Nikon Corp., SanDisk Corp. and Sony Corp. have 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 (CFA), the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format.

The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500MB/s (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the 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. The CF6.0 spec, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.

The proposed new specifications has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond 2TB, 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.

Professional photography and High Definition (HD) video applications require a new generation of memory cards capable of processing significantly larger files. To address the imaging industry's future speed and capacity demands, SanDisk, Sony and Nikon proposed a new card specification whose performance and storage capabilities surpass those of existing memory cards. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.

The new specifications' faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images. The enhanced performance also allows users to quickly transfer storage-intensive high-resolution photos and videos from the card to a computer. The specifications combine high-speed data transfer with low power consumption via a power scaling system to extend battery life.

Tags: Sony, SanDisk, Nikon, CompactFlash, Flash