CFexpress Memory Card Recovery Made Simple: Recover Deleted Files Now

CFexpress cards have been a popular storage option for high-end cameras since their introduction. However, like any other storage device, they are vulnerable to data loss. In this article, we will discuss the specifications of CFexpress cards, the reasons for data loss, and most importantly, methods for recovering deleted data from CFexpress cards. So, keep reading!

CFexpress Card Recovery: Is It Possible?

Yes, in most cases, you can recover data from a CFexpress memory card that has been deleted, formatted, or corrupted, as long as the data has not been physically overwritten or the card is not physically damaged. However, if the card is physically damaged, or the data has been overwritten or corrupted, the recovery process becomes much more challenging or even impossible.

Important: It’s crucial to stop using the CFexpress memory card as soon as you notice data loss, as continued use may overwrite the lost data, making it impossible to recover.

There are some simple markers that can help you determine if the data on your CFexpress memory card is recoverable:

• 📊 Your data should not be overwritten. When you delete or format data on your memory card, it becomes “invisible,” but it’s still present on the device until your device’s operating system needs that space for new files and photos. But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that taking one new picture will overwrite all the lost data. To explain it briefly without going into the details of how the file system works, one new photo may overwrite one or more old ones, the size of which corresponds to the size of the new photo. Overwriting can be caused by more than just continuing to use the memory card. For example, some types of formatting can overwrite the data on your device, truly erasing it during formatting.
• 🪟 Your CFexpress card should be recognized in Windows Device Manager (If you are using Windows). If File Explorer cannot recognize your card or if it sees your card but cannot read the file system or asks you to format it, it means that your card is likely logically damaged (corrupted). However, as long as your card appears in Windows Device Manager as a device, it can be read and scanned by specialized memory card recovery software. If your card does not show up in Device Manager, it is a clear symptom of physical damage.
• 🪛 Your CFexpress card must not be physically damaged. If there are any obvious signs of damage or physical impact, you will likely need to contact a specialized data recovery service.
• 🧩 Your data should have intact integrity. In addition to overwriting, where new files take up space previously occupied by old files, a corrupted file can result from a failed or interrupted file transfer, improper removal of the memory card, and so on.
• 💻 You must have reliable data recovery software. While some tools such as chkdsk can help you fix file system errors on your CFexpress memory card, the only thing that can help you recover deleted or formatted data from an external device such as a memory card is data recovery software. Choosing the right software is critical for successful data recovery.

Did you know? It’s important to note that if you cannot see files on your memory card, it may not always be due to deletion. Some viruses capable of infecting memory cards can simply change the attributes of files and photos on your card, making them “invisible.” If you suspect a virus, you can learn more about this here.

With that being said, let’s move on to CFexpress data recovery.

How to Perform a CFexpress Memory Card Recovery

So, as we mentioned earlier, in order to recover photos and other files from a CFexpress card, we need reliable software. But how do we choose from the variety of data recovery products on the market? Let’s try to answer this question.

Here are the features and functionalities that we believe CFexpress card data recovery software should have:

• The ability to read popular file systems used by memory cards. As for CFexpress cards, they are FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT.
• The ability to retrieve and recover large files. Since CFexpress is mainly used in high-end cameras, it is fair to require the software to be able to recover large-size photos and videos.
• Support for a wide range of file types. This is an important point, because, in addition to the standard file formats such as JPG, you may need the tool to support the file type associated with the device in which you are using your CFexpress card. For example, if you have a Sony digital camera, you might want your images to be in ARW format, or in CR2/CR3/CRW formats if you have a Canon camera. Therefore, you should aim for software that supports a wide range of file types, including RAW photos and various video formats.
• The ability to read memory cards with a corrupted file system. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Even if your card works now without problems, it does not mean that you will not encounter a similar situation in the future. For some users, the ability to read cards with a corrupted file system, or those whose file system has become RAW, is a vital necessity; for others, it will be a pleasant bonus.
• The ability to preview files before they are recovered. This helps you not only to make sure that you recover the files you want but also to make sure that they are recoverable. Usually, if a file can be previewed, it can be recovered.
• Generous DEMO version. In our opinion, if it’s not completely free, the software should at least provide a generous trial period so that you can at the very least test the recoverability of your files and at the very most recover some of your data for free.

