The Nikon D600 has dual card slots that can use SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards. In order to get the most performance out of your camera, use an SD card with UHS-I.
SD cards that will work with the D600 include any SD card with a capacity of up to 2TB. Keep in mind that cards without UHS-I will be slower, which may negatively impact the camera's capabilities.
Not interested in a long explanation of tech specs? Here's my recommendation for the best memory card:
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
SanDisk, Lexar, and PNY are manufacturers that make the best Memory cards. The best SD cards I have used have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro memory cards.
That does not mean you need to buy a card from SanDisk for your Nikon D610. Look for memory cards with impressive-sounding names. That will make sure you get fast transfer speeds, dust resistance, and other professional features.
I have not had errors with PNY Elite Performance or Lexar Professional cards.
The problems I have encountered with memory cards has been when cheap no-name brands were used. A low-cost card increases the chance of data corruption or card failure.
If you would like to spend less money, don't buy a cheap card. You will avoid problems by buying a name brand SD card with a smaller capacity.
Recommended SD Cards for D610
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 D610 SD Card Compatibility
SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards can be used by the Nikon D610. Use a UHS-I card to get the best performance from the camera.
Four different specs of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards exist. New card specifications add features that provide for increased storage capacity and improved read/write rates.
- Secure Digital (SD) - 128MB to 2GB.
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - 4GB to 32GB.
- Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - 64GB to 2TB.
- Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - 4TB to 128TB.
Image Capacity
Below is an approximate estimation of how many large JPEG images you can expect to store on each size of SD card.
- 4GB - 1,160 images
- 8GB - 2,320 images
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
SD Card Speed
The speed rating of an SD memory card is determined by sequential write and read speeds. The speed of a card is important for video and continuous shooting.
A slow card can reduce the number of continuous photos the Nikon D610 can capture. This is because the camera's buffer is not able to write to the SD card fast enough.
When recording video, a slow card can cause an unexpected end to shooting. The video file may also be corrupted. If you intend to record video, it is critical the memory card you use meets the required minimum continuous write speed for video.
Card read speed is important for file transfers to a computer or laptop. If you are filling up cards with images or video, an SD card with a fast read speed will save you time.
Speed Class Rating
Speed Class ratings of 2, 4, 6, and mean a card is able to sustain a 2MB, 4MB, 6MB, or 8MB sustained write speed. Class 10 is for cards that have a minimum write speed of 10MB/s.
Almost all SD cards that have been made in the last few years will have a class 10 rating. You can tell what class a card is by looking at the number inside a 'C' on the label.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus can be found in SDXC And SDHC cards. UHS allows for faster data transfer rates.
Three separate specs exist. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III. The Nikon D610 will perform optimally with a UHS-I SD memory card.
Look at the label to figure out the rating of a card. If the card has UHS a roman numeral I, II, or III will be on the label.
- 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
Do Both Memory Cards Slots Need to Be Used in the D610?
No, the D610 is usable with just one SD card. When you use two cards you will have more settings.
- Mirror the Cards. Both memory cards will have the same files written to them.
- Overflow. Once the first card is full, files will be written to the second card.
- RAW+JPEG. Raw files will be written to one card and JPEGs of the same images will be written to the second card.
Do Dual Memory Cards Need to be the Same?
No, cards are not required to match. You can use cards that have different capacities.
Having both SD cards be identical helps to prevent potential compatibility problems. For instance, a slow SD card can bottleneck the camera's buffer.
Related Cameras
Now you know the specifications to look for in an SD card. the 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is the best memory card for the Nikon D610.
Here are cameras with similar memory card requirements:
