11 Best SD Cards for DSLR in 2024

11 Best SD Cards for DSLR

No matter whether you take pictures or record videos, the best memory card allows your camera to work to the fullest saving the files inside. Being relatively affordable and compact, an efficient SD card provides high performance of shooting equipment. Low-quality memory cards for cameras can slow down your camera performance or even cause a file loss as a result of damages.

1. SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC

FixThePhoto editors’ choice

Capacity: 64 GB – 1 TВ | Max Transfer Speed: 170 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

Buying SanDisk Extreme Pro, you get an SDXC card suitable for professionals in terms of speed and decent design for extreme conditions. It has a speed rating of Class 3 with a read rate of up to 170 MB/s and a recording rate of up to 90MB per second.

With such rates, continuous shooting in RAW and JPEG format or 4K filming won’t be a problem. It is the best memory card in terms of durability, being resistant to outside factors.

SanDisk includes RescuePro to restore unintentionally deleted files during one year after purchase. It also offers a limited lifetime warranty in the USA.

2. Sony Tough G-series SDXC

Most reliable and robust SD-card

Capacity: 32 GB – 128 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 300 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-II/C10/U3/V90

Sony claims that SD card from the Tough series withstands 18 times more pressure than a regular model, may survive washing and extreme temperatures being water- and dustproof. This is a sealed card, which is unlikely to break or bend.

Sony Tough has been tested for a drop from a 5-meter height and it can be easily washed to remove dust. This series is also very fast ‒ read rate of 300 MB/s and a recording rate of 299 MB/s are almost identical, which corresponds to V90 and U3 Class.

It is the best SD card for photography that copes with the consistent capture of 241 compressed files of RAW format or 362 JPEG files in the burst mode at 20 fps. Theoretically, you don’t have to update it for several years until people will be able to record 8K videos.

• Record more footage with the best DSLR for video.

3. Lexar Professional 2000x SDHC

Fast SD-card for video

Capacity: 32 GB – 128 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 300 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-II/C10/U3/V90

If you don’t have to record a terabyte of video or photos at a time, Lexar Professional Class 10 2000x Speed with UHS-II technology is a perfect choice. This best SD card for 4K video ensures the data transfer rate of up to 300 MB/second and recording rate of up to 260 MB/second.

It is more than enough for 4K videos, 3D videos and RAW packages, and to record other files in high resolution. Lexar has been a visiting card for photography enthusiasts for a long time. It offers Image Rescue to restore photographs and video files, limited lifetime warranty and an attached SD UHS-II card reader.

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4. Kingston Canvas React SDXC

For shooting burst-mode photos and 4K video

Capacity: 32 GB – 128 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 100 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

It is a classic high-performance memory card designed by Kingston. It has stable read and recording rate. It has a big capacity and designed to be used in 4К, D-SLM and DSLR video cameras. It also boosts the performance of cameras with a high speed of burst shooting.

For your comfort, the card was thoroughly tested and proved to be one of the most reliable memory cards for cameras. It is water, temperature, shock and vibration resistant, and is also protected against X-rays.

5. ProGrade Digital SDXC

Choice of professional photographers

Capacity: 64 GB – 256 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 300 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-II/C10/U3/V90

ProGrade Digital positions itself as a specialist in the sphere of memory cards for cameras. Prograde V90 UHS-II cards are suitable for shooting with a high bit rate since they offer a stable recording rate (up to 300 MB/s) and a capacity of up to 256GB.

High transmission rate of 250 MB/s makes these cards ideal for photo sessions with high resolution since you may upload images to your computer fast. There are cards that are a little faster than ProGrade Digital, but the latter prefers reliability to rate, thoroughly testing each component of a card to guarantee its remarkable performance.

