Editing CompactFlash (section)

==Technical details==
[[File:Cf-card.jpg|thumb|1 GB CF card in a [[Nikon D200]] [[DSLR]] camera]]

The CompactFlash interface is a 50-pin subset of the 68-pin [[PCMCIA]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmcia.org/pccard.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990827062407/http://www.pcmcia.org/pccard.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 27, 1999|title=pcmcia.org|website=www.pcmcia.org|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> connector. "It can be easily slipped into a passive 68-pin PCMCIA Type II to CF Type I adapter that fully meets PCMCIA electrical and mechanical interface specifications", according to compactflash.org.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.compactflash.org/faqs/faq.php |title=CompactFlash Frequently Asked Questions |access-date=2010-05-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301212138/http://www.compactflash.org/faqs/faq.php |archive-date=2010-03-01 }}</ref> The interface operates, depending on the state of a mode pin on power-up, as either a 16-bit [[PC Card]] (0x7FF address limit) or as an [[Parallel ATA|IDE]] (PATA) interface.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/CompactFlash|title=CompactFlash · AllPinouts|website=www.allpinouts.org|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

Unlike the PC Card interface, no dedicated programming voltages (Vpp1 and Vpp2) are provided on the CompactFlash interface.<ref>CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 1.4, Section 4 Electrical Interface, Table 4</ref>

CompactFlash IDE mode defines an interface that is smaller than, but electrically identical to, the [[Advanced Technology Attachment|ATA]] interface. The CF device contains an ATA controller and appears to the host device as if it were a [[hard disk]]. CF devices operate at 3.3 [[volt]]s or 5 volts, and can be swapped from system to system. CompactFlash supports [[Cylinder-head-sector|C-H-S]] and 28-bit [[logical block addressing]] (CF 5.0 introduced support for LBA-48). CF cards with flash memory are able to cope with extremely rapid changes in temperature. Industrial versions of flash memory cards can operate at a range of −45&nbsp;°C to +85&nbsp;°C.

'''NOR'''-based flash has lower density than newer '''NAND'''-based systems, and CompactFlash is therefore the physically largest of the three memory card formats introduced in the early 1990s, being derived from the JEIDA/PCMCIA Memory Card formats. The other two are [[Miniature Card]] (MiniCard) and [[SmartMedia]] (SSFDC). However, CF did switch to NAND type memory later. The [[Microdrive|IBM Microdrive]] format, later made by [[Hitachi]], implements the CF Type II interface, but is a [[hard disk drive]] (HDD) as opposed to solid-state memory. [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]] also made CF HDDs.

===Speed===
CompactFlash [[IDE bus|IDE]] (ATA) emulation speed is usually specified in "x" ratings, e.g. 8x, 20x, 133x. This is the same system used for [[CD-ROM]]s and indicates the maximum transfer rate in the form of a multiplier based on the original audio CD data transfer rate, which is 150&nbsp;kB/s.

: <math>R = {K \cdot 150}\ \text{kB/s}</math>

where ''R'' = transfer rate, ''K'' = speed rating. For example, 133x rating means transfer rate of: 133&nbsp;×&nbsp;150&nbsp;kB/s = 19,950&nbsp;kB/s ≈ 20&nbsp;MB/s.

These are manufacturer speed ratings. Actual transfer rate may be higher, or lower, than shown on the card<ref>{{cite web|url=http://photofocus.com/2009/06/30/long-term-test-udma-flash-memory-lexar-won/|title=Photofocus – Long-Term Test – UDMA Flash Memory – Lexar Won|website=photofocus.com|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318185208/https://photofocus.com/2009/06/30/long-term-test-udma-flash-memory-lexar-won/|archive-date=2018-03-18|url-status=dead}}</ref> depending on several factors. The speed rating quoted is almost always the read speed, while write speed is often slower.

====Solid state====
For reads, the onboard controller first powers up the memory chips from standby. Reads are usually in parallel, error correction is done on the data, then transferred through the interface 16 bits at a time. Error checking is required due to soft read errors. Writes require powerup from standby, wear leveling calculation, a block erase of the area to be written to, ECC calculation, write itself (an individual memory cell read takes around 100 ns, a write to the chip takes 1ms+ or 10,000 times longer).

Because the USB 2.0 interface is limited to 35&nbsp;MB/s and lacks bus mastering hardware, USB 2.0 implementation results in slower access.

Modern UDMA-7 CompactFlash Cards provide data rates up to 145&nbsp;MB/s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pietrzyk.us/media-card-study/|title=UDMA-7/UHS-1 Media Card Study|date=16 August 2013|website=pietrzyk.us|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080838/http://pietrzyk.us/media-card-study/|archive-date=11 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and require USB 3.0 data transfer rates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pietrzyk.us/usb-3-0-cf-card-reader-study/|title=USB 3.0 CF Card Reader Study|date=14 August 2013|website=pietrzyk.us|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229054617/http://pietrzyk.us/usb-3-0-cf-card-reader-study/|archive-date=29 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A direct motherboard connection is often limited to 33&nbsp;MB/s because IDE to CF adapters lack high speed ATA (66&nbsp;MB/s plus) cable support. Power on from sleep/off takes longer than power up from standby.

====Magnetic media====
Many {{convert|1|in|mm|adj=on}} hard drives (often referred to by the trademarked name "[[Microdrive]]") typically spin at 3600 RPM, so rotational latency is a consideration, as is spin-up from standby or idle. Seagate's 8&nbsp;GB ST68022CF drive<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?name=ST1.2-Series_8-GB_CompactFlash_ST68022CF&vgnextoid=5ddc44ab7cffd010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-US#tTabContentSpecifications |title = Seagate – Benut al uw gegevens maximaal &#124; Seagate Nederland}}</ref> spins up fully within a few revolutions but current drawn can reach up to 350 milliamps and runs at 40-50 mA mean current. Its average seek time is 8 [[Millisecond|ms]] and can sustain 9&nbsp;MB/s read and write, and has an interface speed of 33&nbsp;MB/s. Hitachi's 4&nbsp;GB Microdrive is 12 ms seek, sustained 6&nbsp;MB/s.

===Capacities and compatibility===
The CF 5.0 Specification supports capacities up to 128 PiB<!--2^48×512--> using 48-bit [[logical block addressing]] (LBA).<ref>{{cite web
  | url = http://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cf5_0_100222.pdf
  | title = CompactFlash Association Announces Availability of the New CF5.0 Specification
|date=February 22, 2010
  | publisher = CompactFlash Association
  | access-date = 2014-06-21
  | archive-date = Apr 13, 2021
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210413233624/https://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cf5_0_100222.pdf
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> Prior to 2006, CF drives using magnetic media offered the highest capacities (up to 8 [[gigabyte|GiB]]<!--2^24×512-->). Now there are solid-state cards with higher capacities (up to 512&nbsp;GB).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-800x-compactflash-cf-card |title=Lexar® Professional 800x CompactFlash® card &#124; Lexar |access-date=2015-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126060038/http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-800x-compactflash-cf-card |archive-date=2015-11-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As of 2011, [[solid-state drives]] (SSDs) have supplanted both kinds of CF drive for large capacity requirements.

====Solid state capacities====
[[SanDisk]] announced its 16&nbsp;GB ''Extreme III'' card at the [[photokina 2006|photokina]] trade fair, in September, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/press-room/press-releases/2006/2006-09-26-sandisk-introduces-the-world's-highest-capacity-card-for-professional-photographers—the-16-gigabyte-sandisk-extreme-iii-compactflash|title=SanDisk Introduces the World's Highest Capacity Card for Professional Photographers|accessdate=Oct 7, 2022}}</ref> That same month, [[Samsung]] announced 16, 32 and 64&nbsp;GB CF cards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/newsView.do?news_id=321|title=Samsung Announces First 40-nanometer Device 32 Gb NAND Flash with Revolutionary Charge Trap Technology|website=samsung.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> Two years later, in September, 2008, [[PRETEC]] announced 100&nbsp;GB cards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pretec.com/news-event/press-room/item/press-room/press-release-2008-vol-3|title=Pretec - Small size, Big impact|last=Administrator|website=www.pretec.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

====Magnetic media capacities====
Seagate announced a 5&nbsp;GB "1-inch hard drive" in June, 2004,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seagate.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309233041/http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=Seagate_Expands_Consumer_Electronics_Leadership_with_First_5GB_1-Inch_Hard_Drive%2C_First_5&nbsp;GB_Compact_Flash_Hard_Drive%2C_and_New_400&nbsp;GB_DVR_Hard_Drive&vgnextoid=7168814fef83e010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD|url-status=dead|title=The Leader in Mass Data Storage Solutions &#124; Seagate US|archivedate=March 9, 2012|website=Seagate.com}}</ref> and an 8&nbsp;GB version in June, 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seagate.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207164128/http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=Seagate_Does_it_Again%3A_Drives_Innovation_with_10_New%2C_Groundbreaking_Hard_Disc_Drives&vgnextoid=71157a2dd358d010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD|url-status=dead|title=The Leader in Mass Data Storage Solutions &#124; Seagate US|archivedate=December 7, 2009|website=Seagate.com}}</ref>

====Use in place of a hard disk drive====
[[File:CompactFlash to SATA adapter with card.jpg|thumb|CompactFlash to [[SATA]] adapter with a card inserted]]

In early 2008, the CFA demonstrated CompactFlash cards with a built in [[SATA]] interface.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007/11/17/submerged-camera-holds-functional-memory-card-two-years-after-ac/|title=Submerged camera holds functional memory card two years after accident|website=engadget.com|date=17 November 2007 |access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> Several companies make adapters that allow CF cards to be connected to [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]], [[PCMCIA]], [[Parallel ATA|IDE]] and [[SATA]] connections,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.addonics.com/products/cf_adapter/|title=Compact Flash and Secure Digital Adapters|publisher=Addonics|access-date=2008-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509161613/http://www.addonics.com/products/cf_adapter/|archive-date=2008-05-09|url-status=dead}}</ref> allowing a CF card to act as a [[solid-state drive]] with virtually any operating system or BIOS, and even in a [[RAID]] configuration.

CF cards may perform the function of the master or slave drive on the IDE bus, but have issues sharing the bus. Moreover, late-model cards that provide [[Direct memory access|DMA]] (using UDMA or MWDMA) may present problems when used through a passive adapter that does not support DMA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fccps.cz/download/adv/frr/cf.html|title=CompactFlash cards and DMA/UDMA support in True IDE (tm) mode|website=www.fccps.cz|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

===Reliability===
Original PC Card memory cards used an internal battery to maintain data when power was removed. The rated life of the battery was the only reliability issue. CompactFlash cards that use flash memory, like other flash-memory devices, are rated for a limited number of erase/write cycles for any "block." While NOR flash has higher endurance, ranging from 10,000 to 1,000,000, they have not been adapted for memory card usage. Most mass storage usage flash are NAND based. {{As of|2015}} NAND flash were being scaled down to 16&nbsp;nm. They are usually rated for 500 to 3,000 write/erase cycles per block before hard failure.<ref name="samsung1">{{cite web|url=http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/downloads/applicationnote/app_nand.pdf |title= Application Note for NAND Flash Memory (Revision 2.0) | access-date=April 8, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616022706/http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/downloads/applicationnote/app_nand.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref> This is less reliable than magnetic media.<ref>The comparison is not in the same terms as for magnetic media, for which hours of operation and reads also impose wear.</ref> ''Car PC Hacks''<ref name="CarPChacks">''Car PC hacks'', Damien Stolarz, 2005, Farnham:O’Reilly Media, Sebastopol, CA, USA, {{ISBN|0-596-00871-6}}</ref> suggests disabling the Windows swap file and using its [[Enhanced Write Filter]] (EWF) to eliminate unnecessary writes to flash memory.<ref>EWF is available only in XP Embedded, not the XP Professional, Home, or Media Editions versions of Windows.</ref> Additionally, when formatting a flash-memory drive, the Quick Format method should be used, to write as little as possible to the device.

