Best Canon EOS M3 SD Memory Card
The Canon M3 may use SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards. Video and continuous shooting need SD memory cards with high write speeds to the card.
An inadequate SD card can decrease the overall performance of your camera.
Don’t want the tech jargon? Here’s my recommendation on the SD card to use with the Canon M3:
- UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
- Excellent choice for photos.
- Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
- Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
- Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.
Best SD Cards
SD memory cards have come way down in price the time since the introduction of the Canon M3.
Since costs are so low, it doesn’t make financial sense to purchase anything besides a professional-quality SD card.
SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance cards have superb speed and reliability. I have never had data errors or a card break with those cards.
Every single complication I have dealt with has been because of cheap unbranded SD memory cards. Trying to save around a buck isn’t worth it if your M3 will not operate in the right way.
If you want to reduce your cost, opt for a smaller storage capacity SD card from a quality company. By making that choice, you will know your shots are secure on the card.
Recommended SD Cards
- UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
- Excellent choice for photos.
- Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
- Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
- Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.
- UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
- Good for burst shooting photos and recording 4K video.
- Larger capacity cards are available.
- Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof.
- Comparatively expensive for faster read speeds.
- UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
- Only makes sense for professional use or if you need the largest storage capacity available.
- Temperature-proof, waterproof, shock-proof, and X-ray-proof.
Canon M3 SD Card Compatibility
You are limited to using SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards with the Canon M3. Be sure that you have the most up to date firmware installed on your camera for the best performance.
The newest SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) memory cards, can not be used with the M3.
You should know the 4 kinds of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards that can be used. They are split up by their storage capactiy.
- SD (Secure Digital) - 128MB to 2GB.
- SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) - 4GB to 32GB.
- SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) - 64GB to 2TB.
- SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) - 4TB to 128TB.
Image Capacity
Here’s a fast approximation of how many maximum-quality JPEGs photographs you should be expecting to be saved on a SD card:
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
- 64GB - 18,560 images
- 128GB - 37,120 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
Card Speed
Speed ratings of an SD card is classified by the sequential write and read speeds. SD memory card file write speed is essential for video in addition to continuous shooting.
A slow memory card can decrease the number of continuous photos the Canon M3 can capture. This is due to the camera’s buffer not being able to write to the card fast enough.
When recording video, a slow memory card can cause an unexpected end to shooting. The video file may also end up being corrupted. If you are going to record video, it is crucial the card you use meets the required continuous write speed for video.
Read speed is important for file transfers to a computer. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a memory card with a fast read speed will cut down on the transfer time.
Speed Class Rating
The continuous write speed of a memory card is the factor that determines the Class rating. Memory cards that have a minimum write speed of at least 10MB/s are rated as Class 10.
- Class 2 - 2MB/s
- Class 4 - 4MB/s
- Class 6 - 6MB/s
- Class 8 - 8MB/s
- Class 10 - 10MB/s or faster
Every name-brand card that you can find for sale online will be rated Class 10. You can find the class rating of a memory card by searching for a number inside of the C on the sticker.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus can be gotten with SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC memory cards. UHS allows for faster file transfer rates.
There are three separate specs. The versions are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
To find the rating of a SD memory card, look on the label. A Roman numeral I, II, or III on the label, that will be the UHS rating of your SD card.
- UHS-I - Maximum transfer rate of 104 MB/s
- UHS-II - Maximum transfer rate of 312 MB/s
- UHS-III - Maximum transfer rate of 624 MB/s
Related Cameras
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