6. Transcend SDHC/SDXC

For UHS-II compliant DSLR cameras

Capacity: 32 GB – 64 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 285 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-II/C10/U3/V90

A DSLR and video camera compatible with UHS-II require a rate 3x higher than standard UHS-I memory cards offer. Transcend SDXC UHS-II enables to record RAW and high-resolution files in the continuous mode thanks to fast read and recording rate ‒ 285 MB/s and 180 MB/s respectively.

This branded V90 SD card is also shockproof and resistant to X-ray radiation, which ensures an extra degree of protection during trips. Free software for data restoration allows you to find traces of deleted files somewhere deep on the device.

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7. PNY Elite Performance

A great choice if you rate capacity and cost

Capacity: 32 GB – 512 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 95 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

Although PNY isn’t a famous brand, it presented itself as a decent competitor with a great capacity of 512GB. PNY Elite Performance series has Class 10 UHS I U3 and a standard transmission rate of up to 95 MB/s and recording rate of up to 60 MB/s that enables people to photograph in the continuous burst mode, and record 4K Ultra HD videos.

Elite means that these memory cards for cameras are also durable being water- and shockproof, thermo- and magnetically resistant. This card has a limited lifetime warranty and PNY also states that it may work after full immersion into saltwater for 1 meter.

8. Samsung MicroSDXC EVO Select

Extended compatibility for 4K UHD video

Capacity: 32 GB – 512 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 100 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

Hero 7 Black records 4K video at 60 fps and Samsung EVO Select can provide this shooting speed. These microSD cards come with an SD adapter, which allows people to use them in cameras, smartphones or tablets. A green design with several gradations of color guarantees Samsung's authenticity.

You can confidently use this model thanks to a 10-year limited warranty. The cards are considered waterproof, heat-resistant, and protected against x-ray and magnetic radiation. This Samsung card is reliable and fast, and can be called the best SD card for 4K video.

9. Transcend MicroSDXC 330S

For smooth and uninterrupted video capturing

Capacity: 64 GB – 128 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 100 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

The model contains 3D NAND flash chips, which make it the best SD card for DSLR and action cameras. Even if you work in challenging conditions, these cards ensure stable and smooth operation. The card has a built-in error recovery module that constantly searches for and eliminates transmission errors.

This is the best micro SD card for Android that is compatible with smartphones, digital cameras and recorders, DVRs and tablets. It can withstand the most extreme conditions being non-susceptible to heat, water, mechanical damage, X-ray, and static.

10. Samsung PRO Endurance

Designed for video monitoring

Capacity: 32 GB – 128 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 100 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U1

This version is slightly more expensive than the standard ones with a larger SD-size adapter but it is intended for use in harsh conditions and provides longer recording time up to 43,800 hours. Thisbest SD card for video is a great choice for action cameras, DVRs, outdoor surveillance because it can continuously record at high read/write speeds (100 MB/s and 30 MB/s, respectively).

This card withstands harsh weather conditions and intense wear and tear. It is protected against magnetic and x-ray radiation, sea water, high or low temperature.

11. Delkin Select microSDXC

Designed for video monitoring

Capacity: 32 GB – 512 GВ | Max Transfer Speed: 100 MB/s | Speed Class: UHS-I/C10/U3/V30

This model is intended for day-to-day use in modern smartphones, tablets, action cameras and other portable devices, also being ranked as the best micro SD card for switch. It provides a recording speed of 50 MB/s, which is sufficient for smooth Full HD 1080P movies without distortion or skipped frames.

You can use it for any demanding mode of your device such as high-resolution single-frame shooting, HDR, continuous burst shooting, and other, including GoPro protons. The card is protected against damaging influence like water, hit, or X-ray.

It has the error elimination module and wear-leveling used for securing the files and prolonging the term of service, which are all the things you want in the best SD card for photography.

