SD Cards For Mirrorless Cameras

Check your camera’s manual or the manufacturer’s memory card compatibility guide for supported SD standards, UHS interfaces, and required speed classes. Requirements can vary by recording mode, so review the guidance for both photography and video.

UHS-I and UHS-II are SD card bus interfaces. UHS-II cards have an additional row of contacts that supports a higher maximum transfer rate when paired with compatible equipment. UHS-II cards can generally operate in UHS-I devices using the UHS-I interface, provided the device supports the card’s SD standard.

Speed Class, UHS Speed Class, and Video Speed Class symbols identify minimum sustained write-speed standards. They appear as a number inside a C, a number inside a U, or a V followed by a number. For mirrorless camera video recording, match the required class listed in your camera’s documentation rather than relying only on the advertised maximum read speed.

Depending on the camera, dual SD card slots may support recording the same files to both cards, switching to the second card when the first is full, or separating RAW and JPEG files. Some cameras also let you assign photos and videos to different cards. Available options and slot specifications vary by camera.

You can insert the SD card into a compatible computer card slot or an external USB card reader, then copy or import files using your operating system or photo software. Many mirrorless cameras also support USB transfer directly from the camera. A card reader must support the card’s SD standard, and a UHS-II connection requires compatible hardware to use that interface.