Memory cards are one of the most important accessories in your camera bag. You’ve invested in the perfect camera and the perfect lenses, so now it’s time to find the right memory cards — or SD cards — to record all the photos and videos you plan to take. When considering a memory card purchase, the most important factors to consider are reliability, compatibility, and speed.
What are SD cards?
SD (secure digital) cards are one of the most common memory card types used by modern cameras. The original version of SD cards were quickly upgraded to SDHC, which offered larger card capacities. More recently, SDXC cards began to dominate the memory card market because they deliver the most storage space of any option. Technically all the cards in this article are SDXC cards, but most photographers refer to them as SD cards.
Note that there are also microSD cards that stay true to their namesake by being much smaller than their contemporaries. You can often use these in a standard SD card slot with an adapter, but for the sake of this article, we’re sticking with traditional SD cards.
A quick word about SD vs CFExpress
Memory cards have changed a lot in the past decade, and now a new memory card format has entered the photography scene: CFExpress. Compared to other formats, CFExpress cards perform at high speeds with write speeds of 1400mb/s and read speeds of 1700mb/s. These cards give photographers and videographers some exciting new options for fast, high resolution shooting.
Canon, Sony, and Nikon have all released camera models that use these cards, and more models are likely to take advantage of this fast format in the future. In the meantime, photographers using SD cards have plenty of fast options to choose from.
Best SD for the fast shooter
SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC Memory Card, UHS-II Class 10 U3, Up to 300MB/s Read ()
Whether you’re a portrait photographer, a sports photographer, or a wildlife photographer, you need a memory card that keeps pace when you’re shooting in burst mode. If speed is your most important factor, the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II card is a great choice, even at a slightly higher price tag than other SanDisk cards. SanDisk has been around for ages and they make reliable cards with a great warranty, which is a big reason why many of their products appear on this list.
Best high capacity SD card
SanDisk Extreme PRO 1TB UHS-I U3 SDXC Memory Card, 170MB/s Read, 30-90MB/s Write ()
As camera resolution increases, file sizes increase as well, which makes larger capacity cards more important than ever. Rather than wasting time swapping cards in the middle of a shoot, it’s best to work with cards that hold a minimum of 128GB. If speed is a little less important to you than capacity, SanDisk has got you covered with the Extreme PRO series.
This Extreme PRO 1TB UHS-I card provides a great storage size-to-speed balance. It features max write speeds of 90mb/s and max read speeds of 170mb/s. For photographers who prefer not to store so many photos on one card, SanDisk also offers 512GB cards with the same speeds and technology.
Best SD card on a budget
Lexar Professional Class 10 UHS-I U3 633x SDHC/SDXC Memory Card ()
Photographers using prosumer level cameras can easily get away with using less expensive cards by compromising slightly on write speeds, read speeds, and capacity. If you’re not shooting for hours at a time, using a few lower-capacity cards is a great way to work with a tighter budget. Lexar’s Professional Class cards are reliable and inexpensive. Pick up a few 128GB Lexar Professional Class 10 UHS-I U3 633x SDHC/SDXC memory cards and you’ll be set for plenty of high-volume shooting.
Best SD card for the Sony lover
Sony 2 Pack 128GB SF-G Series UHS-II U3 Class 10 SDXC Memory Card, Maximum 300 MB/s Read ()
Sony sets itself apart from other camera brands with its own proprietary memory cards. If you’ve simply need to own a Sony card to go with your Sony camera, check out the 2 Pack of Sony’s 128GB SF-G Series. With dual card slots in most Sony cameras, a two-pack of cards is a good way to go.
Need some more help?
Still not sure which memory card is right for you? At Adorama, we’re always here to answer questions about what gear makes the most sense for your needs. Whether you need a new SD memory card, a card reader, or anything else for your setup, get in touch via Live Chat or give us a call today.
