Sonnet SF3 Series - CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader

Sonnet SF3 Series - CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader

Leverage the speed and performance of Thunderbolt 3 to transfer content from your CFexpress Type B and XQD media to Windows 10 (64-bit) or macOS 10.12.6 and later systems using the Sonnet SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro card reader. In addition to Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, Mac users can also use this card reader with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderboltconnectivity via a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and Thunderbolt.

With its 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 bus, Sonnet's CFexpress/XQD card reader can achieve download speeds of up to 2750 MB/s from a single CFexpress card. When working with two CFexpress cards simultaneously, speeds of up to approximately 2600 MB/s are possible, and dual XQD cards deliver speeds of up to 800 MB/s. Sonnet has equipped this reader with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. One connects to your host system and provides up to 100 W of power, while the second can be used to daisy-chain up to five additional devices, including additional card readers, two 4K displays at 60 Hz, or one 5K display at 60 Hz. The second Thunderbolt 3 port also provides up to 15 W of power for bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 peripherals and supports 10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 devices.

Features

Two card slots, less waiting time

The SF3 series CFexpress/XQD Pro card reader is fast and can read files from CFexpress and XQD cards at maximum speed. Even better, it can read files simultaneously from two CFexpress cards, halving the reading time. When working with one CFexpress card, speeds reach 2750 MB/s. Two CFexpress cards achieve speeds of up to 2600 MB/s, and two XQD cards reach a maximum of approximately 800 MB/s.

Ready for racking

Sonnet's SF3 pro series card readers feature threaded mounting points that allow you to securely mount two readers side-by-side on a rack tray in just 1U of rack space.

For Digital Imaging Technicians (DITs)

With a size of 5.75 x 1 x 3.5", the CFexpress/XQD Pro card reader of the SF3 series is suitable for use in almost any workspace and workflow; the design advantages of the Sonnetreader are particularly noticeable for DITs working with multiple cameras or where space is limited.

The SF3 series card readers feature robust aluminum housings and are designed to be stacked and daisy-chained, allowing multiple CFexpress/XQD, REDMINI MAG, SxS, and CFast 2.0 readers to occupy the same footprint and connect to your computer via a single cable. Now you can leverage the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 at 2750 MB/s to accommodate four, six, or more cards simultaneously.

External interface Thunderbolt 3/USB Type C

This professional reader features a dual-port Thunderbolt 3 interface with 40 Gbps, enabling fast capture of material from CFexpress 2.0 Type B or XQD memory cards to your Mac or Windows computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports - on location, in the studio or in the editing suite.

Two Thunderbolt 3 ports

The CFexpress/XQD Pro SF3 series card readers feature two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The first is used for connecting to your computer, while the second supports daisy-chaining up to five additional Thunderboltperipherals to a single port on your computer.

Supports two 4K or one 5K display

The Sonnetreader also offers full support for connecting up to two 4K displays at 60 Hz or one 5K display at 60 Hz.

10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 support

The reader supports 10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2, which means you can connect a USB device to the second port using the correct cable or adapter.

Provides 15W of power

For connected devices that require additional power, 15 W is provided to bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 peripherals via the second Thunderbolt 3 port, such as the CFast 2.0 ProCard reader of the SF3 series.

Thunderbolt 3 cable and ThunderLok 3

Sonnet includes a 1.6" 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 cable that, unlike some other cables, transfers data at the full bandwidth of 2750 MB/s of Thunderbolt 3 and supports up to 100 W Power Delivery (PD). Additionally, Sonnet offers a ThunderLok 3 Thunderboltconnector retainer clip that prevents accidental cable disconnections. Simply slide it over one end of the cable, insert the connector, and secure it to the housing with a thumbscrew. Thanks to its unique design, ThunderLok stays attached to the cable, so it won't get lost when not in use.

Backwards compatible with older Macs

No Thunderbolt 3? No problem. The CFexpress/XQD Pro SF3 series card reader is also compatible with Macs with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderboltports when used with the bidirectional Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and a Thunderbolt cable.

Mac compatibility

• Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (both sold separately).
• macOS® 10.12.6+
• macOS Catalina compatible(*)

Windows compatibility

• Computers with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Windows 10 (64-bit Edition Version 1809 or higher)

*Sony has not yet updated the XQD driver credentials to allow for easy installation in macOS Catalina (10.15). To install the XQD driver in Catalina, you must first disable System Integrity Protection (SIP), install the driver, and then re-enable SIP.