Today we will look at two solutions that meet the criteria above.

Option A: Disk Drill

Disk Drill is considered one of the most successful data recovery software solutions on the market. Besides meeting all the criteria described above, our team also loves Disk Drill for its intuitive UI, ease of use, and its ability to work seamlessly on both Windows and macOS. Moreover, Disk Drill for Windows offers a free data recovery of up to 500 MB. In today’s example, we will use Disk Drill to demonstrate how to restore CR2 photos from a formatted CFexpress card.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to recover photos from a CFexpress card using Disk Drill:

1. Download and Install Disk Drill: First, you’ll need to download and install Disk Drill on your computer. You can download the most up-to-date version (v5 at the moment) for free from their website.
2. Insert the Memory Card: Next, insert your CFexpress memory card into your computer’s card reader. If you do not have a built-in CFexpress card reader, you will need to buy or borrow one.
3. Launch Disk Drill: Once you’ve installed Disk Drill, launch the software. The first time you start the software, it will guide you through the pop-up prompts.
4. Select the Memory Card: From the Disk Drill main window, select the CFexpress memory card that you want to recover your CR2 photos from.
5. Click “Search for lost data”: After selecting the memory card, click the “Search for lost data” button in the lower right corner of the window. It will initiate the scanning process.
6. Wait for Scan to finish: Disk Drill will now start scanning your memory card for recoverable CR2 photos and other files. This process may take some time, depending on the size of your CFexpress memory card and the number of files stored on it.
7. Preview Recoverable Files: Once the scan is complete, Disk Drill will display a list of all the files that it has found on your memory card. Clicking on the “Pictures” category on the left side of the window displays a list of subcategories by file type. Select the CR2 tab. You can preview each photo by clicking on the eye icon.
8. Select Files to Recover: Select the CR2 photos that you want to recover by clicking on the checkbox next to each file. You can select multiple files at once.
9. Choose Recovery Location: After selecting the files that you want to recover, choose a safe location on your computer to save the recovered files. It is very important not to recover CR2 photos to the same card from which you are trying to restore them. This is necessary to avoid overwriting them.
10. Click “Recover”: Finally, click the “Recover” button in the lower right corner of the window to start the recovery process. Disk Drill will now recover the selected photos and save them to the location you specified in the previous step.

That’s it! These are the steps to recover CR2 photos from a CFexpress memory card using Disk Drill.

If for some reason Disk Drill didn’t work for you, we have another software solution for you.

Option B: PhotoRec

PhotoRec, unlike Disk Drill, does not meet all the criteria from our list above, but it does have one big advantage – it is completely free. Yes, you will not be able to preview the files before recovery, and moreover, unlike in Windows, you will not even be able to use a GUI version of PhotoRec on macOS and Linux which makes it impossible to call it anything simple or intuitive, but we do like PhotoRec for its large set of file signatures.

In today’s example, similar to Disk Drill, we will show how to restore an NRW photo from a formatted CFexpress card using PhotoRec.

Here is how you can recover files from a CFexpress card using PhotoRec:

1. Download and Install PhotoRec: Download and install PhotoRec on your computer from the official website. The archive with the Windows version will contain a GUI shell for the program called QPhotoRec.
2. Insert the Memory Card: Insert the CFexpress memory card that contains the NRW photos you want to recover into your computer.
3. Open PhotoRec and Select the Device: Run QPhotoRec and select the CFexpress memory card as the device to recover files from.
4. Choose the File Type: Click on the “File Formats” button and choose the file type(s) you want to recover. In our case, select the file format of the photos you want to recover, such as .nef or .nrw.
5. Choose the Save Location: Choose the location where you want the recovered files to be saved. It’s recommended that you save the files to a different drive or location than where they were originally stored to prevent overwriting the original NRW photos.
6. Start the Recovery Process: Click on the “Search” button to begin the recovery process. PhotoRec will scan the CFexpress memory card for any recoverable files and save all found photos to the location you specified in the main window.
7. Eject the Memory Card: Once the recovery process is complete, eject the CFexpress memory card from your computer and safely remove it.

