The Sony A560 SD Card Guide - Best Value & Compatibility

The Sony A560 uses standard SD memory cards with a maximum capacity of 2TB.

Memory card technology has come a long way since the camera was released in 2010:

• Recommendation: Any UHS-I SD card is fast enough. A 128GB card offers the best balance of speed and value.
• Sony PRO Duo: Supported, but discontinued. SD cards are faster, cheaper, and hold more data. Only use a PRO Duo card if you already have one lying around.

If you need a lens, take a look at my guide to fun, affordable Sony A560 lenses.

Sony A560 SD Card Compatibility

The Sony A560 is compatible with the SD, SDHC, and SDXC standards. Each of those standards use a different file system.

Check to make sure the camera has the latest firmware.

The newest SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) cards will not work with the A560. They are too large.

• SD (Secure Digital) - 128MB to 2GB. (FAT12/16)
• SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) - 4GB to 32GB. (FAT32)
• SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) - 64GB to 2TB. (exFAT)
• SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) - 4TB to 128TB. (exFAT)

Image Capacity

Card Speed Class

Class rating is determined by sustained write speed. The rating will be shown as a number inside of a C on the label.

For example, as card that could write data at 5MB/s would get a Class 4 rating.

Class 10 card are likely much faster than 10MB/s. That’s why there are additional ratings for high resolution video.

• Class 2 - 2MB/s
• Class 4 - 4MB/s
• Class 6 - 6MB/s
• Class 8 - 8MB/s
• Class 10 - 10MB/s or faster

Recommended SD Cards

Any entry-level SD card will perform great in the A560 for both photos and video.

What to avoid when buying:

• ❌ Super-fast cards: The A560 cannot write data fast enough to use that extra speed.
• ❌ UHS-II cards: The camera lacks the physical pin connections to use UHS-II performance.
• ❌ Used cards: You cannot test how much write-life a pre-owned card has remaining. Stick to new cards for peace of mind.

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Lexar Professional 128GB

• High-Speed Pick: Great overall option for fast photo capture and smooth video performance.
• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 (30MB/s minimum write speed).
• Performance: Excellent choice for burst shooting and recording 4K video.
• Variations: Larger storage capacities are available if needed.

SanDisk Ultra 64GB

• Best Budget Option: Inexpensive while offering more than enough speed for daily use.
• Specs: UHS-I / U1 / Class 10 (10MB/s minimum write speed).
• Performance: Perfect for everyday photos and Full HD video recording.
• Variations: Larger capacities are available for a slight price increase.

PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card

• Best Value Pick: Excellent performance-to-price ratio for high-speed shooting.
• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 / Class 10 (30MB/s minimum write speed).
• Performance: Handles continuous photo bursts and 4K video with ease.
• Protection: Waterproof, magnet-proof, shock-proof, and temperature-proof.

SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB

• Premium Option: Higher price point, but offers faster read speeds for offloading files to your PC.
• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 / Class 10 (30MB/s minimum write speed).
• Use Case: Ideal if you want maximum durability or frequently transfer large batches of photos.
• Protection: Shock-proof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and X-ray-proof.

Sony A560 PRO Duo Memory Stick Compatibility

The Sony A560 can use PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo Memory Sticks. Those are a proprietary memory card format that Sony has discontinued.

PRO-HG are the fastest with read speeds up to 50MB/s and a 15MB/s minimum write speed. The largest capacity available is 64GB. Expect to pay at least twice as much as an SD card.

If you have a Memory Stick, go ahead and use it.

I would not recommend purchasing a PRO Duo card. SD cards are easier to find, less expensive, come in larger capacities, and are compatible with more devices.

Ultra High Speed (UHS)

The Ultra High Speed bus (UHS) is available with SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC memory cards.

There are three different specifications that increase with maximum transfer rates.

UHS ratings are shown on a card label as a Roman number I, II, or III. Product listing will prominently display the rating.

• 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