Backup storage solutions have been getting smaller and faster while gaining capacity. Consider that twenty years ago, floppy disks were all the rage—with a whopping 160KB of storage, and 5.25" diameter. When sizes were reduced to 3.5" and storage capacities approached 1.44MB, the race was on to make storage smaller, faster, lighter, and cheaper.
Now, consider a standard SD memory card. In capacities from 2GB to 128GB, these cards are the equivalent of thousands of floppies—and at smaller than 1 x 1.25", they're only a fraction of the size.
Fast and reliable image capture and storage are needed in order to save your still photos and videos and transfer them easily to your computer later. Flash memory cards are capable of quickly saving and transferring huge amounts of data for their size, and making it easily and quickly accessible to you afterwards. Flash memory is non-volatile RAM, meaning files aren't deleted when the card is removed from your device. The cards contain no moving parts, which makes them more durable than hard disk drives, allowing them to be used for thousands of erase/write cycles.
SD/SDHC/SDXC, CompactFlash (CF), and XQD cards all use flash memory. Each type features a different form factor and is designed for a dedicated slot on your camera or other digital device. SD cards have a pinless configuration with contact points, while CF cards have pins that must be lined up properly and carefully. XQD cards use the PCI Express connection featured on certain computer expansion cards.
Memory cards are available in a wide range of capacities and data transfer speeds. Faster write speeds enable improved performance during HD video and RAW image capture, especially in continuous and burst shooting modes, and when using advanced modes like slow-motion recording. Quicker read speeds improve workflow efficiency by speeding up card-to-computer file transfers. SD cards are divided into speed classes, such as Class 10, and sometimes also use the speed ratings that CF cards use, such as 600x. XQD cards are placed into different-speed series, including H, N, and S, the last of which is the fastest.
Designed for compact cameras, action cameras, mobile phones and tablets, microSDHC/SDXC memory cards from SanDisk and Lexar are the size of a fingertip—but can hold up to 64GB, an ability comparable to an ant's power to lift fifty times its body weight. They are also available in ample 16 and 32GB capacities. All the cards are UHS-1, a designation denoting speeds faster than those possible with standard Class 10 cards. SanDisk's cards feature maximum read speeds of 80 MB/s and write speeds of up to 30-50 MB/s, depending on capacity. Lexar's cards offer read speeds up to 90 MB/s and write speeds up to 25 MB/s. All the cards are Class 10, meaning they offer minimum transfer rates of 10 MB/s.
These speeds allow for fast and smooth continuous shooting, Full HD 1080p video capture, and transfers to your computer. Built for durability, the SanDisk cards can withstand long-term submersion in water, up to 500 Gs of shock, and exposure to X-rays. Downloadable RescuePro Deluxe data-recovery software enables you to bring accidentally deleted images back to life. Plus, microSD adapters, supplied with the SanDisk cards and available separately for the Lexars, let you use the cards in full-size SD slots. As an added bonus, the Lexars include a USB 3.0 card reader in case your computer lacks an SD slot.
Available in 8, 16, 32, and 64GB capacities, these SanDisk SDHC/SDXC Extreme Pro Class 10 UHS-1 cards offer read and write speeds of 95 MB/s and 90 MB/s, respectively, with minimum sustained speeds of 10 MB/s. A write-protect switch prevents accidental data loss, and an advanced Error Correction Code engine automatically detects and fixes transfer errors. Wear leveling management ensures data is written evenly across various regions of the card—preventing excessive wear and prolonging card life. The cards are also built for use in extreme temperatures. One year of downloadable RescuePRO data recovery software is included to help you bring back accidentally deleted images.
Delkin SDHC/SDXC 600x UHS-1 cards are also available in 8-64GB capacities—as well as an impressive 128GB for double the storage. These deliver maximum read speeds of 90 MB/s. The 8 and 16GB cards top out at 30 MB/s write, while the 32-128GB versions are capable of a faster 45 MB/s. They all feature integrated write protection and are built to withstand extreme temperatures. Plus, they all have built-in Error Correction Code (ECC) for better data integrity and card reliability, as well as Advanced Wear Leveling to prolong card life.
