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Tested in Camera: The Best CFexpress Type-A Memory Cards

You are here: Home / Memory Cards / Tested in Camera: The Best CFexpress Type-A Memory Cards

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Last updated: December 20, 2022 by Timothy Mayo - 8 Comments

In this guide I test all of the CFexpress Type-A cards currently available in three different Sony cameras: The Sony A1, A7R V and A7 IV.

By testing the cards in-camera we get a much more accurate idea about their in-camera write speeds and identify which cards are really the fastest, because unfortunately label speeds don’t always match up to in-camera performance!

Best CFexpress Type-A Memory Cards
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Sony A7R V Speed Tests
  • Sony A1 Speed Tests
  • Sony A7 IV Speed Tests
  • CFexpress Type-A Readers+−
    • Delkin Devices CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Reader
    • ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Dual-Slot USB 3.2 Gen 2 Card Reader
  • Summary

Sony A7R V Speed Tests

In the table below you’ll find my in-camera speed comparison results from my Sony A7R V.

I was shooting uncompressed RAW which is limited to 7 FPS with the Sony A7R V.

Please visit my Sony A7R V Memory Card Guide if you wish to see my complete in-camera tests with other file types and also UHS-II cards.

Memory Card* In-Camera Write SpeedPrice Check
1. Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-A Gold711 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
2. Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress Type-A662 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
3. Delkin Devices POWER CFexpress Type-A662 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
4. ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type-A Cobalt655 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
5. Sony CEA-G CFexpress Type-A650 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
6. Exascend Essential CFexpress Type-A477 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
* Shooting Uncompressed RAW in Hi+ Drive Mode.

Sony A1 Speed Tests

In the table below you’ll find my in-camera speed comparison results from my Sony A1.

I was shooting uncompressed RAW which is limited to 20 FPS with the Sony A1.

Please visit my Sony A1 Memory Card Guide if you wish to see my complete in-camera tests with other file types and also UHS-II cards.

Memory Card* In-Camera Write SpeedPrice Check
1. Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-A Gold655 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
2. Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress Type-A617 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
3. Delkin Devices POWER CFexpress Type-A617 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
4. Sony CEA-G CFexpress Type-A600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
5. ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type-A Cobalt600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
* Shooting Uncompressed RAW in Hi+ Drive Mode.

Sony A7 IV Speed Tests

In the table below you’ll find my in-camera speed comparison results from my Sony A7 IV.

I was shooting compressed RAW + JPEG for these tests at 10 FPS, if I’d gone with uncompressed RAW then the frame rate drops down to only 6 FPS and the write speed tops out at around 565 MB/s.

Please visit my Sony A7 IV Memory Card Guide if you wish to see my complete in-camera tests with other file types and also UHS-II and UHS-I cards.

Memory Card* In-Camera Write SpeedPrice Check
1. Sony CEA-G CFexpress Type-A600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
2. ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type A Cobalt600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
3. Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress Type A600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
4. Delkin Devices POWER CFexpress Type A600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
5. Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-A Gold600 MB/sB&H Photo | Amazon
* Shooting Compressed RAW + Extra Fine JPEG in Hi+ Drive Mode.

CFexpress Type-A Readers

Below you will find some of the better CFexpress Type-A memory card readers currently available.

I haven’t performed any speed tests on these card readers but may do so if there is enough interest.

Sony MRW-G2 CFExpress Type-A Card Reader

Sony MRW-G2 CFexpress Type A/SD Memory Card Reader

The Sony MRW-G2 supports both CFexpress Type A cards as well as a SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, along with transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb/s via USB 3.1 Gen 2. Both USB Type-C to Type-C and USB Type-C to Type-A cables are included.

Price Check & Buyer Reviews for Sony MRW-G2

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Delkin Devices CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Reader

Delkin Devices CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Reader

The Delkin reader features one CFexpress Type A card slot, one UHS-II SDXC card slot and a 10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interface.

It’s constructed out of anodized aluminum and is also designed with multiple heat sinks to help prevent overheating.

There’s also safe internal storage for one CFexpress Type A card and it comes with a rubber end cover for protection against bumps, impact, water damage, dust, and other forms of debris.

It includes USB Type-C and Type-A cables and is also backward compatible with USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1.

