TECH LIBRARY
CompactFlash
CompactFlash (CF) is a mass storage device format used in portable electronic devices. For storage, CompactFlash typically uses flash memory in a standardized enclosure.
The format was first specified and produced by SanDisk in 1994. The physical format is now used for a variety of devices.
There are two main types of CF cards:
- Type I (3.3 mm thick).
- Type II (CF2) cards (5 mm thick). The CF Type II slot is used by Microdrives and some other devices.
CF cards can be used directly in a PC Card slot with a plug adapter, used as an ATA (IDE) or PCMCIA storage device with a passive adapter or with a reader, or attached various other types of ports such as USB or FireWire.