How do I choose the right memory card?Updated 9 months ago
Choosing the right memory card is important but can be overwhelming. Luckily, here is an easy three-step guide designed to help you find the best memory card for your needs.
Compatibility
You can check what cards are compatible with your camera by looking at the information in the user’s manual or the manufacturer’s website. You can also check our free compatibility charts to find the right card for your camera.
Your camera may support all SD cards (SD, SDHC, and SDXC), but it is good to know which cards are best for certain uses. For videography, we strongly recommend avoiding cards that are labeled SD or SDHC. This is because SD cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB, which is too low for today’s minimum video standards. Although SDHC cards have a higher capacity, they use the FAT32 file system that will split your longer videos into 4GB chunks. Meanwhile, SDXC cards use the exFAT file system and do not limit files in this way.
It is also important to know the difference between CFast and Compact Flash cards. They are physically interchangeable and have the same size and shape but have completely different connectors. Make sure you are checking compatibility with the right card.
Consider speed before capacity
Speed, specifically write speed, should be the first concern when choosing a card. Write speed determines how fast data can be saved on the card. This is especially essential when dealing with higher-resolution videos to ensure that your memory card doesn’t drop frames, store the video in low quality, or cause your camera to stop recording altogether.
Although maximum write speed is important, you should also consider minimum write speed when choosing a card. It is crucial to have a card that can sustain a certain write speed so that your card is stable and reliable, instead of peaking to astronomical heights every so often.
The highest minimum write speed any SD card can sustain is determined by the highest Speed Class marking on the card. Symbols of the Speed Class, UHS Speed Class, and Video Speed Class (with a corresponding number) indicate the specific speed at which your camera can write data on the card consistently. The higher the rating, the more data you can write to the card in the same amount of time.
Another important speed to consider is read speed. Read speed determines how quickly you can retrieve recorded videos from the memory card, and it impacts workflow. A faster read speed allows you to transfer data from the card to your computer faster.
Ensuring sufficient capacity
Last but not least, capacity is still a key factor to consider when choosing a memory card. Video bitrate, frame rate, length, and format each affect the size of your video files. For instance, a single minute of 1080p video may take only around 130MB of space. At the same time, one minute of ProRes 4K video at 880 Mbits/s will consume roughly 5.3GB. That works out to 318GB every hour. You definitely want to use higher-capacity cards if you are recording at such high data rates.
For more information on Speed Classes, write speeds, read speeds, and more, view the full article here.