Most CompactFlash flash-memory devices limit wear on blocks by varying the physical location to which a block is written. This process is called [[wear leveling]]. When using CompactFlash in ATA mode to take the place of the [[hard disk drive]], wear leveling becomes critical because low-numbered blocks contain tables whose contents change frequently. Current CompactFlash cards spread the wear-leveling across the entire drive. The more advanced CompactFlash cards will move data that rarely changes to ensure all blocks wear evenly.

NAND flash memory is prone to frequent soft read errors.<ref name="CarPChacks" /> The CompactFlash card includes [[error checking and correction]] (ECC) that detects the error and re-reads the block. The process is transparent to the user, although it may slow data access.

As a flash memory device is [[solid-state drive|solid-state]], it is less affected by physical shock than a spinning disk.

The possibility for electrical damage from upside-down insertion is prevented by asymmetrical side slots, assuming that the host device uses a suitable connector.

====Power consumption and data transfer rate====
Small cards consume around 5% of the power required by small disk drives and still have reasonable transfer rates of over 45&nbsp;MB/s for the more expensive 'high-speed' cards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.photokina-show.com/0365/sandisk/flashmemorycard/sandiskextreme4/|title=SanDisk Extreme IV review|last=LetsGoDigital|website=www.photokina-show.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> However, the manufacturer's warning on the flash memory used for [[ReadyBoost]] indicates a current draw in excess of 500 mA.

====File systems====
CompactFlash cards for use in consumer devices are typically formatted as [[FAT12]] (for media up to 16&nbsp;MB), [[FAT16]] (for media up to 2&nbsp;GB, sometimes up to 4&nbsp;GB) and [[FAT32]] (for media larger than 2&nbsp;GB). This lets the devices be read by personal computers but also suits the limited processing ability of some consumer devices such as [[digital camera|camera]]s.

There are varying levels of compatibility among FAT32-compatible cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, and other devices. While any device that claims FAT32-capability should read and write to a FAT32-formatted card without problems, some devices are tripped up by cards larger than 2&nbsp;GB that are completely unformatted, while others may take longer to apply a FAT32 format.

The way many digital cameras update the file system as they write to the card creates a FAT32 bottleneck. Writing to a FAT32-formatted card generally takes a little longer than writing to a FAT16-formatted card with similar performance capabilities. For instance, the [[Canon EOS 10D]] writes the same photo to a FAT16-formatted 2&nbsp;GB CompactFlash card somewhat faster than to a same speed 4&nbsp;GB FAT32-formatted CompactFlash card, although the memory chips in both cards have the same write speed specification.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-6453-6837 |website=Rob Galbraith |title=CompactFlash Performance Database updated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518120000/http://robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-6453-6837 |archive-date=2013-05-18 |url-status=dead |date=March 22, 2004 }}</ref> Although FAT16 is more wasteful of disk space with its larger clusters, it works better with the write strategy that flash memory chips require.

The cards themselves can be formatted with any type of file system such as [[Extended file system|Ext]], [[JFS (file system)|JFS]], [[NTFS]], or by one of the dedicated [[flash file system]]s. It can be divided into partitions as long as the host device can read them. CompactFlash cards are often used instead of hard drives in embedded systems, [[dumb terminal]]s and various small form-factor PCs that are built for low noise output or power consumption. CompactFlash cards are often more readily available and smaller than purpose-built [[solid-state drive]]s and often have faster [[seek time]]s than hard drives.

===CF+ and CompactFlash specification revisions===
When CompactFlash was first being standardized, even full-sized hard disks were rarely larger than 4&nbsp;GB in size, and so the limitations of the ATA standard were considered acceptable. However, CF cards manufactured after the original Revision 1.0 specification are available in capacities up to 512&nbsp;GB. While the current revision 6.0 works in [P]ATA mode, [[#CFast|future revisions]] are expected to implement [[SATA]] mode.

