The new adapter allows you to use M.2 NVMe SSDs on DSLRs.

big picture: In an age where phone cameras continue to improve and even begin to be used by professionals, some photographers still prefer their reliable DSLRs. One of the disadvantages of these cameras is the expensive memory expansion options. However, Icy Dock may have a solution to these problems.

Icy Dock is a company that specializes in manufacturing cases for various form factors such as 2.5″, 3.5″ and M.2 drives. While Icy Dock mainly focuses on server-related products, Icy Dock’s latest creation expands on camera storage options.

For years, DSLRs have used SD cards as the standard for expanding camera memory. The solution combines high storage capacity with a small form factor. Recently, however, the industry has begun to introduce a new data carrier: CFexpress.

CFexpress cards have one notable advantage over their predecessors: overall speed. The fastest SD cards have a maximum speed of around 300MB per second, while a standard CFexpress Type B card can reach speeds of up to 2GB per second. Unfortunately, CFexpress cards are expensive, usually costing over $1 per gigabyte.

Icy Dock hopes to solve this problem with the CP130, which draws CFexpress port to a standard M.2 slot. Since the prices of M.2 SSDs have dropped significantly recently, typically costing $0.04-$0.06 per gigabyte, the company’s solution has provided photographers with fast storage at a significant discount.

The CP130 supports many different M.2 sizes, including 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. The adapter only supports PCIe 3.0 drives and is limited to two of the four available PCIe lanes, which limits SSD speeds to 2GB. per second, which is still as fast as CFexpress.

Icy Dock supports many cameras, including:

• Canon EOS R3
• Canon EOS R5
• Canon 1DS
• Canon C300 Mark II
• Canon C500 Mark III
• Nikon Z9
• Nikon Z7II
• Nikon D500
• Nikon D850
• Fujifilm X-H2S
• Panasonic LUMIX GH6

It is also compatible with “most” DSLR/MILC cameras and camcorders with a CFexpress Type B slot.

The adapter features a screwless design for easy storage change and supports multiple mounting options. The CP130 isn’t out yet, but rival Icy Dock recently started selling its own M.2 adapter, which retails for $210, so it’s fair to expect a similar suggested retail price once released.