SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader

Professional Dual-slot AJA PAK Media Card Reader for Computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 Ports

for Mac® and Windows®

(see Tech Specs for full compatibility info)

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Supports AJA PAK Media Cards at Full Speed

Superior Dual-slot Ingest Performance

When your multicam live event production, documentary, news or sports programming is captured to AJA® Video System’s Ki Pro® Ultra 12G 12G-SDI4K/UHD/HD recorder and player, your footage is recorded on ultra-reliable AJA PAK Media SSD cards. With the recorder’s ability to support four channels of simultaneous 1080p at 60 fps recording — or a 4K at 60 fps recording in single-channel mode — those cards fill up fast. The need for a tool that accelerates offloading media files from multiple cards is greater than ever, too. Sonnet SF3™ Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader is the perfect tool for the job.

SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader Next to AJA Ki Pro

Ingest Simultaneously from Two Cards

Dual Card Slots, Double Productivity

Certified by AJA, SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader ingests media files from PAK Media memory cards at the fastest speeds the cards will support to any computer with Thunderbolt ports. And, for even greater efficiency, it can ingest files simultaneously from two cards at high speed — up to 1030 MB/s — to cut your ingest times in half.

SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader Speed Chart

Key Features

Superior Ingest Performance

Ingests footage from all AJA PAK media cards at maximum supported speeds.

Cuts Ingest Times In Half

Dual card slots enable simultaneous ingest of files from two cards for greater efficiency, up to 1030 MB/s aggregate.

Maximum Thunderbolt Performance

Pro media card reader provides four lanes of PCIe bandwidth for maximum performance.

Compact, Rugged, Stackable

Small and rugged aluminum enclosure for reliable operation; design enables multiple SF3 Series card readers to occupy same footprint.

Rackable

Threaded mount points enable secure attachment of two readers side-by-side on a rack tray in just 1U of rackspace.

Connect Additional SF3 Series Pro Card Readers

One port connects to computer; second port supports daisy chaining additional card readers.

Free Lifetime Tech Support

Founded in 1986 in Orange County, Southern California — the vibrant hub of technology and engineering south of Silicon Valley — Sonnet has been at the forefront of innovation. Over the years, we've developed numerous award-winning products that enhance performance and connectivity for Mac, Windows, and other industry-standard computers. Many of our team members have been with us for over two decades, providing us with extensive expertise about our current and past offerings. If you ever need technical support for any of our products, don’t hesitate to reach out; we’re here to assist you.

Three AJA PAK Media Pro Card Readers Stacked Together Next to a MacBook Pro

Ingest Six Cards Simultaneously

Daisy Chain Power

Because Sonnet’s PAK Media reader features a dual-port, high-bandwidth Thunderbolt interface, you can daisy chain up to six of them together to a single port on your computer. Connecting three readers to your computer enables you to ingest six cards simultaneously at full speed to complete the process — without swapping cards — in about one sixth the time required using a single-slot reader!

Ingesting Speed Example of Six Cards with a Thunderbolt Reader Compared to a Single-slot USB Reader

Read speeds vary and are dependent on card type, host devices, the OS version, and usage conditions

SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader with AJA PAK Media Cards

Compact, Rugged, Stackable

The PAK Media Card Reader for Digital Imaging Technicians (DITs)

For DITs working multi-camera shoots or in a small space, equipment size and design features matter. SF3 Series – AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader measures just 5.8 inches wide by 6.1 inches deep by 1.4 inches tall, making it suitable for use in any workspace and workflow.

SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader Dimensions

Sonnet SF3 Series Pro Card Readers

Designed to be Stacked and Daisy Chained

SF3 Series pro card readers feature rugged aluminum enclosures designed to be stacked and daisy chained, enabling multiple AJA PAK Media, CFast™ 2.0, CFexpress™/XQD™, RED MINI-MAG®, and SxS™ PRO X readers to occupy the same footprint, while connecting to your computer through a single cable. You can take advantage of Thunderbolt’s up to 2800 MB/s of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth to ingest four, six, or more cards simultaneously!

CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader ›

CFexpress/XQD Pro Card Reader ›

RED MINI-MAG Pro Card Reader ›

SXS PRO X Card Reader ›

Thunderbolt Technology

Fastest External Interface Available

Sonnet Thunderbolt products feature a high-speed Thunderbolt interface that delivers PCIe bandwidth needed to support data transfers at full speed.

Connect Additional Thunderbolt Devices

One port is reserved for connecting to your computer; the second port enables connection of additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices in a daisy chain.

10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 Support

10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 support allows you to connect a USB device to the second Thunderbolt port using the proper cable or adapter.

Provides 15W of Power

For peripherals requiring extra power, 15 watts is provided to bus-powered devices through the secondary Thunderbolt port.

Supports Connecting Up to One 8K Display

Maximize the utilization of one computer Thunderbolt port, connecting the largest display supported by your computer.

Secure Connections for High Performance

Thunderbolt Cable and ThunderLok Included

Sonnet includes a Thunderbolt cable that supports Thunderbolt’s maximum bandwidth and is fully compatible with Thunderbolt 5, 4, and 3 computers. Sonnet also provides ThunderLok,™ a Thunderbolt connector retainer clip, that prevents accidental cable disconnections.

Sonnet Thunderbolt Cable with ThunderLok

ThunderLok Advantage

Many Sonnet Thunderbolt products featuring Thunderbolt ports come equipped with threaded mounting holes to securely attach Sonnet ThunderLok retainer clips, preventing Thunderbolt cables from accidentally disconnecting.

Compatible with the Latest Thunderbolt Computers and Apple M series Macs

SF3 Series Professional Media Card Readers are fully compatible with the latest Thunderbolt computers, including Apple M series Macs. Sonnet pro card readers are purposely designed with a Thunderbolt 3 controller and its four lanes of PCIe (not available in a Thunderbolt 4 peripheral) to achieve maximum simultaneous ingest speeds. Watch this video to learn more about the performance benefits.

Compatible with Apple M series Macs

(See Tech Specs for details)

Backward Compatible with Older Macs

SF3 Series - AJA PAK Media Pro Card Reader is compatible with Macs with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 1 ports when used with the bi-directional Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt cable (both sold separately).

See Tech Specs for footnotes.
Product specifications and information subject to change without notice. Computer hardware and accessories featured in photos that are not included with product are shown for illustration purposes; items sold separately.