* CompactFlash Revision 1.0 (1995), 8.3&nbsp;MB/s (PIO mode 2), support for up to 128&nbsp;GB storage space.
* CompactFlash+ aka CompactFlash I/O (1997)
* CF+ and CompactFlash Revision 2.0 (2003) added an increase in speed to 16.6&nbsp;MB/s data-transfer (PIO mode 4). At the end of 2003, [[Direct memory access|DMA]] 33 transfers were added as well, available since mid-2004.
* CF+ and CompactFlash Revision 3.0 (2004) added support for up to a 66&nbsp;MB/s data transfer rate ([[UDMA]] 66), 25&nbsp;MB/s in PC Card mode, added password protection, along with a number of other features. CFA recommends usage of the FAT32 filesystem for storage cards larger than 2&nbsp;GB.
* CF+ and CompactFlash Revision 4.0 (2006) added support for IDE Ultra DMA Mode 6 for a maximum data transfer rate of 133&nbsp;MB/s (UDMA 133).
* CF+ and CompactFlash Revision 4.1 (2007) added support for Power Enhanced CF Storage Cards.
* CompactFlash Revision 5.0 (2010) added a number of features, including 48-bit addressing (supporting 128 petabyte of storage), larger block transfers of up to 32 megabytes, quality-of-service and video performance guarantees, and other enhancements<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://compactflash.org/2010/cfa-announces-availability-of-cf50/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122170442/http://compactflash.org/2010/cfa-announces-availability-of-cf50/|url-status=dead|title=CFA Announces Availability of the New CF5.0 Specification |date=February 22, 2010 |website=CompactFlash Association|archivedate=November 22, 2010}}</ref>
* CompactFlash Revision 6.0 (November 2010) added UltraDMA Mode 7 (167&nbsp;MB/s), ATA-8/ACS-2 sanitize command, [[Trim (computing)|TRIM]] and an optional card capability to report the [[operating temperature]] range of the card.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://compactflash.org/2010/cf-6-0-introduces-industry-leading-performance-and-feature-enhancements/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121233926/http://compactflash.org/2010/cf-6-0-introduces-industry-leading-performance-and-feature-enhancements/|url-status=dead|title=CF 6.0 Introduces Performance and Feature Enhancements |date=November 18, 2010 |website=CompactFlash Association |archivedate=November 21, 2010}}</ref>

===CE-ATA===
{{Main|CE-ATA}}

CE-ATA is a serial MMC-compatible interface based on the [[MultiMediaCard]] standard.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/98ABCD658D41637A8625706700616161/$file/Ready_for_CE-ATA.pdf |title= Are You Ready for CE-ATA? |website=Hitachi Global Storage Technologies |first1=William F. |last1=Heybruck |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608074722/http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/98ABCD658D41637A8625706700616161/%24file/Ready_for_CE-ATA.pdf |archive-date=2011-06-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mmca.org/tech/MMCA_System_summaryV41.pdf |title=MMCA: Home |website=www.mmca.org |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723214224/http://www.mmca.org/tech/MMCA_System_summaryV41.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===CFast===
{{Anchor|CFast 1.0|CFast 2.0}}
[[File:CFast Kontakte (cropped).jpg|thumb|Pins of a CFast card]]

A variant of CompactFlash known as '''CFast''' is based on the [[Serial ATA]] (SATA) interface, rather than the [[Parallel ATA]]/IDE (PATA) bus for which all previous versions of CompactFlash are designed. CFast is also known as CompactFast.

CFast 1.0/1.1 supports a higher maximum transfer rate than current CompactFlash cards, using [[Serial ATA#SATA revision 2.0 (3 Gbit/s, 300 MB/s)|SATA 2.0]] (300&nbsp;MB/s) interface, while PATA is limited to 167&nbsp;MB/s using [[UDMA#ATA standards versions, transfer rates, and features|UDMA 7]].

