23 Best and Cheapest SD Cards for Photographers

Rating: 4.50 based on 6 Ratings
  By Pia Lopez
23 Best and Cheapest SD Cards for Photographers www.sleeklens.com

Updated 05/08/18!

One of the tools that we use the most, in our daily lives as photographers, which we certainly tend to take for granted are the memory cards. Why are they so important? Without them, it would be impossible to store the photographs we capture, given the fact that, in the best of cases, cameras have just 32 MB of internal memory… Which actually translates into 5 or 6 pictures, depending on the quality of the image.

There are certain parameters that we must take into account when choosing an SD card model:

a) Type: can be SD, micro SD, CF, M2 (Sony cameras; but the SD is mainly used as a universal format.)
b) Data transfer speed: Crucial for action pictures or shooting in burst mode
c) Price
d) Capacity: Namely, how many GB of storage we can count on.

The main difference between a Micro SD card and an SD is the size for which they were designed, the first being only suitable for mobile devices such as Smartphones or similar small devices; however, many Micro SD cards actually come with SD card adapters.

Data transfer speed affects two fundamental aspects: reading and writing data. While many fall under the premise that it is much better to have a high reading speed, the truth, which also applies for DVD recorders, is that the value that matters is writing speed, since it is the task that requires more resources to be used for both the camera and the process of developing your files to function properly. As a general trend, manufacturers tend to show the value of reading speed, whereas the value of the write speed will be something that you have to find out on the website of the manufacturer.
According to their reading speeds, SD cards were categorized into ‘Classes’

1) Class 2 – 2 MB/s
2) Class 4 – 4 MB/s
3) Class 6 – 6 MB/s
4) Class 8 – 8 MB/s
5) Class 10 – 10 MB/s

This classification applies only to simple models of SD cards, not being applicable to some SDHC/SDXC models, since they use a system known as UHS, which guarantees higher data transfer speeds, making them ideal for HD footage. (Rates of transfer in these cases are 10 MB/s or 30 MB/s)

As minimum capacity, we should now consider that 16 GB is the minimum that a photographer should use to start working. Smaller capacity cards will tend to create more work and take more time spent on changing cards, especially if we work in RAW format; still recommended to utilize cards with a minimum capacity of 32 GB, if we jump to Full Frame. In my personal case, when I travel, I usually pack several SDHC class 10 cards, each with a capacity of 32 GB stored comfortably in my SD card holder.

After exposing the main elements of which to consider, let’s take a look at the very best 21 SD card models that are available in 2018!

SD vs. SDHC vs. SDXC

This well-known system rating is the way in which the market defines the storage capacity in GB of each memory card.
SD (Secure Digital) cards are the oldest, discarded by the current market but still worth to be mentioned to understand the denomination of these current models. These cards were limited to just 2GB of storage data.

By the year 2006 SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards came into the market, lifting that restriction to now 32GB of storage data.

The first SDXC card was introduced in 2009. Going now from 32GB to 2TB, they are the current go-to option for any professional photographer and, mostly, videographers who want to work in 4K video.

Best 21 SD card models

 

Samsung Pro PlusGo to Amazon
For demanding photographers, nothing like a memory card able to accompany them on any adventure! A unique model from Samsung, listed as the best on the market (UHS Grade 3, Class 10 Card). With its 64 or 128 GB capacity, you can store thousands of photographs without needing to worry about when to download them to your PC.
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Samsung Pro Plus is one of the top rated microSD cards designed for high end mobile and digital imaging devices. The Pro Plus MicroSD card offers high standard performance as an upgrade of the previous products released by the Samsung company. The Pro Plus microSD card from Samsung is also available at a great price, something that gives value for money especially when you consider the features and specs.

The Samsung Pro Plus is suitable for power users and photographers especially if you are the kind that likes engaging in massive photography and seeking to keep great memories. The Pro Plus MicroSD also helps store 4K UHD videos recorded from smartphones, high-end DSLRs, modern action cameras and tablets.
It is able to support videos filmed in 4 K - is actually optimized for such tasks - with a 90 MB/Sec write transfer rate

The card also incorporates durable technology which protects it from magnet, water, shock, high temperatures and X-rays. This helps guarantee that your images and videos are safe always. Among its most outstanding aspects we can highlight is its ability to resist up to 3 days submerged under water, something which can be very beneficial for landscape photographers. Its tolerated temperatures range from - 25° C to 85° C

Verdict

Despite the price, the Samsung Pro Plus MicroSD is a great investment especially if you are a heavy photographer seeking for impressive storage, read and write speed. Its performance is well-matched for the price.

