| CF Cards or Compact Flash Cards are mass storage | | | | 19,000 JPEGs from a 20 megapixel camera. A |
| devices used for portable electronic devices. They | | | | massive storage capacity like this would have been |
| were first produced in 1994 by Sandisk, and have | | | | unthinkable even a year or so ago. |
| lately made a comeback in the field of portable | | | | These cards also have a high speed transfer rate and |
| electronic devices due to innovations in this sector. | | | | the ability to maintain the high resolution thereby |
| Today these cards find widespread use in various | | | | maintaining the optimum performance of any top |
| electronic items such as digital cameras, portable | | | | quality photography equipment. One drawback of the |
| netbooks and music devices. | | | | Compact Flash Cards is that due to their relatively |
| The Compact Flash cards are tougher than the earlier | | | | bulky size, their usage in slimmer models of electronics |
| disk drives and their consumption of power is only 5% | | | | is restricted and hence their feasibility as a viable |
| of the disk drives. This is due to the fact that they are | | | | storage option for next generation computers and |
| non-volatile and solid- state. Compared to other forms | | | | cameras is often questioned. |
| of portable storage gadgets, it is generally perceived | | | | When Compact Flash cards first became industry |
| that these cards are capable of withstanding far | | | | standardised, even the regular computer hard disks |
| greater shocks and physical damage than any other | | | | had only 4 GB of memory and therefore other |
| device. They are rugged and built to last. | | | | limitations imposed by the ATA were still accepted. |
| The cards also are slightly larger than the other | | | | But not that these cards are gaining popularity |
| devices such as a MicroSD card, hence they are not | | | | amongst a variety of users, manufacturers are making |
| lost easily. They also are easy to insert and remove, | | | | cards of up to 137 GB. While these days CF cards |
| thereby decreasing the chances of damage to | | | | work in [P]ATA mode, potential revisions could also |
| delicate electronic equipment. Compared to other | | | | implement SATA modes. |
| memory cards, the Compact flash cards are much | | | | There is a fear that such large storage capacity can |
| sturdier. | | | | lead to an enormous loss of data or images if the CF |
| The greatest advantage that CF Cards have is their | | | | Card gets damaged or gets stolen. It is always a latent |
| much higher storage capacity. Today a 64GB CF | | | | fear in the mind of any photographer that a spoilt |
| Card is being introduced by almost every card | | | | memory stick can result in the loss of a lot of valuable |
| manufacturer in the market. There is obviously a great | | | | work. As always, this can only be offset by the |
| demand for them, and as the need for a greater | | | | backups of all data and images. Ensuring that your |
| storage capacity becomes imperative, these CF | | | | work is backed up in local hard disks as well on Flickr |
| Cards will become more common. | | | | and other solutions will remove this fear and you can |
| A 64GB CF Card has the capacity to store up to | | | | truly enjoy owning a large capacity card. |