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Even if your camera can support 4K recording at higher frame rates, the ability to take smooth videos without dropping in frame rate depends on the quality of the SD card. The best SD cards for 4K video have large capacities to handle the larger 4K video footage.
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The best SD cards for 4K video have high read and write speeds that allow them to write without the camera buffering when recording 4K videos using 60fps or even 120fps. The following cards are sturdy and weather-sealed, and you can use them even in harsh environments.
The high bit rates used to encode 4K videos can result in large file sizes, and if you are planning to record lengthy videos, then you need a memory card with a large capacity, such as the PNY 1TB Pro Elite.
Typically, this card comes with a 1TB storage capacity, which is the best on my list. This card has a read speed of up to 100MB/s and a write speed of up to 90MB/s. Keeping in mind that a RAW image has a file size of around 40 MB means you can also use this card when taking RAW photos in burst mode.
When the storage is almost filling up to its capacity or when shooting using older cameras, it's common for a memory card to start working slower. Fortunately, this card is V30 rated, which means you will get a minimum write speed of 30MB/s regardless of the camera.
However, since this is a UHS-I card like the SanDisk 128GB Extreme, your camera might be limited to the write speed of the UHS-I interface, even if it's using the modern UHS-II interface.
With read speeds of up to 250MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s, the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB can handle 4K videos and RAW images in burst mode.
Like the Prograde Digital 256GB, this card utilizes UHS-II technology, which provides faster read and write speeds that are almost three times faster than the fastest UHS-I cards. However, the UHS-II technology may not be compatible with older cameras, limiting you to UHS-I speeds.
This can cause a significant drop in read and write speeds, making the card perform poorly compared to a UHS-I card like the SanDisk 128GB Extreme. Also, the 128GB storage can only store around 2 hours of 4K video at a bitrate of 60 Mbps.
That means you might need more storage space if the video has a higher bitrate or you are shooting lengthy videos.
When you are navigating your camera's menus, especially if it's an unfamiliar model, there are chances of accidentally deleting the SD card data or overwriting it. Fortunately, this card features a switch that can help prevent the data stored on the SD card from being accidentally deleted or overwritten.
With UHS-II technology, the Prograde Digital 256GB boasts read speeds of up to 250MB/s and write speeds of up to 130MB/s.
Keeping in mind that a write speed of at least 60 MB/s is recommended for recording 4K videos, this SD card can smoothly handle 4K video recording, just like the PNY 1TB Pro Elite.
When you are recording short 4K video clips, switching back to photos, or interchanging the card between cameras, there are chances of errors that can cause data corruption and complete data loss.
Fortunately, unlike the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB, this card uses the Error Correction Code algorithms to detect and correct errors that may occur due to electromagnetic interference during storage, file system errors, and bad sectors during transfer.
This mechanism ensures that the data stored on the card remains intact and can be read or written without errors. However, the card sometimes is unable to correct the errors and might throw a Format message.
Usually, there is no way to bypass this warning, and you might be forced to format the card and lose all your data.
If you are looking for versatile cards you can use in a wide range of cameras, then the SanDisk 128GB Extreme might be the best choice.
With a maximum read speed of up to 150 MB/s and a maximum write speed of up to 70 MB/s and UHS-I technology, it means you can enjoy good read and write speeds, regardless of whether you are using the older cameras with UHS-I interface or the newer cameras with UHS-II interface.
As a real estate photographer, you might need to take exterior photos in challenging environments. Although you might have a weather-sealed camera and lens, the data is prone to corruption if the SD card can’t withstand the harsh weather.
Fortunately, like the PNY 1TB Pro Elite, this card is designed to withstand moisture and extreme temperature extremes of -13 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, with external dimensions of 0.09 x 0.94 x 1.26 inches, this card is a little smaller than a card such as the Prograde Digital 256GB, making it challenging to remove from a laptop slot after transferring the files.
If you want a memory card, you can use for a prolonged time without lag or buffering, then go for the Lexar Professional 1667x 256GB.
Unlike the PNY 1TB Pro Elite, this card is V60 rated, which means that the card is capable of maintaining a write speed of at least 60 MB/s for a prolonged period of time, making it suitable for recording 4K without dropping frames or buffering.
Unlike the other SD cards on my list, this card comes in a pack of two. Usually, this is an advantage if you are using a camera with dual memory card slots as you can shoot with one card as you transfer videos and free up the storage space of the other card.
On the downside, there are chances of misplacing one of the cards if you are using a single-slot camera and you are carrying one card separately.
Although this card uses the newer UHS-II technology, it’s backward compatible with the cameras using the older UHS-I cards, allowing you to use it on older cameras as well. However, this card tends to have writing issues when using a Fuji camera.
Just like cameras, memory cards come in varying specifications, such as storage capacity and read and write speeds. The following features can help you choose the best memory card that is fast enough to record a 4K video without buffering, even when using higher frame rates.
