14 DAY TRIAL // You might remember our previous report on the colossal 48GB compact flash from Pretec. You might also remember that there weren't a lot of details about the new cards, which also include a 24GB (albeit speedier) version. Well, since our colleagues are at CeBIT 2008 in Hanover, we have some fresh information about these impressive products.
First of all, Joseph Chu, Product Manager for these CFs, confirmed that the 48GB model has the largest capacity on the market, which is quite an impressive performance considering that Pretec does not have the reputation of SanDisk or Lexar.
Speaking of SanDisk, Mr. Chu stated that their 333x rated cards are even faster than the "turbo-charged" Extreme Ducati Edition CompactFlash from the aforementioned manufacturer. However, for the time being, only the 24GB solution is available at 333x, but Pretec's representative assured us that the 48GB model running at 333x is slated for the second half of 2008.
Despite having the largest capacity and the highest speed on the market (if we are to believe Mr. Chu), these cards are far from perfect. The biggest issue is compatibility. Apparently, they only work with Canon cameras as the Nikons had some firmware issues. Fortunately, Pretec's engineers are working on this and it will probably get fixed in the near future.
The Pretec brand is not particular popular in the US and Europe, but in Asia things are a bit different and these CFs are quite successful among pros working there, Mr. Chu explained. He also stressed that the cards have a metal housing and ruggedized construction to resist external impact. In fact, the original press release from Pretec claimed that they were "at least 10 times more durable than typical CF cards". You should, however, take this with a hefty grain of salt.
Unfortunately, Mr. Joseph Chu was not able to provide us with any pricing information, but given the capacities, they are not going to be exactly cheap.
Live report by Bogdan Popa and Alex Vochin from CeBIT 2008 Hanover, Germany.