SanDisk Extreme ProGo to Amazon
If you are looking for an SD card with a crazy amount of memory capacity (and you are actually willing to pay the price) then SanDisk is your brand! Able to offer a 512 GB SD Card for the "small" fee of $345, undoubtedly, it is one of the few cards on the market, by its performance, capable of competing with the Samsung Pro Plus.
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SanDisk Extreme Pro is one of the bar setting SD disks in the market today. It is an ideal SD Disk if you are looking for superb memory capacity and extremely high speed. The card isn’t called Extreme Pro for nothing considering that you can enjoy faster transfer speeds in the region of 275MB/s. This means that your videos will be easier to transfer not mentioning that the available USB 3.0 reader makes your transfers even more convenient. With the SanDisk Extreme Pro, even the huge files such as 4K UHD videos become an easy task.

Extremely fast transfer speeds

With its 95 MB/s reading speed, it's faster than many cards on the market, however, the behavior of such speed will depend mainly on the camera which is being used. As a quick example: with a Nikon D500 the value was 84.3 MB/s, but while using a Nikon D3100, that value decreased to 52.9 MB/s (on tested cameras).

Full video capture

While the huge 512 GB capacity may be tempting, it is not something that, in a cost-benefit evaluation, would end up being worthwhile if we are just photographers. The case would be much different if the reality of our work required us to film in 4K, but as photographers it is more cost convenient to have several smaller SD cards than to take the risk with a higher capacity card which may be prone to failure in the same proportion of their storage capacity.

Conclusion

Despite being expensive, the SanDisk Extreme Pro guarantees great value for your money. It is an ideal investment if you are into serious photographing and will always help ensure that your videos and images are safe and easy to transfer when necessary.

Transcend SDHC Write 60Go to Amazon
A good choice for those photographers "on Budget", I have tested several models of Transcend and my experience has not been bad with cards up to 32 GB. It's one of the "traditional" brands used by many photographers due to its reliability.
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  • Supports Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM)
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The Transcend SDHC Write 60 UHS-1 SDXC Memory card has 64GB capacity and allows you to record 4kVideos thanks to its Class 3 Ultra High Speed support specifications coupled with a minimum of 30MB/S write speed. The 64BG card has a maximum 95MB/s data read speed thus making data transfer faster and more efficient. Additionally, it comes with improved data transfer rates and built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) thus making it possible for the card to detect and correct any transfer errors.

High data transfer speed

Data reading speed is high; However the write speed is situated in the average range with a value of 60 MB/s. You can find better performance in writing speed (but at also a much higher price) with the Transcend SDHC Write 180 (180 MB/s of writing data speed).

Improved camera response

It features an Error Correcting Code (ECC), as well as many RAM memories, as a way of preventing corruption of data with constant use.

Content Protection for Recordable Media works via a hardware-enforced encryption which prevents users from deleting, copying or moving content from the storage device - A pretty handy tool for protecting your work from those who want to credit it as their own, or even damage the work you have done.

Conclusion

The Transcend SDHC Write 60 is worth investment for any photographer seeking quality results in the field. Its fairly priced and has great features.

PNY Elite PerformanceGo to Amazon
One of my favorite brands, not only for its performance, but also for its reputation. For technology enthusiasts, PNY is synonymous of "elite" material, and it's not without reason that they assign that name the SD Card.
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For a photographer looking for a good SD Card, PNY Elite Performance will count as a great option to consider. The 32GB SD card has read speed of up to 90MB/s but the write sped is a little bit lower than the company’s precious version. The Elite Performance UHS-I is shock proof, magnet proof, waterproof and temperature proof but this is common with many SD cards in the market today. But what might give buyers confidence of the card’s quality is the 5-year warranty and lifetime warranty offered by the manufacturer in Europe and the USA respectively.

Fast speed

The PNY Elite Performance promises to give you great speed if that is something you are interested in. the SDHC memory card has a blazing 90MB/s for write speed and is UHS-1 rated. It works great if you want to shoot continuously from a HD/3D and DSLR camcorder thus making it easy to capture your videos in more fps. Writing values run in the vicinity of 60 MB/s

Good capacity

The PNY Elite Performance SD Card has great capacity that allows you to store your data without any stress. You can store different types of data without worrying about space.

Models available are 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 and 512 GB, with its top price rated in $199 for the 512 GB model - Nearly half the price of SanDisk's model.

Conclusion

The SD card offers great value for the money you spend on it. It will make for a great companion in your photography and other storage needs.

SanDisk Extreme Plus[]Go to Amazon[]
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Another model from SanDisk, Although in this case a lower line of quality to the Extreme Pro, but with same problem as mentioned above: the price.
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For professional photographers who want to capture more action without being restricted of storage capacity, the SanDisk Extreme Plus 32GB microSDHC memory card is a good option to consider. The spacious SD card offers you the chance to record more of your 4k Ultra HD or Full HD ready videos using your camera or Android gadget with ease. This beautiful Extreme Plus from SanDisk is built to last longer even when subjected to tough environmental conditions.

