12K on the Move: Fast, Reliable and Efficient Cards and Readers for Pros

Shooting in 12K is a revelation. The reframing capabilities, the down-sampling sharpness, the sheer flexibility in post—it’s a cinematographer’s dream. But once the camera cuts, the dream can quickly turn into a logistical nightmare.

When you are pulling 12K Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) or equivalent high-density codecs, you aren’t just offloading files; you are draining a digital firehose. A single hour of footage can easily reach 1 TB, depending on your compression ratios. In this workflow, your storage media and your card reader are not accessories—they are the most critical bottleneck in your pipeline.

This is the Biwin Amber approach: treat media as a system, not a spec sheet. On the Capture Plane, cards are engineered for sustained speed and thermal stability. On the Transfer Plane, readers turn minutes into moments with modern connectivity. Around both, a discipline of verification and backup makes sure the image survives the day and reaches the timeline intact.

Understanding 12K Video Recording

The leap to 12K video recording represents one of the most significant advances in digital cinematography. 12K resolution, 12,288 × 6480 pixels, offers nearly 80 megapixels per frame, allowing higher clarity, color depth, and creative flexibility than 8K formats.

With 12K workflows, you’re managing extreme bitrate demands, long-duration writes, and limited thermal space. That level of pressure makes reliability essential across capture, transfer, and backup.

12K modes rely on steady, long-duration write performance. That’s where Amber VPG400 comes in. By guaranteeing at least 400 MB/s of sustained video write speed, it provides a clear baseline for clean, consistent 12K recording.

Heat also plays a big role in how well your footage turns out. Long recording sessions or shooting in hot environments can push temperatures up fast. Both the camera and the card rely on sensors and built-in controls to keep things stable. A well-designed thermal system, replete with comprehensive heat management, efficient airflow, and smart firmware adjustments, helps maintain steady performance even when conditions run warm.

Taking raw footage from a camera and getting it into your editing system is not just about getting your content from point A to point B–it’s also about ensuring everything is digitized properly while preserving its original quality. Faster readers and a checksum-first ingest step can move footage to dailies quickly and predictably. As soon as you call “cut,” the card should travel to the reader, destinations start, and verification runs—letting the team line up the next setup. A fixed ingest cadence, per scene, per reel, or per card, turns transfer time into forward motion.

From Set to Timeline: A 12K Playbook

Capture: Cards that Sustain the Take

Amber CA400 CFexpress™ Type A Memory Card: Built for Long, Demanding Takes

• VPG800(minimum sustained write speed of 800 MB/s)¹ for smooth recording, including 12K profiles.
• Up to 1850 MB/s read and 1750 MB/s write; capacities up to 1 TB.
• Advanced thermal managementmaintains stable performance over extended sessions.
• Rugged design with multiple protection(temperature, dust, vibration, X-ray) and firmware write protection for data integrity.

Amber CA350 CFexpress™ 4.0 Type A Memory Card: A Dependable Choice for Uninterrupted Video Flow

• VPG400(minimum sustained write speed of 400 MB/s) for smooth, continuous capture; 12K video recording.
• Up to 1650 MB/s read and 1500 MB/s write; PCIe Gen4x1 interface, capacities 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB.
• Tested for sustained stability under intensive recording and day-to-day reliability.
• Durable build with environmental protections and firmware write-protection.

Amber CB450 CFexpress™ 4.0 Type B Memory Card: Throughput for Heavy Pipelines, Multicam Rigs, And Rapid Turnaround

• VPG400(minimum sustained write speed of 400 MB/s) with up to 3500 MB/s read and 3000 MB/s write; PCIe Gen4x2; Capacities 128 / 256 / 512 GB.
• Layered thermal management (conductive materials + smart algorithm) to keep speeds even during long writes.
• Broad camera compatibility across leading ecosystems.
• Robust housing and protection for outdoor, on-the-move production.

Transfer: Readers for Fast, Verified Transfers

Amber RA410 CFexpress™ 4.0 Type A Reader: Fast, Field-Ready Speed That Keeps Sets Moving

• USB 4.0 (up to 40 Gbps); up to 1650 MB/s readand 1550 MB/s write with compatible Type A media.
• High-performance controller for stable, large-file transfers and checksum workflows.
• Plug-and-playvia USB-C (cable included); works with Windows, macOS, and Android.
• Aluminum alloy heatsink and finned design for reliable cooling during long offloads; status LED, compact form factor.

Amber RB510 CFexpress™ Type B Reader: Consistent High-Bandwidth for Type B Media

• USB 4.0 (up to 40 Gbps)to unlock high sustained transfer rates; up to 3350 MB/s read when paired with the Biwin Amber CB500.
• Premium controllers tuned for continuous workloads; built for long sessions without slowdowns.
• Solid construction, USB-C connectivity, and designed for repeat daily use.

Quick Specs²

Ready to Create Your 12K Workflow Kit?

Choose the combination that matches your workflow:

Type A Workflow (Sony): CA400 or CA350 + RA410

Type B Workflow (High Throughput Rigs): CB450 + RB510

Travel-Light Setup: CA350 + RA410

12K multiplies every variable between you and success: data, heat, and time. But when the media is treated as a system, every link in the chain, from capture, transfer to backup, holds steady. That is how the Amber Series turns the challenge of 12K into a discipline of sustaining the workflow. With the Biwin Amber Series, the chain holds, and every story moves forward.

¹ VPG800-certified, excluding·the·1·TB model.
² Tested by BIWIN labs. Actual performance may vary due to systems, devices, or environment.