# Shedding some light on CFexpress firmware and camera compatibility



## Canon Rumors Guy (Aug 26, 2021)

> Yesterday I reported on compatibility issues with the Canon EOS R5 running firmware v1.4.0 and Exascend CFexpress memory cards.
> After talking to a few people, I have come to somewhat of a conclusion that there will likely be some bumps along the way when it comes to CFexpress firmware and camera firmware. Exascend is not the first company that has had some compatibility issues with the Canon EOS R5 and CFexpress cards.
> I spoke with “Tig” from Camnostic this morning about the issues that have come up with CFexpress and compatibility. Be sure to check that site out for great information on CFexpress cards and more.
> What it appears to boil down to is that CFexpress is a relatively new standard, and there are going...



Continue reading...


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## entoman (Aug 26, 2021)

I use Delkin CFE-B cards in my R5 without any problems, but I'm still on firmware 1.3.1.

I think it's advisable for all R5 users to stay on 1.3.1 until it becomes clear whether other card brands are affected by the latest update.


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## Skyscraperfan (Aug 26, 2021)

I was not aware that memory cards need firmware to run.


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## koenkooi (Aug 26, 2021)

Skyscraperfan said:


> I was not aware that memory cards need firmware to run.


They do, since they are in essence tiny computers nowadays. But what we're talking about here is that the changes Canon made to use the new VG400 standard for CFexpress seems to have bad interactions with Exascend cards.


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## Doug7131 (Aug 26, 2021)

Skyscraperfan said:


> I was not aware that memory cards need firmware to run.


NAND flash on its own is a really awkward and finicky thing to use. It takes a pretty intelligent storage controller with a lot of software tricks to turn NAND it something actually usable by a computer.


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## frjmacias (Aug 26, 2021)

entoman said:


> I use Delkin CFE-B cards in my R5 without any problems, but I'm still on firmware 1.3.1.
> 
> I think it's advisable for all R5 users to stay on 1.3.1 until it becomes clear whether other card brands are affected by the latest update.


I have that card and I have the new firmware installed. I have had no problems with it, but that is for the 128GB version. Not sure if any other storage sizes make a difference.


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## vladk (Aug 26, 2021)

Angelbird FW updates are easily done on your home PC. Strange why Exascend does not offer the same.


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## entoman (Aug 26, 2021)

frjmacias said:


> I have that card and I have the new firmware installed. I have had no problems with it, but that is for the 128GB version. Not sure if any other storage sizes make a difference.


My Delkins are 128GB too. No problems so far.


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## Jonathan Thill (Aug 26, 2021)

For those holding off on upgrading to 1.4.0 on the R5. I can confirm no issues with *Sony Tough 128GB CFe* and* ProGrade Gold 128GB CFe* cards after multiple formats in camera. 

This is likely a knock on bug from - "Adds support for the VPG 400 (Video Performance Guarantee Profile), a standard based on the CFexpress 2.0 specification." in 1.4.0. 

I would not be surprised if Exascend missed something in the CFexpress 2.0 protocol that was not an issue until VPG 400 was enabled on the R5. I see this all the time with the Onvif protocol and manufacturers cutting corners.


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## definedphotography (Aug 26, 2021)

vladk said:


> Angelbird FW updates are easily done on your home PC. Strange why Exascend does not offer the same.


Last I checked you needed the Angelbird card reader as well to perform a firmware update, so not _that_ easy if you have another card reader.


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## Ian K (Aug 26, 2021)

I've upgraded and not had a problem with the ProGrade Cobalt 325GB cards.


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## miketcool (Aug 26, 2021)

This happened with my 256gb Transcend card after a previous update. Did a warranty swap on it. This is why I carry cards from different brands as backup.


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## VegasCameraGuy (Aug 26, 2021)

The only problem I've had with the 1.4.0 firmware update is that it turns off eye detection on the R5. I didn't expect the update to turn off eye detection and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. Eye detection seemed to partially work but after going through the menu, I realized that the update turned it off. I shot almost 1,000 shots last weekend with 1.4.0 and no problems that I can see. Once you get eye detection turned on, it seems to work better than the previous versions. This is just an antidotal opinion and not based on any actual tests.


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## Jonathan Thill (Aug 26, 2021)

VegasCameraGuy said:


> The only problem I've had with the 1.4.0 firmware update is that it turns off eye detection on the R5. I didn't expect the update to turn off eye detection and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. Eye detection seemed to partially work but after going through the menu, I realized that the update turned it off. I shot almost 1,000 shots last weekend with 1.4.0 and no problems that I can see. Once you get eye detection turned on, it seems to work better than the previous versions. This is just an antidotal opinion and not based on any actual tests.


