How to Get the Best Deal on Sony A99 SD Cards

You don’t need to buy expensive, top-tier memory cards to get maximum performance from your Sony A99. Because memory card technology has improved so much since the camera launched in 2012, even basic modern cards easily keep up with its writing speeds.

Any UHS-I SD card will do the job, and a 128GB card gives you the best balance of price and space. (The camera supports cards all the way up to 2TB).

Forget about searching for legacy Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. They’re discontinued, overpriced, and easily outperformed by standard SD cards in every metric. Unless you already own a PRO Duo, stick to modern SD cards.

Sony A99 SD Card Compatibility

The Sony A99 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 A99. 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

Here’s the approximate image capacity for high-quality JPEGs from the 24.3 megapixel sensor:

• 32GB - 4,400
• 64GB - 8,800
• 128GB - 17,600
• 256GB - 35,200
• 256GB - 70,400

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

Virtually any new card you buy today will easily keep up with photos and video on the A99. To avoid overpaying, keep these key tips in mind:

• Skip ultra-fast cards: The A99 has an internal write speed limit, so paying extra for top-tier card speed won’t make your camera write data any faster.
• Avoid UHS-II cards: The camera lacks the physical second-row pin hardware required to utilize UHS-II technology. They will work, but only at basic UHS-I speeds—making them a waste of money.
• Never buy used cards: Flash memory degrades over time with use, and there is no way to check how much read/write lifespan a used card has left. Stick to new cards to protect your photos.

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Lexar Professional 128GB SD Card

• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 (30MB/s write speed).
• Best For: Fast photo bursts and 4K video.
• Options: Larger capacities available.

SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card

• Specs: UHS-I / U1 / Class 10 (10MB/s write speed).
• Best For: Everyday photos and Full HD video.
• Value: Budget-friendly with solid daily performance.

PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card

• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 (30MB/s write speed).
• Best For: Continuous burst photos and 4K video.
• Durability: Waterproof, shockproof, and magnet-proof.

SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SD Card

• Specs: UHS-I / U3 / V30 (30MB/s write speed).
• Best Feature: Top-tier read speeds for rapid PC file transfers.
• Verdict: Premium choice; ideal for heavy offloading and max reliability.

Sony A99 PRO Duo Memory Stick Compatibility

The Sony A99 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