The table below highlights the key attributes to look out for in the SD card.
| SD Cards | Type of Bus | Read Speed | Write Speed |
| Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB | UHS-II | 250MB/s | 90MB/s |
| Prograde Digital 256GB | UHS-II | 250MB/s | 130MB/s |
| SanDisk 128GB Extreme | UHS-I | 150MB/s | 70MB/s |
| PNY 1TB Pro Elite | UHS-I | 100MB/s | 90MB/s |
| Lexar Professional 1667x 256GB. | UHS-II | 250MB/s | 120MB/s |
When you are shooting videos for real estate, one thing you might not want is to run out of storage space in the midst of the recording, as you might miss some moments when changing the memory card or when transferring the files.
Generally, 4K videos have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which means that they have four times as many pixels as HD videos. More pixels require more data to store, which is why 4K video files are much larger in size than HD video files.
In SD cards, storage capacity refers to the amount of data you can store in the SD card, usually measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). Since you want a card to store these large 4K videos, consider getting a card with a large storage capacity, such as the PNY 1TB Pro Elite.
Just like other camera equipment, such as lenses and gimbals, the card can get damaged when subjected to certain conditions, resulting in data corruption or loss. The reliability of the memory card depends on the sturdiness of its physical design.
Since the card is usually inserted in the camera body and stores the video footage in real-time as you shoot, it means it will be subjected to the same conditions as the camera and lens. As a result, it’s advisable to get a card that is as sturdy as the other camera gear.
For instance, if you are using a weather-sealed camera and lens to shoot in dusty or moist conditions, consider getting a weather-resistant memory card such as the SanDisk 128GB Extreme. This reduces the chances of data corruption even when shooting in extreme temperatures.
Write speed is the speed at which data can be written onto the card. This speed is usually measured in megabytes per second (MB/s) and varies depending on the type and class of the SD card.
Generally, 4K video requires a high write speed since it has a high bit rate and requires a lot of data to be written to the SD card. It’s, therefore, advisable to go for a memory card with a minimum write speed of 60 MB/s.
Keep in mind the write speed tends to drop as the card runs out of storage space, and here is where the speed class rating comes in. Generally, a speed class such as the V30 in the PNY 1TB Pro Elite ensures you get a minimum write speed of 30MB/s.
Read speed in SD cards is the speed at which data can be read or retrieved from the card. The read speed of a card is higher than the write speed and is usually considered to be the maximum theoretical speed of the card.
Although the write speed can be considered to be more important as it prevents buffering or drop in frame rates when shooting 4K videos, the read speed is also important as you will need to transfer the files from the SD card to your computer after shooting.
Generally, a card with a higher read speed, such as the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB, allows you to share the footage faster. However, in real life, the read speed might be lower than the advertised speed.
Generally, the videos and images are stored in the card in digital format, and you can easily delete or overwrite the files when going through the camera menu.
A card with a write protection switch, such as the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB, allows you to change the card from read-and-write to read-only.
This prevents the accidental deletion or modification of files stored in the card by preventing new data from being written to the card when previewing the footage or changing the camera settings.
Bus type in SD cards refers to the communication interface used by the card to transfer data between the card and the host device. There are different bus types used in SD cards, including Ultra High-Speed class one and two (UHS-I and UHS-II).
UHS-I supports a maximum transfer speed of 104 MB/s and uses a single row of pins for data transfer, while UHS-II supports a maximum transfer speed of 312 MB/s and uses two rows of pins for data transfer. Generally, a UHS-II card such as the Lexar Professional 1667x 256GB uses an extra row of pins to improve the write and read speed.
Even if UHS-II cards are backward compatible with UHS-I devices, if the camera you are using does not support UHS-II, it means it won’t have the extra row of connectors to connect with the added row of pins. As a result, you will only get a speed equivalent to that of the UHS-I card.
Error Correction Code (ECC) is a technology used in SD cards to detect and correct errors that may occur during data transfer. ECC adds redundant data to the data being stored on an SD card.
If an error occurs during data transfer, the ECC technology can use the redundant data to correct the error and recover the data.
Without ECC technology, errors in transfer could result in lost or corrupted data. If you are capturing short clips and photos interchangeably and there are chances of transfer errors, consider getting a card with Error Correction Code like the Prograde Digital 256GB.
Yes, many microSDs come with an adapter that allows you to use them with the camera slot for a standard SD card. However, it is important to make sure that the camera is compatible with the specific type and capacity of the microSD card that you are using, as some cameras may have limitations on the maximum capacity or speed of the microSD card you can use.
It’s advisable to use the newer exFAT format for your SD card as it doesn’t have a size limit. However, if you are using an older camera that doesn’t support the exFAT format, you might need to format it to the FAT32 format. Keep in mind that cameras such as the Canon EOS 6D will format SD cards greater than 128GB to exFAT and cards below 128GB to FAT format.
The main limitation of an SD card is that they have finite read and write cycles, just like solid-state drives and USB flash drives. That means there is a limit on the number of times you can write and delete data on the card. As a result, the quality of the card degrades over time.
The best SD cards for 4K come with at least a V30 speed class rating that ensures you get a minimum of 30MB/s write speed. The above cards feature a write protection switch that helps you protect your videos from accidental deletion.