To be fare eye detection being disabled has only been reported by @VegasCameraGuy at this point so this may not occur for most users. 

From the 1.4.0 thread 


VegasCameraGuy said:


> Firmware 1.4.0 Problems. The update turns off Eye Detection and turns on touch display to take a picture. Go into AF and set the AF Method to Eye (1st selection) then Enable Eye Detection which the update turns off.





Ramage said:


> I had no issues when I updated and I loathe touch to activate shutter!!!!! So I would have noticed that PDQ





ekh00 said:


> Not for me though. I updated yesterday and both are still set to my last settings.





liv_img said:


> No changes in the configuration for me, also. Both are still set to my last settings.



@VegasCameraGuy not doubting your personal findings just that you may have a customization\setting that at least 3 others (myself included) do not have that resulted in some strange things on your Camera and not ours. 

Cheers


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## Chris.Chapterten (Aug 27, 2021)

So far one person on DP review is getting some camera freezes with the new firmware he wasn’t getting before.

Does anyone have experience with Sandisk 512Gb CF express and this new firmware?


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## Denny (Aug 27, 2021)

No issues with my Wise 2TB on v1.4.0.


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## ekh00 (Aug 27, 2021)

I have Prograde Cobalt 325 and Gold 256. No issues with both cards. Tried continuing recording on either card and they both work as advertised so far.


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## SnowMiku (Aug 27, 2021)

I didn't even know that CFexpress cards had firmware. Do SDXC cards have firmware?


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## reisi007 (Aug 27, 2021)

SnowMiku said:


> I didn't even know that CFexpress cards had firmware. Do SDXC cards have firmware?


Yes. USB Sticks, flash units, mouse, keyboards.... Basically everything has firmware.....


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## tron (Aug 27, 2021)

No issues with 1.4.0 and Prograde Cobalt 650GB. I am a stills only shooter.


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## Berowne (Aug 27, 2021)

reisi007 said:


> Basically everything has firmware.....



Oh Lady help my Lord! No Firmware-Update available for my Bezzera Magica !


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## vladk (Aug 27, 2021)

definedphotography said:


> Last I checked you needed the Angelbird card reader as well to perform a firmware update, so not _that_ easy if you have another card reader.


Yes, you are right. Angelbird card reader is required.


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## rbwillnj (Aug 27, 2021)

I have the Delkin 512 and 1T cards and have no problems with them and 1.4.0 firmware.


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## HMC11 (Aug 27, 2021)

It seems that the v1.4.0 has made a real difference for IS/IBIS for bird photography (



), which is very good news for those in this genre.


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## Canon Rumors Guy (Aug 27, 2021)

> Yesterday I reported on compatibility issues with the Canon EOS R5 running firmware v1.4.0 and Exascend CFexpress memory cards.
> After talking to a few people, I have come to somewhat of a conclusion that there will likely be some bumps along the way when it comes to CFexpress firmware and camera firmware. Exascend is not the first company that has had some compatibility issues with the Canon EOS R5 and CFexpress cards.
> I spoke with “Tig” from Camnostic this morning about the issues that have come up with CFexpress and compatibility. Be sure to check that site out for great information on CFexpress cards and more.
> What it appears to boil down to is that CFexpress is a relatively new standard, and there are going...



Continue reading...


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## Del Paso (Aug 27, 2021)

Berowne said:


> Oh Lady help my Lord! No Firmware-Update available for my Bezzera Magica !


If you want to get rid of this obsolete espresso machine, I'd be happy to scrap it and send you as a replacement a fully firmwareable Crappuccino GTS X200 proudly made of aromatic plastics in a highly qualified Asian sweatshop.
And I wouldn't charge one dime.
If interested, don't wait, contact me quickly!


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## t.linn (Aug 27, 2021)

Great post, Craig. Upgradeable firmware was one of the reasons I went with Angelbird. But I love the way Exascend is handling the issue. Very impressive.


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## David - Sydney (Aug 28, 2021)

Does the CFe B card/slot generate the same heat compared to the SD slot at the same bandwidth? Even without data being recorded they are generating heat given the reports on record times externally when cards are removed. 
I wonder if future CFe B specifications / firmware will address this issue.


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## Quarkcharmed (Aug 28, 2021)

Ramage said:


> For those holding off on upgrading to 1.4.0 on the R5. I can confirm no issues with *Sony Tough 128GB CFe* and* ProGrade Gold 128GB CFe* cards after multiple formats in camera.
> 
> This is likely a knock on bug from - "Adds support for the VPG 400 (Video Performance Guarantee Profile), a standard based on the CFexpress 2.0 specification." in 1.4.0.
> 
> I would not be surprised if Exascend missed something in the CFexpress 2.0 protocol that was not an issue until VPG 400 was enabled on the R5. I see this all the time with the Onvif protocol and manufacturers cutting corners.


