Best Canon PowerShot SD870 IS SD Memory Card

The Canon SD870 IS can use SD memory cards. The largest capacity SD card that will work in the SD870 IS is 32GB.

MMCplus and MultiMediaCard (MMC) can also be used in the camera. However, they are not manufactured anymore. If you have one, you can use it. If you do not have one, do not buy one, they will cost more than an SD card.

SD memory cards labeled as SDUC or SDXC will not work properly in the SD870 IS. These cards are easy to avoid as they are 64GB or larger in storage 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 SD870 IS SD Cards

Below are a few options to pick from that will function correctly with the SD870 IS. With all of the cards listed below, you won’t have to be concerned about reduced overall performance or SD card failure.

• 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

High-quality memory cards are manufacture by both SanDisk and Lexar. Low-priced no-name brand names should be avoided.

Cut-rate cards are much more likely to have data corruption, meaning that you might lose all of your images saved on the card. A small amount of decrease in price is not worth the reduction in build quality.

The smart way to save money is to buy a memory card with a reduced capacity. They usually are a little cheaper and you will not have to worry about the SD card losing your photos.

Understand that, SD card problems are uncommon. Just 2 cards have become corrupted out of the multitude I have owned over the years. The two memory cards were previously owned third-party cards that were bundled with the purchase of previously owned digital point & shoots.

Canon SD870 IS SD Card Compatibility

The Canon SD870 IS is limited to using SD memory cards. There are four separate specifications of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. Every updated memory card specification boosts the maximum capacity and transfer rates when compared with the former specification.

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 SD870 IS is only compatible with the first and second SD card standards. SDXC or SDUC SD cards won’t function correctly.

• Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the SD870 IS.
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the SD870 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 SD870 IS Memory Card Full Error

Trying to use a card that has a capacity of 64GB or larger in size in the SD870 IS will cause the digital camera to show an error.

Get a card that has a capacity of 32GB or smaller to prevent the problem.

If you are using a memory card that is 32GB or a smaller capacity, and the card is not working, format the SD memory card while it is in the camera.

Speed, Class, & Capacity

SD Card Image Capacity

This is an estimation of how many large JPEGs you could expect to keep on an SD memory card.

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

Memory Card Speed

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

SD Card Speed Class Rating

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

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

The top rating a card can be given is Class 10. There are SD cards that are a good deal faster than 10MB/s. Those SD memory cards use other solutions, such as UHS (Ultra Highspeed Bus), which have 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 standard was released by Siemens AG and SanDisk in 1997. MMC cards resemble a slimmer SD memory card.

The original 2 versions of MMC cards will function correctly in the Canon SD870 IS. That comprises of the first cards branded as MMC and the second gen MMCplus cards. Later generations will not work correctly with the Canon SD870 IS

I do not recommend looking for any MMC cards. Businesses are not actively manufacturing MMC cards that will function with the SD870 IS. For that reason, they are difficult to purchase pre-owned as well as being not cheap.

Conclusion

Buy an SD memory card for the Canon SD870 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.