Highspeed, high-capacity card designed for use with the latest Sony Alpha mirrorless and Cinema Line cameras
OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: 30-second review
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro memory card is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras that support the CFexpress Type-A card format. At present, Sony is the only manufacturer to adopt Type-A cards, with most other manufacturers opting for the larger CFexpress Type-B cards.
The format is closer in size to the common SD card format, but with the build quality, speed and capacity that we’ve seen from all models of CFexpress. This new Atlas Pro card offers some of the fastest transfer rates that we’ve seen for the format, with read speeds of up to 1700MB/s and 1500MB/s write speeds, which makes it a solid choice for shooting high-resolution images and video on the latest cameras. While its smaller size limits compatibility with CFexpress Type-A slots, OWC includes a CFexpress Type-B adapter that enables the card to be used in standard Type-B readers. However, this doesn’t enable the card to be used in cameras that accept the Type-B format of CFexpress even though the card will fit the slot
Aside from the speed and capacity that the CFexpress cards offer over SD cards when it comes to durability, there’s just no comparison. To cope with the increased demands of the latest cameras, the memory cards’ build quality is on another level, with the metal casing boosting protection against physical damage and also aiding with heat dissipation. The 480GB version of the card that we’ve looked at in this review offers a decent amount of storage, which is ideal for capturing images on the Sony A7 IV and plenty of 4K video. If you are looking for a card primarily for video, then the larger-capacity card would probably be a good idea.
When it comes to cost, the price is higher compared to similar-sized SD cards, which balances out when you take into consideration the boost in performance and quality that the card offers. While it is only Sony that utilises the Type-A format at present, with Sony’s line of still and video cameras leading the field in many sectors, there is a huge market for decent Type-A cards, and at present, there is a small amount of choice out there. However, backed by OWC quality, a robust performance throughout the test and the OWC software suite that helps to maintain the health and integrity of the card, if you’re a professional photographer or videographer using one of Sony’s latest cameras, then this should be your number one go-to.OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Price & availability
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is available through OWC’s official website and select online retailers.
Score: 4/5OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Design & build
The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras. It is tailored towards professionals rather than enthusiasts, enabling that camera to process high-resolution video and still at the camera’s full potential. At the same time, enthusiasts will still benefit from the enhanced performance compared with the SD equivalent that most cameras will also accept, such as the Sony A7 IV that was used through this test, the rugged metal casing and robust build of the OWC type-A card help to ensure the additional durability that will reassure professionals and helps to protect the card against physical damage.
