Η Sony is temporarily suspending orders for nearly its entire range of memory cards, citing ongoing global memory and semiconductor shortages. The development affects CFexpress Type A, CFexpress Type B and SD series, with the company admitting that supply cannot meet demand in the immediate future. The announcements come alongside price increases in PlayStation 5.
Suspension of orders from March 27, 2026
According to the update published on March 27, 2026, Sony is temporarily suspending orders from authorized resellers and Sony Store customers for a large portion of its memory cards. The company attributes the decision to a global memory shortage, noting that the market situation does not currently allow for smooth demand coverage.
Sony makes it clear that the suspension is not permanent, but does not give a specific timeline for when normal product availability will resume. It says that the return of orders will be considered based on the progress of the supply chain and will be announced later via product pages.
Which series are affected?
The freeze covers practically all of Sony's portfolio of professional and consumer memory cards. CFexpress Type A capacities of 240GB, 480GB, 960GB and 1920GB are affected, while CFexpress Type B versions of 240GB and 480GB are suspended. At the same time, the premium TOUGH SD cards in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB are also suspended, as well as the company's simpler SD offerings in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB with speeds up to V60.
The pressure isn't limited to the more expensive categories. The report notes that even the more affordable 64GB and 128GB V30 SD cards have been affected, indicating that the problem is affecting the entire storage market and not just high-end products for professional use.
What's left available at the moment?
Based on the information in the publication, it appears that only the 960GB CFexpress Type B and the basic SD SF-UZ series remain in production. However, the latter is reported to have already been withdrawn from the market. USA, with the exception of limited stock at certain resellers.
At the time of publication, most of the affected cards were still in stock at US retailers, but the main issue is that there is no immediate restocking expected once supplies run out. This means that those using Sony photo and video gear may soon find themselves with limited options, especially for faster storage solutions.
The pressure from AI datacenters is reaching photography
The report links the memory shortage to the high demand from artificial intelligence datacenters, which are absorbing a significant portion of the available memory and storage die production. The consequence is not only an increase in prices, but also the inability to manufacture certain product categories in sufficient quantities.
For the photo and video market, Sony's move is indicative of how deeply the shortage of SSDs and flash memory has affected even niche hardware categories. PetaPixel estimates that this is the first such major setback in the photography industry, but it may not be the last.
Our opinion on Techblog
This development affects not only professional content creators, but also any user who relies on fast memory cards for cameras, mirrorless or high-end video recording. If the suspension is extended, the market could see even more pressure on availability and prices in the coming months.
