Photo Tips - Best Memory Card for your Camera - TravellerG

[TravellerG]

.. Which Memory card is best for your camera? ..

or

.. Know your Memory Card..

HI friends,

This question is repeatedly asked by many and hence, I am trying to give an answer in a non-technical manner.                       

My suggestion is to understand some of the Letters or Markings on a typical SD Card. And this in turn, will guide you to decide your Card. Understanding a little bit of these details (we will not go technical) will help you in future too.

Markings' on a typical SD (Secured Digital) Card: (Referring to the image, given above)

Mark -1: 32 GB = this indicates the storage capacity of the card, which you already know. (Can be 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512GB [up to 2 TB])

Tip:

1. I would suggest, for a normal Still photographer, 2 Nos of 32 GB. (this will be more safer).
2. If you need to shoot longer 4K Videos or in RAW format stills, opt 2 Nos of 64 GB.
3. Suggested 2 Cards, because if something happens to one card, the 2nd card can save you.
   

Mark -2: SDHC or SDXC – This again describes the Storage Capacity; if the card carries the mark:

1. SDHC (Secured Digital HIGH Capacity), then it will have 4 GB to 32 GB Storage Capacity. &
2. SDXC (Secured Digital EXTENDED Capacity) can have storage capacity between 64 GB to 2 TB.

 Tip: Depending upon your selection of 32 or 64GB, this LETTERS will automatically follow.

Mark -3: Rated Speed: this figure is ‘Data Transfer Speed’ claimed by the manufacturer – usually, the read speed of the card is mentioned, which is higher than the write speed.

Tip: For practical purpose, to shoot without ‘Drop of Frames’, we need a rated speed (I recommend) of 60 MB/s or above.

Mark -4: Speed Class 10: this is an earlier classification & we need Class 10 (10MB/s minimum; the actual speed may be much higher, than 10 MB/s)

Mark -5: U3 (UHS Class): one of the latest standards, defining the minimum (sustained) write speed: we need U3 (30 MB/s, minimum).

Tip:  (for Point 4 & 5): When we say U Class 3, Class 10 automatically follows – ie, we need U3 with C10.

Mark -6: SDHC-I (or SDXC-I) (ie. UHS Class I): Up to 104 MB/s sustained write (bus) speed – we need UHS Class I Card.

Mark -7: V30: Video Speed Class – we need V30 for best, high resolution video recordings & playback.

NOTE: for High quality (4K, like) video recording, we need (ideally) up to 100 MegaBITS/Sec. (Mb/s) = 12.5 MegaBytes/Sec (MB/s) recording speed.

Tip:  (for Point 6 & 7): For Stable, continuous Video recording, UHS Class 1 & Video Class V30 is most ideal for 4K, 360 Spherical, Virtual Reality, etc.; hence we need UHS I & V30.

NOTE: The international organization, the 'SD Association', framed different specification, (from time to time) through different Versions 1, 1.1, 2, 3 etc., enabling better speed, capacity & other parameters. Thus, different Figures, Characters, etc. came on SD Cards - Few of these markings are repetitions/overlapping.

Hope, these data will help you to identify your ideal card….

What is not marked (& Important for you):

The Pro Series Cards, normally are very sturdy (ie. Usually, Shock-proof, temperature-proof, waterproof and x-ray-proof, etc., with longer guarantee periods). The indicative price of a Standard, regular 32 GB card is around $12, when the Pro card will be around $16 (with the above parameters).

‘LOCK’ on a SD Card is to enable / disable the Write (Edit [modify], delete, etc.) protection only; one can read the content of a Locked card.

NOTE: Technically speaking, these parameters are common for Standard SD Cards and Micro SD Cards – ie. For your Modern Mobile cameras capable of shooting with 4K resolution or DSLRs & Mirrorless, these specifications are recommended.

Remember:

• Memory cards have long life and in this fast changing technology field, try to get a faster card & & a Pro series card, which may cost a little bit extra – but, it will be worth for you.
• For sure, we would recommend a Card from a well-established brand than a cheaper product, for different types of reliability.

          ====================

Dear friends, @IrrPavlova @JanVanHaver @davidhyno @MoniDi @BishowvijayaP  @NirmalTeja @Anonymous @RaveFX @HUMBERTO_V @br14n - your comments, suggestions and remarks are welcome.

Thanks

PS: Those who are interested to know further details, are welcome.

Note:

My previous Technical Post - Starburts Here

[afrademon]

Thanks for your tips, now I know more about SD card from your post. 

I 've checked my SD card of my camera and its 95mb/s SDHC U3 Class 10 Grade 

[TravellerG]

Hi dear @afrademon 

1. Thanks for your response.
2. Happy that, my post was interesting & contributive to you.
3. Your spec is fine; looks it should be 32 GB - Good.

PS:

If you TAG me, I will get notification, otherwise, we may miss you. To Tag, use the '@'followed by the username - in my case '@TravellerG' - I think you forgot to TAG me - it is fine. I have seen all your 3 posts and appreciate - All posts are Good 🙏 [incidentally asked for some details; if you could provide it, it will be very kind of you.]

[RaveFX]

That's very helpful

[TravellerG]

Thank you dear friend, @RaveFX. Happy to know that the topic was interesting to you.

Regs

[afrademon]

hi @TravellerG ,

yes, you are right, my memory is 32 GB.

hope we will get some more post from you like this 🙂

[TravellerG]

Yes, dear friend @afrademon  - God willingly, I shall try to post few 'Popular Photographic' topics in non-technical style - let us see; {Like, what is Auto-focusing, how it actually works, how many types of Automatic focusing, etc.. etc - on different topics}. Hope, I can expect your supports...

It looks, you have good grip in Photography - Congrats! Appreciate...

If time permits, Here  is my profile & I have published many such topics - I hope, few posts will be interesting to you.

Regs

[MoniDi]

Hi @TravellerG ,

Another great and useful post from you!

I knew some of the the markings on the SD card but I have to be honest that most of them were just some numbers on it.

I also have a 32 GB memory card for my DSLR camera so I am following your advice already. So far, every post from you helped me a lot and I try to remember your tips whenever I practise my photography skills.

[Anonymous]

Nice presentation post @TravellerG very interesting and will help if you are up to upgrade your card.

Thank you.

[TravellerG]

Happy to know that the post was helpful to you, dear @MoniDi.

"..... have a 32 GB memory card..." = that means, it is SDHC! Good, selection. Probably, it may not be V30 - don't worry, next purchase go for a U3,V30 & Pro Card. All the best...