Best Nikon D800E SD Memory Cards
The Nikon D800E can use 2 different kinds of memory cards.
There are benefits to using both card slots, but the D800E will work with just one card slot being used.
SD cards are cheaper than CompactFlash cards.
The Nikon D800E can use SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards.
Video and continuous shooting need cards with high card write speeds.
If you are in a hurry, here’s the best SD memory card you can buy for the Nikon D800E:
- 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.
Dual Card Slots
Do Both Memory Card Slots Need to be Used?
No, the camera is usable with only one card. Using two CF cards gives you more options.
- 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 SD Cards Need to be the Same?
No, the cards are not required to be the same. You can use Compact Flash cards that have different sizes.
Having both memory cards be the same helps to prevent compatibility concerns. In particular, a slow Compact Flash can bottleneck the camera’s buffer.
Recommended SD Cards
SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Recommended CF Cards
SanDisk Extreme Pro CF 128GB
- Records and captures cinema quality 4K and Full HD video.
- Transfer speed of up to 160MB/s (1067X) read speeds.
- Industry leading shot speed performance of up to 150MB/s (1000X) write speeds.
- Designed for professional photographers and videographers
SanDisk Extreme 64GB CompactFlash Card
- Write speeds of up to 85 MB/s for faster shot-to-shot performance.
- Transfer speeds of up to 120 MB/s for increased efficiency.
- Video Performance (VPG-20) for Full HD video recording.
- RTV silicone coating protects card from shock and vibration.
Lexar Professional CF Card 64GB
- High speed performance—leverages UDMA 7 technology to deliver a read speed up to 1066x (160MB/s).
- Supports the VPG-65 specification for professional-quality video.
- Captures high-quality images and extended lengths of stunning 1080p Full-HD, 3D, and 4K video.
- High-speed file transfer to dramatically accelerate workflow.
Best SD Cards
In the time since the intro of Nikon D800E, the price of memory cards has greatly reduced.
Since prices are cheap, it is not going to be smart to buy anything besides a professional-quality SD memory card.
The best memory cards I own have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance models. I have never had data errors or a card break with those memory cards.
All of the trouble I have had has been when using low-cost unbranded memory cards. Trying to save a buck is not worth it if your D800E will not function as expected.
A smart way to save money is to purchase a smaller capacity SD card from a high-quality company. That way, you will not have to be worried about the images stored on the SD memory card.
Nikon D800E SD Card Compatibility
The only memory cards that are compatible in the Nikon D800E are SDXC, SDHC, and SD. For best performance, ensure your camera has the latest firmware installed.
The newest cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), are not able to be used in the D800E.
There are four different kinds of Secure Digital (SD) cards that you need to take into consideration. They are broken up by their storage capactiy.
- 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 a fast estimation of just how many max-quality JPEGs photos you can be expecting to fit on a SD 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 based on the continuous read and write transfer speeds. Card file write speed is critical for video in addition to continuous shooting.
Slows cards can cause a drop in the number of continuous photos the Nikon D800E can take. This is because the camera’s buffer is not able to write to the SD card fast enough.
When shooting video, a slow memory card can cause recording to stop. The video file may also be corrupted. If you are going to record video, it is essential the SD card you use meets the required write speed for video.
Card read speed is important for file transfers to a computer or laptop. If you have cards that are full, a SD card with a fast read speed will reduce the time it takes the transfer to complete.
Speed Class Rating
The continuous write speed of a memory card is the criteria for the Class rating. Cards that have a minimum write speed of at least 10MB/s will be rated 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 memory card that you can purchase online will be rated Class 10. To discover the class rating of a memory card, try to find a number inside of the C on the front.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed bus (UHS) is a feature often found in SDUC, SDXC, and SDHC cards. UHS allows for faster file transfer rates.
Three separate specs have been specified. The three are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
Look at the label to figure out the rating of a SD card. A Roman numeral I, II, or III on the front of the SD memory card, that will be the UHS rating of your 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
Related Cameras
Taking the details into consideration, the 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is the best memory card for the Nikon D800E. You are now also prepared for any future camera you own.
Listed below are more pages on digital cameras with the same specifications as the D800E: