How to choose a memory card
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1. Types of memory cards
SD (Secure Digital)
SD memory cards remain relevant for cameras and video cameras. The distinctive feature of these cards is the mechanical Lock switch, which can block the card for recording data, preventing accidental deletion of files or formatting. Their dimensions of 24x32 mm cannot be called compact by modern standards, so practical use is limited to video equipment.
There are two generations of Secure Digital on the market:
- SD High Capacity(or SDHC) with a capacity of 4 to 32 GB (FAT32 file system). The standard is more suitable for cameras of previous generations, where high flow Rate was not required. The main disadvantage is the limitation on recording a file larger than 4 GB, which creates problems for use in modern gadgets. Many consider SDHC cheaper, but their price simply justifies the small volume.
- SD Extended Capacity(or SDXC) is a popular high-capacity format. The capacity ranges from 64 GB to several terabytes, and the exFAT file system is used, which has eliminated the limitation on recording large-volume video. Today, SDXC is used in most photo and video cameras.
microSD
A logical development of the SD standard, which allowed manufacturers to significantly reduce the dimensions of the equipment. The dimensions of the drive is only 11x15 mm, and all the basic characteristics (read/write speed, reliability) remained at the same level. The range is quite large and you can find suitable storage in different price categories. Compact microSDs are firmly rooted in mobile gadgets - smartphones, smart watches, Bluetooth speakers, as well as car DVRs and action cameras.
The beauty of the format is its reverse universality: microSD often comes with special adapters the same dimensions as a regular SD card. This way, you can move the drive from your smartphone to your camera, laptop or PC via a card reader.
MicroSD memory cards, like Secure Digital, are divided into 2 subtypes:
- microSDHC with a maximum capacity of up to 32 GB. Cards of this format are still popular where a large capacity is not needed. For example, Kingston Canvas Select Plus with 32 GB for only $5 will allow you to record thousands of tracks for a portable speaker or MP3 player.
- microSDXC is the main character in most technology. As a rule, popular basic models like Samsung EVO Plus are available in capacities from 64 to 512 GB. However, modern smartphones set increasingly stringent requirements for memory capacity. Mobile games (for example, Need for Speed: NL and Modern Combat 5) or 4K videos shot on Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus take up tens of gigabytes. Therefore, manufacturers have significantly increased the capabilities of microSDXC, introducing models with a capacity of 1 TB and higher.
CFexpress
A fundamentally new type, and quite expensive, which began to actively develop after 2020 and became the standard for professional cameras and video cameras. The standard assumes a data read speed of 1700 MB/s and a write speed of about 1300 MB/s, which is optimal for serial RAW photo shooting and 8K video recording.
CFexpress can be found in two form factors:
- Type A, 20x28x2.8 mm in dimensions. Write speed up to 1000 MB/s (found in Sony cameras. For example, Sony A7s III).
- Type B, 38.5x29.8x3.8 mm in dimensions. Write speed up to 2000 MB/s (found in Nikon cameras. For example, Nikon Z6 II).
CompactFlash
One of the oldest formats, which combines high speed, medium capacity and reliability. These are relatively expensive and large cards (43x36 mm), which were previously used in photo and video equipment.
Today they are no longer relevant, as they were first replaced by XQD, and then by the more advanced CFexpress standard.
2. Classification of memory cards
Any drive has two main characteristics - read speed and write speed, which determine the suitability of the storage for specific tasks or gadgets. However, there is no single standard, so for certain types of memory cards there are certain classifications that manufacturers apply to the case in the form of easily understandable designations. Such markings later allow you to easily select flash memory without studying the passport technical data, literally reading all the necessary information from the card case.
UHS classification as a continuation of the "C" index
Initially, manufacturers divided their memory cards by the declared speed using class "C". It seems simple: the higher the class of the memory card, the faster you can copy data, make video recordings in high resolution, without worrying about failures (frame breaks, video freezing or audio desynchronization). So it all started with C2 and pretty soon flew to C10. In order not to get to the number 100 and not to confuse users, companies switched to a more easy-to-understand classification UHS (Ultra High Speed). Today, there are three generally accepted speed classes, which equally apply to both SD and microSD cards. The marking is applied directly on the front side with the letter U, in which a number from 1 to 3 is inscribed.
You can compare the parameters and determine the purpose of the UHS standards in the table:
| Ultra High Speed Class | Guaranteed write speed | Maximum reading speed | Filming format |
|---|---|---|---|
| UHS-I U1 | 10 MB/s | 150 MB/s | Full HD 120 fps |
| UHS-I U3 | 30 MB/s | 200 MB/s | 4K 60 fps and 8K 30 fps |
| UHS-II U3 | 30 MB/s | 300 MB/s | 4K 60 fps and 8K 30 fps |
The guaranteed write speed is the minimum value. In other words, regardless of the load and duration of continuous operation, which leads to heating, the throughput of the flash memory will not fall below the specified value. The actual write speed for UHS classes can reach 300 MB/s.
Video Recording Classes "V" as an Add-on to UHS
Since UHS stands for general speed indicators, manufacturers have introduced an additional video recording class. This makes it easier for those who like to shoot high-quality videos for blogs, channels, presentations, and advertising to choose a memory card. For SD and microSD types, it is designated by the letter "V".
There are 4 classes of video recording that are suitable for shooting in a certain quality. For ease of comparison, the data is combined into a table:
| Video recording class | Guaranteed write speed | Filming format | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| V10 | 10 MB/s | Full HD 120 fps |
Budget compact cameras (soap dishes), budget and mid-range smartphones, video recorders. |
| V30 | 30 MB/s | 4K 60 fps 8K 30 fps |
Mid-range and premium smartphones, semi-professional SLR and mirrorless cameras, video cameras, video recorders, action cameras. |
| V60 | 60 MB/s | 4K 120 fps 8K 30 fps |
Professional photo and video equipment, VR cameras, action cameras and quadcopters with 360º shooting. |
| V90 | 90 MB/s | 8K 60 fps | Professional photo and video equipment, VR cameras, action cameras and quadcopters with 360º shooting. |
For outdated Compact Flash, the VPG classification remains relevant:
- VPG20 (Full HD);
- VPG65 (4K);
- VPG130 (8K).
Class "A" for applications
The class marked "A" appeared after the rapid development of mobile and wearable electronics. The peculiarity of such memory cards is optimized processing of data with random sequence (IOPS). The fact is that applications, games and the operating system of smartphones, tablets, smart watches and other things write and read data not in a continuous stream, but in separate fragments. The cooler the gaming, the more information circulates on the card, requiring a certain speed of reading and writing. Therefore, manufacturers have introduced the "A" classification, which includes 2 standards:
| Class for applications | Minimum reading speed | Minimum write speed | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 1500 IOPS | 500 IOPS | For undemanding tasks, using equipment in standard mode, wearable electronics. |
| A2 | 4000 IOPS | 2000 IOPS | For mobile gaming, resource-intensive applications, top smartphones. |
Perhaps it is difficult to immediately sort out the presented classifications and divisions and choose the appropriate option for a specific device and purpose. Therefore, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the practical advice presented below.
3. How to choose a drive for a smartphone or tablet
It is very easy to choose a memory card for the most popular gadget these days. They are all compatible with one type of drive - microSD. And then you need to determine what functionality of the smartphone is used so that the card does not "slip" and all processes go smoothly:
- For a budget smartphone and a customer who uses standard applications, a class A1 card is enough. You can also safely take UHS-I U1 without the "A" marking.
- For top smartphones and gaming scenarios, class A2 combined with UHS-I U3 is definitely necessary. This will be enough for any demanding software, for example, for video editing.
- For camera phones and lovers of high-quality shooting, the main thing is to choose the appropriate video recording class. The best option would be the V30, which can easily handle both Full HD and 4K.
4. How to choose a memory card for a camera and camcorder
With photographic equipment, the main thing is to correctly determine the type of card. Of course, they all use a standard SD slot, but each manufacturer has its own additional features:
- Canon is targeting CFexpress Type B memory cards;
- Sony provides compatibility with proprietary Memory Stick memory;
- Nikon, depending on the model, is able to work with CFexpress B and still works with XQD, which is generally common with Panasonic as well.
The main task of the camera is to shoot photos and videos in high quality, so it is logical to pay attention to the class "V". Even for undemanding tasks in Full HD quality, it is better to immediately take the V30 card. Perhaps in a month you will change your compact for a DSLR and start shooting 4K videos, where it will definitely come in handy. A suitable option would be SanDisk Extreme SD Class 10 UHS-I U3 V30 128 GB.
The V60 and V90 classes are only necessary for professional video cameras that plan to regularly record 4K at 120 fps or create 8K content. You can take a closer look at the Kingston Canvas React Plus V60 SD 256 GB model. If compatible, you can also take CFexpress, the data exchange speed of which is sufficient for any task.
5. How to choose storage for a dash cam and action camera
In the case of car DVRs and action cameras for active recreation, everything is a little more complicated. Like most digital equipment, the devices work with microSD cards.
It is important to pay attention to the class of video recording:
- Models with Full HD support are usually limited to a bitrate of 30 fps, so the V10 will suffice here.
- If the recorder records in 4K 30 fps or 2K 60 fps, then a higher bandwidth of V30 level will be required.
- For video in 4K 60 fps and 8K 30 fps, select class V60 and above.
But the ability to quickly and stably record a video stream is not the only selection criterion. For a DVR memory card, endurance is important, both mechanical and software. And Endurance standard drives cope with this task perfectly. They are designed for extreme temperature conditions, shaking and vibration during movement, impacts and falls during an accident. The most advanced models are even protected from water and ultraviolet radiation.
The controller and memory cells of Endurance cards are optimized for cyclic rewriting, which is the standard for video recorders when the entire storage volume is filled. Many professional journalists, operators, bloggers also choose this standard, guaranteeing the safety of their materials in any situation. After all, persistent paparazzi regularly encounter damage to their photographic equipment, but only naive users do not understand that the footage is not destroyed along with the camera.
6. Volume recommendations
It turns out that there is no choice anymore, everything has long been decided taking into account the features and capabilities of the equipment. You can freak out and take more, but then the smartphone or camera simply will not see the drive - wasted money. Therefore, there should be common sense and a rational approach in everything. Even if you are not going to often shoot video on your smartphone, any modern customer installs a whole set of applications that require a lot of space. And the most budget mobile gadget, camera or DVR has fairly high-quality optics, so considering memory cards less than 32 GB simply does not make sense. Strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations and buying a card with the maximum volume is also not worth it. For most , 64 GB or 128 GB will be enough.
Video content requires the most space, so in general you need to be guided by the file dimensions when recording in a specific format:
| Quality of filming | Video file dimensions is 30 minutes long |
|---|---|
| HD (1280 x 720 pixels) | about 2 GB |
| Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) | about 4 GB |
| 2K (2560 x 1440 px) | about 6 GB |
| 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) | about 8 GB |
| 8K (7680×4320 px) | about 18 GB |
7. Conclusion
Thus, choosing a memory card can be reduced to three simple steps:
- We determine the memory type (form factor) supported by the device.
- We select the required class depending on the purpose.
- We calculate the optimal volume taking into account the manufacturer's restrictions.
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