Lexar Announces New XQD and 256GB SDXC Cards

Until now, Sony has been the only XQD card manufacturer (you know, for those crazy fast, kind of small, and weird format cards that go into your Nikon D4). Finally, Lexar has announced their own 32GB ($299.99) and 64GB ($579.99) versions along with a USB 3.0 XQD card reader. The cards feature read speeds of up to 168MB/s (1100x) and slower write speeds that aren't yet stated. A 256GB SDXC 600x card was also announced, holding the high-end for both capacity and speed of Lexar's SD card lineup. The 256GB SDXC card comes in at a whopping $999.99.

Below are full press releases, but I wonder about a company -- a well known memory company -- that doesn't post write speeds for a new card that you only buy because of its speed... Either way, it's nice to see other company's adopting this format that Nikon has decided is indeed the future. Any thoughts?

This post will be updated when pre-orders, expected this month, are available.

Via PhotoRumors.com

Press releases below:

New Lexar Professional 1100x XQD Card Propels Photographers into the Next Generation of High-Performance Shooting
Fremont, CA, January 7, 2013 – Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory products, today introduced the Lexar® Professional 1100x XQD™ card and XQD USB 3.0 Reader for professional photographers and videographers and advanced photo and video enthusiasts. Available in capacities of 32GB and 64GB, the Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card adheres to the XQD specification for next-generation DSLR camera models backed by Nikon and Sony. The Lexar Professional XQD card delivers a minimum guaranteed read transfer speed of 1100x (168MB per second),* allowing users to quickly capture and store high-quality images, 1080p full-HD and 3D video, and up to 100 frames in RAW format in continuous shooting mode.** Smaller and more rugged than other card formats, the Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card provides exceptional resilience to water, temperature, shock, and vibration, making it an excellent choice for shooting in extreme conditions.

The Lexar Professional XQD USB 3.0 Reader is a compact and portable card reader that leverages SuperSpeed USB 3.0 technology to provide high-speed file transfers from an XQD card to computer. Its sleek design with smooth contours allows the reader to easily slip in and out of briefcases and photo bags, and an LED activity light lets users know when data is being transferred.

“The XQD standard is an evolution in the technology of high-performance memory cards and Lexar is dedicated to providing its users with industry-leading solutions that improve the way they capture images and video,” said Adam Kaufman, product marketing manager, Lexar. “Smaller and more rugged than many card formats, the Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card is an excellent option for the adventurous outdoor photographer. By pairing the Professional 1100x XQD card with the XQD USB 3.0 Reader, professionals will experience a dramatically accelerated workflow that will cut down post-production time to get them back to the business of photography.”

Lexar works with major camera manufacturers to ensure Professional memory cards are compatible with their solutions. All Lexar memory card designs undergo extensive testing in the Lexar Quality Labs to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability with more than 800 digital cameras and memory card devices. Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card comes with a limited lifetime warranty, and includes downloadable Image Rescue® 4 software to help recover lost of deleted photo of video files.****

The Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card and XQD USB 3.0 Reader will be available for purchase in January from Lexar.com and leading e-tail outlets worldwide. The Lexar Professional 1100x XQD card will have MSRPs of $299.99 (32GB) and $579.99 (64GB), and the XQD USB 3.0 Reader will have an MSRP of $44.99. For additional information about Lexar products, visit www.lexar.com.

Lexar High-Performance 600x UHS-I Memory Card Offers High Performance to Dramatically Accelerate Workflow
Fremont, CA, January 7, 2013 – Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory products, today announced the 256GB Lexar® Professional 600x SDXC™ UHS-I card. The Class 10 card offers a 90MB* per second minimum guaranteed read transfer speed to give photographers and videographers the ability to capture extended lengths of 1080p HD and 3D video and high-quality images. When paired with a compatible card reader, such as the Lexar® Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader, the Professional 600x SDXC card helps photographers zip through post-production with high-speed card-to-computer file transfer, improving workflow and enabling them to shoot longer.

“With the growing demands of HD and 3D video capabilities, today’s professional photographers and videographers need to be equipped with a high-performance and high-capacity memory card to meet the needs of their clients,” said Manisha Sharma, director of product marketing, Lexar. “By using the 256GB Lexar Professional SDXC UHS-I card, professionals can leverage all the latest camera features available for capturing high-quality video and images, without having to worry about time spent changing cards or transferring content to the computer. We want our customers to make the most of their time out on the field.”

“Small capacity cards are not efficient for shooting a lot of HD and 3D video. Constantly having to change cards eats away at time spent behind the camera, and also means I’ll have to spend more time transferring the content from each card to my computer,” said Lexar Elite Photographer David Honl. “Lexar cards help improve my workflow by giving me the mix of capacity and performance that allows me to shoot longer and spend less time transferring my videos and images.”

The Lexar Professional 600x 256GB SDXC UHS-I card includes the latest downloadable version of Image Rescue® 4 software to help recover lost or deleted photo and video files, even if they’ve been erased or the card has been corrupted.** All Lexar memory card designs are tested in the Lexar Quality Labs to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability with more than 800 digital cameras and memory card devices. The Professional 600x SDXC UHS-I card comes with a limited lifetime warranty and free dedicated professional technical support.

The 256GB Lexar Professional 600x SDXC UHS-I card will be available in January for purchase with an MSRP of $999.99 from Lexar.com and leading retail and e-tail outlets worldwide. For additional information about Lexar Professional products, visit www.lexar.com.