5 Recommended "SD Memory Cards": Choose wisely according to speed, cost, and usage [Latest version in 2020]

　The "SD memory card" is essential for using digital cameras and video cameras. Some people use it for backing up data.

However, choosing an SD memory card based on price alone can lead to unexpected problems such as "insufficient capacity!" and "cannot save data properly!". It's important to choose the card that best fits your needs.

　In this article, we will check the points that should be checked when purchasing an SD memory card, and introduce recommended products based on that.

[Correction: 14:45 on January 30] There was an error in the standard notation of the SD memory card when it first appeared. I apologize and correct it

How long to save? Check "Standard" and "Capacity"

　SD memory cards are divided into the following standards according to capacity.

　Devices that support larger capacity standards also support smaller capacity SD memory cards. For example, devices that support SDXC memory cards can also use SD and SDHC standard SD memory cards. Conversely, SDXC memory cards cannot be used with devices that support SDHC memory cards.

First, let's check whether the standard of the SD memory card you are going to buy can be used with your device.

　After selecting the capacity, what and how much to save, and how often to back up (save) to another storage. The required capacity will change. Depending on the application, the "read/write speed" described later may be more important.

　In the case of digital cameras, video cameras, and music players, the capacity required to store data is generally indicated in the instruction manual and support site as a "guideline". I would like to choose the capacity based on that.

Is reading and writing fast? Check "Class"

　For SD memory cards, in addition to the standard for each capacity, there is also a standard for reading and writing speed called "speed class".

　The speed class defines the minimum writing speed guaranteed by the SD memory card. Especially in the case of digital cameras and video cameras, the minimum required speed class may be specified according to the shooting function. If you use an SD memory card that does not meet the required speed class, errors may occur during shooting, or even if they do not appear at first glance, the shooting may not be successful.

In particular, if you often shoot videos with a resolution of 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) or higher, or shoot still images (photographs) in RAW format, please be careful about the speed class.

　By the way, there is a standard called "Bus Speed ​​Class" that affects the reading and writing speed, but unless you are using an ultra-high-end digital camera or video camera, you probably don't need to be aware of it.

　However, in a sense, of course, the larger the capacity of the SD memory card, the greater the read/write capacity. The faster the speed, the higher the price. If you use it for backup purposes of data that is not so large, you can save money by choosing something with a moderate capacity and a moderate speed class.

On the other hand, when using a high-end digital camera or video camera, if you buy such an SD memory card, you will lose money by buying a cheap product, so be sure to check the necessary specifications before purchasing. Let's.

Surprisingly important! Check "Durability"

When choosing an SD memory card, durability is often overlooked.

　SD memory cards have a limited lifespan. At the end of life, reading and writing become unstable or completely impossible. The “read/write capacity” is the most important factor that affects such lifespan. If you frequently read and write data, we recommend a card with a "long life" or "strong resistance to rewriting (reading and writing)," although it is a little more expensive.

In addition, when using in relatively harsh environments, such as outdoors or in locations with large temperature differences, we recommend a card that claims to have excellent environmental resistance performance. In addition to water resistance and impact resistance, X-ray resistance, high temperature resistance, moisture resistance, etc., let's choose the place to use.

Recommended SD memory card This is it!

Based on the above points, here are 5 recommended SD memory cards.

SanDisk Ultra SDHC/SDXC memory card

　Recommended for those who value the balance between cost performance and performance.

　The manufacturer's official reading speed is 90MB/s (32GB model) or 100MB/s (64GB/128GB model). Write speed is guaranteed at least 10MB/s based on speed class. Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) movie shooting has sufficient performance.

EXCERIA PRO SDHC/SDXC memory card (SD-KU series) (Kioxia)

Recommended for those who want something with moderately high writing performance and a reasonable price.

　The reading speed is the manufacturer's nominal value of 95MB/s, and the writing speed is guaranteed to be at least 30MB/s based on the speed class, with the manufacturer's nominal value being 75MB/s. It has the necessary and sufficient performance for continuous shooting with a digital camera and casual 4K video shooting.

　It also has X-ray resistance and other environmental resistance, so it is especially recommended for people who often fly on airplanes.

Panasonic SDUC series SDHC/SDXC memory cards

Recommended for people who frequently read and write data.

　The memory uses "MLC flash memory", which is advantageous in terms of the number of rewrites. In addition to providing environmental resistance performance, it has a built-in "fuse" to prevent abnormal heat generation and ignition inside the card in case of emergency.

TOUGH SF-G series SDHC/SDXC memory card (Sony)

Investing in both speed and environmental resistance Recommended for those who want

　The card has IP68 grade dustproof and waterproof performance, and also has bending resistance that is 18 times the strength required by the standard. It is also characterized by intentionally eliminating the "write protect (write protection) switch" and the "rib" of the card.

　With a maximum read speed of 300MB/s and a maximum write speed of 299MB/s (both manufacturer's official values), the read/write speed is also quite high (*).

(*) In order to achieve high-speed reading and writing, a device that supports "UHS-II" standard SD memory cards is required.