SanDisk Announces Development of CFast Memory Cards for Next-Generation Professional Photo and Video Applications

COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PHOTOKINA

SanDisk Corporation SNDK, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced that it is developing flash memory cards based on the new CFast2.0 specification introduced today by the CompactFlash Association (CFA). The new specification enables next-generation photo and video applications by delivering up to four times faster performance than the CompactFlash memory cards currently used in DSLR cameras and other imaging devices.

“CFast2.0 memory cards will help drive the future of professional photography and video-recording applications,” said Shuki Nir, senior vice president and general manager, Retail, SanDisk. “With the CFast2.0 specification's unparalleled performance, flash memory can now enter new markets such as high-definition TV and even cinema production.”

Ideal for Next-Generation Professional Video Applications

Professional video applications are growing more powerful than ever before, with 2K video enjoying widespread use and full-frame 4K video already gaining adoption in high-end production environments. These next-generation video applications can produce videos with incredibly high resolutions and large file sizes. The CFast2.0 specification supports advanced video applications through higher interface bandwidth and much higher levels of Video Performance Guarantee to meet the requirements of 2K/4K digital intermediate compressed production environments.

“Professional photographers, videographers and cinematographers demand increasingly powerful cameras that help them unleash their creativity,” said Masaya Maeda, managing director and chief executive, image communication products operations, Canon. “With extremely fast performance, CFast2.0 memory cards will enable us to develop next-generation cameras with more powerful features than are currently supported by CompactFlash cards.”

Ideal for Next-Generation Photography Applications

Digital cameras are expected to become more powerful, with the ability to capture images at greater than 40MP resolution. These next-generation cameras will produce photos of unprecedented quality, and the large file sizes can quickly overwhelm a CompactFlash memory card's data-transfer rates and halt shooting.

The CFast2.0 specification features theoretical performance of up to 600MB/sec, four times faster than the highest-performance CompactFlash memory cards. The new specification delivers the fast speed needed to capture a series of high-resolution photos and transfer them quickly to a computer, particularly important to professional photographers whose workflows demand the utmost efficiency.

“PhaseOne believes in open standards where many players have access to the technologies required to create a healthy ecosystem and drive the future of imaging,” said Henrik Håkonsson, chief executive officer, PhaseOne, a leading medium format camera manufacturer. “We intend to integrate CFast2.0 memory cards into our new cameras because they offer significantly higher recording performance and faster offload speeds than other memory card formats.”

Sampling Now

SanDisk is currently sampling CFast2.0 memory cards to camera manufacturers as they design and optimize their next-generation host devices for the new specification.

About SanDisk

SanDisk Corporation SNDK is a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, from research and development, product design and manufacturing to branding and distribution for OEM and retail channels. Since 1988, SanDisk's innovations in flash memory and storage system technologies have provided customers with new and transformational digital experiences. SanDisk's diverse product portfolio includes flash memory cards and embedded solutions used in smart phones, tablets, digital cameras, camcorders, digital media players and other consumer electronic devices, as well as USB flash drives and solid-state drives (SSD) for the computing market. SanDisk's products are used by consumers and enterprise customers around the world.

SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States. For more information, visit www.sandisk.com.

© 2012 SanDisk Corporation. All rights reserved. SanDisk and CompactFlash are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including expectations for new product introductions, technology measurement standards, applications, features, markets, specifications and customers that are based on our current expectations and involve numerous risks and uncertainties that may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate. Risks that may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate include among others: the market demand for our products may grow more slowly than our expectations or there may be a slower adoption rate for these products in the capacities that we anticipate, our products may not perform as expected and the other risks detailed from time-to-time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. We do not intend to update the information contained in this press release.