Compatibility with multiple devices

The Extreme Plus is designed to work with different devices that have microSDHC slot. This means you are not limited in any way whenever out there taking your great shots. The SanDisk Extreme Plus also comes with an adapter for select SDHC/SD/SDXC devices.

32GB storage capacity

The 32GB storage capacity offered by the Extreme Plus microSDHC memory card means you can store a wide variety of data including videos and images.

UHS and Class 10 performance

The SD Card offers high performance full HD5 (1080p) and 3D video recording. This is great for different cameras including action cams especially because it also comes with a 95MB/sec transfer speed which makes transmission efficient.

Conclusion

The SanDisk Extreme Plus SD Card isn’t that bad if you are not interested in a lot of storage space. With other cards offering higher capacity, it might be elbowed down the line but this does not make it a bad choice. The brand is reliable.

Transcend Ultimate 633xGo to Amazon
A micro-SD card model that I would love to have in any action camera, drone or Smartphone, and whose sole drawback is in its maximum storage capacity of only 64 GB.
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  • Speed
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  • Capacity
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Transcend Ultimate 633x is SD card designed to deliver UHS-I performance with a read and write speed of 95MB/s and 85MB/s respectively. The 64GB microSDXC card has a rating of U3 and therefore guarantees a continuous write speed of 30MB/s for 4k video recording.

Durability

The Transcend Ultimate 633x is durable as it is made using MLC NAND flash chips which are suitable for action cameras. Even in tough conditions, the flash chips are able to provide great endurance and consistent long-life. It also has an integrated Error Correction Code which is capable of detecting and correcting any transfer errors.

Compatibility

The Ultimate 633x memory card from Transcend is compatible with multiple devices including smartp[hones, car video recorders, digital cameras, tablets and digital recorders. You can use it to record your photos and high resolution videos.

The Transcend Ultimate 633x is capable of withstanding harsh conditions since it is waterproof, shock proof, temperature proof (between -25° to 85°C) , static proof and x-ray proof.

A version of this same card with a larger capacity of 256 GB would be the ideal complement for any drone that aims to have a greater degree of autonomy.

Conclusion

The Transcend Ultimate 633x is a good microSD card if you are looking for speed. However, there are other high capacity cards available and this slightly disadvantages it if you are looking for more storage space.

Toshiba ExceriaGo to Amazon
When I first saw this card could not believe the price that was looking at! A 64 GB card for just $19 was more than an opportunity to take advantage of.
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The Toshiba Exceria 64GB microSD card is a tiny card designed for different devices including cameras, cell phones and tablets. The Exceria from Toshiba has a dimension of 11W x 15L x 1.0H mm and can be mounted on multiple devices without any issues. The M301-EA 64GB SD card has 48MB/s maximum read speed while the Class 10 rating guarantees you a minimum write and read speed of 10MB per second. On the other hand, the card has a Speed Class 1 which ensures a performance of 10MB/s (read and write) with UHS interface.

Compatibility

The Toshiba Exceria 64GB is compatible with different SDHC or SD slots. This card is also durable and reliable especially because it doesn’t come with any moving parts. Its quality is backed by a 5-year warranty.

High read speed

The Exceria MicroSDHC from Toshiba has an impressive 95 MB/s read speed which allows for a smooth and excellent transfer of High resolution photographs and Full HD videos.

Conclusion

The price of the Toshiba Exceria MicroSD card is impressive. However, there is much to be done to improve the standards of this card especially when you consider that there are others offering great features such as Error Correction Code which enables for error detection and correction.

Lexar Professional 600xGo to Amazon
When we speak of Lexar, we speak of professional quality. In the case of this model such a statement refers to an SD card with a 90 MB/s read speed.
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The Lexar Professional 600x is an ideal SD card for photographers especially when you consider its capacity and speed. Although there are other SD cards offering far much higher storage capacity, the Professional 600x 64 GB card from Lexar does truly satisfy many professional photographers and enthusiasts alike. The 64-GB SDXC version card supports UHS-I which means that you are guaranteed of fast data transfer speed of up to 45MB/s write and 90MB/s read.

High speed performance

Using the Lexar Professional 600x SD card guarantees you an accelerated workflow thanks to the UHS-I technology which offers a super-fast speed rating of 600x. This gives the card up to 90MB/s maximum read speed with the Class 10 rating giving a maximum of 45MB/s write speed. This makes it an ideal card for capturing 4k HD videos and high resolution photos using different SDCH compatible cameras. You can also enjoy blazing-fast file transfer speeds if using a card reader, USB 3.0.

Reliable and compatible

The Lexar Professional 600x is compatible with different memory card devices and cameras. Its quality is also backed with a lifetime warranty (limited). In addition, you can download software, Image Rescue 4, which enables you to recover your deleted or lost video files and photos even when the card is corrupted.

Conclusion

Lexar Professional 600x is a great memory card for photographers or other professionals looking for speed and reliability. It gives great quality for its price.

SanDisk UltraGo to Amazon
This 'conventional' quality card from SanDisk is ideal for beginners of photography; which does not mean that there are no benefits to consider.
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  • 10-year Warranty
  • Shockproof
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  • Temperature resistant
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  • Not 4K capable
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An upgrade from the previous Ultra Memory Card, the SanDisk Ultra is an extraordinary SDHC card that delivers great speed necessary for photo shoot and Full HD video recording. However, this card does not deliver when it comes to 4k video recording and this is something that could put off many professional photographers in this day and age. That notwithstanding, the SanDisk Ultra 32GB SD card offers some othr great features which you will still like especially if you are on a budget.

Speed

The 32GB Ultra SD card from SanDisk offers a video rating of UHS Class 1 and speed rating of Class 10 which means you can capture your videos seamlessly. You can therefore capture quality videos in Full HD (1080p) and 3D without stuttering or dropouts. It also offers fast data transfer and photo capture of up to 30MB/s.

Durable

The Ultra SD card is backed by a lifetime warranty which gives a guarantee of quality. It is shock proof, resistant to temperature and waterproof as well.

Conclusion

The SanDisk Ultra memory card is a low priced and durable memory card that comes with a lifetime warranty. It is a good investment especially if you do not intend to record 4k Videos. However, there are other options capable of giving great results an experience.

Patriot LX SeriesGo to Amazon
Looking for an option that best fits your budget, but with the same characteristics as the high-end models? Then don't miss this low priced SD card from Patriot!
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The Patriot LX Series 128GB microSD is one of the best memory cards if you are looking for space to store your photos. The microSDXC can be used on a number of devices including cameras, tablets, smartphones and more. The most amazing thing is that it gives you the desired capacity to store your photos and videos and it has high speed such that transferring your items only takes a few seconds to accomplish.

Patriot LX Series has a class 10 rating for speed thus guaranteeing you fast data transfer and this is important especially for people who want to record Full HD videos in real time. The card also comes with an SD adapter which you can use in the normal SD memory slots.

Features and specs

• The LX series from Patriot is compliant with the specifications for SDA UHS-I 3.0.

• It’s compatible with MicroSDXC and MicroSDHC slot devices.

• High level copy protection

• The memory card can be operated and stored in temperature ranging between -25°C and 85°C

• Has a read and write speed of 70MB/s and 20MB/s respectively.

The Patriot LX Series 128GB memory card helps remove the holdup of slow memory. You can therefore take your photographs comfortably and shoot HD videos without worrying about the storage capacity and speed. In addition, the microSDXC card works well with mid-range cameras and HD camcorders.

Conclusion

This is a great SD card if you are looking for reliable capacity and other great features. It might fall short when it comes to speed but offers good value for the money spent.

Silicon Power EliteGo to Amazon
Another option for thrifty photographers! Silicon Power is a brand that comes stomping into the market offering products at incredibly affordable prices and quality comparable to Kingston or similar brands.
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  • Max storage model isn't capable of 4K recording
  • 4K-capable models are not weather resistant
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The Silicon Power ElitemicroSDXC series is a great memory card for people who like burst shooting and lengthy full High Definition videos. With an incredible Class 10 speed rating, the memory card allows you to use your DSLR in such a way that you do not have to miss out on any moment thus helping keep your data safe. It has advanced UHS-1 technology which allows for amazing read speed of up to 85MB/s. The 64GB storage capacity will allow you to save your videos and photos ready for transfer to your computer or other devices.

Features and specs

• The microSDXC series memory card is compatible with multiple devices ranging from camcorders to DSLRs to Smartphone to Tablets.

• UHS-1 technology and 85MB/s read speed is devices that are compatible.

• Water and shock resistant.

• Can be operated within a temperature range of -40 to 85°C (you can photograph anything in Alaska or Siberia, but cannot film in 4 K - bad luck!)

Conclusion

All factors considered, the Silicon Power Elite microSDXC memory card is great for photography and video recording. You can use is anywhere to store your precious shots and transfer them elsewhere when ready. It has a good price worth every feature offered.

