The Angelbird AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 is built on the latest CFexpress v4 Type B technology.
In 2023, the new CFexpress B v4 models were announced, and today, compatible cameras will benefit from the added speed of the V4 standard. With the adoption of PCIe Gen4 in CFexpress 4.0, the media cards can theoretically achieve double the throughput performance compared to PCIe Gen3 of CFexpress 2.0 while maintaining backward compatibility, so they can be used in cameras that don’t currently support the V4 speed.
There was a bit of a delay in releasing the new AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 media cards due to a component shortage. Angelbird manufactures all its products at its state-of-the-art facility; however, like many manufacturers, the components come from different vendors, and the latest and greatest components end up back-ordered. Well, that is all fixed now, and Angelbird has these fast, reliable media cards ready to go!
The AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 cards are available in four capacities
| AV PRO SE CFexpress B CFexpress v4 Type B |
| 512 GB EUR/USD 179.99 MSRP |
| 1 TB EUR/USD 299.99 MSRP |
| 2 TB EUR/USD 599.99 MSRP |
| 4 TB EUR/USD 1,199.99 MSRP |
Getting the larger 2 TB and 4 TB cards isn’t a financial decision based on the pricing. The larger cards would generally cost more, but not in this case; it’s up to you to pick what your needs are. With the 512 GB and 1 TB, the 1 TB cost $58 more than two 512 GB cards.
With the 2 TB model, the actual storage is 2.05 TB after formatting in the camera. That is refreshing, as this usually comes up short.
Firmware Updatable
A great feature is the media card can be updated via firmware updates, ensuring support for future camera models, newly introduced features, and codecs. It is important to note that the cards require an Angelbird Card Reader to perform the updates.
3-Year Warranty
Angelbird media cards come with a 3-year limited warranty. You must activate your product within 30 days of purchase to receive the limited warranty.
Angelbird Data Recovery Service is included if the product still falls under Angelbird’s 3-year limited warranty, which is entirely free of charge. The service is for recovering data, not repairing media.
Compatible Cameras
- Sony Burano
- Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
- Canon EOS-C400
- Canon EOS-C300 Mark III
- Canon EOS-C500 Mark II
- Canon EOS R3
- Canon EOS R5
- Canon EOS R5 C
- Fujifilm X-H2/X-H2S
- Fujifilm GFX100 II
- Nikon D5
- Nikon D500
- Nikon D6
- Nikon D850
- Nikon Z6/Z7
- Nikon Z8/Z9
- Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6
- Panasonic S1/S1R
- Red Komodo-X
- Red V-Raptor
the new cards feature a stated, consistent write speed of up to 3150 MB/s throughout the recording. If your camera loses power, the Host Power Loss Protection saves buffer files and safely shuts down the card to avoid loss or corruption.
The cards are built to work in harsh Temperature environments for -12/72 °C | 10/162 °F
Personalize
When purchasing directly from Angelbird, you can have the cards personally engraved for no extra charge.
Angelbird AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 Key features
- Industry-leading CFexpress v4 Type B technology with advanced PCIe 4.0 interface for high-speed recording and rapid offloading
- Built for data-intensive video and high-speed burst photo production in up to 12K+ RAW and beyond
- Stable Stream uninterrupted write and read performance throughout the entire capacity of the card
- Active thermal protection ensures safe operation in extreme environments and prevents the card from overheating
- The built-to-last card withstands temperatures ranging from -12°C to 72°C (10°F to 162°F)
- Widely compatible, with firmware updates ensuring support for future camera models, newly introduced features, and codecs (updates can be performed directly on the cards using an Angelbird Card Reader)
- Backward compatible with all camera models using CFexpress™ Type B memory card format, including off-market and legacy models
- In-house data recovery service on hard and software level
- 3-year limited warranty
Canon R5 8K ALL-I 23.98 Test
With the Canon R5 set to 8K 23.98 ALL-I, I ran a continuous recording test with the 2 TB CFexpress B v4 media card. The camera shows that with this card, I can record fifteen minutes of video, however I was able to record a whole lot more. I believe this is a Canon issue.
With the R5 in 8k ALL-I, 30 minutes of recording is 291.57 GB. This means you could record approximately three and a half hours of 8K footage on a 2TB card. Impressive! The recording didn’t drop any frames and performed as it should.