The Lexar 600x SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 cards give you 90 MB/s maximum read speeds and 45 MB/s write speeds. Available capacities range from 16-64GB. Image Rescue 4 software is available via download, enabling you to recover lost or accidentally deleted photo and video files with ease, even if the card has been corrupted. Take worry out of the equation so you can focus on getting your shots captured and transferred.
Sony is also active in the fast SD market, offering SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 cards with top read speeds of 94 MB/s and write speeds up to 45 MB/s. Available with 8-64GB of storage, these highly durable cards can withstand water, dust, X-rays, UV light, magnets, and static, as well as extreme temperatures. Downloadable File Rescue software helps recover photos and videos, including 3D and RAW files that have been accidentally damaged or deleted.
Delkin CompactFlash 700x UDMA 6 cards offer 16-128GB of storage and feature top read and write speeds of 105 MB/s and 67 MB/s, respectively. Their UDMA technology allows for faster, smoother photo and video capture and transfer from card to computer than would otherwise be possible. Think of it as the CF equivalent of the SD cards’ UHS-1 interface. They’re also designed with built-in write protection, Error Correction Code, and Advanced Wear Leveling, in addition to extreme temperature resistance.
Lexar 16-64GB CompactFlash Professional 800x UDMA 7 series features the next level up in UDMA technology, enabling these cards to provide up to 120 MB/s read and 45 MB/s write speeds. Faster still are their 1000x UDMA 7 Professional CF cards, with read speeds that top out at 150 MB/s for 16-128GB, and write speeds that are just shy of that at 145 MB/s for 32-128GB. The 16GB card has a slower but still highly respectable 95 MB/s max write speed. The powerful, downloadable Image Rescue 4 software is available for both the 800x and 100x series, enabling you to recover lost or accidentally deleted files on good and corrupted cards alike.
Substantially faster are the 32-128GB 1050X UDMA 7 Cinema CF cards from Delkin. Designed to excel in high-end recording equipment like 4K cameras and digital backs, they can reach current blazing-fast speeds of up to 160 MB/s read and 120 MB/s write. These formidable data rates enable the cards to keep up with the demanding requirements of digital cinematography, especially when recording at the highest resolution of 4K—twice that of Full HD 1920 x 1080p. Like all Delkin cards, they’re also built tough to survive extreme environments and yield a great many read/write cycles.
An even greater force of nature, SanDisk CompactFlash Extreme Pro 1067x UDMA 7 cards, available from 16GB to a huge 256GB, not only have a higher maximum capacity—they offer even faster write speeds of up to 150 MB/s, while delivering the same 160 MB/s reads. They’re optimized for 4K video recording, and offer minimum sustained write speeds of 65 MB/s at the highest resolution. Protection against shock and vibration makes this another rough-and-tumble card series, allowing you to worry less about damages and focus more on shooting.
The fastest cards in this review are from Lexar and Sony, and belong to their XQD collection. A distinctly different card format than SD or CF, the XQD utilizes a PCI Express connection to achieve incredible minimum—yes, minimum—read speeds of 168 MB/s and write speeds of 155 MB/s, in the case of Lexar’s XQD Professional 1100x series 32 and 64GB cards. Sony’s XQD Memory Cards promise to compete, offering read/write speeds of up to 180 MB/s with their S series cards. The H and N series versions offer a slower but still noteworthy 125 MB/s transfer rate. The Sony cards can capture 100+ frames in continuous RAW shooting mode. Downloadable Image Rescue 4 recovery software is available for the Lexars, and Sony’s own File Rescue Software with RAW and MOV support is available for their cards.
Memory cards are as necessary today as floppy disks were in the 1980s. Virtually every aspect of your digital life will involve one. Why not maximize your data-transfer efficiency?
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