PNY OptimaGo to Amazon
A basic SD card, but one of great quality. Perhaps the ideal model for when we have to give a camera to someone or to test equipment without compromising our own SD memory cards.
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The PNY Optima 32GB isn’t a bad SDHC card if you are looking for longer hours of video recording and photography. It allows you to capture and store your videos and photos in addition to other data such as music and movies ready for sharing. You can confidently and reliably use this card on camcorders, digital cameras and other devices which are compatible and be assured that your data is safe.

The PNY Optima 32GB SDHC Card has a speed rating of Class 4 thus guaranteeing a write speed of at least 4MB/s. This is not bad if you are recording videos on your digital camcorder and other entry-level SLR cameras.

Features and specs

• Class 4 performance

• A minimum write speed of 4MB/s

• Compatible a number of latest camcorders and digital cameras.

• Up to 4 hours of HD video recording

Conclusion

The SD card can’t be said to be that bad but there are others within the same price range offering great features and specs. It’ll work well if you want prolonged period of video recording out there.

PNY Turbo PerformanceGo to Amazon
This small and compact beauty of an SD card is not only a bargain, but we can also sure that we are purchasing a product made of excellent quality.
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  • Brand Reputation
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  • No SD Adapter Included
Click to read the full Review
The 64GB PNY Turbo Performance microSDXC memory card is suitably for storing your photos, videos, and other files from anywhere. The memory card is designed to help you capture your content care-free and has an amazing read speed of up to 90MB/s. in addition, it comes with UHS-1 data bus which makes it possible to reach the speed. The PNY Turbo Performance card is compatible with multiple devices and particularly those with a microSDXC slot.

It has a speed rating of Class 10 and a USH Class I Bus Interface Speed which means you can record HD videos and shoot smoothly and continuously. The ‎microSDXC card offers faster file transfer on tablets and Android Smartphones while at the same time enabling for action-capturing photography when using your action cameras. With a storage capacity for more than 22,756 photos, you can always take it easy when out for your adventures knowing that you are well taken care of always.

Features and specs

• High speed of 90MB/s thus enabling for lightening speed data transfer

• Reliable and durable as it is temperature proof, magnet proof, waterproof and shock proof.

• The PNY Turbo Performance is compatible with all Micro SDXC devices

Conclusion

A good buy if you are looking for adequate storage and amazing data transfer speed. The PNY Turbo Performance microSDXC is worth its price tag.

Polaroid Extreme Performance SDXCGo to Amazon
One of the biggest surprises we came across in this year was this fine quality SDXC card courtesy of Polaroid. Able to overcome other competitors as Duracell, GSkill and even Kingston, this is a card we should take our time to look at.
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  • Read and Write Speed
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  • Brand reputation on SD card making
Click to read the full Review
It’s no brainer that this card is meant for high-performance usage. Up to 90MB/s Write Speed can certainly grant a superb performance when working with 4K content, or if you aim to create HDR photos in-camera, not to mention full-frame camera’s RAW files.
For a card that is roughly in the “affordable” range, it works brilliantly, even delivering more quality that what can be expected. But, beware, it’s not a PNY or a Samsung EVO: over time, usage will show its true face and, in case you are not that careful, some reading issues may show up.

Features

• 64GB storage capacity

• Compatible with SDXC and SDHC-enabled readers/devices

• Class 10 memory card with a UHS-I/U3 compatibility.

• Weather-sealed, Shockproof and X-Ray Proof

Conclusion

The up to 95MB/s read speed is certainly a highlight for this card, but what got our interest is the X-Ray Proof certification – something extremely valuable for travel photographers who have to go under many airport checks per year. Polaroid is taking this model as its biggest shot to compete in the professional market, such effort should not be underestimated.

Kingston SDXC SeriesGo to Amazon
If you love classics, then this is the card for you!
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The 64GB Kingston SDXC Series is a classic performance memory card capable of delivering great read and write speed for easier and efficient data transfer. It offers great storage capacity and is designed for use in 4k camcorders, D-SLM or D-SLR cameras. With an impressive read speed of up to 90MB/s and write speed of 80MB/s, you can smoothly capture your images and enjoy high resolution videos video any time.

Kingston SDXC Series combines both storage capacity and speed to push great experience with higher resolution 4K or 2K video camcorders while at the same time pushing things even more with higher burst rate cameras. With higher read and write speeds, work flow efficiency is guaranteed thus allowing you to pull your media off your flash cards quickly for archiving or processing.

Capacity

The SDXC Series from Kingston delivers an impressive storage capacity of 64GB. This is well-suited for long-hour video recording anywhere.

Read and write speed

With the Kingston SDXC Series, you are guaranteed of efficient data transfer thanks to the impressive 90MB/s and 80MB/s read and write speeds respectively.

Conclusion

The Kingston SDXC Series is an ideal memory card for professional photographers and content creators. It’s high performance and storage capacity gives you what you might need for you data transfer and storage.

