Best Canon PowerShot A590 IS SD Memory Card

The Canon A590 IS needs SD memory cards. 32GB is the biggest capacity SD card that is compatible with the A590 IS.

MultiMediaCards (MMC) and MMCplus cards can also be used. However, they are no longer made. If you have one, you can use it. If you don’t have one, do not buy one, they will cost more than an SD card.

SD memory cards that satisfy the SDXC or SDUC specifications are not going to function in the A590 IS. These cards will be 64GB or bigger, so they can easily be avoided.

The SDHC format was announced in 2006. All 32GB cards that are currently being produced will have almost identical performance. You cannot go wrong buying the cheapest class 10 name brand card. At the time of writing this, the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card has the best price.

Recommended A590 IS SD Cards

Below are memory cards that will function correctly with the A590 IS. With all of the cards outlined below, you won’t have to worry about sluggish functionality or SD memory card problems.

• Sequential read speed of up to 100MB/s
• Class 10, U1 rating delivers speed and performance for full HD photography and HD videography.
• V10 video speed rating to capture uninterrupted HD video at 1920x1080 format
• Compatible with point & shoot cameras, DSLR cameras, standard & advanced HD-enabled video cameras, and more
• Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof

• Quick transfer read speeds up to 90MB/s.
• Write speeds are not capable of recording 4k video.
• Class 10 rating for Full HD video (1080p).
• Waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray Proof, magnet-Proof, and shockproof.

• UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) supports Full HD video and burst shots. 130MB/s transfer speeds1 let you upload footage to your PC in an instant.
• Built to survive tough conditions and heavy usage, whether you’re at home, outside, or on the go. Backed by 10-year limited warranty.
• Highly durable with comprehensive 7-proof protection.
• Backed by a 10 year warranty.

Best SD Cards

Good quality memory cards are produced by both SanDisk and Lexar. Avoid picking cards from cheap third-party brands.

Bargain-priced cards are more probable to have file corruption, meaning that you’ll lose all of your photos on the card. An insignificant difference in cost is not worth the reduction of level of quality.

In a situation where you wish to save a tiny bit of money, buy a memory card with a smaller capacity. They may be a tad lower in cost and you won’t need to be anxious about the SD card becoming corrupted.

Be aware that, SD card failures are rarely experienced. Throughout the years, I have only suffered from a couple of cards become corrupted. Age could have added to the failure, as the SD cards were bundled with previously owned DSLRs.

Canon A590 IS SD Card Compatibility

The Canon A590 IS is limited to only using SD memory cards. There are 4 different specs of Secure Digital (SD) cards. Each updated memory card technical spec increases the max storage capacity and transfer rates when compared with the former spec.

Secure Digital memory card readers are backward compatible. A card reader built into a digital camera that can use SDXC cards will also be able to use SDHC and SD memory cards.

The card reader in the Canon A590 IS will only work with the first two SD card specifications. SDUC or SDXC SD memory cards will not be compatible.

• Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the A590 IS.
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the A590 IS.
• Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 64GB to 2TiB.
• Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4TiB to 128TiB.

Canon A590 IS Memory Card Full Error

Trying to use an SD card that has a capacity of 64GB or larger in the A590 IS will cause the digital point and shoot camera to show an error.

Use a card which has a capacity of 32GB or less to avoid the problem.

If you are using an SD memory card that has a capacity less than 32GB, and it is not functioning correctly, format the card while it is in the camera.

Speed, Class, & Capacity

SD Card Image Capacity

The following is a quick estimation of the number of large JPEGs you will be able to save on an SD card.

• 4GB - 1920 images
• 8GB - 3840 images
• 16GB - 7680 images
• 32GB - 15360 images

Memory Card Speed

Speed ratings for SD cards are established by sequential read and write speeds. The speed of the SD memory card is important in cases where many photographs need to be written or read from the SD card.

SD Card Speed Class Rating

The Class speed rating of an SD memory card is related to the sustained write speed of the SD card. A Class speed rating of 2 means that the memory card can sustain a write speed of at minimum 2MB per second.

• Class 2 - 2MB/s
• Class 4 - 4MB/s
• Class 6 - 6MB/s
• Class 8 - 8MB/s
• Class 10 - 10MB/s

The maximum rating an SD card can obtain is Class 10. There are SD cards that are a lot faster than 10MB/s. Those memory cards use other solutions, such as UHS (Ultra Highspeed Bus), which use a separate rating specifications.

Sustained write speeds of 2MB, 4MB, 6MB, or 8MB per second means the card has a speed class of 2, 4, 6, or 8. Cards that have write speeds of 10MB/s or faster are rated as Class 10.

MultiMediaCard Compatibility

The MultiMediaCard specification was released in 1997 by SanDisk and Siemens AG. MMC cards look like a thinner SD memory card.

The earliest 2 versions of MMC cards will be able to function in the Canon A590 IS. Compatible cards will be branded as MMC or MMCplus. Later generations will not function correctly in the Canon A590 IS

It is not a smart idea to buy any MMC cards. Suitable MMC cards for the A590 IS are not at present being produced. That’s why, they are high-priced as well as being difficult to get pre-owned.

Conclusion

Buy an SD memory card for the Canon A590 IS based on price. An expensive card isn’t going to improve performance. As long as it is a speed class 10 card, you will be fine. My recommendation is the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card.