Best Nikon D200 SD Memory Cards

The biggest Compact Flash memory card that is compatible with the Nikon D200 is 32GB. There will likely be compatiblity issues if you use a larger card.

The size limitation comes from the use of the FAT32 file system. The D200 can not format a card to larger than 32GB.

If you don’t want to read detailed specs, my recommended Compact Flash card is:

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SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF Memory Card
SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF card
SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF Card
  • Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
  • Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
  • Water, x-ray, & shock proof.

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The best value CF card is going to be either 32GB or 16GB. Larger or smaller cards are going to offer a worse value.

A pro card doesn’t add a noticeable amount to the cost. Having a high-speed card will get rid of the need to replace the card when you upgrade your camera.

SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF Memory Card
SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF card
SanDisk Extreme 32GB Compact Flash Card
  • Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
  • Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
  • Sustained data recording of 20MB/s.
  • Water, x-ray, & shockproof.

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Transcend 32gb CF Card
Transcend 32GB CF Card
Transcend 32GB Compact Flash Card
  • Fast enough write speeds for burst photography and video.
  • Upto 60MB/s write and 120MB/s red speeds.
  • Supports UDMA7 transfer mode.

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Lexar Professional 1066x 32GB Compact Flash Card
Lexar Professional 1066x 32GB Compact Flash Card
Lexar Professional 1066x 32GB CompactFlash Card
  • Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
  • Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
  • Limited lifetime warranty.

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SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB CompactFlash Card
SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB CompactFlash Card
SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB CompactFlash Card
  • Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
  • Can record 4k Ultra HD and Full HD video.
  • Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
  • Limited lifetime warranty.

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Compact Flash cards come in two different sizes. The cards are known as Type I or Type II.

The difference between the types of cards is the thickness. The width and length of the cards are the same.

  • Type I - 3.3mm thick
  • Type II - 5mm thick

The Type II spec were thicker so Microdrives could be used in the Nikon D200. A Microdrive was a tiny mechanical harddrive.

When Compact Flash memory cards were first launched they had high prices and very limited capacities. Microdrives made it possible to have large storage sizes.

Microdrives are no longer being built. Because they were mechanical, they often failed. So they are virtually impossible to find used.

Another usage of the Type II slot is for Compact Flash adapters. The adapters allow you to use SD or Micro SD cards in a Compact Flash slot.

UGreen Memory Card Reader
UGreen Memory Card Reader

The UGREEN 4-in-1 card reader is what I use with my CF cards.

The UGREEN reader is USB 3.0 compatible. Using the card reader will allow transfer speeds that are faster than what the Nikon D200 is capable of.

The reader supports the following memory card types:

  • CompactFlash Cards
  • SD, SDHC, & SDXC Cards
  • Memory Stick (MS), MS Pro, MS PRO-HG, & MS XC DUO
  • MicroSD, Micro SDHC, & Micro SDXC Cards

A common errors with cameras that use CF cards are damaged card slot pins. When a pin is bent, you may see a ‘unable to use card’ error.

To avoid bending pins, don’t force a CF card into the Nikon D200. The extra space for a Type II card allows a CF card to be out of alignment.

If the compact flash card won’t easily slide into the slot, take it out and check the positioning of the memory card. Also, check to see if the memory card is damaged.

If everything looks fine, carefully position the CF card and try again.