Sonnet SF3 Dual-Slot CFast 2.0 to Thunderbolt Pro Card Reader

About: Sonnet SF3 Dual-Slot CFast 2.0 to Thunderbolt Pro Card Reader

With the increasing popularity of professional digital cinema cameras from Canon, ARRI and Blackmagic Design, the use of CFast 2.0 memory cards has soared, and the need for a truly high-speed card reader is undeniable. With current CFast 2.0 cards’ rated read speeds near 550 MB/s, it’s clear that USB readers don’t fill that need. Sonnet’s SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader does. Featuring a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface, this device quickly ingests footage from CFast memory cards to any Mac or Windows computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports—on location, in the studio, or in the edit suite—at the fastest speeds the cards will support.

Features

• Superior Ingest Performance - Ingests footage from CFast 2.0 cards at up to maximum supported speeds. Simultaneously ingest from two cards at full speed.
• Dual CFast 2.0 Slots - Enable simultaneous ingest of files from two cards up to 1000+ MB/s aggregate.
• PCIe 3.0 x4 Thunderbolt Device - This Thunderbolt 3 device provides four lanes of PCIe 3.0 (two lanes to each card slot). Thunderbolt 4 would be limited to one lane total. Learn more about Thunderbolt 3 performance benefits over Thunderbolt 4.
• Compact, Rugged, Stackable - Small and rugged aluminum enclosure for reliable operation; design enables multiple SF3 Series card readers to occupy same footprint.
• Rackable - Threaded mount points enable secure attachment of two readers side-by-side on a rack tray in just 1U of rack space.
• Bus-Powered, Energy Efficent - Powered through its Thunderbolt connection, the SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader requires no power adapter.
• Apple M series Compatible - Supports M series Macs.
• Intel Macs Compatible - Supports Intel Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports, and Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 1 ports (with adapter plus Thunderbolt 2 cable, sold separately).
• Windows Compatible - Supports Windows computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Dual-Slot Ingest at Maximum Read Speeds - Read up to 1000+ MB/s

Enables simultaneous ingest of files from two cards up to 1000+ MB/s aggregate.

Dual CFast Slots - Ingest from Two Cards at Same Time

As the industry’s first CFast 2.0 card reader for Thunderbolt, Sonnet’s SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader employs its dual card slots to take advantage of the tremendous bandwidth offered by Thunderbolt technology. This CFast 2.0 reader is capable of ingesting media files simultaneously from two cards at concurrent data transfer speeds up to 1000+ MB/s — more than double the average ingest speed of USB 3.0 card readers — using the Sonnet reader makes for a significantly more convenient and efficient workflow.

Bus-Powered - No Power Adapters Required

The SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader connects directly to your Mac or Windows computer’s Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 port or at the end of a Thunderbolt device chain. Requiring only a single cable to connect to your computer, this high-performance Sonnet reader is bus powered (no separate power supply required).

Ready to Rack. Perfectly Portable. - Designed for DIT Workflows

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.

On the Road Travel Companion - Portable, Rugged, Stackable

Measuring a compact 5.8 inches wide by 1 inch high by 3.5 inches deep, the SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader is suitable for use in any workspace, even where space is tight. The reader’s shell is made from extruded aluminum, making it lightweight, and yet rugged enough to be transported in an equipment bag without fear of damaging the case.

Sonnet SF3 Series Pro Card Readers - Designed to be Stacked and Daisy Chained

SF3 Series pro card readers feature rugged aluminum enclosures designed to be stacked and daisy chained, enabling multiple AJA PAK Media, CFast 2.0, CFexpress/XQD, RED MINI-MAG, and SxS PRO X readers to occupy the same footprint, while connecting to your computer through a single cable. You can take advantage of Thunderbolt’s up to 2800 MB/s of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth to ingest four, six, or more cards simultaneously!

40Gbps Thunderbolt - Fastest External Interface Available

Featuring a 40Gbps Thunderbolt interface, this reader ingests footage from all CFast memory cards to Mac and Windows computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports — on location, in the studio, or in the edit suite — at up to the fastest speeds the cards will support.

Cable Built-in - Never Lose It. Easily Replaceable.

Through the use of a captive cable, the SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader’s 40Gbps Thunderbolt cable remains firmly connected to it at all times. Should the cable ever break, it can easily be replaced with an approved replacement cable available from Sonnet or a Sonnet-authorized service center.

Compatible with Thunderbolt 4 Computers and Apple M series Macs

SF3 Series professional card readers are fully compatible with Thunderbolt 4 computers, including Apple M series Macs. Sonnet’s media readers are purposely designed with a Thunderbolt 3 controller and its four lanes of PCIe (not available in a Thunderbolt 4 peripheral) to achieve maximum simultaneous ingest speeds.

Specifications

• Compatibility
  • Mac Compatibility
    • Mac (M series)
    • Mac (Intel) with Thunderbolt 3 ports
    • macOS 10.12.6+
    • macOS Sonoma compatible
  • Windows Compatibility
    • Windows computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports
    • Windows 11 and 10
  • Supported Media
    • CFast
    • CFast 2.0
• Hardware
  • Form Factor - Portable card reader
  • Bus Interface - 40Gbps Thunderbolt
  • External Connectors - Two CFast slots
  • Operating Temperatures - 0˚C to 35˚C (32˚F to 95˚F)
  • Dimensions (WxDxH) - 5.8 x 3.5 x 1 in. (145 x 89 x 25 mm)
  • Weight - 0.35 lbs (0.16 kg)
  • Compliance
    • RoHS 3 (Directive 2015/863)
    • IEC62368-1 and IEC62368-2 Safety

Package Contents

• SF3 Series - CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader (with captive 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable)
• Documentation