Best Canon Rebel SL1 SD Memory Card

The Canon SL1 is able to use SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards. For continuous shooting and video, it is crucial the SD memory card you use has a fast write speed.

You can greatly reduce the functionality of your camera by using the wrong memory card.

Want to skip the technical details? Below is my recommendation on the SD memory card to get for the Canon SL1:

SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • 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.

SD memory cards have come way down in price the time since the introduction of the Canon SL1.

Seeing as how affordable the price range are, it does not make financial sense to pay for anything but a pro-level SD card.

SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance cards have superb overall performance and build quality. I have never experienced corrupted data or a card physically fail with those cards.

Every one of the complications I have experienced has been due to generic unbranded cards. Seeking to save around a buck is not worthwhile if your SL1 will not function in the right way.

A savvy way to save money is to get a smaller capacity card from a quality company. Because of this, you will not have to fret about the shots stored on the SD card.

SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • 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.

PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card
PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • 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.

SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SD Card
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • 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.

Only SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards can be used by the Canon SL1. For best performance, ensure your camera has the latest firmware installed.

The newest SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) cards, are unable to be used with the SL1.

You need to know the four different kinds of Secure Digital (SD) cards that can be purchased. SD memory cards can be told apart from the capactiy of the SD card.

  • 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.
SD Card Contacts
SD Card Contacts

Below is a quick estimation of the total number of maximum-quality JPEGs photographs you should expect to be saved on a memory card:

  • 16GB - 4,640 images
  • 32GB - 9,280 images
  • 64GB - 18,560 images
  • 128GB - 37,120 images

The speed rating of an SD card is based on the sequential read and write speeds of the card. SD memory card speed is critical for video in addition to continuous shooting.

A slow SD card can cause a drop in the number of continuous photos the Canon SL1 can take. This is because the camera’s buffer will not be able to write to the memory card quickly enough.

With video, a slow memory card can cause a sudden end to shooting. The video file could also be corrupted. If you intend to record video, it is crucial the card you use meets the minimum requirements of the SL1.

Read speed is nice to have for file transfers to a computer or laptop. If you have cards that are full, a card with a fast read speed will save you time.

SD Card Speed Class
SD Card Speed Class

The sustained write speed of a memory card is what determines the Class rating. Memory cards that have a write speed of at least 10MB/s will be labeled 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 brand-name SD card that you can find for sale today will be rated Class 10. To determine the class rating of a SD card, try to find a number inside of the C on the front.

Example of UHS Rating
Example of UHS Rating

The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus can be found in SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC memory cards. The UHS bus cards to achieve faster write speeds.

Three different specifications have been created. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.

To find out the UHS rating of a SD card, look at the front of the card. If there is a Roman numeral I, II, or III on the front of the SD memory card, that is going to be the rating of your SD memory 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

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