List of the Best SD Cards for DSLR

Image	Name	Features
	SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXС OUR CHOICE	Excellent speed without skipping frames Protection against temperature, moisture, shock, and x-rays Data recovery software	Check PRICE →
	Sony Tough G-series SDXC MOST RELIABLE	High equivalent speed Sealed one-piece housing Water and dust resistant, can withstand bending and pressure	Check PRICE →
	Lexar Professional 2000x FOR 4K VIDEO	Fast and reliable Comes with a card-reader Has recovery software	Check PRICE →
	Kingston Canvas React SDXC AFFORDABLE	Good capacity and speed Price and brand reputation High degree of protection	Check PRICE →
	Samsung MicroSDXC EVO Select BEST MICROSD	Shockproof, waterproof, heat resistant Adapter included Resistance to magnetic and x-ray radiation	Check PRICE →

How to Choose the Best SD Card for DSLR?

For amateur photographers, a card size and price are important criteria. However, for some applications and types of shooting, especially high-quality video, card speed (especially continuous recording speed) is more important than capacity.

Estimating the speed of an SD card can be quite confusing. Having examined the various speed classes, ensure the security of your data in case you lose one card and select at least a pair of SD cards to purchase.

SD-Card Type and Capacity

The first available cards were of the Secure Digital (SD) type and were limited to 2GB of storage, now this type is discontinued. With the advent of new file formats and an increase in their size, the best memory card had to be extended to the new limit of 32GB, which is how the Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) type appeared. The same suffix is valid for the microSD type that is used directly in certain portable devices and through an adapter in many other gadgets that have a regular-size slot.

The latest of the camera memory card types is the Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) that have now the capacity of up to 1TB. This new type has no other difference and only extends the storage area as the name implies. It starts at 32GB and theoretically reaches 2TB. The larger the memory capacity, the more material it can store at a time, so it’s advisable to select this last type for video.

UHS Bus and Read Speed

With the increase of speeds, developers created devices with support for UHS Bus (Ultra High Speed). For them, there are cards with the speed class markings of UHS-I or UHS-II (with 2 rows of pins). Such a marking determines the theoretical top burst speed.

For level I cards, the maximum read speed is 104 MB/s, for level II - 312 MB/s. If the fastest SD card class is used in a lower-class camera, the Bus bandwidth won’t allow reaching its theoretical maximum. When buying, mind the compatibility of devices.

The nominal read speed is indicated on the map as top possible MB/s value. Read and write speeds are independent of each other, so reading is theoretically the top transfer rate. This speed may be unattainable if the device has a lower capacity.

Some manufacturers indicate the reading speed with a multiplier of “x”, for example, 1066x MB/s. When searching for the best memory card for DSLR help yourself to understand the value through conversion which requires you to multiply the number by 150 and divide by 1000.

The abovementioned example stands for a top read speed of 160 MB/s. This value indicates how fast you will be able to perform such actions as burst shooting, internal buffer cleaning, transfer of files to the computer.

Write Speed Classes and Ratings

The primary is the standard C speed class with a numerical code 2, 4, 6, and 10 indicated next to the letter. That number indicates the minimum constant recording speed without crucial interruption for video. The best SD card for DSLR is the one with the top value which produces a continuous speed of 10 MB/s. What used to be the highest obtainable speed has now become a norm.

To indicate the lowest writing speed for the latest card type, the UHS speed class has been introduced, which consists of the letter and a number 1 or 3. A U1 marking would be equivalent to the old C10 one, meaning that the indicated constant minimum recording speed is 10 MB/s. You need a recent device with the support of this new type to operate at high speeds. To record 4K, you need the best memory card with a U3 rating.

Not all U3 cards operate at the 30 MB/s writing speed. The video speed class marked as V class was introduced to film high-resolution videos: 4K, 8K, 3D, HD, HDR, and 360°. This method of checking the minimum stable recording speed is higher than the rest of the ratings. In ratings V10 (10 MB/s), V30, V60, and V90, the number indicates the guaranteed recording speed. Cards marked above V30 are certified for high bitrate videos with an emphasis on 4K, 360°, and large RAW files.

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Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more