Learn aboutTypes of memory cards

There are an array of storage types/formats available with each camera taking a different type. Some formats basically only used by the company that invented them such as Sony's Memory Stick series and then there are more widely used formats like SD (Secure Digital). The range of Secure Digital options: SD, SDHC and SDXC are most common amongst digital cameras although many professional digital SLRs still provide Compact Flash slots.

Secure Digital

SD is the most popular format available like most formats its been upgraded over the years to improve its capabilities.

SD Memory Card

• First iteration of secure digital memory cards.
• Released in 1999.
• Provides up to 2GB of storage.

SDHC Memory Card

• Second iteration of secure digital memory cards - HC meaning high capacity
• Released in 2006
• Provides up to 64GB of storage
• Offers increased speeds

SDXC Memory Card

• Third iteration of secure digital memory cards - XC meaning eXtended capacity
• Released in 2009
• Provides up to 2TB of storage
• Offers increased speeds- up to 300MB/s

Best Compact Digital Cameras with SDXC

The following digicams are some of the best which support SDXC

Micro SD

• First iteration of the micro format
• Released in 2005
• Provides up to 2GB of storage
• 80% smaller than regular SD memory cards

Micro SDHC

• Second iteration of the micro format
• Released in 2007
• Provides up to 32GB of storage
• 80% smaller than regular SD memory cards
• Offers increased speeds over microSD

Eye-Fi

Eye-Fi cards are a unique type of SD card with Wi-Fi built right into the SD memory card. Eye-Fi allows your photos and videos to be immediately uploaded over the wifi network instantly clearing up space on the memory card for limitless shooting. You can upload not only to your computer but if you're on the road they can be uploaded to your favorite online service, including flickr, facebook, snapfish, youtube, picasa, etc. Eye-Fi provides a free hotspot access service internationally for eye-fi owners and also permit you to easily add Wi-Fi networks you have access to. Finally some Eye-Fi cards can utilize the wireless signals to do geolocation allowing it to geo tag your photos similar to a GPS (although less accurate but available indoors where GPS is not).

Compact Flash

Compact flash, introduced in 1994, was one of the first memory card type for 16 years provided the highest level of storage and fastest transfer rates despite introductions by many competing formats. Due to its large 128GB maximum storage capacity and fast speeds compact flash has remained popular in professional digital SLRs. Secure digital has long since replaced compact flash in smaller cameras, entry level and increasingly in semi-pro SLRs. The SDXC format provides higher theoretical storage and transfer capabilities to compact flash and will finally provide an alternative storage format for pro photography cameras.

Advantages of Compact Flash

• Extremely high transfer rates - 90MB/s in available cards
• Large capacities
• Many photographer like the larger size - easier to handle, harder to loose
• Most pro SLRs require compact flash
• Some feel compact flash is more durable

Memory Stick

Sony launched the memory stick format in 1998 and has developed several improvements/revisions of the format since then. In typical Sony fashion they developed a proprietary format instead of utilizing industry standards like compact flash and secure digital - their format never really caught on with other manufacturers. Although memory stick is still around most Sony cameras also support Secure Digital, having won the digital camera format war.

Memory Stick

• First iteration of the memory stick format
• Released in 1998
• Provides up to 128MB of storage

Memory Stick Pro

• Second iteration of the memory stick format
• Released in 2003
• Provides up to 4GB of storage

Memory Stick Duo

• First iteration of the compact Duo style Memory Stick
• Released in 2003
• Provides up to 128MB of storage
• About 1/2 the size of a regular Memory Stick

Memory Stick Pro Duo

• Second iteration of the compact Duo style Memory Stick
• Released in 2006
• Provides up to 32GB of storage
• About 1/2 the size of a regular Memory Stick

Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo

• Most recent iteration of the compact Duo style Memory Stick
• Released in 2008
• Provides up to 32GB of storage
• Provides faster read/write vs Pro Duo

MMC - MultiMediaCard

The MultiMediaCard also known as MMC, is not a currently supported standard the last revision of the standard was in 2005 and most cameras do not accept MMC formats. MMC provides a maximum of 4GB of storage.

SLRs with High Speed Memory Support

SLRs with Compact Flash Support

The following DSLRs support compact flash for those who prefer it.

Best SLRs with SDXC Support

The following DSLRs support SDXC, the best new storage format.

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