I get nervous about having too much footage on one card in case an issue occurs and the media could be lost. I think it’s safer to spread it out over several cards. With that said, a 4 TB card would be a great option if you shot in RAW or even higher resolutions.
At the 25-minute mark, the overheating warning started to flash. The R5 was set to Normal, not High, in the overheating setting.
I could record the full 30-minute limit in 8K ALL-I 23.98 without the R5 shutting down or dropping frames. After about three more minutes of being on standby, it shut down.
The overheating issue has nothing to do with the media but shows that old problems still exist. The Angelbird AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 performed without a hiccup.
Offloading, Read and Write Speeds
Stated specifications for the 2 TB and 4 TB models are:
2 TB and 4 TB
Max. Read speed 3700 MB/s
Max. write speed: 3500 MB/s
Sustained read speed 3500 MB/s
Sustained write speed 3150 MB/s
Stated specifications for the 512 GB
512 GB
Max. read speed 3700 MB/s
Max. write speed 1100 MB/s
Sustained read speed 3500 MB/s
Sustained write speed 1050 MB/s
Stated specifications for the 1 TB
1 TB
Max. read speed 3700 MB/s
Max. write speed 2300 MB/s
Sustained read speed 3500 MB/s
Sustained write speed 2100 MB/s
Let’s see how it performs when using media card readers with the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test set to 5 GB files setting.
Using a Thunderbolt 3 card reader, I got some speedy read and write speeds of 1202.2 MB/s Write and 1535.3 Read. This speed qualifies for use with many heavy file types and resolutions but didn’t hit the stated speeds. Is this an issue? Probably not. For recording, all that matters is the card’s stability, and they will not hiccup. The speed helps for offloading. I downloaded 586.56 GB of Canon RAW Light in 7:11 minutes to an SSD drive, also attached with Thunderbolt 3 on an M1 Max MacbookPro.
Angelbird PKT CFexpress B Reader
Angelbird has released an all-new USB-C card reader for CFexpress B, SD Card, and CFexpress A. These readers are versatile, as you can also use them as recorders with compatible cameras using USB-C recording. When using them this way the camera will see the media in the reader as an SSD. Pretty nifty! The new Card Reader PKT is available in three versions, retailing for $99 USD. They are available directly from Angelbird and local dealers.
- Card Reader PKT CFexpress A
- Card Reader PKT CFexpress B
- Card Reader PKT SD
The Host interface is USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, with up to 20 Gb/s, USB backward compatible, and physically TB3/4 compatible, but obviously, TB3/4 speed is not supported. The reader, like all Angelbird readers and drives, features a recessed USB-C connector that fits the included USB-C cable nicely and snugly. This helps prevent accidental disconnect. It works very well and the cable won’t pull out of the reader easily. The only downside is the USB-C cable is a proprietary design, and many off-the-shelf cables won’t fit.
With the PKT CFexpress B Reader, transferring 586.56 GB of Canon RAW Light footage took 10 minutes to an SSD drive with a Write Speed of 882.4 MB/s and a Read of 843.00. Yes, it’s slower than a Thunderbolt reader due to the speed limitations of USB-C, but it is also more affordable at $99 USD. I’m using an M1 Max MacbookPro, and Thunderbolt 3 is less common on Windows PCs and laptops, so the speed limitations versus cost is a fair trade if your system can’t take advantage of Thunderbolt 3.
The PKT CFexpress B Reader has a nice mounting option available to use it with cameras that support USB-C external recording. The design lends itself to be used in this way, and the included cap keeps the media safe from accidentally getting ejected.
The all-metal Mounting Bracket PKT slips over the reader and clamps down. It has a hot shoe built into the base and a 1/4 20″ mount. It’s incredibly light and fits like a glove.
When it comes to camera recording media, I like to use brands I can trust. I have too much at stake to have issues. Angelbird media cards have worked very well for me, and these new, reliable CFexpress B v4 will fit right into my workflow.
The new Angelbird AV PRO SE CFexpress B v4 High-Speed Media Cards and Card Reader PKT can be purchased directly from Angelbird or local and online dealers.