That’s it! You should now have successfully recovered your NRW photos using PhotoRec. All you have to do is go to the folder you specified as the recovery location and check what kind of files you were able to recover.

Note: Since PhotoRec exclusively uses a signature scan (file type reconstruction), the recovered photos and files will not have their original names.

Understanding CFexpress Cards: What You Need to Know

CFexpress is a next-generation memory card format that was announced in 2016 to meet the growing demands of high-performance cameras and other devices. Based on the PCIe 3.0 and NVMe 1.3 standards, CFexpress offers faster speeds, larger capacities, and improved reliability compared to traditional memory cards like SD and CF cards. CFexpress cards come in three types: Type A, Type B, and Type C, with Type B offering higher speeds and capacities. Although Type C has the potential for higher speeds and larger size, it has not yet been largely implemented by any manufacturers. CFexpress is used in a wide range of applications, including professional photography, videography, and industrial settings where high-speed data transfer and large storage capacities are essential.

How does CFexpress compare to other memory card formats like SD and CF cards?

CFexpress cards offer higher transfer speeds and larger storage capacities compared to other memory card formats like SD and CF cards. CFexpress cards use the PCIe interface and NVMe protocol to achieve read and write speeds up to 2000 MB/s and storage capacities up to 2 TB (4 TB if we consider Type C), whereas SD cards use the slower UHS interface and have lower maximum speeds and capacities. CFexpress has quickly become the preferred choice for high-end cameras and other devices that demand high-speed data transfer.

What types and brands of devices support CFexpress cards?

CFexpress cards are supported by a range of high-end cameras and devices, including Sony Alpha 1, Canon EOS R5, and Nikon Z7 II. CFexpress cards are also compatible with some laptops and desktops equipped with PCIe 3.0 or later.

Here is a more comprehensive list of popular cameras that can handle CFexpress cards:

• Sony a7S III (Type A)
• Nikon Z6 / Z7 (Type B)
• Canon EOS R5 (Type B)
• Canon C500 Mark II (Type B)
• Nikon D6 (Type B)
• Nikon D850 (Type B)
• Canon EOS-1D X Mark III (Type B)
• Panasonic Lumix S1 / S1R (Type B)
• Canon EOS R3 (Type B)
• Sony A1 (Type A)

What are the differences between CFexpress Type A and Type B cards?

CFexpress Type A cards are smaller in size and have a lower maximum transfer speed of 1000 MB/s, while Type B cards are larger and faster with maximum transfer speeds up to 2000 MB/s (although real cards from different manufacturers have a maximum write speed of 1400-1500 MB/s and a read speed of 1600-1750 MB/s). Type A cards have a single PCIe lane, while Type B cards have either two or four PCIe lanes.

What are some of the best CFexpress card brands and models available on the market?

Popular brands of CFexpress cards include ProGrade, Integral, Delkin, SanDisk, Acer, Lexar, Manfrotto, and Sony. Some of the best CFexpress card models on the market include Sony’s Tough CFexpress Type B, SanDisk’s Extreme Pro CFexpress Type B, ProGrade Digital’s Cobalt CFexpress Type B, and Delkin Devices’ Power CFexpress Type B. These cards offer fast read/write speeds, high capacities, and excellent reliability, making them ideal for professional photographers and videographers who demand the best performance from their equipment.

Verdict

CFexpress cards are widely used as storage devices in high-end cameras, but data loss can happen due to various reasons. Fortunately, deleted data from CFexpress cards can often be recovered using a proper data recovery tool.

In conclusion, recovering data from a CFexpress memory card is a straightforward process with the right software. When choosing recovery software, it is important to consider its ability to read popular file systems, retrieve and recover large files, support a wide range of file types, read corrupted file systems, preview files before recovery, and offer a generous trial version. Disk Drill is a reliable and intuitive data recovery software that meets all the criteria and can recover up to 500 MB of data for free. PhotoRec is a free alternative but lacks some of the features and ease of use that Disk Drill offers. Ultimately, the choice of recovery software depends on your specific needs and budget.