Finding the Right SD Card
Posted in News
Secure Digital, officially abbreviated as SD, is a proprietary non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Association (SDA) for use in portable devices.
This format has been out since 1999 and is used in cameras, camcorders, record decks, & computers. It is a versatile format that you can use across several devices if needed.
An SD Card is just a small solid-state hard drive. With any hard drive you want to make sure that you pick the correct one for your application.
It is very important to pick a SD card that has a fast enough read/write speed. Still cameras do not need to be as fast as camcorders shooting in 1080 or 4k resolution.
There are three kinds of SD Card speed indications:
- Speed Class
- UHS Speed Class
- Video Speed Class
These speed classes are labelled on the front side of each SD memory card. The labelling is in the form of little numbers with a circle, a U shape, or a V shape. The manufacturers use these “classes” to determine the speed of the memory card.
The Video Speed Classes include V6, V10, V30, V60 and V90. For 4K, a video speed class of V30 or more is ideal.
Generally, the higher the resolution and frame rates, the higher the bitrate. So, as a general rule of thumb, if you’re shooting at high resolutions (eg. 4K) or high frame rates (eg. 240fps) go for a minimum of U3, V30 card.
