Best Canon PowerShot SD850 IS SD Memory Card

The Canon SD850 IS requires SD memory cards. 32GB is the maximum capacity SD card that will work in the SD850 IS.

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

SD memory cards that satisfy the SDUC or SDXC standards won’t work in the SD850 IS. These cards can simply be avoided as they are 64GB or larger in capacity.

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 SD850 IS SD Cards

Below are a few possibilities to pick from that can be used with the SD850 IS. With all of the cards outlined below, you will not have to stress out over SD memory card glitches or slow overall performance.

• 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

SanDisk, PNY, Samsung, and Lexar both manufacture excellent memory cards. Cut-rate generic brand names need to be avoided.

Inexpensive cards are more inclined to experience data corruption, meaning you will lose all of your images on the card. The reduction in construction quality is not worth the tiny cost savings.

In the case that you would like to save some money, buy a card with a smaller capacity. They tend to be a little more affordable and you won’t have to be concerned about the SD card losing your photos.

Be aware that, SD card failures are an uncommon experience. Through the years, I have only experienced two cards become corrupted. The two memory cards were pre-owned third party cards that were bundled with the purchase of pre-owned digital cameras.

Canon SD850 IS SD Card Compatibility

4 different specifications of Secure Digital (SD) cards are currently available. The Canon SD850 IS can only use SD memory cards. The benefit is that there is an improvement in the max capacity and read/write speeds with the release of each new 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 Canon SD850 IS’s card reader is only compatible with the first and second SD card specs. SDXC or SDUC cards won’t operate correctly.

• Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the SD850 IS.
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the SD850 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 SD850 IS Memory Card Full Error

Attempting to use an SD card that has a capacity of 64GB or larger in the SD850 IS will result in the camera to show an error.

Use a card with a capacity of 32GB or smaller to rectify the error.

If you have a memory card that has a storage capacity less than 32GB, and the card is not working, format the SD card in the camera.

Speed, Class, & Capacity

SD Card Image Capacity

Here is a quick estimation of the quantity of large JPEGs you can expect to store on an SD memory card.

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

Memory Card Speed

The speed rating for SD memory cards is determined by sequential read and write speeds. The speed of the SD memory card is important when many pictures need to be written to the SD memory card.

SD Card Speed Class Rating

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

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

The highest rating a card can receive is Class 10. There are cards that are much faster than 10MB/s. Those memory cards use other technology, 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

In 1997, the MultiMediaCard technical standard was established by Siemens AG and SanDisk. MMC cards appear as if they are a slimmer SD memory card.

The earliest 2 versions of MMC cards will function correctly in the Canon SD850 IS. Compatible memory cards will be labeled as MMC or MMCplus. Later generations won’t work correctly with the Canon SD850 IS

I would not recommend ordering any MMC cards. Compatible MMC cards for the SD850 IS are not presently being produced. That’s why, they are really difficult to get pre-owned and overpriced.

Conclusion

Buy an SD memory card for the Canon SD850 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.