Sony A700 CompactFlash Card Compatibility
The Sony A700 can use CompactFlash memory cards with a maximum capacity of 32GB.
Cards with storage capacities of 64GB or larger will not work in the A700. The camera will not be able to format the cards. There will be errors.
The size limit comes from the camera using the FAT32 file system.
CompactFlash cards are basically discontinued. Cards that are 32GB or smaller are expensive.
A microSD or SD to CompactFlash adapter could save you money. SD card readers are cheaper than proprietary USB cables or CF card readers.
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SanDisk Extreme 32GB
- Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
- Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
- Water, x-ray, and shock proof.
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SanDisk Extreme 32GB
- Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
- Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
- Sustained data recording of 20MB/s.
- Water, x-ray, and shockproof.
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Transcend 32GB
- Fast enough write speeds for burst photography and video.
- Upto 60MB/s write and 120MB/s red speeds.
- Supports UDMA7 transfer mode.
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Lexar Professional 1066x 32GB
- Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
- Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
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SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB
- Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
- Can record 4k Ultra HD and Full HD video.
- Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
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Card Reader
The UGREEN 4-in-1 card reader is what I use with my CF cards.
The UGREEN reader is USB 3.0 compatible. Transfer speeds over USB 3.0 will be quicker than the Canon EOS 40D.
The card reader can read these memory card types:
- CompactFlash Cards
- SD, SDHC, and SDXC Cards
- Memory Stick (MS), MS Pro, MS PRO-HG, and MS XC DUO
- MicroSD, Micro SDHC, and Micro SDXC Cards
SD to CF Card Adapter
These adapters work great. They aree limited to a maximum continuous write speed of ~20MB/s.
I have been happy with the two I own. CompactFlash cards are multiple times more expensive than SD cards.
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| microSD to CF Adapter | Amazon | eBay |
Compact Flash Card Type I vs II
CF Memory cards come in two physical sizes, Type I or Type II.
They have the same width and length. The only difference is how thick they are.
- Type I - 3.3mm thick
- Type II - 5mm thick
The Type II spec was for Microdrives. They were a small mechanical hard drives.
That’s how new Compact Flash was when the Nikon 40D was released. People used tiny mechanical devices that were prone to failure because of how badly they wanted 1GB of storage.
Avoiding Card Read Errors
A frequent errors with cameras that use CF memory cards are damaged card slot pins. When a pin is bent, you could see a ‘unable to use card’ error.
To avoid bending pins, do not force a CF card into the Sony A700. The extra space for a Type II card allows a Compact Flash card to be aligned incorrectly.
If the compact flash card won’t effortlessly slide into the camera slot, remove it and check the positioning of the card. Also, check to see if there is any damage to the card or slot.
If it looks good, carefully align the CF card and make another attempt.