CFast cards are not physically or electrically compatible with CompactFlash cards. However, since SATA can emulate the PATA command protocol, existing CompactFlash software drivers can be used, although writing new drivers to use [[AHCI]] instead of PATA emulation will almost always result in significant performance gains. CFast cards use a female [[SATA#Data connector|7-pin SATA data connector]], and a female 17-pin power connector,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hsc-us.com/pdf/Evolution_of_cf_whitepaper.pdf|title=CFast&nbsp;– Evolution of the CompactFlash Interface|publisher=CompactFlash Association|date=2008-04-14|access-date=2010-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205005403/http://www.hsc-us.com/pdf/Evolution_of_cf_whitepaper.pdf|archive-date=2008-12-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> so an adaptor is required to connect CFast cards in place of standard SATA hard drives which use male connectors.

The first CFast cards reached the market in late 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/cfast-compactflash-cards-now-said-to-be-coming-in-18-to-24-mont/|author=Donald Melanson|date=2008-02-25|publisher=[[Engadget]]|title=CFast CompactFlash cards now said to be coming in "18 to 24 months"}}</ref> At [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] 2009, Pretec showed a 32&nbsp;GB CFast card and announced that they should reach the market within a few months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dpreview.com/news/0901/09010902preteccfaststoragecards.asp|publisher=[[DPReview]]|date=2008-01-08|title=Pretec release CFast card with SATA interface}}</ref> Delock began distributing CFast cards in 2010, offering several card readers with [[USB 3.0]] and [[eSATAp]] (power over eSATA) ports to support CFast cards.

Seeking higher performance and still keeping a compact storage format, some of the earliest adoptors of CFast cards were in the gaming industry (used in slot machines), as a natural evolution from the by then well-established CF cards. Current gaming industry supporters of the format include both specialist gaming companies (e.g. [[Aristocrat Leisure]]) and OEMs such as Innocore (now part of [[Advantech Co., Ltd.]]).

The CFast 2.0 specification was released in the second quarter of 2012, updating the electrical interface to [[Serial ATA#SATA revision 3.0 (6 Gbit/s, 600 MB/s)|SATA 3.0]] (600&nbsp;MB/s). As of 2014, the only product employing CFast 2.0 cards was the [[Arri]] Amira digital production camera,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arri.com/amira/|title=ARRI Group: AMIRA|website=ARRI Group|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> allowing frame rates of up to 200 fps; a CFast 2.0 adapter for the [[Arri Alexa|Arri Alexa/XT]] camera was also released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arri.com/camera/alexa/news/news/in-camera-cfast-20-for-alexa/|title=ARRI Group: News|website=ARRI Group|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

On 7 April 2014, [[Blackmagic Design]] announced the URSA cinema camera, which records to CFast media.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicursa|title=Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro – Blackmagic Design|first=Blackmagic|last=Design|website=www.blackmagicdesign.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

On 8 April 2015, [[Canon Inc.]] announced the [[Canon XC10|XC10]] video camera, which also makes use of CFast cards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canon-europe.com/for_home/product_finder/camcorders/professional/xc10/|publisher=[[Canon Europe]]|date=2015-04-08|title=Canon XC10 – Professional camcorder}}</ref> Blackmagic Design also announced that its URSA Mini will use CFast 2.0.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

As of October 2016, there are a growing number of cameras, video recorders, and audio recorders that use the faster data rates offered by CFast media.

As of 2017, in the wider embedded electronics industry, transition from CF to CFast is still relatively slow, probably due to hardware cost considerations and some inertia (familiarity with CF) and because a significant part of the industry is satisfied with the lower performance provided by CF cards, thus having no reason to change. A strong incentive to change to CFast for embedded electronics companies using designs based on Intel PC architecture is the fact that Intel has removed native support for the (P)ATA interface a few design platforms ago and the older CPU/PCH generations now have end-of-life status.