Yeah I can confirm I don't have issues with the Sony Tough either (256Gb).

However note that multiple formats in camera don't prove anything, continuous shooting or video recording do.


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## Quarkcharmed (Aug 28, 2021)

t.linn said:


> Great post, Craig. Upgradeable firmware was one of the reasons I went with Angelbird. But I love the way Exascend is handling the issue. Very impressive.


That's impressive, but may imply they acknowledged their fault, that is, it's them who broke the protocol/compatibility, not Canon.


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## tahoetoeknee (Aug 28, 2021)

Sony Cfexpress Tough or Lexar, leave the rest alone, is $30 bucks that important?​


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## kaihp (Aug 28, 2021)

Quarkcharmed said:


> That's impressive, but may imply they acknowledged their fault, that is, it's them who broke the protocol/compatibility, not Canon.


No, you need to read the statement carefully: "different interpretation of the standard". All standards leave some leeway for interpretation. That's why you have Bluetooth UnPlugFests for testing (real world) compatibility, UNH testing of Ethernet hubs, nics and switches, and so forth.

I've had products where Apple iOS was broken, but the users were screaming at us for "having a bad product". Said problems went away when Apple released their next major iOS release (iOS 8 as I recall; all the 7.x'es were broken).


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## m4ndr4ke (Aug 28, 2021)

_“Why can’t we roll back firmware one version when these issues come up? Is there a technical reason?”_

You CAN rollback. You just have to connect the camera to EOS Utility. I did it in the past with my R6, more than once.


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## canonmike (Aug 28, 2021)

Wow! Talk about a company that stands behind their products. Great customer service after the sale.....and then some.


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## Jonathan Thill (Aug 29, 2021)

Quarkcharmed said:


> Yeah I can confirm I don't have issues with the Sony Tough either (256Gb).
> 
> *However note that multiple formats in camera don't prove anything*, continuous shooting or video recording do.


I think being able complete multiple formats in Camera using the cards I noted in my previous message proves LOADS of things first and foremost it shows that the issue reported on the Exascend cards does not occur on MY two cards. _"Shooters with a Canon EOS R5 and firmware v1.4.0 are getting camera lockups when attempting to format the memory card in the Canon EOS R5."_

It also proves the following: Please note this is not an exhaustive list  

I am capable of powering on my R5
The power switch works on MY R5
The battery is providing power to MY R5

I was able to successfully insert the Battery into MY R5
I was able to close the battery door on MY R5
The battery door switch is working on MY R5
The MB on MY R5 recognizes that the power door is closed allowing MY R5 to power on.

The card door is functional on MY R5 
I am capable of operating the card door on MY R5
The MB on the R5 recognizes that the card door is closed allowing MY R5 to power on. 

I was able to successfully insert the media that I wanted to test into MY R5
I was successfully able to eject one card in order to insert another on MY R5

I was able to navigate the menus on MY R5
The menu button is working on MY R5

I was able to interact with the Format button on MY R5
The touch screen works on MY R5 

I was able to read the original post on Canon Rumors that showed issues formatting an R5 using certain cards
I am gifted with sight
Two in the hand is worth one in the bush
Coke is better than Pepsi
My hands work
I can Read
I can Write(debatable) 
I can hit the reply button on Canon Rumors
I can post detailed smart ass responses to unfalsifiable statements 
A couple of these might be a stretch but I think it is safe to say this proves I had some time on my hands!!!!

Cheers


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## Chris Charles (Aug 29, 2021)

t.linn said:


> .... I love the way Exascend is handling the issue. Very impressive.


Yes a reputational Minus turned into a definite Plus. Thats the sort of company I will buy from.


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## AlanF (Aug 29, 2021)

Chris Charles said:


> Yes a reputational Minus turned into a definite Plus. Thats the sort of company I will buy from.


Not the best sort for me - I prefer companies that are competent enough to get it right before I buy. But, better than washing their hands of it, which would be suicidal in such cases.


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## Jupiter_GP (Aug 29, 2021)

Canon Rumors Guy said:


> Continue reading...


I recently used the Canon R6 firmware 1.4.0 and the fast Kingston Canvas React plus 300MB / s v90 II U3 SD cards and there was a problem. The camera did not react for about 5 seconds during recording and switching off. Only then did some of the information displayed in the viewfinder appear. Only after that was it possible to continue recording. In a situation where you need to take quick shots and you can't wait and it irritates you. It is a pity that in Canon there is no red frame next to the image as it is recorded. Here, under stress, I couldn't even see when the recording started and when it didn't.


