Camera Accessory company TILTA has a cool new storage solution for Sony Mirrorless cameras. It’s a camera half-cage that not only offers a grip and mounting options, but also an integrated 512GB M.2 SSD for additional storage.
According to Tilta’s promotional materials, the ExAscend CFexpress Type A to M.2 SSD adapter half-cage supports Sony’s a1, a7S III, a7 IV, and FX3 full-frame E-mount cameras and also includes a CFExpress Type A adapter that enters into the memory card slot of the camera, providing a connection between the camera and the cage’s 512GB M.2 SSD.
Image Credit – Tilta
There also appear to be 128GB and 160GB versions, with the 128GB version designed around a V90 connection, if the translations are accurate.
Image Credit – Tilta
Calling it a “hard disk handle,” the half-cage was noticed by CameraBeta on the Chinese social media site Weibo. Additionally, CB published many of the details gleaned from the device’s promotional material.
“I saw the CFe-A to M.2 hard disk handle jointly developed by TILTA and Zion Technology Co., Ltd,” posted CameraBeta. “The appearance looks like a thick L bracket on the side, and a CFexpress Type A connector is inserted in the slot to achieve stable transfer. It’s interesting gear.
Image Credit – Tilta
The cage/adapter was developed in partnership with Zhiyong Technology Company and is rated for read and write speeds of 945 MB/s and 852 MB/S respectively, though Tilta claims that the drive’s maximum sustainable speed is 700MB/s.
Still, that’s plenty enough to support 4K 4:2:2 10-bit capture at the highest data rates and frames per second that the camera is set for.
Image Credit – Tilta
Once ready to offload the data from the device, users connect a USB-C Vs. 3.2 Gen 2×2 cable for 20GB/s transfer speeds. The USB-C port is located in the front of the cage grip behind its rubberized cover.
Other features include a tally light, which advises the user when the data is being written to the drive, easy access for swapping out camera batteries without needing to remove the cage, and an ergonomic silicon grip for better camera handling.
Also buried in the images is a reference to RED, Blackmagic, DJI, and ZCam. Could other camera models be planned? That likely depends on how well the cage adapter performs.
Meanwhile, Tilta is listing the CFexpress Type A to M.2 SSD adapter at about $645 USD, and it looks like the expected release date is September 30, 2022.
[source: DPReview]