Promaster PerformanceGo to Amazon
A brand that is not really well known, but that does not necessarily imply dissatisfaction.
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  • No Extra Features at all
  • SDHC devices only
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The Promaster Performance memory card offers a combination of reliability and speed thus giving photographers the best experience in data storage and transfer. The 32GB storage capacity memory card has a speed of 163.0 X. although the brand name is new in the industry, the SD card doesn’t seem to disappoint so far. It is a perfect memory card for different types of photography as it allows for the capturing of high resolution images at an impressive speed.

You can expect your large images and HD videos to record smoothly without loading your camera buffer thus allowing you to take continuous shots. You do not have to miss an action when taking your photos as the Promaster Professional SDHC can has the desired speed to help you do your photography with efficiency. The 2.0 standard Promaster memory card is not compatible backwards. It works with SDHC compatible devices.

Features and specs

• The Promaster Performance SDHC memory card has a 24 MB per second transfer rate.

Conclusion

There is no much information about the Promaster Performance memory card even from the manufacturers. A new entrant into the memory card field, the card has a relatively good transfer speed rate but the fact that it is only compatible with SDHC devices makes it a little bit unimpressive.

Panasonic SDHC Gold SeriesGo to Amazon
Panasonic is one of those brands that I have never been disappointed in over the years; the same opinion applies to their SD cards.
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  • Speed
Click to read the full Review
The Panasonic SDHC Gold Series SDHC memory card has a UHS-I rating and is a Class 3 SDHC UHS speed card designed for both 2K and 4K video recording. The 32GB memory card comes with minimum write speed of up to 30MB per second when used in Class 3 UHS Speed devices. However, even when used for recording in non-UHS Speed Class-3 devices, the memory card meets the standard 6MB/s by offering a write speed of up to 10MB/s.

The SDHC Gold Series from Panasonic also has a minimum read speed of up to 90MB/s and 45MB/s write speed maximum. It has multiple safety and efficiency features which works well especially in data protection. You can always enjoy continuous shooting and video recording without missing a moment.

Write protection

The SDHC memory card has several safety features designed to keep your information safe always. It’s x-ray resistant, water-resistant, shock-resistant and magnet resistance. It can also be used under extreme temperatures since it is temperature resistant with usable range of -25 to 85°C. it also has a power-surge protection switch.

Conclusion

Not a bad buy for enthusiastic and professional photographers seeking for speed and storage capacity. The price is however a little bit high compared to other memory cards offering the same features. Overall, the Panasonic SDHC Gold Series isn’t bad at all.

Duracell SDXC SeriesGo to Amazon
One of my favorite options for an SD card - in fact, it's so conveniently priced that I bought several of these and I have not once been disappointed with regards to performance.
Overall rating:
83
Price:
0
100
100
Speed:
0
70
100
Performance:
0
80
100
Pros
  • Price
  • Capacity
Cons
  • Speed
Click to read the full Review
While it is true that my work does not involve filming in 4K or taking tons of photos, the truth is that it adapted fully to the form of work that I do with my Nikon D3100, and it knew how to work well with my Fuji S2980.

Duracell SDXC Series 64GB memory card is a UHS I Class 10 card that is excellent for photography and video recording purposes. The storage capacity doesn’t disappoint and the data transfer speed rate is also impressive thus making it a unique memory card to invest in. the 64GB SDXC Series memory card from Duracell is optimized to deliver high-level and professional performance needed for rapid video and photo shooting in HD camcorders and high-resolution digital cameras.

The 64GB storage capacity is enough to store thousands of photos and also offers a great platform for HD video recording. With a read speed of up to 60 MB per second and a write speed of up to 35MB per second, the Duracell SDXC Series guarantees amazing data storage and transfer speed which means you can enjoy continuous photo shoot without any delays. It is a perfect memory card for high-quality image capture and extended 1080p HD video lengths when using SDXC-compatible camera.

Conclusion

Duracell SDXC Series has mixed fortunes and you might want to consider your options before settling on the product. It’s reasonably priced and backed by a reputable brand name but you might need to buy it if other options don’t work for you.

Lexar Platinum IIGo to Amazon
With a wide variety of products, Lexar brings us another SD card designed for demanding photographers.
Overall rating:
90
Price:
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100
100
Speed:
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85
100
Performance:
0
85
100
Pros
  • Brand Reputation
  • Capacity
Cons
  • Speed
  • Price
Click to read the full Review
The Class 10 UHS-I 64GB Lexar Platinum II memory card is an ideal card if storage space what you are looking for. However, the card offers less impressive data transfer speed something you might not really like if you are into continuous shooting especially when it has to do with action photography. This notwithstanding, the memory card meets the required Class 10 speed rating which means you will be able to enjoy a minimum of 10MB/s speed rating for read and write. The can however has 200x speed rating from the Class 1 Ultra High Speed (UHS-I) for maximum read and write speed of 30MB/s and 22MB/s respectively.

