Xqd vs Cfexpress in D500

bandit993

Senior Member
Has anyone did the upgrade yet? If you have, have you used the Cfexpress cards? Any issues or better yet, have there been any speed/ buffer increases? I expect not from what I have heard, but just wanted some users to tell us their observations. Thanks.

P.S. I have not done the upgrade yet but will at some point.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I haven't, but I can shoot about 300-320 raw files in CH mode before I fill the buffer with m XQD card, so as long as it doesn't slow down...

No plans on switching at this point.
 

Danno

Senior Member
The Z cameras have had this option in an update for a while. I ran the update for the other items included with the update to CFexpress. I just do still photography 99% of the time and I can see no reason to invest in the CFExpress cards. If I were just getting started and did not have any XQD it may be different.

I think as things stand right now the only reason you need a CFExpress card is if you do video or you do really huge shoots and need the space. The cards were supposed to be cheaper than XQD, but I have not seen that yet.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
...The cards were supposed to be cheaper than XQD, but I have not seen that yet.

I purchased an XQD card and reader before Nikon released the option to use CF. As Danno mentioned, I haven't seen the prices of CF cards to be less than XQD cards - I only remember seeing prices that were higher. For first time buyers, then it might make sense to do the upgrade. And as Jake mentioned, the speed with the XQD cards is really fast.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
I've seen lower priced CFExpress cards, but only in huge capacities. I have no need for a 128 or 256 card for photography. Still glad for the firmware update in case I need new cards in the future and can't get XQD.

I have no data on how they perform in the D500, so I can't help you with that, bandit993.
 

EricK214

New member
The CFexpress cards are slower in the D500 as the D500 has PCIe 2.0 and to utilize the faster speeds in the CFexpress cards you need the camer to have PCIe 3.0 for the extra lane for transfers. I founds in my D500 you get 70frame to about 120 frame buffer with CFexpress cards (depending on the brand) where as with XQD you get the full 200 frame buffer. The buffer also clears in about a second with XQD and about 6-8 seconds with CFExpress.

It's good to have the ability of CFExpress cards if you need them in the future and there is not XQD to be had but other then that, there is no reason to switch to CFExpress with a D500.
 
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