Pre-Check Prices & Buyer Reviews for the Delkin Devices CFexpress Type A & UHS-II Reader

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Dual-Slot USB 3.2 Gen 2 Card Reader

ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Dual-Slot USB 3.2 Gen 2 Card Reader

The ProGrade Digital reader features one CFexpress Type A slot and one UHS-II SDXC slot, and also supports up to 10 Gb/s via USB 3.2 Gen 2 to deliver transfer speeds of up to 1.25 GB/s, or 1250 MB/s via its USB Type-C interface.

It includes USB Type-C to Type-C and Type-C to Type-A cables.

Price Check & Buyer Reviews for ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type A & UHS-II SDXC Reader

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Summary

The Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-A Gold cards have a claimed write speed on their label of up to 900MB/s, whereas all of the other cards tested only claim up to 800MB/s.

100MB/s does make a difference here and the Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-A Gold cards really outshine the other cards in both the Sony A1 and A7RV. In the A7RV they allow you to shoot 47 more shots when shooting uncompressed RAW compared with the next fastest card! However, in the A1 there is not so much of a difference.

The A7 IV with its smaller sensor and slower frame rate doesn’t max out any of the cards tested here and we don’t see a performance difference no matter which card you are using.

However, when it comes to shooting in compressed RAW, lossless compressed RAW or JPEG there is very little between the cards in all cameras tested, apart from the Exascend Essential which under performs quite badly in the A7R V, I will be testing this card in the A1 and A7 IV very soon.

For my complete in-camera speed and buffer tests please visit the following guides:

  • Sony A7R V Memory Card Guide
  • Sony A1 Memory Card Guide
  • Sony A7 IV Memory Card Guide
Category: Memory CardsTag: Sony A1
Sony Alpha Forum

About Timothy Mayo

I love shooting wildlife the most but will happily point my camera at pretty much anything. I started Alpha Shooters in 2017 to share my own photographic journey and experiences shooting with Sony Alpha. The site has since evolved into a popular community and resource. You can find out more about my story here or follow me on Instagram if you wish. I also have a YouTube Channel but haven’t published much content over the past year due to spending more time changing smelly nappies and also launching our community forums. However, I do hope to get back to creating content again there soon!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nicole

    September 8, 2022 at 11:33 am

    Thanks, Timothy for this review. Did you experience any overheating with any of the CFExpress type A cards? I own the Delkin card reader and I am disappointed with how hot it gets. Even if you just plug it in to your computer and it’s NOT transferring pictures, it overheats. Maybe I got a bad unit. I would definitely be interested in a speed test of the various card readers if you are able to do one, please.

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      September 12, 2022 at 5:08 am

      Hi Nicole. I’m mainly using the Sony MRW-G2 CFExpress Type-A reader myself and have not had any overheating issues. I’m not planning to do a speed test of the readers just yet unless there is enough demand for such a test, I normally focus more on the in-camera performance of the memory cards.

      Reply
  2. Anonymous

    July 27, 2022 at 10:42 am

    Can you recommend recovery software for Sony’s CFexpress Type-A cards? Sony’s free Memory Card File Rescue is woefully lacking.

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      September 12, 2022 at 4:37 am

      You could try PhotoRec.

      Reply
  3. AlphaWorld

    June 11, 2022 at 7:15 am

    Interesting that even the fastest Sony camera can’t reach the the speed limit on the CFexpress type A cards. Makes a nonsense of the critics who decry Sony’s choice of CFexpress type A because CFexpress type B cards are “so much faster” – all that extra speed would go unused when the camera can only write at around 600MB/s.

    (to be fair, the cost per gigabyte of CFeB cards is notably lower than CFeA at the moment, though).

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      June 13, 2022 at 7:39 am

      There might be heating issues if Sony allowed the cards to write in-camera at their maximum write speeds. From tests on the web with the Canon R5 it looks like this only writes at around 400 MB/s, despite some Type B cards supporting write speeds of up to 1500 MB/s, probably also restricted due to heat issues. I have an R5 as well and I definitely prefer the cost of the Type B cards! Hopefully now that we are seeing a few more manufactures producing Type-A cards the price will come down.

      Reply
  4. Anonymous

    June 10, 2022 at 7:58 am

    You don’t post often but your content is solid. Thanks for this.

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      June 10, 2022 at 9:42 am

      Thanks for that! I’d like to say that I’ll try to post more often but with another kid on the way that might be a challenge! 🙂

      Reply

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