Take advantage of the speed and power of Thunderbolt 3 to transfer content from your CFexpress Type B and XQD media to systems running Windows 10 (64-bit) or macOS 10.12.6 and later using the SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader from Sonnet. In addition to Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, Mac users may use this card reader with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt connectivity by way of a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and a Thunderbolt cable.
Using the 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 bus, Sonnet's CFexpress/XQD card reader can operate at speeds up to 2750 MB/s when downloading one CFexpress card. When simultaneously working with two CFexpress cards, speeds max out around 2600 MB/s, and dual XQD cards deliver speeds of up to 800 MB/s. Sonnet built this reader with dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, one of which connects to your host system and provides up to 100W 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 15W of power for bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 peripherals and supports 10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 devices.
Please note that Sony has not yet updated XQD driver credentials to enable 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. See Sonnet's XQD driver page for complete details.
General Features
Dual Card Slots, Less Waiting
The SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader is fast and able to ingest files from CFexpress and XQD cards at their maximum speeds. Better still, it can ingest files simultaneously from two CFexpress cards to cut your ingest times in half. When working with one CFexpress card, speeds reach 2750 MB/s. Dual CFexpress cards reach speeds up to 2600 MB/s, and dual XQD cards max out around 800 MB/s.
Ready for Racking
Sonnet's SF3 Series pro card readers include threaded mount points that enable you to securely attach two readers side-by-side on a rack tray in just 1U of rack space.
For Digital Imaging Technicians (DITs)
Measuring 5.75 x 1 x 3.5", the SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader is suitable for use in almost any workspace and workflow; for DITs working multi-camera shoots or in a small space, the Sonnet reader's design advantages stand out.
Built with rugged aluminum enclosures, SF3 Series card readers are designed to be stacked and daisy chained, enabling multiple CFexpress/XQD, REDMINI-MAG, SxS, and CFast 2.0 readers to occupy the same footprint, while connecting to your computer through a single cable. Now you can take advantage of Thunderbolt 3's 2750 MB/s bandwidth to ingest four, six, or more cards simultaneously.
Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C External Interface
Featuring a dual-port 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 interface, this professional reader ingests footage 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 edit suite - at fast speeds.
Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports
The SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader features two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The first one is used for connecting to your computer, while the second supports daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices to a single port on your computer.
Supports Two 4K or One 5K Display
The Sonnet reader also provides 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 includes 10 Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 support, meaning you can connect a USB device sto the second port using the proper cable or adapter.
Provides 15W of Power
For connected devices requiring extra power, 15W is provided to bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 peripherals from the second Thunderbolt 3 port, such as the SF3 Series CFast 2.0 ProCard Reader.
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 Thunderbolt 3's full 2750 MB/s bandwidth and supports up to 100W of Power Delivery (PD). In addition, Sonnet provides a ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip that helps prevent accidental cable disconnections. Just slide it over one end of the cable, and then plug in the connector and secure it to the chassis by turning a thumbscrew. Because of its unique design, ThunderLok remains on the cable, so it won't get lost when not in use.
Backward Compatible with Older Macs
No Thunderbolt 3? No problem. The SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader is also compatible with Macs with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt ports when used with the bi-directional Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt cable (both sold separately).
In the Box
- Sonnet SF3 Series CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader
- Thunderbolt 3 Cable (1.6' / 0.5m)
- ThunderLok 3 Retainer Clip
- Power Adapter
- Power Cable
- Limited 2-Year Warranty
Mac Compatibility
- Mac (M1):
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Compatible with only CFexpress cards(6)
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Not currently compatible with XQD cards (Sony has not announced M1-compatible driver availability)
- Mac (Intel®) with Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 1 port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter plus a Thunderbolt 2 cable (both sold separately).
- macOS® 10.12.6+
- macOS Monterey compatible(7)
iPad Compatibility
- iPad Pro with Thunderbolt port (compatible with only CFexpress cards)
Windows Compatibility
- PC with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Windows 11, 10
Product Manual
Mounting Instructions
