
SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards are manufactured to operate in the Nikon Coolpix P510. For continuous shooting and video, it is crucial the card you use has a fast write speed.
The performance of your camera can be ruined by using an incorrect SD memory card.
If you are in a rush, here's the best card you can buy for the Nikon Coolpix P510:
SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD Card
- Best value for the money.
- Capacities from 32 GB to 2TB.
- Transfer speeds up to 170 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I
- Temperature Proof, Water Proof, Shock Proof, and X-ray Proof.
Table of Contents
Best SD Cards
Memory cards are now considerably less expensive than when the camera was initially released.
Since prices are quite cheap, it does not be wise to choose anything besides a pro-level card.
The best SD memory cards I own have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance models. I have not experienced data errors or a card physically fail with those SD cards.
Every single trouble I have experienced has been due to no-name unbranded SD cards. Trying to save a little bit of money is not worth the cost if your Coolpix P510 does not work correctly.
A great way to spend less money is to grab a lower storage capacity card from a high-quality company. Because of this, you'll know your images are safe and sound on the SD card.
Recommended SD Cards
SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD Card
- Best value for the money.
- Capacities from 32 GB to 2TB.
- Transfer speeds up to 170 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I
- Temperature Proof, Water Proof, Shock Proof, and X-ray Proof.

PNY Elite Performance 128GB SD Card
- Lower priced card.
- Transfer speeds up to 95 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I.
- Magnet, Shock, Temperature, and Waterproof.
Check price at: Amazon, Adorama, eBay

Lexar Professional 1066x 128GB SD Card
- Lexar Professional Silver Card.
- Transfer speeds up to 160 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I.
- Includes Lexar Recovery Tool Software.
- Designed for durability in harsh conditions.
Check price at: Amazon, Adorama, eBay
Nikon Coolpix P510 SD Card Compatibility
Only use SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards in the Nikon Coolpix P510. Check to make sure you have the most recent firmware installed on your camera for the best overall performance.
The newest memory cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), cannot be used with the Coolpix P510.
There are four separate kinds of Secure Digital (SD) cards that you need to know about. They can be recognized from the storage size of the 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.
Image Capacity

Here is an approximation of just how many high-quality JPEGs photos you can expect to save on a memory card:
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
- 64GB - 18,560 images
- 128GB - 37,120 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
Card Speed
Speed ratings of an SD card is dependant on the continuous read and write speeds. The write speed of a card is very important for clearing the camera buffer for continuous shooting in addition to recording video.
A slow memory card can decrease the number of continuous frames the Nikon Coolpix P510 can capture. This is due to the camera's buffer not being able to write data to the card fast enough.
When recording video, a slow SD card can cause an unexpected end to shooting. The video file could also end up being corrupted. If you are going to record video, it is crucial the memory card you use meets the required minimum continuous write speed for video.
Card read speed is nice to have for transferring files to a computer or laptop. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a memory card with a fast transfer speed will save you time.
Speed Class Rating

A card receives a Class rating according to its sustained write speed. Memory cards that have a write speed of 10MB/s are rated as 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 of card that you can buy online will be Class 10. To locate the class rating of a memory card, search for a number inside of a C on the sticker.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)

The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is a feature often found in SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC cards. The UHS bus allows for increased file transfer rates.
There are 3 separate specs. The three are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
To find the UHS rating of a memory card, look on the front of the card. A Roman numeral I, II, or III on the front of the SD memory card, that is going to be the UHS rating of your 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
Related Cameras
Determined by the topics that were mentioned is what makes the the 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is the best memory card for the Nikon Coolpix P510. Any future camera you buy, you will know what SD memory card to get.
Here are a few more pages on digital cameras with similar needs as the Coolpix P510: