Best Canon PowerShot SD980 IS SD Memory Card

The Canon SD980 IS uses SD memory cards. 32GB is the largest capacity SD card that will work in the SD980 IS.

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

SD memory cards that satisfy the SDUC or SDXC requirements won’t function correctly in the SD980 IS. These cards will be 64GB or larger, 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 SD980 IS SD Cards

Listed below are SD cards that will function correctly with the SD980 IS. With all of the cards listed below, you won’t have to be worried about reduced overall performance or 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

Be sure to buy a card from a company with a great reputation, such as Lexar or SanDisk. Avoid ordering cards from low-priced generic brand names.

Memory card troubles, like a loss of all your photos as a result of data corruption, is much more likely to take place with cut-rate cards. A small amount of cost savings is not worth the decline of level of quality.

The smart way to save money is to purchase a card with a smaller capacity. They are often a little more affordable and you won’t have to stress out about the SD card having data failure.

Do not forget, SD card failures are rare. Over the years, I have only had two cards fail on me. Age could have added to the failure, as the SD cards were included with pre-owned DSLRs.

Canon SD980 IS SD Card Compatibility

The Canon SD980 IS uses SD memory cards. There are 4 separate technical specs of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. Every updated memory card standard raises the max storage capacity and transfer speeds when compared to the earlier 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 SD980 IS will only work with the original two SD card specifications. SDUC or SDXC SD memory cards won’t be compatible.

• Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the SD980 IS.
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the SD980 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 SD980 IS Memory Card Full Error

Trying to use an SD memory card that has a storage capacity of 64GB or larger in the SD980 IS will cause the camera to display an error.

Get a card with a capacity of 32GB or less to rectify the problem.

If you attempting to use a memory card that has a storage capacity less than 32GB, and it is not functioning correctly, try to format the card in the camera.

Speed, Class, & Capacity

SD Card Image Capacity

This is a quick estimation of the total quantity of large JPEGs you will be able 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 card is important in the event that many images need to be written to the card.

SD Card Speed Class Rating

The Class speed rating of an SD card is related to the sustained write speed of the memory card. A Class speed rating of 2 means that the 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 an SD memory card can attain is Class 10. There are memory cards that are considerably faster than 10MB/s. Those SD cards use other technology, such as UHS (Ultra Highspeed Bus), which have a separate rating criteria.

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

Siemens AG and SanDisk introduced the MultiMediaCard technical standard in 1997. MMC cards resemble a thinner SD memory card.

MMC memory cards that are going to function in the Canon SD980 IS consist of the earliest two versions. That consists of the first memory cards known as as MMC and the second generation MMCplus cards. Later versions are not going to work with the Canon SD980 IS

It isn’t recommended to buy any MMC cards. There is no one that is currently manufacturing MMC cards that will work in the SD980 IS. As a result, they are tough to purchase used as well as being high-priced.

Conclusion

Buy an SD memory card for the Canon SD980 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.