=== CFexpress ===
{{Main|CFexpress}}
In September 2016, the CompactFlash Association announced a new standard based on PCIe 3.0 and NVMe, [[CFexpress]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cfexpress_family_pr_160907.pdf|title=CFA 5.1 Press Release|access-date=2017-02-23|archive-date=2017-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519120602/http://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cfexpress_family_pr_160907.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In April 2017, the version 1.0 of the CFexpress specification was published, with support for two PCIe 3.0 lanes in an XQD form-factor for up to 2&nbsp;GB/s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cfexpress_1_0_press_release_2017417.pdf|title=CFexpress 1.0 Press Release|access-date=2017-06-01|archive-date=2017-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212031455/http://www.compactflash.org/assets/docs/cfapress/cfexpress_1_0_press_release_2017417.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Type I and Type II===
The only physical difference between the two types is that Type I devices are 3.3&nbsp;mm thick while Type II devices are 5&nbsp;mm thick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.compactflash.org/faqs/faq.htm#What_is|title=Home|last=MemberClicks|website=www.compactflash.org|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318182915/https://www.compactflash.org/faqs/faq.htm#What_is|url-status=dead}}</ref> Electrically, the two interfaces are the same except that Type I devices are permitted to draw up to 70 mA supply current from the interface, while type II devices may draw up to 500 mA.

Most Type II devices are Microdrive devices (see [[#Microdrives|below]]), other miniature hard drives, and adapters, such as a popular adapter that takes Secure Digital cards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dpreview.com/news/9911/99112302delkin224.asp|title=Delkin Devices ship 224MB CF type II|website=dpreview.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_934.html|title=Lexar Media announces 8GB CompactFlash type II – LetsGoDigital|last=LetsGoDigital|website=www.letsgodigital.org|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-date=21 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821122728/http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_934.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> A few flash-based Type II devices were manufactured, but Type I cards are now available in capacities that exceed CF HDDs. Manufacturers of CompactFlash cards such as Sandisk, Toshiba, Alcotek and Hynix offer devices with Type I slots only. Some of the latest [[DSLR]] cameras, like the [[Nikon D800]], have also dropped Type II support.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-SLR/25444/D700.html|title=Nikon D700 – see Tech Specs|website=nikonusa.com|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830152350/http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-SLR/25444/d700.html|archive-date=30 August 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Microdrives===
{{Main|Microdrive}}
[[File:MicroDrive1GB.jpg|thumb|IBM 1 GB Microdrive]]

Microdrive was a brand of tiny [[hard disk]]s—about 25&nbsp;mm (1&nbsp;inch) wide—in a CompactFlash Type II package. The first was developed and released in 1999 by [[IBM]], with a capacity of 170&nbsp;MB. IBM sold its disk drive division, including the Microdrive trademark, to [[Hitachi]] in 2002. Comparable hard disks were also made by other vendors, such as Seagate and Sony. They were available in capacities of up to 8&nbsp;GB but have been superseded by flash memory in cost, capacity, and reliability, and are no longer manufactured.<ref name="Robgalbraith CF info">{{cite web|last=Rob|first=Galbraith|title=Robgalbraith CF info|url=http://www.robgalbraith.com/multi_pagee519.html?cid=6007|publisher=Rob Galbraith|access-date=6 May 2014|archive-date=10 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410130346/http://www.robgalbraith.com/multi_pagee519.html?cid=6007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As mechanical devices, CF HDDs drew more current than flash memory's 100 mA maximum. Early versions drew up to 500 mA, but more recent ones drew under 200 mA for reads and under 300 mA for writes. CF HDDs were also susceptible to damage from physical shock or temperature changes. However, CF HDDs had a longer lifespan of write cycles than early flash memories.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

The [[iPod mini]], [[Nokia N91]], [[iriver H10]] (5 or 6&nbsp;GB model), [[LifeDrive]], [[Walkman A Series|Sony NW-A1000/3000]] and [[Rio Carbon]] used a Microdrive to store data.{{cn|date=February 2024}}