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## [email protected] (Aug 29, 2021)

tahoetoeknee said:


> Sony Cfexpress Tough or Lexar, leave the rest alone, is $30 bucks that important?​


Lexar is a lower-end brand nowadays. It's owned by Longsys, which is on a Commerce Department watch list. This means that there is a hassle if you need a card replaced, as they are not allowed to directly send a card for replacement. I know that seems to make no sense: that you can purchase a card through a third party, but they can't service it. I actually contacted Commerce to ask some questions a year ago, and never heard back under the old administration. Might try asking the same questions under the new administration. Not holding my breath on a response. 

Anyway, I am out ~$500 because I had to send a card back to a retailer and it was then reportedly lost. I'm just out the entire amount. This may be an unusual example, but Lexar isn't the old Lexar. The brand name was simply purchased. The old Lexar guys are now called ProGrade.

The Sony cards that are =>512 GB are great (lower capacity cards use less capable hardware, which means they're slower). I've used 4 of them. I prefer Delkin and Angelbird for reliable speed across sizes and unusually good service and firmware support. I definitely appreciate the lower prices on both of these brands, but that isn't the controlling factor for the choice.


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## Jonathan Thill (Aug 29, 2021)

@[email protected] are you referring to this article - https://petapixel.com/2020/09/22/cfexpress-a-real-world-performance-comparison/ ? This is a great read IMO. 


[email protected] said:


> (lower capacity cards use less capable hardware, which means they're slower)


As someone that has always preferred to carry more smaller capacity cards than one big card Sony's claims of equal performance was why I went with 3 of this 128GB cards after experiencing issues with the ProGrade Gold 128GB (I should have read the specs more carefully as this card could not record 8K Raw). 

When I read the PetaPixel testing I was disappointed that the lower capacity Sony cards were not performing as well as their 512GB offering but in real world use this has never been an issue for me so I got over it. 

Delkin and Angelbird were outliers for me as the brands were less know² and not nearly as available locally in Canada so I did not research them as much as the other brands. SanDisk feels like a crap shoot due to how often they are counterfeited and I agree Lexar has lost its luster so I went with Sony. 

Think I am going to pick up a Angelbird 256GB card and card reader soon for another option. 

Cheers

² = to me


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 30, 2021)

I haven't yet had a chance to install the new firmware. I don't think it would do much for me in any event.


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## v0rtex (Aug 30, 2021)

Is there any info or advice on how to contact the company to take advantage of this replacement card and firmware update? Their website seems to be having issues and I can't submit a contact form.


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## highdesertmesa (Aug 31, 2021)

Ramage said:


> @[email protected] are you referring to this article - https://petapixel.com/2020/09/22/cfexpress-a-real-world-performance-comparison/ ? This is a great read IMO.
> 
> As someone that has always preferred to carry more smaller capacity cards than one big card Sony's claims of equal performance was why I went with 3 of this 128GB cards after experiencing issues with the ProGrade Gold 128GB (I should have read the specs more carefully as this card could not record 8K Raw).
> 
> ...



I have the Sony 256 and can't imagine the differences noted in the article affecting how I shoot. If I were a professional sports photographer I can see wanting the best possible, but for the rest of us, any of these cards look good:



> _The cards are all so fast that the difference between the top performer in clearing a full buffer and the card that came in second from last is just 1.5 seconds._



Then on how many images at 20 fps you can shoot in a row, for the Sony 256 it's 285 shots versus Sony 512 of 330 shots. That looks like a big deal on a bar chart, but there's no way I'm going to ever do more than 25-30 shots at in a row anyway. At 20fps, 285 shots is 14 seconds, and 330 shots is 16.5 seconds – which is basically shooting 20fps video clips at that point.

The article also points out is they all get throttled once they heat up, which I would think happens quickly on warm days with a lot of shooting. It would be interesting to see the thermal response of all the cards tested.

Something else I just noticed – they don't start all of the bar charts at zero. In my opinion, that makes for a misleading visual impression of the performance differences for those charts.


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## EOS 4 Life (Sep 1, 2021)

Chris.Chapterten said:


> Does anyone have experience with Sandisk 512Gb CF express and this new firmware?


I have that very card and I am experiencing no problems.
I used that card an awful lot too.


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## Chris.Chapterten (Sep 1, 2021)

EOS 4 Life said:


> I have that very card and I am experiencing no problems.
> I used that card an awful lot too.


Thanks for the feedback. So just confirming you are also on firmware 1.4.0?

If so I might bite the bullet and make the switch to the latest firmware myself.


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## EOS 4 Life (Sep 1, 2021)

Chris.Chapterten said:


> Thanks for the feedback. So just confirming you are also on firmware 1.4.0?
> 
> If so I might bite the bullet and make the switch to the latest firmware myself.


Yes. Firmware 1.4.0


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