You can capture HD videos and high-resolution photos (still) and then transfer them to your other gadgets. With a limited lifetime warranty, you can rest assured of good quality and reliable product for use with your camcorder and digital camera. Additionally, the card offers optimal performance and compatibility, meaning it can work in multiple devices.

Speed

One of the aspects that strikes me the most, and unfortunately from a negative point of view, is the speed value of this card, despite being an SD-XC, even more so if compared to its immediate competitors of SanDisk. Its read speed values are 30 MB/s while the writing gets around 20 MB/s.

As a compensation for this lack of speed we can find ourselves with the typical reliability of Lexar: with this SD card you won't have to worry about losing data spontaneously.

Conclusion

Not a bad memory card to consider if speed rate isn’t much a concern. The cost is fair and gives you good value for what you buy.

Verbatim PremiumGo to Amazon
With up to 45 MB/s data transfer rates, Verbatim presents a solution which is economic and highly efficient; However, 4K filming is not recommended unlike with other models of SD Cards since it does not reach higher than 50 MB/s write speeds.
Overall rating:
73
Price:
0
100
100
Speed:
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60
100
Performance:
0
60
100
Pros
  • Capacity
  • Brand Reputation
  • Waterproof
  • Shock proof
  • Extreme temperature resistant
Cons
  • Micro SD to SD Adapter
Click to read the full Review
With the Verbatim Premium 64GB memory card, you are guaranteed of ground breaking performance as you go about your photography and video recording experience. The SDXC memory card has a Class 10 speed rating but exceeds this by giving you amazing read and write speeds therefore giving you efficiency whenever you need it.

The Class 10 memory card is reliable and offers premium grade components that will allow you to enjoy maximum performance as a photography enthusiast or professional. You can use the Verbatim Premium with SDXC host devices and enjoy 35MB/s (233X) which is ideal for fast capture and workflow during your HD video recording and multi-megapixel photography. The Ultra-High Speed interface supports speeds of up to 104MB per second while offering you built-in write protect switch to help protect your data.

Features

• 64GB storage capacity giving you enough space to save your high resolution photos and videos

• Class 10 rating thus giving you a minimum of 10MB/s for data transfer

• UHS-1 technology for up to 104MB/s in transfer speeds with Ultra-High Speed Bus-1 compatible devices

Conclusion

The Verbatim Premium SDXC memory card offers a superb performance suitable for photography and video recording. It is an amazing product worth investing in especially if you are not into 4k recording.

GSkill SDHC SeriesGo to Amazon
In my personal opinion, one of the best brands of memory cards to buy. GSkill's reach goes much further than just manufacturing their Ripjaws RAM Memorie sticks for PC.
Overall rating:
79
Price:
0
70
100
Speed:
0
80
100
Performance:
0
86
100
Pros
  • Cheap
  • Capactiy
Cons
  • None
Click to read the full Review
The Class 10 GSkill SDHC Series ultra micro memory card is designed to work with multiple devices including your digital camera and camcorder. The micro SDHC card is compatible with the SD 2.0 standards and comes with a Micro SD adapter for use in different digital devices. You can use it on devices marked with Micro SD and Micro SDHC support and enjoy storing your multimedia files safely, thanks to the Class 10 rating.

The GSkill SDHC Series offers easier data transfer especially if you are using a mobile device or other devices that only support Micro SDs. This is because the adapter offers adaptability for a wide range of devices which only work with micro SD cards. Overall, the SDHC series doesn’t disappoint and can help store enough data while out there enjoying your photography.

10MB/s transfer speed

The G.Skill SDHC Series meets the required 10MB/s and this is a good speed. However, the memory card exceeds this minimum rating to offer faster speeds for data transfer.

Micro SD adapter

The SDHC Series comes with an adapter which you can use to transfer your data recorded in the Micro SD using a mobile device. This makes it more compatible with multiple devices and also reliable.

Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II U3Go to Amazon
Are you looking for the best speed on the market? A card exclusively for professional photographers? Look no further: Lexar provides you with the solution.
Overall rating:
93
Price:
0
80
100
Speed:
0
100
100
Performance:
0
100
100
Pros
  • Top Speed on Market
  • Performance
  • Price
Cons
  • Capacity
Click to read the full Review
If you are looking for a reliable memory card to use with your HD or DSLR video camera, then you must be interested in both speed and storage size. The Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II U3 memory card offers you this combination thus helping make your photography and video recording an enjoyable experience while guaranteeing that you do not miss anything when taking the shoots or delete some of your older files to create storage space.

