PSA: Some Sony CFexpress Type A Cards Require a (Free) Fix

Jun 26, 2024

A Sony TOUGH CFexpress Type A memory card with 640GB capacity is shown against a frosty, ice-covered background. The card's label indicates a read speed of 800 MB/s and a write speed of 700 MB/s along with a VPG400 rating.

Sony has announced an unusual issue with some CFexpress Type A cards and commenced a free repair program for affected customers.

In some CFexpress Type A memory cards in Sony’s CEA-G series, otherwise known as the Sony Tough series, rare instances can occur where the card isn’t recognized by the Sony camera or data writing cannot be completed.

In a statement on Sony’s Japanese website, as spotted by AsobiNet, Sony explains that affected cards may run into these issues when used near the lower limit of operating temperature, which is -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). Sony’s Tough series cards are specifically built to withstand “extreme temperatures,” alongside falls, bending, X-rays, electrostatic, and ultraviolet radiation.

“We will repair the affected products free of charge during the free repair period below. If you are using an affected memory card product, please check whether your product is eligible for free repair, and if so, apply via the website below or contact us at the address below,” Sony explains in a machine-translated statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused to customers using the affected products. We appreciate your continued patronage of our products.”

The affected products include Sony CEA-G80T, CEA-G160T, CEA-G320T, and CEA-G640T CFexpress Type A memory cards with specific serial numbers. Photographers using Sony’s 80GB, 160GB, 320GB, or 640GB CEA-G memory cards should refer to the screenshot below to see if their card(s) are impacted.

The image is a recall notice for Sony CEA-G80T, CEA-G160T, CEA-G320T, and CEA-G640T CFexpress Type A memory cards. It provides details on identifying affected models through lot numbers printed on the cards and lists specific affected lot numbers for each model.

There is also an English-language support page concerning the issue on Sony’s global website, which encourages affected customers to get help from Sony’s Product Support team. The article says that users should back up the contents of their memory card and erase all files from the card before sending it in for service. All content and data will be deleted during the repair process and will be impossible to recover.

On the English page, Sony also writes, “There may be issues with certain CEA-G series memory cards, where the memory cards are not recognized, or the image does not save correctly in low-temperature conditions.”

The free repair period is in effect until June 29, 2029, so there is plenty of time to resolve the issue.

Image credits: Header photo created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos. Product images courtesy of Sony.