on the serial ATA bus instead of the old Parallel ATA bus of the standard CF card . The difference is mainly in the support for higher transfer rates, which makes this card extremely suitable for use with high-quality camera models. This card is a welcome addition for professionals who work with Ultra HD images and RAW format photos.
While Compact Flash (FS) memory cards support a maximum transfer speed of 167 MB/s, the CFast cards go one step further. The SATA system achieves minimum speeds of 300 MB/s, but cards with a speed of 500 MB/s can also be found nowadays. With this speed, it is feasible to capture cinema-quality footage, but also to save large RAW photo files for post-processing.
Since the card was introduced in 2009, usage has increased significantly and Canon and Hasselblad both support this type of memory card. Due to higher production costs, the market is limited to professional equipment.