The Professional 2000x UHS-II U3 offers high speed performance that is backed by UHS-II technology for up to 2000x (300MB/s) read transfer speed. This is an incredible card that guarantees swiftness when capturing those stunning HD videos and high-quality images.

SD UHS-II Reader

The Lexar Professional memory card has UHS-II reader that guarantees high speed data transfer from the card to other devices including computers. This dramatically accelerates workflow thus making your experience easier and efficient.

Performance

The Professional 2000x card has the capacity to reach a read rate of up to 300MB/s with the included card reader and other UHS-II card readers. However, it performance at a limited speed rate of UHS-I when used in UHS-I card readers while still offering respectable numbers.

Conclusion

The Lexar Professional 2000x UHS memory card is worth investing in. if you are looking for speed and capacity, look no further…

Selection Criteria

What did we consider to come up with this list? Certainly, many variables were analysed to end up with this selection, thus we would like to share our criteria with you all.

Size: Essentially, photographs translate in a need for storage capacity. Which size do we need to use? Well, that depends on the kind of camera you happen to be using. Compact Cameras and most Bridge ones work with just JPEG format, which by being a compressed format, it won’t require much larger storage capacity than 2-4 MB per photo. Mirrorless and all DSLR cameras work in both JPEG and RAW, though photographers tend to ditch the unneeded JPEG in favor of RAW format’s versatility; therefore, a base of 10-13 MB per photo is needed, though file size can be bigger depending on the overall image resolution and sensor capacity.

As a core concept, start with no less than 8 GB for any kind of camera, switching to a minimum of 32 GB for DSLR and Mirrorless cameras (64 GB for Full Frame models).

Class: Like we stated above, we label as ‘Class’ the writing speed capacity of the SD card itself. The higher the value, the faster the card will be, though price increases the higher the class is.

Physical Card Size: Though SD is the standard used by cameras all over, we need to consider the advantages made in smartphone photography technology; hence, microSD cards or microSD cards with SD adapters become essential for most photographers these days, especially if we aim to work with more than our cameras and choose new technologies such as drones.

Brand Reputation: Don’t get me wrong on this behalf. There’s nothing wrong with having a preference for a certain brand, even sticking to it through your career as a photographer. However, as we improve in both gear and skills, our needs will require getting higher qualified cards to craft a reliable workflow – this is where brands such as PNY, Lexar, Kingston, SanDisk and Transcend have an added value in comparison with their competitors.

FAQs

1. What’s going on with Lexar?

Despite being one of the most awarded brands by professional photographers all over the world, the recent news does tell us that its parent company, Micron, has decided to discontinue the production of both Lexar SD cards and flashcards. Disappointing no doubt, mostly if we consider that Lexar provided some of the fastest cards available in the market without compromising its reliability; therefore, if you see a Lexar card out there, better grab it prior they run out of stock.

2. Are microSD-to-SD card adapters reliable?

This depends mostly on the brand we’re talking about. I had a very nasty experience with an ADATA one, even to the point of losing captures of some sessions due to corrupt files when trying to write data. My recommendation? If you need to use microSD cards due to a Drone or a Smartphone, then have spare microSD cards for such purposes and do not use adapters to make these cards work with your digital camera.

3. How many cards can I carry around?

As many as you wish, though it depends on the occasion your session is going to cover. Wedding and event photographers tend to carry around between 2 to 3 32 GB SD cards (or 64 GB better), as you can sort out the event as welcoming stage, main act, closure (if we talk about a wedding: entrance, wedding ceremony, party). For long trips, be sure to carry a minimum of 5 SD cards, as you cannot be sure when you can access your PC to download the files, thus you can end up with over 1k photos if you have enough spare batteries to help your work.

4. What happens if an SD card gets wet?

SD cards aren’t waterproof – that’s a rule to follow. If by accident we let our SD cards to be in contact with water we must be certain there will be data loss in the best scenario (if not the SD card goes undetected by the computer itself). For fixing these “accidents” you can rely on the services of data recovering software, though it’s not guaranteed it will work with 100% effectivity.

As you can see, there are multiple and variated options to consider before making a stock of SD cards – it may seem like quite an investment, but on any trip that one takes, simply avoid going to cyber cafes or having to carry my PC, making the day a set of experiences and preferences to the consumer.

We hope that this guide has been to your liking! See you at the next time!

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Rating: 4.50 based on 6 Ratings
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Pia Lopez

Pia Lopez is a self-taught photographer, graphic designer and ArchViz artist. As Content Director of Sleeklens.com, her work is driven by her two biggest passions: technology and art.

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