Right now, Compact Flash is hitting 167MB/sec with it's recently released CF6.0 specification - with Sandisk, Sony and Nikon looking forward with new tech. The trio of companies have proposed a new memory card format that switches from the PATA interface to PCI-Express.

This change will have a potential data transfer rate of 500GB/sec and the second potential to extend size to 2TB. This may sound crazy now but DSLR's and camcorders are getting more complex and burst shooting RAW images and high-def video is getting quite crazy.

The spec will also allow users to transfer data to their systems for post processing much faster - it also combines high speed transfer with a scaling system to extend battery life. The ComplactFlash Association has already announced a new workgroup to study the proposal. Shigeto Kanda from Canon, CFA chairman of the board has said:

"Future professional photography and video applications will require memory cards with faster read/write speeds. The development of a new high-performance card standard with a serial interface will meet the needs of the professional imaging industry for years to come and open the door for exciting new applications."

Are you ready for the future?